Maoists Killed Swami Lakshmanananda, Reaffirms Orissa Police

www.hindu.com BHUBANESWAR, ORISSA, INDIA, October 17, 2008: The Crime Branch of Orissa police on Thursday confirmed that Maoists had killed Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati in Kandhamal district. The decision to eliminate the VHP leader was taken by the Central Committee of Communist Party of India (Maoist) about seven months ago, and a group of about six hardcore extremists…

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A Flaming Marvelous Festival

news.scotsman.com EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, October 6, 2008: Three giant effigies were visible across central Edinburgh as they burned in the night sky atop Calton Hill, celebrating the triumph of good over evil in the Hindu festival of Dussehra. Festivities commenced with a Ramlila parade featuring performances by local pipe bands as well as images of Hindu Deities, horse-drawn carriages and youngsters…

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YouTube, a New Pulpit to the World

www.islamonline.net CAIRO, EGYPT, October 5, 2008: Evangelists and other pastors, rabbis and imams, gurus and pious laypeople are discovering the power of YouTube as a means of presenting their religious views to the world. It is quickly becoming a powerful tool in the dissemination of people’s faiths. The clips are as varied as the world’s religions. Tak e for example…

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Unlikely Allies in Orissa Religious Turmoil

www.thenational.ae KOLKATA, INDIA, October 11, 2008: Police officers in Orissa said that Christian youths have turned to militancy by teaming up with local Maoists. Police are concerned that if anti-Christian riots continue, the Christians may also join forces with Muslim militants to take on Hindus. Chandrasekhar Pattnaik, a police officer with the intelligence branch, said: “Some of these Christian militants…

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Part-Time Vegetarianism Taking Root

timesofindia.indiatimes.com UNITED STATES, October 5, 2008: A growing number of experts and common folk in the U.S. are becoming fans of flexitarianism — being a vegetarian of convenience. They say that cutting back on meat, rather than abstaining completely, may be a practical compromise that benefits our bodies and our environment. “It gives you the health benefits of a vegetarian…

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Daily Inspiration

www.hinduismtoday.com Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God. The movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is.    Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), Catholic philosopher, theologian

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Dhakleshwar Temple Will Reopen with an ISO Certificate

www.indianexpress.com MUMBAI, INDIA, October 9: Dhakleshwar, one of the city’s oldest temples has received a makeover of a different kind. The trust that runs it managed to secure an International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) certificate. The renovation work on this 174-year-old temple, also a heritage structure, is almost over and its doors will be reopen to the devotees on Friday. As…

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Ranganatha Temple Reclaims Land, Charging Rent

www.ptinews.com SRIRANGAM, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, October 9, 2008: Pay or move out is the ultimatum given by leaders the famous Lord Ranganatha temple to over 3,600 families residing on temple land. Ownership of the land was bestowed on the temple during the British regime in 1866 and was confirmed again in 1910. Ever since people can remember, they had lived…

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Stressed Indians Leave Call Centers

news.bbc.co.uk MUMBAI, INDIA, September 29, 2008: Call centers are giving new meaning to the term, “dead-end job.” The hours are long and overtime is demanded. The work is simultaneously stressful and mind-numbing. Promotion is rare and salaries have fallen. India’s youth are becoming disenchanted. Many are leaving the industry, either to complete their education or to move immediately into another…

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