Mumbai

MUMBAI'S ornate horse-drawn carriages are nearing the end of the road after a court in the Indian city ruled them illegal, saying owners must wind up operations within a year. The silver-coloured Victorias - styled on open carriages used during Queen Victoria's reign - have been plying Mumbai's streets since British colonial times, and for years have been a tourist attraction.

But on Monday, the Bombay High Court agreed with animal welfare groups - which had petitioned for a ban, citing poor treatment of the horses - that the practice was cruel.