Wartime Bosnian Serb chief Karadzic claims self defense from Bosnian Muslim fundamentalists

Bosnian Serb leader opens defense against genocide

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic says his people defended themselves against Islamic fundamentalists who started the war in Bosnia to lay claim to the entire country.
Karadzic is giving his opening statement at the U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. He was arrested …. Read the original article  : Wartime Bosnian Serb chief Karadzic claims self defense from Bosnian Muslim fundamentalists.

Obama turns to Indian-American to be bridge with Muslim world

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has chosen the son of an Indian migrant couple from Bihar to help bridge the cultural divide in US relations with Muslims inside and outside America’s borders.

As Obama’s new special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Rashad Hussain, both a Quran scholar and an ardent North Carolina Tar …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Obama turns to Indian-American to be bridge with Muslim world.

Nation of Islam Minister Farrakhan claims divine stature, predicts future troubles for Obama

Farrakhan predicts ‘white right’ trouble for Obama
CHICAGO – Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan, boasting his divine stature, on Sunday predicted trouble ahead for President Barack Obama and urged him to do more to improve the lives of blacks and the downtrodden.
The 76-year-old leader said the “white right” was conspiring to make Obama …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Nation of Islam Minister Farrakhan claims divine stature, predicts future troubles for Obama.

China seeks to raise profile of Panchen Lama, naming him to top legislative advisory body

Panchen Lama named to top advisory body in China

BEIJING – The Panchen Lama, the young man enthroned by Beijing as the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism, has joined China’s top legislative advisory body.
The 20-year-old Panchen Lama, whose name is Gyaltsen Norbu, is emerging as Beijing’s choice to supplant the Dalai Lama as the public face … Read this article on Gaea Times at : China seeks to raise profile of Panchen Lama, naming him to top legislative advisory body.

Nation of Islam’s Farrakhan blames ‘white right’ for Obama woes, predicts more troubles ahead

Farrakhan predicts continued trouble for Obama
CHICAGO – Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan claims the “white right” is trying to make Barack Obama a one-term president.
The 76-year-old says the stalling of health care legislation is proof.
Farrakhan is addressing followers of the Chicago-based movement that has embraced black nationalism since its founding. Sunday’s keynote …. Source  : Nation of Islam’s Farrakhan blames ‘white right’ for Obama woes, predicts more troubles ahead.

AP Exclusive: Iraqi PM calls candidate ban legitimate; says no US troops needed after 2011

Iraqi PM calls pre-vote candidate ban legitimate

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s prime minister Sunday defended a ban of candidates with alleged ties to Saddam Hussein’s former regime, calling it a legitimate decision that would not affect Sunni turnout at the polls.
In an interview with The Associated Press just a week before March 7 elections, Prime Minister Nouri …. Original article  : AP Exclusive: Iraqi PM calls candidate ban legitimate; says no US troops needed after 2011.

Israeli police clash with Palestinian protesters at volatile Jerusalem holy site

Israeli police, Palestinians clash at holy site

JERUSALEM – Israeli riot police dispersed a crowd of masked Palestinian youths throwing stones in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday, in a violent reminder of tensions at the holiest site in the contested city.
In the past, even seemingly minor incidents at the hilltop compound – known … Read more >>>.

Tajikistan’s parliamentary vote to consolidate ruling party under president’s watchful eye

Tajikistan votes under president’s watchful eye

KURGANTEPPA, Tajikistan – Huge posters of Tajikistan’s president adorn the facade of the main polling station in this provincial town, as if to remind voters that he will remain in charge regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s parliamentary election.
An ascendant Islamic party may grab a handful of extra seats in … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Tajikistan’s parliamentary vote to consolidate ruling party under president’s watchful eye.

AP Exclusive: Iraqi PM defends ban of candidates with alleged Baathist ties ahead of election

Iraqi PM defends ban of candidates before vote

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s prime minister on Sunday defended a decision to ban hundreds of candidates from the upcoming election, saying the decision was not intended to target the country’s minority Sunni population.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is up for re-election in … Read more >>.

Over three million women gather for Pongala festival (Second Lead)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM – Braving the rising mercury and smoke rising from their earthen kilns, more than three million women devotees cooked rice and jaggery as offering for the presiding deity of Attukal Bhagavathi temple here Sunday to celebrate the Pongala festival.

The devotees carrying bricks, firewood, rice, jaggery and coconut waited to make an offering of … Read more : Over three million women gather for Pongala festival (Second Lead).

