10 Oldest Mosques in the World

01. Quba Mosque, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 622

The designation of the oldest mosque in the world requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest mosque congregation. Even here, there is the distinction between old mosque buildings that have been in continuous use as mosques, and those that have been converted to other purposes; and between buildings that have been in continuous use as mosques and those that were shuttered for many decades. In terms of congregations, they are distinguished between early established congregations that have been in continuous existence, and early congregations that ceased to exist (wikipedia). 09 More after the break...

02. Al-Masjid al-Nabawi, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 622

03. Masjid al-Qiblatain, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 623

04. Jawatha Mosque, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 629

05. Masjid al-Haram, Saudi Arabia

First Built: 638

06. Great Mosque of Kufa, Iraq

First Built: 639

07. Mosque of Uqba, Tunisia

First Built: 670

08. Imam Hussain Mosque, Iraq

First Built: 680

09. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem

First Built: 705

10. Al-Zaytuna Mosque, Tunisia

First Built: 709

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Top 10 American Cities with Most Attractive People

01. Charleston

This South Carolina city bumped off perennial winner Miami this year; have the good-looking people really migrated north? Charlestonians also score high for friendliness, rank second for their classic sense of style, and even make the top 10 for intelligence. To see if it’s all true, just stroll the streets of this quaint city, which also ranks No. 1 for its noteworthy neighborhoods.

What makes the people of one city so good-looking and the folks elsewhere…well, not so much? Do some cities become magnets for the Greek god and goddess types, or does the mere act of living in a certain area actually have a transformative effect? Whatever the reasons, in this year’s America’s Favorite Cities survey, voters told us that good weather and great shopping go hand-in-hand with attractiveness. San Diego and Miami, for example, did well in all three categories, ending up among the top five cities to find America’s most attractive people. 09 More after the break...

02. San Diego

Maybe it’s all those sunny blondes in this SoCal city, or just the fact that everyone looks good when the forecast is perfect (its weather ranks No. 1), but San Diego maintains its No. 2 ranking in this category from last year. Certainly the locals take good care of themselves, jogging along the beaches: the city also ranks No. 2 for its athletic citizens.

03. Savannah

This newcomer to the America’s Favorite Cities survey makes a bold entrance into this category. The Georgia city also racks up a huge number of No. 2 berths in the survey, thanks in large part to its ever-so-appealing denizens.

04. Miami

Who cares if these Floridians don’t come off as brainy or even terribly nice? AFC readers ranked them near the bottom for both friendliness and smarts. But though they’ve lost their grip on the No. 1 ranking in this category, Miamians are still top-five material. Perhaps that’s because they seem to be out at the gym (No. 10 for athletic) or just out shopping. Miami ranks No. 9 for luxury boutiques and No. 3 for style.

05. Salt Lake City

Salt Lake is a survey newbie, but that didn’t stop it from cracking the upper echelon of this list. And the Utah natives rank about the same as an overall package: they’re top 10 for being physically active, friendly, and intelligent. They’re a pretty trustworthy bunch too—the city ranks No. 1 for safety.

06. Honolulu

Those island breezes toss the hair in a nice way—and no doubt all that hula dancing nicely tones the abs. The locals in the Hawaiian capital rank sixth for staying fit. And if you want to seize the moment, Honolulu is also the No. 1 city for romance.

07. San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan is one of three newcomers to the survey that cracked the top 10 in this popular category. The locals here certainly know how to charm visitors in many ways: they also made it into the top 10 for friendliness and for dressing to the nines (No. 6 for style).

08. Austin

People in the Texas capital are smart (No. 5) and amiable (No. 8 for friendliness), and they stay in shape too (No. 4 for being active). Luckily, it’s fun finding them, too: Austin ranks No. 2 for both its live music and bar scene.

09. Denver

Even though the Mile High City ranks second for its microbrews, there’s no need to pack your beer goggles when coming for a visit. (The city did slip three spots from last year in this category, however.) Denver also ranks No. 2 for its parks and outdoor spaces, and the fit locals make the most of it, ranking No. 1 for being athletic.

