Britain is a 'post-Christian' country

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said Britain was not a nation of believers and that the era of widespread worship was over. 50 public figures have insisted that the UK was "a non-religious" and "plural" society and that to claim otherwise fostered "alienation and division."


http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27177265

Born Free!

South Africa's "born-free" generation now accounts for some 40% of the population. These six voices represent the generations born since 1994 when the country had its first democratic election. They have grown up without apartheid...

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27146976

Career curveballs

Here's how some career people have dealt with one of Life's toughest blows:

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20140424-coping-with-career-curveballs

Kabul's Emergency Hospital

This is an international NGO run predominantly by Italians -- and it treats all victims of war.

Founded by Italian surgeon Gino Strada, Emergency was first set up in Iraq in 1994. Then in 1999, Strada came to Afghanistan, initially working with the Mujahideen in the Panjshir Valley, north of the capital, before receiving permission from the Taliban, who were governing at the time, to set up Emergency Hospital in Kabul in 2000.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/24/world/asia/afghanistan-emergency-room-coren/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

RIP The Oxford English Dictionary

The OED is the world's most definitive work on the English language. Publishers fear the next edition will never appear in print form because its vast size means only an online version will be feasible, and affordable.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140422/jsp/foreign/story_18265232.jsp#.U1XqbfmSwX8

Unbelievable!

A deed signed by the first president of the Indian National Congress, W.C. Bonnerjee, a copy of the 1854 Wood’s Despatch and photographs of eminent old boys Rabindranath Tagore, Sambhunath Pandit, playwright Girish Chandra Ghosh and actor Amritalal Basu will all make it to the archives of the 186-year-old Oriental Seminary at Chitpore.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140422/jsp/calcutta/story_18263033.jsp#.U1XqT_mSwX8

A fashion revolution: Be a fashionista with vegan fashion brands

Major brands already have a cruelty-free line as part of their portfolios. Now designers are seeing greater potential for vegan fashion brands entirely free of animal-based material.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/fashion/crueltyfree-is-the-new-cool/article5928986.ece?homepage=true

Gulf to rival Paris on the fashion scene!

As Dubai gets ready for Dubai Fashion 2020, a serious fashion venture with local talent, the government has dedicated a business park D3 (Dubai Design District) to support this goal.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/20/business/middle-east-dubai-fashion/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

A mother forgives

She is no ordinary woman - this Iranian mother - who spared the life of her son's convicted murderer as he awaited execution with the noose around his neck. She had already lost a son in a motorcycle accident...

What pain....the ultimate agony of living in an empty house...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Last-minute-reprieve-Iranian-woman-spares-life-of-sons-killer-with-a-slap/articleshow/33877245.cms

Gabriel Garcia Marquez: One of the rarest artists in history

Is no more.

A man who succeded "in chronicling, not only a nation's life, culture and history, but also those of an entire continent."

His One Hundred Years of Solitude is, according to the New York Times 'the first piece of literature since the Book of Genesis that should be required reading for the entire human race.'

His backdrop - the poverty-stricken, and often violent world of Colombia

His stories - real life with imaginary magical elements woven in

His conviction - left wing, which caused him to spend the better part of his life in exile

He lives on in the vibrancy of his work.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-26893514

A long, painful fight is over....at least in Tamil Nadu

Treated ambiguously by society, more often than not shunned, transgender persons in Tamil Nadu cheered the Supreme Court order according them 'third gender' status. This opens the way for them to lead a better and dignified life - the right of every human being...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Transgenders-in-Tamil-Nadu-first-to-protect-their-rights-welcome-Supreme-Court-order/articleshow/33796680.cms

The wonder of love

They had been committed partners for three-and-a-half years. When the female marmoset accidentally fell from a tree in a forest in Brazil, her partner stayed by her, embracing her and caring for her till she died. Scientists who filmed this say 'such behaviour is "astounding."'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/26924936

If this isn't innovation what is?

Everyone knows what a terrible environmental hazard plastic bottles are. And yet, we just cannot do without them. Residents of Salem in Tamil Nadu, have found a new way to use these bottles for drip irrigation - so not only is there a saving of water, there is also a lot of green all the year around. Fantastic, to say the least!

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/from-waste-to-wealth-saving-water-and-plants/article5910410.ece?homepage=true

When the neem trees flower, the Tamil New Year is here

It is also the time when the Punjabis, Bengalis, Assamese, Malayalees and many other communities bring in the new year. It is a time for new beginnings....A point of interest is that the food eaten at this time has one dish which blends sweet and sour, chilli hot, sweet, sour, and bitter flavors - to remind us that life is all of these...

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-is-a-melting-pot-of-celebrations/article5912292.ece?homepage=true

Can you imagine life without Dilbert?

Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, charts how to fail your way to success in a new book with entertaining anecdotes from his own life.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/the-upside-of-failure-success-114041100755_1.html

Living in the Aquarius underwater research laboratory

Futuristic.....

Marine biologists who eat, work and sleep on the sea floor:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140411-i-have-lived-underwater

The 'Company School' of art

How amazing is that...

