Update: Pakistan blocks, then restores, Twitter access - The Washington Post:

 "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ordered Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology to restore access to the site. Details on the allegedly offensive tweets were unavailable, but they apparently urged participation in “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day,” a campaign launched two years ago that Muslims worldwide have denounced for encouraging depictions of Islam’s prophet, which adherents consider blasphemous. The campaign led a Facebook user to set up a Facebook page to promote May 20 as “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” to support freedom of expression. A Pakistani court ordered the page blocked two years ago when it was created. In banning Twitter, Pakistan joined a list of countries including China, Burma, the United Arab Emirates and Libya that have denied their citizens access to the micro-blogging site, according to free-speech advocates."

'via Blog this'Pakistan blocks, then restores, Twitter access - The Washington Post:

Update: Indian Police Drop Charges Against Tibet Holy Man - ABC News

Indian Police Drop Charges Against Tibet Holy Man - ABC News: ""We have maintained all along that the allegations against His Holiness were baseless," the office's deputy general secretary Karma Chungyalpa said in a statement, adding that great spiritual masters were not involved in financial administration and money matters.
The Karmapa himself thanked the Indian government for giving him and thousands of Tibetans asylum, saying "India has been my home for almost half of my life." Last year's raid on the Gyuto Monastery was unprecedented and particularly surprising since the Karmapa, Ugyen Thinley Dorje, is revered by Tibetans and Buddhists. India has gone to great lengths to provide asylum to Buddhist leaders who have fled Tibet, including the Dalai Lama.

The 27-year-old monk is seen as a possible successor to the Dalai Lama as the head of the Tibetan freedom movement in exile"

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Update: Catholics sue over federal birth-control requirement in the US

Catholics sue over federal birth-control requirement | The Columbus Dispatch: "In an effort to show a unified front in their campaign against a birth-control mandate, 43 Roman Catholic dioceses, schools, social-service agencies and other institutions filed lawsuits in 12 federal courts yesterday challenging the Obama administration’s rule that their employees receive coverage for contraception in their health-insurance policies.

The nation’s Catholic bishops, unable to reverse the ruling by prevailing on the White House or Congress, have now turned to the courts, as they warned they would. The bishops say the requirement is an unprecedented attack on religious liberty because it compels Catholic employers to provide access to services that are contrary to their religious beliefs. The mandate is part of the Obama administration’s overhaul of the health-care system, which the bishops say they otherwise support."

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Update: Hindus' Opinion on Obama's 'Gay Marriage' Stance

"According to the Hindu American Foundation, there is no evidence in the Hindu scriptures that support or deny marriage to same-sex couples. “The Hindu American Foundation stands strongly against discrimination of any kind, and we believe no one should be discriminated against based on their sexual preference,” said said Samir Kalra, director and senior fellow for human rights at HAF. “It doesn’t matter what your sexuality is, the main concern is your own individual spirituality. There is no distinction between a heterosexual and a homosexual person.” In contrast, Raj Bhanot, co-founder of the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple in Sunnyvale, Calif., said that in Hinduism, “the only marriage that is accepted is husband-wife.” At the same time, he said that the temple supports Obama’s decision and has previously advocated for gay marriage. Bhanot acknowledged that there is a discrepancy between the temple’s acceptance of gay marriage and the beliefs of its constituents. “We never discuss that issue at any social gathering or religious gatherings,” he told India-West, adding that it is important for that dialogue to begin."

'via Blog this'Indiawest: Indian American Leaders Applaud Obama’s ‘Gay Marriage’ Stance:

Update: Ultra-Orthodox Jews Rally Against the "Evils of Internet" vs Counter Rally on "The Internet is Not the Problem"

Ultra-Orthodox Jews to gather at Citi Field for event on evils of Internet - Under God - The Washington Post: "Since the Internet became a part of everyday life in the 1990s, ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups both in the U.S. and in Israel have in some cases attempted to ban or filter the Internet. The community seeks to protect traditions and rules that they feel are threatened by modernity.

A counter protest called “The Internet is NOT the Problem,” wants to highlight what its organizers feel are more pressing problems in the community, including “the dismissive attitude towards sexual and physical violence against children, inadequate educational systems,” said Ari Mandel, an organizer of the counter-rally. “The Internet is an unstoppable force. Every religious man has an iPhone or Blackberry they use for business anyway. It feels like they are just trying to shut down anything that allows people to question ideas.”"

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