After tobacco, Turkey bans hookah in public places
After banning smoking in public places, the Turkish government has gone one step further by clamping down on an ancient tradition -- the hookah, or water pipe.
Lets's get small! Bolivians stage miniature festival
Bolivia is throwing a little party. Literally. It's a yearly festival in which street vendors hawk everything miniature -- from houses to clothes to passports -- for small bills of fake money.
Presidential inaugurations: a long, chilly US tradition
The US presidential inauguration is a centuries-old tradition, but despite the warmth and affection offered an incoming leader, the quadrennial ceremony is often a bitterly cold affair.
Thousands of Mexicans devour enormous king cake
Tens of thousands of Mexicans wolfed down a 1.9-kilometer (1.2-mile) long king cake on Thursday, polishing it off in less than half-an-hour during the traditional feast in downtown Mexico City.
Record 40,000 Dutch in New Year North Sea dip
A record 40,000 people braved icy temperatures on the Netherlands's North Sea coast Tuesday to take a cold plunge, setting a new record for the traditional New Year's Day dip.
Yemen's swap marriages: a recipe for disaster
The deal is simple: I marry your sister and you marry mine. No dowry necessary. But if one marriage fails, the other must end as well.
Millions across Philippines visit their dead
Millions across the Philippines visited cemeteries Thursday to pay respects to their dead, in an annual tradition that combines Catholic religious rites with the country's penchant for festivity.
A gender-neutral pronoun makes waves in Sweden
Sweden's tradition of gender equality has famously put more mums in the workplace while rising numbers of dads stay at home.
Thailand grapples with killer student gangs
Sweat dripping from their foreheads as they complete a set of press-ups, students at a Thai army boot camp are momentary allies, but a spate of gang shootings suggests it is an uneasy peace.
Indian Sikhs push 'turban pride'
The evening turban-tying class in the Sikh-dominated Indian city of Amritsar is packed with pre-teen boys learning a centuries-old tradition -- that religious leaders fear is under threat.
Semey streets decorated with small yurts
Production of small yurts capable of accommodating 6 people has been launched in Semey.
School of Kazakh Brides to be launched in Kazakhstan
At the threshold of the 20th anniversary of the nation’s independence, abandoned traditions are being rediscovered by the Kazakh people.