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Islamic seminaries with modern curriculum in eastern Indian state of West Bengal are helping to bridge religious divide.   Clad in white and blue salwar kameez (traditional Indian dress) and translating an Arabic verse from her Islamic studies textbook into Bengali, 15-year-old Puja Kshetrapal could pass for a Muslim. But she, along with almost half of the 200 tenth graders …

This Tuesday morning at the supposedly auspicious time of 8.30, a group of monks will leave Colombo in a motorcade to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Their stated aim is to first obtain the blessings of the Sri Dalada for their vicious mission to fan religious and communal fires again. Then Cry Halal! And let slip the rabid …

The Army and students and academic staff of the Sri Jayawardenapura University completed and handed over a new home for the family of slain Rizan Nafeek who was beheaded in Saudi Arabia. Army Commander Lt. Gen Daya Rathnayake is seen here conversing with the father of Rizana.   source DM online          

Sailan Muslim Foundation unreservedly condemns the recent attacks on All Saints Church in Pakistan and a shopping mall in Nairobi by terrorists purporting to act in the name of Islam. The cowardly attacks only goes on to show how misled these elements are and the mischief they are bent on causing to the good name of Islam.   The killing …

Colombo, 31 August 2013 Good morning, and thank you for coming. As is customary at the end of official missions such as this, I would like to make some observations concerning the human rights situation in the country. During my seven-day visit, I have held discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and senior members of the Government. These included the Ministers …

IMAGES BY PAULA BRONSTEIN – Source http://sri-lanka.theglobalmail.org/monks-army Sri Lanka’s raffish capital, where we begin our series, is in economic catch-up mode. Colombo is replacing the colonial-era roads and railways built when Churchill was a boy and ‘Ceylon’ was a languid tropical afterthought for the British who ruled the plantation island. Though it took its time – 10 years – to be …