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Peas in a podcast: Devouring the past

Peas in a podcast: Devouring the past

Economic Times4 days ago
Wars have long made ancient sites vulnerable to looting, and in post-Assad Syria , this grim tradition continues. In Syria's treasure-hunting fever, a compelling episode from The Guardian's podcast, reporter William Christou talks to Michael Safi about the ongoing plunder of the ancient city of Palmyra . Once a jewel of the Roman Empire and a Unesco World Heritage site , Palmyra now lies pockmarked with holes - dug by desperate Syrians in search of millennia-old burial treasures.Christou explains how the collapse of Syria's security infrastructure and the deep poverty left in war's wake have driven ordinary people to hunt for antiquities. Joining the discussion is archaeologist Amr Al-Azm, founder of the Athar Project, which monitors online trafficking of looted artefacts. He describes how the Islamic State's earlier exploitation of cultural heritage sites has fuelled a lasting appetite for illegal excavation.But the looters are not the only ones to blame. Al-Azm points to the global antiquities market - particularly buyers in Europe and North America - as complicit. Without tackling demand, he warns, the destruction will continue. This sobering episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned about the survival of our shared cultural heritage.
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PM Modi tops global approval rankings, Trump and western leaders trail
PM Modi tops global approval rankings, Trump and western leaders trail

Business Standard

time2 hours ago

  • Business Standard

PM Modi tops global approval rankings, Trump and western leaders trail

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Tased, choked and held: Video shows US citizen, his friends being detained in Florida
Tased, choked and held: Video shows US citizen, his friends being detained in Florida

Indian Express

time3 hours ago

  • Indian Express

Tased, choked and held: Video shows US citizen, his friends being detained in Florida

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"PM Modi Wants To Make Cholas Global, DMK Keeping Them Local": K Annamalai To NDTV
"PM Modi Wants To Make Cholas Global, DMK Keeping Them Local": K Annamalai To NDTV

NDTV

time4 hours ago

  • NDTV

"PM Modi Wants To Make Cholas Global, DMK Keeping Them Local": K Annamalai To NDTV

Chennai: Former president of the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit K Annamalai on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to make the Cholas"global". Speaking to NDTV, a day ahead of PM Modi's visit to Tiruchirappalli to attend a mega festival to celebrate the legacy of Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044 CE), Mr Annamalai also slammed the ruling DMK, saying they want to keep Cholas "local". "Tomorrow is going to be a very, very important day, not just for Tamil Nadu, but for the whole Bharat (India)," he said, referring to the event at the Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its intricate sculptures, Chola bronzes, and ancient inscriptions. It also commemorates 1,000 years of the maritime expedition of Rajendra Chola I to South East Asia, Mr Annamalai said. He said that PM Modi, who is visiting Tamil Nadu straight after his "successful" trips to the UK and the Maldives, is trying to put Gangaikonda Cholapuram on the global map. He also praised PM Modi for releasing a commemorative coin honouring Rajendra Chola I. Mr Annamalai said Chief Minister MK Stalin-led DMK is "nervous" about PM Modi's tour as they have not done anything for the Chola dynasty. "The DMK has never celebrated Cholas," he said, adding that no chief minister from the party has ever visited Gangaikonda Cholapuram, which was the capital city of the dynasty. "When the PM is trying to take Cholas global, the DMK wants it to be local," he said. Speaking on the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, which are due next year, Mr Annamalai said the ruling DMK is set for a "historic defeat". "DMK's days are numbered," he said.

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