10. Nashville

Something about those cowboy hats must flatter the face—and being able to sing doesn’t hurt either. Music City types don’t go for rhinestones as much as they used to, which maybe helped them land at No. 10 for style. But folks are still plenty country: they rank No. 10 for farmers’ markets and No. 3 for a howdy-there friendliness.

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Top 10 Most Beautiful Female Athletes of the World

10. Miesha Tate, MMA

We all know that female athletes always appear to be hotter just because they are able to do the things that many of us are not able to do. Here is count down list of world’s top ten most beautiful women athletes. 09 More after the break...

09. Danica Patrick, Car Racing

08. Maria Verchenova, Golf

07. Liv Boeree, Poker

06. Leryn Franco, Javelin

05. Lacey Jones, Poker

04. Anna Kournikova, Tennis

03. Blair O’Neal, Golf

02. Jenn Brown, Softball

01. Victoria Vanucci, Tennis

Top 10 Faces to Watch in 2011

01. Chloe Moretz

2010 was the year of the teen fashion icon and Chloë Moretz, just 13, came out on top as the reigning queen. Hand posed just so on her hip, or peering out from behind her sweeeping bob, she was seen at all the best fashion parties, wearing labels such as Chanel and Miu Miu, and giving the air of a much older fashion pro. At a party hosted by Miuccia Prada in London she arrived arm-in-arm with Emma Roberts. She rose to fame after her role as a foul-mouthed hit girl in “Kick-Ass” and is currently filming “Hugo Cabret”, directed by Martin Scorsese. There’s a reason why Karl Lagerfeld loves her. Want to know who’s going to be the next big thing in 2011? Here are the top ten fashionable faces of 2011, after the break...

02. Isabel Lucas

Australian actress Isabel Lucas had her breakout moment in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, alongside Megan Fox. Hollywood casting agents love the 25 year-old brunette, who recently had “a moment” on the red carpet at the premiere of Sofia Coppola’s latest film, “Somewhere”, in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton.

03. Tali Lennox

The beautiful daughter of pop veteran Annie, Tali Lennox, was our favourite social butterfly of 2010. The model embodies quirky London style; at the opening of the Christian Dior store in London last month, she paired a lighter-than-air, floaty cocktail dress with a black fedora. Here she is in “Black Swan”-inspired corset with lace. Watch out Alexa Chung..

04. Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley

In 2010, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley proved she could do more than land the best advertising campaigns and a lucrative contract with Victoria’s Secret. She can act too, landing the lead role in the third Transformers movie opposite Shia LeBeouf and snapping the role away from Megan Fox. The film comes out in June 2011 and we know Huntington-Whiteley will be pulling out all the stops on red carpets across the globe. We see the role of Bond Girl in her future.

05. Kate Middleton

The eyes of the world will be on the future Queen of England when she marries Prince William in April. The feverish speculation over her wedding dress has spawned hundreds of designer sketches from the fashion world’s greatest names. Her style is endlessly compared to Princess Diana’s, while her love of high street fashion is also worthy of praise. The Issa dress she wore on the day her engagement was announced sold out online withing 24 hours, and Reiss is hurriedly remaking the past season dress she wore in the official portrait taken by Mario Testino.

06. Abbie Cornish

Abbie Cornish’s career has been bubbling away under the surface for years. We think 2011 will be the year she comes out on top. She has three big films on the way: the first is a starring role in Madonna’s film, W.E., about King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. Next she will be seen in Sucker Punch, a fantasy-world thriller directed by Zach Snyder (Watchmen). If that wasn’t enough, she will be appearing opposite Robert De Niro in Limitless.

07. Romola Garai

Romola Garai is going to have two big things next year: “One Day” (with Anne Hathaway) and a new British TV series, “The Hour” (set behind the scenes of a broadcast newsroom in 1956). We’re counting on “The Hour”, written by BAFTA-winning Abi Morgan, to deliver a “Mad Men” fix of period costumes, burgeoning sexual politics and retro media shenanigans. Garai, Dominic West and Ben Whishaw form the central love triangle of Bel and her rivals Freddie and Hector. Will Bel be the new Peggy Olsen? Only time will tell.

