Malaysian ethnic Chinese people celebrated in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 7, on the eve of the Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year will mark the start of the Year of the Monkey on the Chinese calendar on Feb. 8.
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Revelers descended upon St. Mark’s Square, in Venice, Italy over the weekend for this year’s Venice Carnival. Carnival-goers are being asked by police to momentarily lift their masks as part of new anti-terrorism measures for the annual festivities. This year’s Carnival theme is “Creatum” — a new start, or rebirth of Venice’s origins — and runs until Feb. 9.
Australians celebrated Australia Day on Tuesday. The holiday marks the anniversary of the arrival and landing of the First Fleet of convict ships from Great Britain, and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove by Captain Arthur Phillip, on Jan 26, 1788. Day nine of the 2016 Australian Open also fell on Australia Day.
Armed with turnips, hundreds arrive in Piornal, Spain every year on Saint Sebastian Day to hurl the root vegetable at the Jarramplas, a man dressed as a demon. The centuries-old Jarramplas Festival takes place annually every January 19-20, and this year they expect to use more than 20 thousand kilograms of turnips. Though its origins are unclear, the festival is generally believed to symbolize the expulsion of everything bad.
Every weekend, Iran’s Dizin Ski Resort, some 45 miles north of the capital Tehran, draws hundreds of skiers from the capital and other towns.
Epiphany, also known as Three Kings’ Day or Theophany, is a Christian celebration of the biblical manifestation of Christ to the world.
Festivities vary widely and often centers around blessings, baptismal rites, gift-giving, nativity scenes and parades.
The La Vijanera masquerade, of pre-Roman origin, took place in the small village of Silio, northern Spain, on Sunday. It is the first carnival of the year in Europe symbolizing the triumph of good over evil and involving the participation of crowds of residents wearing different masks, animal skins and brightly colored clothing. The festival has its own complex function and symbolism in becoming the living example of the survival of archaic cults to nature.
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Filipinos gather noisemakers, prepare fruits and enjoy roasted pig in anticipation of the New Year.
The 66-million-year-old skeleton, named Tristan, is among the best-preserved large dinosaur remains ever found. It will be on exhibition at the Berlin natural history museum for the next three years.
The World Air Games in Dubai include precision aerobatics, skydiving and hot air balloon competitions.
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