Extramarital sex cause earthquakes, claims Iranian cleric

LONDON – Attractive women who dress inappropriately cause youth to go astray and “incite extramarital sex in society, which increases earthquakes”, a hardline Iranian cleric has said.

Ayatollah Kazem Sedighi told worshippers that women who wear fashionable clothes and apply make-up cause youth to “go astray” and have affairs. As a result, the country that is … Original source on Gaea Times at : Extramarital sex cause earthquakes, claims Iranian cleric.

Traditional parasols vanishing from Varanasi’s ghats

VARANASI – The faded parasols dotting the banks of the Ganga in this Hindu holy city for years, under whose ample shade priests received their clients or tourists sat for a bit of idle chatter, may soon become a thing of the past.

The bamboo parasols, or chhatris, once a ubiquitous feature at the ghats, … Original source on Gaea Times at : Traditional parasols vanishing from Varanasi’s ghats.

Cuban cardinal calls for political and economic changes, says country in serious crisis

Cuba’s Catholic cardinal says country in crisis
HAVANA – Cuba’s Roman Catholic cardinal says the country is in one of its worst crises in recent times, with its people demanding political and economic changes sooner rather than later.
Jaime Ortega, the top Catholic cleric on the island, also called on Cuba and the … Read more »»».

Kachin ethnic group negotiates for peace in Myanmar, but ready themselves for prospect of war

Ethnic group in Myanmar gears up for war, peace

LAIZA, Myanmar – Crawling on their bellies, the recruits inch through a field, dragging wooden rifles. A whistle blows, and they scramble to their knees, pulling the pins from imaginary grenades before lobbing them. Dropping flat, they yell “Boom!”
At a camp alongside a river, the next generation …. Original source  : Kachin ethnic group negotiates for peace in Myanmar, but ready themselves for prospect of war.

Indonesian police guard court house as judges uphold controversial blasphemy law

Indonesia court upholds blasphemy law
JAKARTA, Indonesia – A decision by Indonesia’s constitutional court to uphold a controversial blasphemy law has dealt a severe blow to religious freedom in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, a rights group said Tuesday.

The court ruled Monday that the 1965 law, which allows for criminal penalties and bans on people or … Read more : Indonesian police guard court house as judges uphold controversial blasphemy law.

Pope Benedict XVI marks 5th anniversary of his election amid sex abuse scandal

Pope Benedict XVI marks 5 years since election

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI is marking the fifth anniversary of his election by hosting a lunch with cardinals.
Monday’s anniversary is clouded by a clerical sex abuse scandal that has been rocking the Catholic Church for months, causing its gravest crisis of recent times.
A … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Pope Benedict XVI marks 5th anniversary of his election amid sex abuse scandal.

AP Interview: Iraq key Shiite cleric sees election front-runners as lacking popular support

Iraq Shiite cleric doubts front-runners in PM race

BAGHDAD – The leader of one of Iraq’s top Shiite political parties said Monday he doubts either of the two election front-runners vying to become the country’s next prime minister has enough popular support to lead the new government.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Supreme Islamic Iraqi …. Original article  : AP Interview: Iraq key Shiite cleric sees election front-runners as lacking popular support.

Hot couture lands Nepal film in Hindu fire

KATHMANDU – After Hollywood and Bollywood, now it is the turn of Nepal’s film industry, affectionately dubbed Kollywood, to face angry action by ruffled Hindu groups.

The Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh (VHM), a pro-Hindu, formerly royalist religious group in Nepal that has close ties with India’s Bharatiya Janata Party and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has trained its sights … Read more : Hot couture lands Nepal film in Hindu fire.