Fraud In Name Of Kalki Bhagavan Exposed

CHENNAI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- According to reports, a South Indian television channel has exposed the fraud that the famous couple Kalki Bhagavan and Amma Bhagavan were allegedly carrying out. The famous duo reportedly claimed themselves to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and his Wife and have accumulated a large amount of money from their … Read : Fraud In Name Of Kalki Bhagavan Exposed.

In DC gay marriage debate, message focused on references to civil rights, interracial marriage

In DC, blacks were crucial to gay marriage debate

WASHINGTON – Gay and lesbian couples will soon be able to marry in Washington, but the debate over same-sex marriage has sounded different here, with references to interracial marriage and Martin Luther King.
Over the past year, both sides have courted the support of Washington’s black community, a …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Palestinian Cabinet holds meeting in Hebron, stakes its claim amid furor over contested shrine

Palestinian Cabinet stakes claim amid shrine furor
HEBRON, West Bank – The Palestinian Cabinet moved its weekly meeting to Hebron on Monday, a symbolic protest against Israel’s addition of a contested shrine in this volatile West Bank city to its list of national heritage sites.
Israel’s decision last week drew widespread international criticism and … Read more : Palestinian Cabinet holds meeting in Hebron, stakes its claim amid furor over contested shrine.

With headscarf and without, Iraqi women take prominent roles in Iraq’s election

Women take prominent role in Iraqi vote
BAGHDAD – The minute Friday prayers are over, a crowd of women worshippers clothed in long black cloaks swarm around parliament member Maha al-Douri, peppering her with questions and requests. She is their access to power.

Under a U.S.-backed quota requiring that at least one quarter of Iraq’s lawmakers be …. Original article  : With headscarf and without, Iraqi women take prominent roles in Iraq’s election.

Daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. keeps silent as group he co-founded faces uncertain future

Bernice King silent as SCLC faces uncertain future

ATLANTA – Four months after Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter was elected president of the civil rights group he co-founded, the organization is in a tailspin and she is silent on why she hasn’t taken the helm.
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has been fractured by infighting and a …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Catholic diocese in Ireland’s child-abuse scandals appeals to faithful to help pay legal bills

Catholic diocese seeks cash to pay Irish victims

DUBLIN – A Roman Catholic diocese at the center of Ireland’s child-abuse scandals appealed Tuesday to its parishioners to cover some of its more than euro10 million ($14 million) in bills to victims and lawyers.
Bishop Denis Brennan of Ferns, the southeast Irish diocese that was first to face … Original source on Gaea Times at : Catholic diocese in Ireland’s child-abuse scandals appeals to faithful to help pay legal bills.

Study: More Afghan women using contraceptives; 300 times safer than pregnancy

Mullahs help promote birth control in Afghanistan

Some mullahs in Afghanistan are distributing condoms. Others are quoting the Quran to encourage longer breaks between births. Health experts say contraception is starting to catch on in a country with the world’s second highest maternal death rate.
Afghanistan has one of the world’s highest fertility rates, averaging more than …. Read the original article  : Study: More Afghan women using contraceptives; 300 times safer than pregnancy.

Massacre or myth? Academics explore 4,000 accounts of 1641 killings of Protestants in Ireland

Experts explore 1641 Irish slayings of Protestants

DUBLIN – One of the most divisive and hotly disputed events in Irish history – the 1641 killings of thousands of Protestant settlers by Catholic natives – is to be examined in forensic detail for the first time, researchers said Tuesday.
The scale of the bloodshed left communal scars for …. Original source  : Massacre or myth? Academics explore 4,000 accounts of 1641 killings of Protestants in Ireland.

In final scramble for votes, Sunnis already worried about power struggles after March 7 ballot

Iraq’s Sunnis bracing for chaos after election

RAMADI, Iraq – Here in the birthplace of Iraq’s insurgency and its later turnabout against al-Qaida, Sunni Arabs are pushing to get out the vote in an election they see as their best hope of restoring some of their lost power. But they are gloomy over their chances of … Read more »».

Somalia’s fragile government tries to counter propaganda blitz from militants

Somalia war moves to the airwaves
NAIROBI, Kenya – Last year Somalia’s Radio Warsan was a pro-government station that vilified al-Qaida-linked insurgents. Today it is in the hands of the rebels as they battle the U.N.-backed government on the ground with guns and on the nation’s airwaves with pro-jihad messages.

As the propaganda war intensifies in the … Read more >>.

Ohio Muslim couple wants to reconcile with teen daughter who became a Christian, fled to Fla.

