Politics

Ultra-Orthodox Jews perform the traditional Malkot ceremony

Ultra-Orthodox Jews whipped believers with leather straps as a symbolic punishment for their sins during the traditional Malkot ceremony, a few hours before the start of Yom Kippur, the Jewish holy day of Atonement. Duration 00:55

Oct 4, 2014

LGBT community lauds Facebook over 'real name' policy

A group of activists joined Facebook's Chief Product Officer to applaud Facebook's promise to change its "real name" policy. Duration 01:07

Oct 4, 2014

Paris Motor Show bets on women to promote new models

Women and luxury cars...for some these go together like salt and pepper. At the international Paris Motor Show this weekend, models are a vital element to the glitz and glamour that manufacturers hope will attract buyers. Duration 00:41

Oct 4, 2014

Defiant HK protesters scuffle with police despite talks offer

Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong scuffle with police outside government offices as tensions run high, despite an eleventh-hour agreement for talks. Duration: 01:05

Oct 4, 2014

Patients continue to arrive at Liberia hospital

The Island Hospital in Monrovia continues to admit Ebola patients after President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said Wednesday that the outbreak was beginning to stabilise. Duration 00:37

Oct 4, 2014

Thai police charge Myanmar men with UK couple murder

Thai police Friday charge two Myanmar men with murder and rape after the killing of two British tourists on a southern island last month, in a case that has severely dented the kingdom_s image as a holiday haven. Duration: 00:37

Oct 4, 2014

Kurds have no faith in Turkish action against IS group

As smoke billows over Kobane amid the intensifying fight for the Syrian Kurdish town, Turkish Kurds on the other side of the border have little faith that the Turkish parliament will authorise military action. Duration: 00:49

Oct 4, 2014

PM Modi participates in Dusshera celebrations at Subhash Park

New Delhi, Oct 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the Subhash Park in New Delhi to witness the burning of effigies of the evil king Ravana, Meghnath and Kubhakaran to mark the celebration of Dusshera. President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan were also present at the event. The VIPS were escorted to a flower bedecked stage and garlanded with flowers by the organizers of the event soon after their arrival at the ground.

Oct 3, 2014

Swiss Red Cross worker killed in Ukraine's Donetsk

A Swiss Red Cross worker was killed Thursday by shelling in central Donetsk, the rebel-held city in eastern Ukraine, a rescue worker told AFP at the scene. Duration: 00:30

Oct 3, 2014

It Happens: 132 yrs old temple adorns idols in currency notes and gold ornaments

Vishakapatnam, Oct 3 (ANI): The Vasavi Kanyaka Parameshwari Temple in Vishakapatnam, on Monday adorned its idols in currency notes and gold ornaments during the ten-day Hindu festival of Durga Puja. The money donated will be returned to the owners, who consider it auspicious to donate currency so that their businesses remain fruitful and earn revenue during the year. Meanwhile, Kolkata is filled with pandals, housing beautiful idols of Goddess Durga, where devotees are immersed in the festivities. Organisers of the Ekdalia Evergreen pandal adorned their idols with pure gold ornaments as crowds thronged to worship them. It is believed that the Goddess Durga makes her annual visit to the world during Durga Puja and the festivities are meant to welcome her. The festival culminates with the immersion of the 'Durga' idols into water bodies.

Oct 3, 2014

It Happens: Navratri boost tourism in Odisha

Odisha, Oct 3 (ANI): Tourists thronged to participate in the traditional celebrations and rituals of the Hindu festival of nine nights, Navratri, in Odisha. In Bhubaneshwar, devotees thronged decorated pandals, temporary platforms, where the idol of Hindu goddess Durga is installed and sought her blessings. At the Dream Odisha, 2014, an event organised by the city-based Odisha International Centre, thirty districts from all around the state had gathered to offer their prayers to Durga and indulge in dance and merry-making. The coordinator of the organisation, Paresh Nayak said that events like these give push to the tourism in the state. People at the event performed a traditional Indian dance called dandiya, which is played with two baton-like sticks. Though the dance form is not originally from the state, it is popular in Odisha as well as other Indian states during these nine days. Navratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm and people drench into the music of Garba for nine-long-days, representing the nine manifestations of Goddess Durga.

Oct 3, 2014

Indonesians snap up 'luxury' cows for Eid festival

Every year ahead of the Muslim feast of sacrifice, a showroom in Indonesia swaps cars for hulking cows costing up to $25,000 each, seeking to lure a wealthy elite increasingly keen on ploughing money into celebrating their religion. Duration: 01:02

Oct 3, 2014

Tears, prayers as Muslim pilgrims mark peak of hajj

Tears, flowed and prayers filled the air as the annual Muslim hajj attended by about 1.4 million believers from around the world reached its zenith on a vast plain in western Saudi Arabia Friday. Duration: 00:29

Oct 3, 2014

Road accident kills four hawkers in Patna

Patna, Oct 3 (ANI): Four people were mowed to death and four others were injured by a car which hit the hawkers sitting along the side of a road in Patna on Friday. Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Patna, Amit Kumar, said that an Indica car hit the people near Mahavir Cancer Institute at Phulwarisharif area. Reportedly, the car driver has been detained by the police. A hawker, Mohammad Alam, witnessed the incident that took place early in the morning.

Oct 3, 2014

Durga Puja Pandal in Kolkata focuses on tiger conservation

Kolkata, Oct 03 (ANI): Residents in Kolkata city of West Bengal have made a pandal, based on the theme of Sundarbans forest for the ongoing celebrations of Durga Puja. The representation is drawing attention to the need for preservation and conservation of the Royal Bengal tigers which have been under threat from habitat destruction, illegal trade for body parts, natural calamities and poachers. The pandal created with an aim to spread awareness among the people about tiger conservation drew hundreds of visitors and got a good response. The four-day Durga Puja festival is the biggest Hindu festival in West Bengal. In Kolkata alone, more than 10,000 pandals in various themes are set up to venerate the mother goddess Durga. Legend has it that "Asuras" or demons from the underworld invaded the heavens after a hundred years of war with the gods.

Oct 3, 2014