Rajendra Pachauri, Accepting Nobel Peace Prize, Says “Whole Universe Is One Family”

nobelprize.org OSLO, NORWAY, December, 2007: When receiving the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of his institution, the chief of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, said, “Coming as I do from India, a land which gave birth to civilization in ancient times and where much of the earlier tradition and wisdom guides actions even in modern times,…

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Durban Schoolteacher’s Religious Tolerance Questioned

www.thetimes.co.za DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, October 28, 2007: A Durban High School was in the limelight again after a teacher who was having a religious discussion with a group of girls was reported as saying, “Those who did not believe in Jesus will go to hell and those who prayed to Jesus would go to heaven.” Durban High School has been…

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US Commission on Religious Freedaom Concerned at Malaysian Temple Destruction

afp.google.com WASHINGTON, D.C., December 7, 2007: A US Congress-appointed commission expressed concern Thursday at the destruction of Hindu temples and other alleged discrimination faced by religious minorities in predominantly-Muslim Malaysia. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom urged the administration of President George W. Bush to raise the matter with Kuala Lumpur and “insist that immediate measures be taken…

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India’s Parliament Passes Bill to Protect Elders

timesofindia.indiatimes.com NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 7, 2007: People who abandon parents or neglect their basic needs or otherwise maltreat them in their twilight years will have to face three months of imprisonment and a penalty of up to US$131. The provision is now enshrined in the new legislation passed by Parliament into law on Thursday. The law — Maintenance and…

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UK to Test English Proficiency of Immigrant Spouses and Spouses-to-be

in.news.yahoo.com LONDON, ENGLAND, December 7, 2007: The British Home Office will introduce a English language test for those either planning to marry a resident of Britain or already married and intending to join the spouse in the country. A legislation to implement this will be initiated in early 2008. India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, from where over 17,000 spouses entered Britain…

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Indians Top Legal American Immigration in Three of Last Four Years

www.dhs.gov WASHINGTON, D.C., December 6, 2007: An examination of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service reports reveals that, after Mexicans, Indians are the largest group of legal immigrants to the US in three out of the last four years. Here are the statistics by year, country and number of legal immigrants gaining permanent resident status drawn from their yearly…

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Security Tightened in Anniversary of Babri Masjid Demolition

sify.com THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, December 6, 2007: Security was tightened today across Kerala,especially around major temples like Sabarimala and Sri Krishna temple at Guruvayur, because of the 15th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. The vigil around railway stations, airports and bus depots in major towns received additional backup, police sources said. Special commandos, armed police personnel and bomb squads are…

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Majuli Island to be Renominated for World Heritage Site

www.ddinews.gov.in MAJULI ISLAND, ASSAM, INDIA, December 6, 2007: Undeterred by last year’s failure, India trying again to get UNESCO to name the picturesque Majuli island in Assam a World Heritage Site. The island is an important seat of Vaishnava culture. The Culture Ministry is tying all the loose ends to avoid the repetition of the petition’s rejection in 2006. The…

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Balinese Hindus Suggest Hindu Wisdom to Save the World

www.thetimes.co.za NUSA DUA, INDONESIA, December 5, 2007: Hindu priests on the island of Bali, where the world’s nations are gathered to come up with an answer for global warming, think they have one solution — a day of silence. The proposal harks back to a traditional Balinese festival when everything is switched off and shut down for 24 hours, to…

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