Ohio Muslim-to-Christian teen convert in court

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The attorney for an Ohio couple says they just want a reasonable chance to reconcile with their daughter, a teenager who converted from Islam to Christianity and ran away to Florida.
Seventeen-year-old Rifqa Bary and her parents appeared Tuesday before a juvenile court judge in Columbus as part …. Original source  : Ohio Muslim couple wants to reconcile with teen daughter who became a Christian, fled to Fla..

Protestant firebrand-turned-peacemaker Ian Paisley to quit British Parliament after 40 years

NIreland’s Paisley to quit Parliament after 40 yrs

DUBLIN – Ian Paisley, the hard-line Northern Ireland evangelist who led Protestants into power-sharing with Catholics, announced Tuesday he will retire from the British Parliament after a 40-year career.
The 83-year-old Paisley spent decades opposing compromise with minority Catholics, particularly the Irish Republican Army supporters of Sinn Fein. He …. Original source  : Protestant firebrand-turned-peacemaker Ian Paisley to quit British Parliament after 40 years.

Early returns show anti-immigration party win in Dutch city of Almere

Dutch anti-immigration party gains ground in vote

AMSTERDAM – Early returns in Dutch local elections showed an anti-immigrant, anti-Islam party making big gains in a result seen as a possible foreshadowing of national elections in June.
“We’re going to take the Netherlands back from the leftist elite, that coddles criminals and supports Islamization,” said Freedom Party leader [..] Read the original article: here.

Employees fired from Ohio workers’ comp panel claim religious discrimination, harassment

Fired workers’ comp panel staff cries foul

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After a sweeping scandal nearly five years ago that cost the state’s insurance fund for injured workers $300 million because of investments in Beanie Babies, rare coins and other risky assets, Ohio beefed up oversight and created a panel to help lawmakers look out for the … Original source on Gaea Times at : Employees fired from Ohio workers’ comp panel claim religious discrimination, harassment.

Iran backs Shiite allies in Iraq’s election to secure leverage ahead of US withdrawal

Iran casts its shadow over high-stakes Iraq vote

BAGHDAD – As the U.S. prepares to withdraw its forces from Iraq, Iran is said to be working hard to fill a potential power vacuum – an effort that faces its first big test in Sunday’s elections, in which Tehran is backing hard-liners against a coalition of moderates.
Shiite … Read more >>>.

PBS host Tavis Smiley calls meeting in response to debate over the need for a ‘black agenda’

PBS host Smiley calls meeting to urge black agenda
Two months after ending his annual State of the Black Union conference, Tavis Smiley is gathering African-American advocates to press the case for a “black agenda.”
The decision was motivated by what Smiley called recent statements from some black leaders downplaying the need … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : PBS host Tavis Smiley calls meeting in response to debate over the need for a ‘black agenda’.

Libya demands apology for joking US response to Gadhafi call for holy war against Switzerland

Libya demands US apology for ‘jihad’ response

TRIPOLI, – Libya on Wednesday demanded an apology for a joking remark by a U.S. official about the Libyan leader’s call for a holy war against Switzerland.
Last month Moammar Gadhafi appealed for a Muslim holy war because Switzerland banned building of new mosque minarets.
At the Friday State Department briefing, …. Source  : Libya demands apology for joking US response to Gadhafi call for holy war against Switzerland.

Dutch gay groups and Catholic church call for end to dispute on communion for homosexuals

Dutch gays, Catholic church put aside dispute

AMSTERDAM – Dutch gay rights groups have called for an end to protests against a Catholic church southwest of Amsterdam after it said it would no longer seek to bar homosexuals from taking communion.
The Sint-Jan church in Den Bosch says it will leave it up to believers to decide … Read more »».

Pope to make 2-day trip to Spain in November, will inaugurate Gaudi’s cathedral in Barcelona

Pope to visit Spain in November
VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI will make a two-day visit to Spain in November, with a stop in Barcelona to consecrate the famed Sagrada Familia church, the Vatican’s spokesman said Wednesday.

The pope will first go to the western pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela on Nov. 6, the Rev. … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Pope to make 2-day trip to Spain in November, will inaugurate Gaudi’s cathedral in Barcelona.

Dutch begin voting in local elections, anti-immigration parties set to gain ground

Dutch anti-immigrants set to make gains in vote

AMSTERDAM – Dutch voters went to the polls in local elections Wednesday, with political parties opposing Muslim immigration expected to make gains before national elections in June.
The elections in 394 cities in theory cover matters such as parking fees and taxes on dog ownership. But national politicians have …. Source  : Dutch begin voting in local elections, anti-immigration parties set to gain ground.

