Scientists Induce Out-Of-Body Sensation

www.nytimes.com UNITED STATES, August 23, 2007: (HPI note: What the researchers did not appear to investigate in this fascinating experiment is whether, during the induced out-of-body experience, it was possible for the person to see or hear something that he should not have been able to. The most compelling testimony in out-of-body experiences is the person in his astral body…

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Kerala’s Sivagiri Mutt Wants Ban On Elephant Parades

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, August 23, 2007: (HPI note: Hinduism Today ran a related report, here, on the declining standard of elephant care in Kerala.) It is also reported that the standard of care of elephants India’s famed elephant parades must stop because they are cruel to the animals, says a Hindu group which has scrapped the practice for the coming…

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Hindu American Foundation Celebrates Introduction of Diwali Resolution in the U.S. Senate

www.hafsite.org WASHINGTON, D.C., August 23, 2007: On August 3, 2007, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced Senate Resolution 299, “recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival of Diwali”. The resolution affirms the importance of the festival in the lives of millions of Hindus, Jains and Sikhs in the United States. The resolution also lauds…

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Indian Child Rights Commission Directs States to Check Corporal Punishment in Schools

www.pib.nic.in NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 13, 2007: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed to the State Governments to take effective steps to check incidents of corporal punishment in school. Expressing concern over recent incidents of violence in schools, the Chairman of the Commission, Smt. Shantha Sinha, in a letter to the chief Secretary of State Government/UT has…

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Sorting Out What it Means to be Balinese

www.thejakartapost.com JAKARTA, BALI, August 16, 2007: Mario Koch broaches the subject of Balinese identity in this short concise editorial and casts light on the topic. Koch was motivated by attendance at the Kuningan-Galungan, a grand celebration honoring ancestors last June in Bali. Koch writes, “Avenues of lamak (woven palm leaves) and penjor (decorated bamboo poles) stand witness to never-ending processions;…

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Gandhian Studies at Bangalore University Languish for Lack of Students

www.hindu.com BANGALORE, INDIA, August 16, 2007: All through its 60 independent years, free India had one national icon to encapsulate all that which stood for freedom: Mahatma Gandhi. But the Bangalore University Center for Gandhian Studies could not attract a single student for its postgraduate diploma and certificate courses on Gandhi. There are just no takers for an infrastructure worth…

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Sewa International USA Provides Flood Relief

www.sewausa.org USA, August 18, 2007: (HPI note: Following is a press release provided by Gautam Desai.) Sewa International USA released US$20,000 for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims in India. Many states in India are reeling from the aftermaths of a devastating flood. The floods have wrecked so much havoc and destruction that United Nations has called it the worst…

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Angkor Wat as Big as Los Angeles

news.bbc.co.uk CAMBODIA, August 16, 2007: The great medieval temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia was once at the center of a sprawling urban settlement, according to a new, detailed map of the area. Using Nasa satellites, an international team have discovered at least 74 new temples and complex irrigation systems. The map, published in the journal PNAS, extends the known…

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Hinduism Today Seeks History Researcher

hinduismtoday.com KAUAI, HAWAII, August 18, 2007: Hinduism Today is planning a second and third installment of its lesson on Hindu history for sixth grade published in the April, 2007 issue (see URL above). The second lesson will cover the history of Hinduism from 300ce to 1800 ce, and the third from 1800 ce to the present. We are seeking a…

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Christians Work for a Common Code of Conduct for Conversions

www.indeonline.com GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, August 17, 2007: Evangelical groups have joined efforts spearheaded by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and mainstream Protestant churches to create a common code of conduct for religious conversions that would preserve the right of Christians to spread their religion while avoiding conflict among different faiths. The World Council of Churches, which joined the Vatican last year in launching…

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