08. Saoirse Ronan

Irish actress, Saoirse (pronounced “seer-sha”) Ronan has that rare chameleon quality. As the wide-eyed younger sister to Keira Knightley in “Atonement” she won critical acclaim. It landed her the lead role in Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones”, opposite Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg and Susan Sarandon. Next she appears with Cate Blanchett in Hanna, and as Effie in “Effie Gray” (along with Orlando Bloom and Emma Thompson) about the relationship between Victorian artist John Ruskin and his teenage bride … We told you 2011 would be the year of the teens.

09. Lindsey Wixson

Model of the moment Lindsey Wixson made her catwalk debut at the spring/summer 2010 shows in New York aged just 15. She was immediately whisked off to Milan to open the spring/summer 2010 Prada show on an exclusive – meaning she could only walk for Prada. She appeared as the face of the last two Miu Miu campaigns, clocking up an impressive portfolio of magazine spreads and covers, and was recently confirmed as the new face of Marc Jacobs and Mulberry for spring.

10. Edie Campbell

Edie Campbell has already won a coveted spot on Vogue’s best-dressed list, and has appeared alongside Kate Moss in the Burberry campaigns. With her rock star boyfriend, Johnny Borrell in tow, she will be cutting a rug in London all year, as fashion’s new Penelope Tree.

World’s Top Ten Friendliest Countries

01. Ireland

Centuries of turmoil, conquest, famine and subsequent immigration  have certainly taken their toll on the Irish: it’s left them with a deliciously dark sense of humour and a welcoming attitude towards strangers. That famous ability of the Irish to find craic (fun times) in boom or bust times means you’re always in for a treat.
Here is the list of top ten friendliest countries of the world, after the break...

02. Samoa

What’s this? Samoa reckons they have ‘the world’s friendliest people’? Hmmm, trouble is there’s no ratifying body for such a claim, meaning the Samoans have to contend with the challenge of Fiji, which also self-applies the title. Though readers can rest assured that Samoa harbours lovely and warm people.


03. United States

Blamed for the coming of World War III, the Anti-Christ, Bon Jovi, Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson, rampant street crime and noise pollution through overloud talking, Americans just take it all in their stride. Americans may be patriotic and love their country but they’ll invariably welcome you and help you get the best out of the United States.

04. Malawi

Whereas other African nations are beset by tribal war and fighting, Malawians describe themselves as ‘the friendliest people in Africa. Anyone who’s visited will know that the rare (for Africa) cohesion of the country’s ethnic groups is solid evidence for this, as is the people’s propensity to welcome you into their homes as well as their nation.

05. Fiji

Fijians have got plenty to smile about lush islands, kaleidoscopic reefs, cobalt sea, a wealth of marine life, world-class diving, romantic coastlines, awesome cuisine and they love to spread the love around. Fijians have a rep for helping all travellers feel welcome, thereby allowing you to uncover the best from this sprawling group of islands.

06. Indonesia

It’s hard to make generalisations about a country that contains so many different cultures still, a cliché you’ll hear often is that Indonesian people greet foreigners with open arms. Fact is they do, but the media limelight is stolen by the knack of their law-enforcement officers for welcoming drug dealers and bomb makers in an altogether different ritual.

07. Vietnam

Vietnam’s another country inextricably caught up in Western images and stereotypes: napalm death; tormented American soldiers; assassins hiding in the rice fields. But Vietnam put all that behind it a long time ago and is now on a drive to become the new ‘Asian’ tiger economy.

08. Thailand

Southeast Asia’s most-visited country is bound to offer up a welter of stereotypes and clichès. Here are some of them: dazzling islands and beaches; lush and balmy weather; great shopping and great food; the ‘France of Asia’. The Thai people’s gracious hospitality does indeed take some beating.

09. Scotland

Scotland’s becoming the destination for visitors to the British Isles, winning out over London. The Scots have survived English invasion, brutal weather and the pain of having the world’s worst goalkeepers. This fighting spirit against insurmountable odds has left them with an extroverted, buoyant demeanour and a blackly humorous nationalism.


10. Turkey

It’s a shame that for such a long time the Western world’s image of Turkey revolved around the drug-smuggling film Midnight Express. Thankfully, we can report the Turkish people actually have an unsurpassed reputation for hospitality. With their heavenly cuisine, dreamy coastline and historical sites, the Turks know there’s no reason to be secretive.

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