In India, there has been much progress in equal rights. The Kumbh Mela festival starts on January 25th and will last until March 4th. This festival is one of the biggest Hindu events and often said to be one of the worlds largest religious gatherings. This event has taken place every couple years for centuries, and four different cities take… Read more »
The northern Indian city of Allahabad witnessed a historic procession on Sunday led by a Hindu congregation of transgender people. Photojournalist Ankit Srinivas reports. Thousands thronged the streets of Allahabad to seek blessings from transgender sadhus (holy people), ahead of the Kumbh Mela festival, which is set to begin in the city on 15 January and will continue until 4… Read more »
Scientists in India have hit out at speakers at a major conference for making irrational claims, including that ancient Hindus invented stem cell research. Some academics at the annual Indian Science Congress dismissed the findings of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. Hindu mythology and religion-based theories have increasingly become part of the Indian Science Congress agenda. But experts said remarks… Read more »
It was an early morning in November when Mir Hasan arrived at a construction site in Noida – a suburb of India’s capital Delhi – to start his daily shift. He drank a bottle of water and began work right away – this was his routine every day. But a few hours later, he fell from the high-rise building and… Read more »
At least 30 people have been killed in the collapse of a gold mine in north-eastern Afghanistan, officials say. The collapse occurred in the Kohistan district of Badakhshan province. Villagers had reportedly dug a 60m (220ft) deep but makeshift shaft in a river bed to hunt for gold and were caught in its collapse. Afghanistan has vast resources of minerals… Read more »
In India, there has been massive uproar in the public against India’s government saying that it is corrupt and are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It all started with the Rafale deal, in which India bought 36 fighter jets from French company Dassault for a total of $8.7 billion back in 2016. As part of the Rafale deal,… Read more »
A senior politician from India’s Congress party has been jailed for life in the most significant conviction to date over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Sajjan Kumar, who was an MP at the time, was found guilty of inciting crowds to kill Sikhs. In a scathing verdict, the Delhi high court judges said the accused evaded justice due to “political patronage”…. Read more »
A young Afghan boy who became famous online for his devotion to footballer Lionel Messi has been forced to flee his home for the second time. Murtaza Ahmadi, now aged seven, went viral in 2016 after being photographed wearing a homemade Messi shirt, fashioned out of a plastic bag. He later met his hero in Qatar. His family say they… Read more »
An Iranian political activist jailed for his messages on social media has died after spending 60 days on hunger strike, his family says. Vahid Sayadi Nasiri had been accused of insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other offences. He was released last March after serving two-and-a-half years in prison but detained again five months later. The activist demanded his… Read more »
India’s top court has dismissed demands for an investigation into the country’s decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault. There was massive political furore over the deal with India’s opposition parties alleging corruption and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The court order is being seen as a victory for the government in India…. Read more »