Mohammed Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who claims to have been sodomised by Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim two weeks ago, has challenged the latter to swear by the Quran in the presence of the Islamic clergy. Alternatively, Ibrahim should agree to resolve the matter through mubahalah (malediction), Azlan said on Tuesday in an email sent to TV3 channel, which was aired during the station's bulletin programme.

via sify.com

Regarding Junaid Afeef's "Obama Should Embrace His Muslim Heritage" (op-ed, July 3): As a Christian I wouldn't mind hearing Barack Obama positively acknowledge his father's Muslim background. It could be a very good thing, especially given Mr. Obama's exposure and international credibility. But to do so with a "can't we all get along" ethos, as Mr. Aleef seems to suggest.

via online.wsj.com

Residents and pilgrims lamented the dilapidated condition of a Buddhist monument in Bihar, despite it being under control of the country's archaeological department. The Buddhist stupa, a mould-like structure of religious monuments located in Kesaria, about 110 kilometers from Patna, is a sought after destination for tourists and pilgrims coming to the state.

via newstrackindia.com

The 87-year-old leader of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Thich Huyen Quang, died on Saturday. Mr Quang, who campaigned peacefully against the communist regime in Vietnam for thirty years, had been under house arrest since 1982. Up until 1975, the Unified Buddhist Church officially represented Buddhism in Vietnam.

via radionetherlands.nl

Rail workers in Australia's state of New South Wales have withdrawn a threat to hold a 24-hour strike in the middle of Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to Sydney and World Youth Day celebrations, the Australian said, citing a member of the labor union. The New South Wales state branch of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has agreed to call off the strike after resuming talks over a wage dispute, the newspaper said, citing John Robertson, secretary of Unions NSW.

via bloomberg.com

Add another famous-named offspring to the Oaks Christian football roster. Nicholas Montana, a 6-foot-2 junior who is the son of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, has enrolled at the private Westlake Village school.
Montana, the starting junior varsity quarterback at Concord De La Salle last season, filed his admission papers for Oaks Christian online last week.

via venturacountystar.com

He was born in October 1670 in a Rajput family doing farming in village Rajouri, district Punch, State of Kashmir. He was named Lachman Dev. As a child he was very fond of horse riding, martial art, hunting and was expert in use of bow and arrow and other weapons used in wars at that time.

via panthic.org

A Sikh truck driver was arrested and his turban forcibly removed after marshals in a Connecticut court found his kirpan on him when he went to contest a traffic violation. Sachdev Singh, 47, a New Jersey resident, entered the State of Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford June 18. While passing through security, he told the officers that he had a five-inch kirpan under his clothing.

via ndtv.com

The Indian Hindi Welfare Association wants to build the centre on a four-acre plot of land off Lings Way, Lumbertubs. The building, which has been described by the association as 'spectacular', would feature a temple with a pyramid roof. There would also be a day-care centre for the elderly, a housing complex for people aged over 55 and a sports complex inside the new facility.

via northamptonchron.co.uk

The Balochistan Assembly (BA) on Saturday unanimously demanded the federal government, through a parliamentary resolution, cancel construction plans for a dam on Hangol River in order to avoid damage to a historical Hindu temple. Balochistan Minister for Irrigation and Power Sardar Muhammad Aslam Bizenjo along with several other provincial ministers moved a joint resolution on the floor of the BA against construction of the dam.

via dailytimes.com.pk

VHP president Shri Ashok Singhal described the withdrawal of land from Amarnath Shrine Board as the beginning and said the real plan of the terrorists is to disturb pilgrimages to all Hindu shrines across the country. “Once they get away with Amarnath land revocation, they will then even claim that Sabarimala in Kerala, Swamimalai in Tamil Nadu.

via organiser.org

The Church of England was thrown into turmoil last night over the issue of women bishops, as it rejected proposals that would have accommodated clergy strongly opposed to the historic change. In an emotional, sometimes bitter debate lasting more than seven hours, the General Synod voted against introducing separate structures and "superbishops", to oversee parishes opposed to women bishops, because they were seen as amounting to institutionalised discrimination.

via topix.net

The Church of England's move to accept women bishops further roiled an already troubled Anglican communion Tuesday, infuriating conservatives and complicating efforts to promote unity with the Roman Catholic Church. The Church of England's ruling body on Monday night voted to back women becoming bishops without giving traditionalist supporters of male-only bishops the concessions they had sought.

via news.yahoo.com

Australians protesting against Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Sydney took a creative turn on Wednesday, staging an "annoying" fashion show of T-shirts displaying anti-Catholic slogans.

via news.yahoo.com

The Jenner mosque attracts about 4,000 Muslims each week, with Friday prayers often spilling out on to the street. Now, after years of complaints from local residents, Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni has said he will close the mosque by August. A leading Roman Catholic has accused Mr Maroni of behaving like a fascist. He has rejected that charge.

via news.bbc.co.uk