Dutch anti-Islam politician stirs up protest in Britain

Victorious Dutch anti-Islam politician back in UK

LONDON – Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders returned to Britain on Friday, seizing the media spotlight and stirring up protest after winning a local election in the Netherlands.
Wilders flew in to London to show his anti-Islam film “Fitna,” a 15-minute short which associates the Muslim holy book, the Quran, … Original article on : Dutch anti-Islam politician stirs up protest in Britain.

Different campaigning styles point to choice Iraqis must make in weekend vote for parliament

Campaign styles reflect the choices in Iraq vote

BAGHDAD – There were no politicians kissing babies at the campaign rally, but it came close.
The band played, men danced and women swayed to the music as a speaker worked the crowd before the arrival of the main candidate – former prime minister and secular Shiite Ayad Allawi, … Read more >>>.

Member of conservative Catholic order says he knew of fellow priest’s alleged lover, children

Clergy member: Priest had alleged children

MEXICO CITY – Two prominent members of the Legion of Christ said Thursday that they have met a man who says he is an abused son of the group’s founder, and one priest said the man had offered to “keep quiet about the truth” if he received $26 million.
The statements …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Member of conservative Catholic order says he knew of fellow priest’s alleged lover, children.

Gaza’s Hamas rulers ban men from working in women’s hair salons in new Islamic clampdown

Hamas bans men from women’s hair salons
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Gaza’s Islamic Hamas government on Thursday banned men from working in women’s hair salons, the latest step in its campaign to impose strict Islamic customs on Gaza’s 1.5 million people.

Since seizing Gaza in 2007, Hamas has taken steps in that direction while avoiding a … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Gaza’s Hamas rulers ban men from working in women’s hair salons in new Islamic clampdown.

Thousands stampede at north Indian temple, leaving at least 63 dead, dozens injured: official

63 die, dozens injured in Indian temple stampede

KUNDA, India – A stampede among thousands of poor villagers scrambling for free food and clothes at a commemorative event killed 63 people at a Hindu temple in northern India and injured dozens of others.
Nearly all the victims were women and children. Thursday’s stampede was so intense it … Read more : Thousands stampede at north Indian temple, leaving at least 63 dead, dozens injured: official.

Egyptian president to have gall bladder operation, hands over power to prime minister

Egyptian president to have gall bladder operation

CAIRO – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will undergo a gall bladder operation Saturday in Germany and has temporarily handed over power to the prime minister, the state-owned news agency reported in a rare public statement on the leader’s health.
The 81-year-old leader was diagnosed as having “severe inflammation of his … Original article on : Egyptian president to have gall bladder operation, hands over power to prime minister.

Malaysia Muslim magazine apologizes for upsetting Christians over article on church masquerade

Malaysia Muslim mag sorry for offending Christians

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – A Malaysian magazine apologized Saturday for upsetting Christians after it published an article researched by two Muslims who pretended to be Roman Catholics and took Communion in a church.
The apology is likely to soothe frustrations among religious minorities who feel that overzealous government authorities and [..] Read the original article: here.

Iraqi refugees cast ballots in their homeland’s election, with Sunnis hoping for solid turnout

Iraqis abroad cast ballots in homeland’s election

AMMAN, Jordan – Thousands of Iraqis living abroad lined up at polling stations to cast ballots in their homeland’s crucial parliamentary elections Friday, a constituency Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority hope will boost their showing.
Voting was being held in 16 countries across the globe, from neighboring Syria and Jordan, which …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Alleged son of Mexican priest acknowledges asking for money from religious order

Mexican priest’s alleged son admits seeking money

MEXICO CITY – A man who says he is the abused son of the founder of a conservative Roman Catholic religious order acknowledged Friday he asked the group for money to keep quiet.
Jose Raul Gonzalez said he asked The Legionaries of Christ for $26 million because the Rev. Marcial … Original article on : Alleged son of Mexican priest acknowledges asking for money from religious order.

Dutch populist, riding an electoral wave at home, shows his anti-Islam film at UK parliament

Dutch anti-Islam politician creates stir in UK

LONDON – Dutch anti-Islam maverick Geert Wilders took his cinematic assault on the Quran to Britain’s House of Lords on Friday, sparking heated debate inside the building and angry protests outside.
The invitation to Parliament, and Wilders’ stunning political gains in the Netherlands this week, highlight a growing dichotomy in … Read more »».

Muslim students protest in Jakarta against Barack Obama’s first Indonesian visit as president

Indonesian students protest Barack Obama’s visit
JAKARTA, Indonesia – Scores of Islamic students staged protests outside Jakarta’s parliament and in at least three other major Indonesian cities on Friday against President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to this predominantly Muslim country.
The students carried banners branding Obama as an enemy of Islam and an imperialist in … Read more »».

