Artist paints 30-feet long portrait of US President Barack Obama

Moradabad, Jan 26 (ANI): An artist in Uttar Pradesh painted a 30-feet long portrait of US President Barack Obama, who arrived in New Delhi for Republic Day celebrations. Obama is the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on Monday in the capital, where tanks, troops and floats showcasing India's cultural diversity will pass along Rajpath. The artist, Narendra Singh painted portrait of Obama with Indian and United States flags at the backdrop with a message reading, 'All Indians salute you'. Obama will leave India slightly earlier than first scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia following the death of King Abdullah, skipping a planned visit to the Taj Mahal. Jan 26, 2015
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Funeral prayers for Saudi king Abdullah offered in Pakistan

Islamabad, Jan 25 (ANI): Pakistani people, including senior government and embassy officials, offered funeral prayers-in-absentia for Saudi king Abdulla who died after a short illness early on Friday (January 23). Prime minister's advisor on national security and foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, senior government and embassy officials attended the prayers led by minister for religious affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf. The prayers were offered in Islamabd's Faisal Mosque which is named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia, who supported and financed the project. A one-day official mourning was observed in Pakistan on Friday on the sad demise of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. The national flag flew at half mast. In a condolence message, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the King's demise, saying that being the custodian of the Holy Mosques he had a special place in the heart of every Pakistani. Jan 25, 2015
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UAE President announces 3-day mourning for Saudi Arabia King Abdullah

Riyadh, Jan 24 (ANI): UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced three days of mourning after the passing of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. He said the mourning would start on Friday and ordered the UAE national flag to be flown at half-mast at all government departments in the UAE and at all embassies and diplomatic missions of the UAE overseas. Earlier, King Abdullah was carried in a simple white shroud to an unmarked grave on Friday, in keeping with local religious traditions. Wahhabi Sunni Islam, the form of religion practiced by the Saudi state, considers ostentatious displays of grief or mourning to be sinful and akin to idolatry. Before his burial, Abdullah's body was transported in a city ambulance to a mosque, where Muslim leaders, Saudi Princes, powerful clerics and billionaire Arab businessmen gathered for prayers. Jan 24, 2015