Editors' Picks
Afghan circus lifts spirits
Tuesday, September 01, 2015 - 01:32
A mobile mini-circus for children tours the country, giving joy to the children of war-torn Afghanistan. Rough Cut (No reporter narration).
▲ Hide Transcript
▶ View Transcript
ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATION STORY: Flinging sparkling clubs into the air, the girls show off their juggling skills as the boys execute dazzling acrobatics, climbing into a four-storey human pyramid. The Afghanistan Mobile Mini Circus for Children (MMCC) travels across the country despite dangers, entertaining children and adults alike. The project has grown so popular that it now runs centers in ten provinces and has hundreds of regular students who want to train in circus skills. The circus makes visits to internally displaced persons camps, schools, orphanages, and holds annual festivals. "We are all tired of war. We have enjoyed this entertainment program. We wish to have peace and security in our country so we can have more fun and this kind of amusement in our life," said 14-year-old school girl, Husna, who watched the performance at her school. The MMCC would have been "heretical" under the Taliban, when music was banned by the Islamic fundamentalist movement and girls were forbidden from performing in public and going to school. Khalilullah Hameed is the trainer and project manger. Hameed believes that their shows and performances bring significant changes to Afghan children who have suffered from years of conflict. "We tell the children that they shouldn't worry about war, we give them hope that they will have a bright future. We make the children happy and give them hope that they can shape their own future. We encourage them to show their skills to others. This is our goal to make children happy and keep them safe," Hameed said. The circus, founded by Danish dance instructor David Mason to teach cooperation and creativity to children scarred by years of war, is one of few projects expanding despite a drop in international aid to Afghanistan. Mason started the circus with his own money and got the first donation of $1,000 (USD) in 2002, the year after U.S-led forces invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban. The children are taught juggling, walking on stilts and acrobatics. The war in Afghanistan claimed almost 5,000 civilian casualties in the first half of 2015, the United Nations said earlier in August, a one percent increase on last year as fighting intensified following the withdrawal of most foreign troops in 2014. The Taliban were responsible for around 70 percent of civilian deaths and injuries in the first six months of 2015, the U.N. said, largely through their continued use of suicide attacks and improvised explosive devices.
Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code
Afghan circus lifts spirits
Tuesday, September 01, 2015 - 01:32
Top News »
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:20)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:07)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:16)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:45)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:51)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:11)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:18)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:34)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:46)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:14)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:53)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:05)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:41)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:59)
Wed, Aug 26, 2015 - (3:53)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (2:36)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (2:25)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:54)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:01)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:45)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:02)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (0:59)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:23)
Most Popular »
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:27)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:57)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:33)
Thu, Aug 27, 2015 - (0:40)
Wed, Aug 26, 2015 - (0:57)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:16)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:20)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (0:59)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:07)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:10)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:54)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:30)
Tue, Aug 25, 2015 - (1:20)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (2:18)
Sat, Aug 29, 2015 - (1:32)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:45)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:11)
Thu, Aug 27, 2015 - (1:56)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:02)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:48)
Thu, Aug 27, 2015 - (1:34)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (2:15)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (2:19)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:35)
Mon, Jun 30, 2014 - (1:44)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:34)
Featured Videos
Images of August
Images taken by Reuters photographers from around the world for the month of August 2015, including the global migrant crisis, the explosion in Tianjin, the anniversary of the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, the U.S. presidential race, as well as other moments of daily life.
Miners turn to medical marijuana, e-cigarettes to cope with industry slump
Mining exploration companies dump the mineral business for medical marijuana farms, e-cigarettes, make-up, food distribution and even fantasy sports in a bid to survive slumping metal prices. Chief Equities correspondent Euan Rocha in Canada reports.
The legacy of Hurricane Katrina
Ten years ago, Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans and the Gulf coastline, leaving behind the costliest disaster in U.S. history and a deeper tragedy of poverty and inequality.
German scientists' high hopes for 'budget' moon rover
German scientists hope to see their home-made, low-cost, robot examining the moon in the near future while they work on ways to lower risks of malfunctioning.