An unnamed collector bought an exquisite late 18th century painting of a flying fox by Calcutta artist Bhawani Das. The striking pen and ink painting on watermarked paper sold for £458,500 (Rs 4.60 crore approximately).

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news-feed/indiatemplate/18th-century-calcutta-painting-fetches-rs-4-60-crore/article1-1206317.aspx

A girl pays off her father's debt

This little girl is every little girl from every part of the world, and like all girls she is priceless and yet...

Her fate: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/08/world/asia/afghanistan-child-bride/index.html?hpt=hp_mid

Thank-You notes are NOT out of fashion

Our parents made us do this....but now scientific findings link gratitude to increased optimism, stress reduction and a good night's sleep. All of us who swear by Emily Post are validated because good manners do have all kinds of unexpected benefits...

Why not text a Thank you?

Because, as Ms. Gelderman, who is 20, says, that when she wrote her Thank-You notes after she was named 2014 Queen of Carnival, she "actually enjoyed writing the notes because in the process of opening a note, feeling the paper, seeing the imperfection of the writing, reading the message in another person’s voice, you actually feel like you have a piece of that person in your hand.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/fashion/the-found-art-of-thank-you-notes.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0

The peace of the forest is in me

Jane Goodall - a perfect blend of spirituality and science 

THE OLD WISDOM

    When the night wind makes the pine trees creak

    And the pale clouds glide across the dark sky,

    Go out my child, go out and seek

    Your soul: The Eternal I.

    For all the grasses rustling at your feet

    And every flaming star that glitters high

    Above you, close up and meet

    In you: The Eternal I.

    Yes, my child, go out into the world; walk slow

    And silent, comprehending all, and by and by

    Your soul, the Universe, will know

    Itself: the Eternal I.

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/01/21/jane-goodall-science-spirit-bill-moyers/

We mean business

You cannot just go and take over a part of another country. Well Russia just did.

And who ever said that fast food outlets are only driven by profits? McDonald's just proved them wrong.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/McDonalds-quits-Crimea-as-fears-of-trade-clash-grow/articleshow/33255233.cms

You cannot beat the dhabas on the highways in the Punjab

The charm of dhabas is that they haven't changed or lost their character since they first opened.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/kundan-s-chhole-and-kesar-s-dal-114040401212_1.html

Stevie Wonder to headline the Montreux Jazz Festival

Stevie Wonder is all set to fulfil a longtime wish of its late founder Claude "Funky" Nobs, in its 48th edition which also brings red-hot Pharrell Williams to its famed stage. The line-up for the July 4-19 festival, unveiled on Thursday, includes former Blur front man Damon Albarn, hip-hop duo Outkast, the veteran Van Morrison, Massive Attack, and R&B Californian newcomer Banks.

http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-stevie-wonder-pharrell-williams-head-line-up-at-montreux-jazz/1885956.html

Photography in India - From the exotic to the horrible

Photographer Pablo Bartholomew looks at Kolkata of the '70s and '80s. He says Calcutta Diaries is 'a journey into the streets and culture of Calcutta from the mid-1970s, dealing with my exploration of identity and society…'

http://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/art/photographer-pablo-bartholomew-s-calcutta/article1-1203725.aspx

Democracy doesn't suit China: President Xi Jinping

The Chinese people experimented with constitutional monarchy, imperial restoration, parliamentarianism, multi-party system and presidential government, yet nothing really worked, Xi said. He believes that the uniqueness of China's cultural tradition, history and circumstances determines that China needs to follow a development path that suits its own reality.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/Democracy-doesnt-suit-China-President-Xi-Jinping/articleshow/33139149.cms

"Economic growth does not automatically lead to social progress"

Michael Green, executive director of the Social Progress Imperative, a non-profit organisation that publishes the index, told Thomson Reuters Foundation.

A global index, The Social Progress Index (SPI), that ranks countries by social and environmental performance rather than economic output, put India 102nd out of 132 countries. 

The SPI rates countries on more than 50 indicators, including health, sanitation, shelter, personal safety, access to information, sustainability, tolerance and inclusion and access to education.

New Zealand received high scores for personal rights and freedom, internet access and school enrolment. It was followed in the Top 10 by Switzerland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Finland, Denmark and Australia.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/new-zealand-tops-social-progress-index-india-at-102nd-position/article1-1203618.aspx

Shakespeare Inspires a Cast of Young Syrians

Behind barbed wire.

The place - ZAATARI REFUGEE CAMP, Jordan

The stage - A rocky patch of earth in this sprawling city of tents and prefab trailers

The cast - Refugees who had fled the civil war in Syria

The play - King Lear

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/world/middleeast/behind-barbed-wire-shakespeare-inspires-a-cast-of-young-syrians.html?emc=edit_th_20140401&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=58824118


If this does not validate the indomitable human spirit, what does.....?

Slomo

Dr. John Kitchin, neurologist, abruptly quit a medical career to pursue his passion: skating along the boardwalk of San Diego’s Pacific Beach. He is one of those who have had the courage to make seismic changes in life, no matter how late...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/opinion/slomo.html?emc=edit_th_20140401&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=58824118&_r=0