Iraqi refugees vote in their homeland’s election, with Sunnis hoping for strong turnout

Iraqis abroad begin voting in homeland’s election

DAMASCUS, Syria – Iraqis living abroad began casting ballots in their homeland’s crucial parliamentary elections Friday, a constituency Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority hope will boost their showing.
Thousands stood in lines at polling stations in Syria and Jordan, home to the largest Iraqi expatriate communities. Voting was also being held …. Original article  : Iraqi refugees vote in their homeland’s election, with Sunnis hoping for strong turnout.

Former member of German Catholic boys’ choir alleges abuse while Pope’s brother was in charge

Pope’s brother’s choir faces abuse claims
BERLIN – The Regensburg Diocese says a former member claims he was abused while singing with Germany’s leading Roman Catholic boys’ choir that was led for 30 years by the brother of Pope Benedict XVI.

The Diocese said in a statement Friday that one former member of the Regensburger Domspatzen claimed [..] Read the original article: here.

Clashes erupt at sacred and disputed compound in Jerusalem

Clashes erupt at sacred compound in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM – Clashes erupted Friday between Muslim worshippers and Israeli riot police at a sacred and disputed hilltop compound following a sermon on a recent Israeli decision to include two West Bank shrines on a list of national heritage sites.
A Palestinian woman was hit in the head with a …. Source  : Clashes erupt at sacred and disputed compound in Jerusalem.

China says boy chosen by Dalai Lama as Panchen Lama is living normal life with family in Tibet

China says missing Panchen Lama is living in Tibet

BEIJING – A boy who disappeared after being named Tibetan Buddhism’s second-highest figure by the Dalai Lama is living with his family somewhere in Tibet, the Himalayan region’s Chinese-appointed governor said Sunday.
Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Padma Choling gave no other details about the boy, Gendun Choekyi …. Source  : China says boy chosen by Dalai Lama as Panchen Lama is living normal life with family in Tibet.

Defying threats of violence, Iraqis head to polls in historic election

Iraqis defy threat of violence to vote in election
BAGHDAD – Under a blanket of tight security designed to thwart insurgent attacks, Iraqis went to the polls Sunday in an election testing the ability of the country’s still-fragile democracy to move forward amid uncertainty over a looming U.S. troop drawdown and still jagged sectarian …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

South Dakota defeats Houston Baptist 97-84 to wrap up regular-season Great West title

South Dakota defeats Houston Baptist 97-84

VERMILLION, S.D. – Louie Krogman scored a career-high 31 points and Roman Gentry added 24 to lead South Dakota to a 97-84 victory over Houston Baptist Saturday night.
Steve Smith added 17 points and Jake Thomas 11 for the Coyotes.
The win gives South Dakota (19-9, 10-1) the regular-season championship in the … Original article on : South Dakota defeats Houston Baptist 97-84 to wrap up regular-season Great West title.

A look at the major coalitions in Iraq’s election

A look at the major coalitions in Iraq’s election

A look at the major alliances, coalitions expected to take part in Iraq’s parliamentary elections:
- Iraqi National Alliance: A broad religious Shiite coalition led by the Iranian-backed Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, also known as SIIC, and backed by followers of radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and the … Read more »».

Key political players in Iraq’s parliamentary elections

Key players in Iraq’s parliamentary elections

A look at the key political players in Iraq’s March 7 parliamentary elections:
Nouri al-Maliki – The prime minister is seeking a second, four-year term in office, contesting this election at the head of his State of Law Coalition. Al-Maliki took office in May 2006 after winning the premiership as a … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Key political players in Iraq’s parliamentary elections.

Iraqis look forward to vote but fear chaotic aftermath with no clear winner expected

Iraq’s vote key test for a democracy in progress
BAGHDAD – Billed as a key test of Iraq’s nascent democracy, Iraqis fear Sunday’s parliamentary election will lead to a protracted period of uncertainty as the winners and losers try to cobble together a new government – even as American forces prepare to go home.
None …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Egyptian president undergoes gall bladder operation, hands over power to prime minister

Egyptian president has gall bladder operation

CAIRO – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak underwent a successful operation in Germany on Saturday to remove his gall bladder after temporarily handing over power to the prime minister, the state-owned news agency reported.
The 81-year-old leader, who has governed for nearly three decades, was diagnosed with “severe inflammation of his gall … Original source on Gaea Times at : Egyptian president undergoes gall bladder operation, hands over power to prime minister.