Retirement »
Wed, Dec 17, 2014 - (2:12)
Wed, Dec 10, 2014 - (1:53)
Wed, Dec 03, 2014 - (2:14)
Wed, Nov 26, 2014 - (2:31)
Wed, Nov 19, 2014 - (2:47)
Wed, Nov 12, 2014 - (2:03)
Wed, Nov 05, 2014 - (2:07)
Wed, Oct 29, 2014 - (2:37)
Wed, Oct 22, 2014 - (2:05)
Wed, Oct 15, 2014 - (2:09)
Wed, Oct 08, 2014 - (2:24)
Wed, Oct 01, 2014 - (2:26)
Entertainment »
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:29)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:04)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (0:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:48)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:10)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:10)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:22)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:51)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:25)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:01)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (0:36)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:12)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:00)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:01)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:48)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:09)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (0:53)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (1:10)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (0:59)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (0:50)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (1:19)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (0:57)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (1:04)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (1:21)
Moving Pictures »
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (0:59)
Fri, Aug 28, 2015 - (2:38)
Fri, Jul 31, 2015 - (1:00)
Thu, Jul 02, 2015 - (0:59)
Thu, Jun 04, 2015 - (1:00)
Wed, May 27, 2015 - (1:22)
Fri, May 01, 2015 - (1:00)
Wed, Apr 01, 2015 - (1:00)
Fri, Feb 27, 2015 - (0:30)
Wed, Feb 11, 2015 - (2:58)
Fri, Jan 30, 2015 - (0:30)
Tue, Dec 23, 2014 - (0:30)
Tue, Dec 23, 2014 - (2:23)
Tue, Dec 02, 2014 - (0:30)
Mon, Nov 03, 2014 - (0:57)
Fri, Oct 31, 2014 - (1:30)
Tue, Oct 28, 2014 - (1:44)
Thu, Oct 23, 2014 - (0:59)
Mon, Oct 20, 2014 - (1:08)
Sun, Oct 12, 2014 - (2:34)
Wed, Oct 01, 2014 - (1:00)
Fri, Sep 05, 2014 - (2:05)
Mon, Sep 01, 2014 - (2:23)
Fri, Aug 22, 2014 - (3:12)
Fri, Aug 29, 2014 - (1:00)
Mon, Aug 11, 2014 - (2:27)
Fri, Aug 08, 2014 - (3:02)
Thu, Jul 31, 2014 - (1:20)
Tue, Jul 15, 2014 - (3:07)
Fri, Jul 11, 2014 - (1:00)
Sat, Jul 12, 2014 - (2:57)
Thu, Jul 03, 2014 - (3:25)
Fri, Jun 20, 2014 - (3:04)
Fri, Jun 06, 2014 - (1:08)
Fri, May 30, 2014 - (1:37)
Thu, May 15, 2014 - (2:13)
Reuters Investigates »
Tue, Jun 02, 2015 - (2:09)
Thu, Apr 02, 2015 - (2:32)
Mon, Nov 24, 2014 - (24:41)
Fri, Dec 05, 2014 - (3:17)
Thu, Nov 20, 2014 - (3:41)
Thu, Sep 04, 2014 - (8:11)
Wed, Feb 19, 2014 - (8:24)
Fri, Jan 10, 2014 - (4:01)
Thu, Nov 14, 2013 - (4:37)
Mon, Oct 14, 2013 - (2:16)
Thu, Aug 29, 2013 - (6:32)
Thu, Aug 29, 2013 - (13:22)
Mon, Aug 05, 2013 - (1:36)
Wed, Dec 12, 2012 - (5:19)
Mon, Dec 17, 2012 - (7:52)
Sat, Dec 08, 2012 - (10:02)
Sun, Dec 09, 2012 - (10:40)
Sun, Dec 09, 2012 - (5:15)
Sun, Dec 09, 2012 - (3:43)
Sun, Dec 09, 2012 - (3:52)
Sun, Dec 09, 2012 - (1:59)
Sun, Dec 09, 2012 - (3:50)
Sat, Dec 08, 2012 - (4:27)
Sat, Dec 08, 2012 - (4:11)
Fri, Dec 07, 2012 - (4:21)
Dateline Asia »
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (1:54)
Fri, Sep 04, 2015 - (2:02)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (2:09)
Thu, Sep 03, 2015 - (2:06)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (1:47)
Wed, Sep 02, 2015 - (1:09)
Tue, Sep 01, 2015 - (1:44)
Tue, Sep 01, 2015 - (1:32)
Tue, Sep 01, 2015 - (1:28)
Mon, Aug 31, 2015 - (1:59)
Mon, Aug 31, 2015 - (1:46)
Mon, Aug 31, 2015 - (2:15)
Mon, Aug 31, 2015 - (0:57)
Fri, Aug 28, 2015 - (1:57)
Fri, Aug 28, 2015 - (1:33)
Fri, Aug 28, 2015 - (1:46)
Fri, Aug 28, 2015 - (1:29)
Thu, Aug 27, 2015 - (1:55)
Thu, Aug 27, 2015 - (1:45)
Thu, Aug 27, 2015 - (1:50)
Wed, Aug 26, 2015 - (1:03)
Tue, Aug 25, 2015 - (1:00)
Tue, Aug 25, 2015 - (1:28)
Mon, Aug 24, 2015 - (1:36)
Mon, Aug 24, 2015 - (1:41)
Mon, Aug 24, 2015 - (2:11)
Fri, Aug 21, 2015 - (1:36)
Fri, Aug 21, 2015 - (1:37)
Fri, Aug 21, 2015 - (1:54)
Fri, Aug 21, 2015 - (0:57)
Thu, Aug 20, 2015 - (1:33)
Thu, Aug 20, 2015 - (1:52)
Thu, Aug 20, 2015 - (2:00)
Thu, Aug 20, 2015 - (1:07)
Wed, Aug 19, 2015 - (2:16)
Wed, Aug 19, 2015 - (1:02)