Every year Shia Muslims worldwide celebrate the Day of Ashura, their most important holy day. It falls on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Shiites commemorate the martyrdom of Husain ibn Ali who was brutally killed during the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD in present day Iraq. Husain is recognized by the Shiites as the third Imam, the rightful successor of his grandfather Muhammad and the greatest hero of Shiite Muslims.

Copyright Aleksander Bochenek / Babel Images

Mitrovica (serb. Kosovska Mitrovica) - the city in north Kosovo divided between Serbs and Albanians. The river Ibar which floats through the city is de facto the border between Serbia and Kosovo. There, in 2004 started ‘the march riots’ which later spread all over the country. Mitrovica is the Kosovo in a nutshell.

Copyright Mieszko Stanislawski / Babel Images

Since the miltary government moved Myanmar’s capital to a ghost-city built in a middle of remote nowhere called Naypyitaw, Yangon (Rangoon) has relaxed a bit. People’s faces are brighter, their walk easier now. Some of them even dare to talk openely to foreign strangers, starting with “government-not-good” remarks. But there is other side of this coin - abandoned or left only to its poor inhabitants buildings of the city, which is probably the largest complex of untouched colonial architecture in the world, are turning into debris even faster now.

Copyright Grzegorz Ostrega / Babel Images

What is hidden in a lime tree? He is the only one to know. He sits in front of a magic chest, where chisels rest. Then, shapes start to appear from under his weary hands. Slowly…from the outlines to the details. This mountaineer’s sculptures, mostly sacred, are scattered all over the world. But he, like a tree, just stays among us preparing the material for another artwork.

Copyright Adam Kokot / Babel Images

Every year during Eastern Orthodox Christmas holiday a lot of tourists from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus come to Zakopane, winter capital of Poland.
For the 6th time in the old roman-catholic Church ‘On the Peksowy Brzyzek’ the Chritmas Mass was celebrated. There was more than 100 worshipers, mainly from Russia, Ukraina and Belarus.

Copyright Adam Kokot / Babel Images

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