Kites of death
The week's news at a glance.
Lahore, Pakistan
Pakistani police arrested 1,400 people last week for the potentially deadly activity of flying kites. Kite fliers at the annual Basant festival traditionally try to ground each other’s kites by slashing the strings with their own strings, and in recent years duelers have coated them with metal or glass, to make them sharper. Over the last decade, razor-sharp kite strings have caused dozens of deaths, so this year Punjab Province barred kites altogether. The mayor of Lahore, Punjab’s capital, called the ban a great success. “Last year, 19 people died on Basant day,” said Mayor Mian Amir Mahmood. “No one has died this year.” Seven people were killed in the run-up to the festival, though, before the ban was put into effect.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The struggles of Aston Martin
In the Spotlight The car manufacturer, famous for its association with the James Bond franchise, is ‘running out of road’
-
The end of ‘golden ticket’ asylum rights
The Explainer Refugees lose automatic right to bring family over and must ‘earn’ indefinite right to remain
-
Grecotel Luxme Dama Dama: Greek luxury with a breezy beach vibe
The Week Recommends Rhodes is reimagined in this refined and relaxed resort