Thousands flock to Hong Kong temple for Lunar New Year incense stick ritual

Thousands of worshippers flocked to Hong Kong’s best-known Taoist temple on Monday for the annual ritual of the burning of the first incense sticks, marking the start of Lunar New Year with prayers for prosperity and health in the Year of the Horse. The Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple threw open its doors at 9pm on Monday for the traditional Lunar New Year’s Eve celebration, welcoming crowds eager to offer their first sticks of incense to the Great Immortal Wong at 11pm. The Kowloon landmark...

By Oscar Liu

Flying oranges: Italian town celebrates carnival with historic street battle

A town in northern Italy has started celebrating carnival with its annual Battle of the Oranges where people hurl the fruit at each other for fun.

Which samba schools bring luck to your team? Check out the findings

In the coming days, we will find out the champion samba schools of the 2026 Carnival in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. And what does this have to do with football?With the Brasileirão already underwa...

Carnival, lunar new year and anti-US fervour: photos of the day – Monday

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world Continue reading...

By Eithne Staunton

Little luxuries to mark the year of the horse - The Times

Little luxuries to mark the year of the horse  The Times