India prepares for Rural Olympics

The northern Indian state of Punjab is preparing to host a controversial traditional sports event known locally as the Rural Olympics.

The three-day event, which opens in the town of Ludhiana on Saturday, is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people.

A row broke out over the games after the state government banned one of the main events, bullock-cart racing, following protests from animal rights groups.

The authorities now say the the races can go ahead -- but only if there's no cruelty to the animals.

Restrictions include bans on the use of whips and artificial stimulants to make the animals run faster. A separate ban on dog, ram and cock fights remains in place.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service