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☆ Texas Bluebonnet curriculum: Officials to vote on state lessons that emphasize Christian Bible lessons
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Officials in Texas are set to vote Tuesday on a new public school curriculum that incorporates lessons from the Bible as early as kindergarten, that provoked criticism from advocacy groups and families across the state. The state Board of Education will vote on revisions to its K-5 reading and English language arts materials, part of Bluebonnet Learning, the Texas Education Agency-developed open education resources. We don’t leave Texans behind.”Ghani also argued that Texas public school teachers are already “overburdened” with the amount of material they’re expected to teach. “But inserting faith-based lessons into public school classrooms, which sounds like what is intended here, is not the study of history or literature. The legislature has also pushed to require that public school classrooms display the Ten Commandments.

Persons: Bill, Jesus, Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, ”, Mark Chancey, “, Barbara Baruch, “ Don’t, Jonathan Covey, Glenn Melvin, Vitale, ” Melvin, ” David Brockman, –, ” Brockman, Shariq Ghani, don’t, ” Ghani, ’ Charles Haynes, Robert Pondiscio, Greg Abbott Organizations: CNN, Education, Texas Education Agency, Texas AFT, Southern Methodist University, Texas, US, Engel, Texas Freedom Network, “, Foundation, Texans, Freedom, Association of Religion Data, American Enterprise Institute, Republican Locations: Texas, Rome, Roman, “ Texas, The74, Oklahoma, Louisiana

☆ Modi heads for two days of island meditation as Indian election nears end
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

India’s election is the world’s largest, a mammoth exercise in democracy that has taken place over six weeks. Modi will visit the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, a pilgrimage site off India’s southernmost tip, from May 30 to June 1, according to Indian state broadcaster DD News. The Vivekananda Rock Memorial was built in 1970 in honour of Swami Vivekananda, who is said to have attained enlightenment on the rock. Toward the end of the 2019 national elections, which he also won, Modi went to meditate in the revered Kedarnath shrine dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Shiva high in the Himalayas. Modi and the BJP have increasingly resorted to overtly Islamophobic language during his recent election speeches.

Persons: CNN —, Narendra Modi, –, Modi, Swami Vivekananda, “ I’m, God, doesn’t, ”, Vivekananda, Shiva Organizations: CNN, CNN — India’s, Vivekananda Rock, NDTV, India, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Maratha Locations: Kanyakumari, Varanasi, Maharashtra, Ayodhya

☆ Bollywood and Indian politics: Influence of Modi and BJP on world’s largest film industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

And most of these are Hindi films, meaning Bollywood holds an outsized influence on the country’s culture, identity and economy. A screengrab from the 2022 Bollywood film "The Kashmir Files." CNN reached out to several people from the film industry for this story, some of whom declined to be interviewed due to sensitivities around the topic. It encouraged some Bollywood filmmakers to “(lean) into the caricature of the Muslim villain,” he says. These films are growing fast; outside Bollywood, earnings from the South Indian media and entertainment industry have nearly doubled year on year, according to a 2023 report by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Persons: India’s, Narendra Modi, Indranil Mukherjee, ”, Raja Sen, “ It’s, Modi, Tanul Thakur, …, Veer Savarkar, –, ” Adah Sharma, Pandits, Vivek Agnihotri, ” Sudipto Sen, Debashree Mukherjee, it’s, Thakur, Sen, Darab Farooqui, Sonu Mehta, Farooqui, “, she’s, Aamir Khan, ” Farooqui, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mukherjee, Yash Chopra, ” That’s, ” Thakur, ” Sen, “ We’ve, ’, Dharmendra, Noemi Cassanelli, “ Something’s Organizations: India CNN —, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Observers, Hollywood, Republican, Modi’s, Getty, CNN, Ministry of Culture, of, Netflix, Columbia, Social Democratic Party of India, Hindustan Times, Columbia University, Journalists, Confederation of Indian Industry Locations: Mumbai, India, Kerala, Kashmir, Jammu, Columbia University’s, Middle Eastern, South, Jaipur, New Delhi, Pakistan, United States, Tamil Nadu

☆ Islamophobia and India’s election: Rising Hindu nationalism leaves Muslims fearful in India’s holy city
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Rhea Mogul | Will Ripley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Varanasi, India CNN —The sun glistens on the Ganges as Hindu devotees bathe in the holy river’s waters, and the Muslim call to prayer reverberates through the dusty air. The Gyanvapi mosque, left, and Kashiviswanath Temple on the banks of the river Ganges in Varanasi, India, December 12, 2021. He believes Gyanvapi is not a mosque, but a Hindu temple, and wants to see his community worship inside the walls of the building. Vishwambhar Nath Mishra, the priest of a prominent Hindu temple in Varanasi, believes Modi’s stoking of religious tensions is ruining the fabric of Indian society. This is my country.”Read more from CNN’s India election coverage:Billions spent, jungle-trekking poll workers and voting at 15,000 feet.

Persons: Narendra Modi’s, Modi, Varanasi John Mees, Sana Sabah, trepidation, “, Modi’s, Rajesh Kumar Singh, John Mees, Syed Mohammad Yaseen, ”, Hinduism John Mees, ’, Dileep Patel, inching, Nasir Ali, Ali, ‘ Jai Shree Sri Ram ’, Vijay Bedi, CNN Ali, Muzamil, Usman, it’s, Jai Shree Ram ”, Manish Swarup, Raja Singh, we’ll, Singh, –, Jaiveer Shergill, spokespeople, haven’t, Shamsher Ali, Emperor Aurangzeb, Lord Shiva, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Pawan Kumar, ” Ali, Yaseen, ” Syed Mohammad Yaseen, turbocharge, ” Modi, Ram, Lucas Vallecillos, Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, Gyanvapi, Swami Saraswati, Amit Pandey, Vishwambhar Nath Mishra, ” Mishra, ” Read, Narendra Modi Organizations: India CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, CNN, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Modi, Bhajanpura Police, United Nations, Human Rights, ” CNN, Modi’s, Hate, AP BJP, T, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Federation for Human Rights, Reuters, Guards, “ Locations: Varanasi, India, Varanasi John, today’s India, “, Hinduism, Jammu, Kashmir, New Delhi, Delhi, Mustafabad, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Gujarat, Washington, BJP, Ali, Kashi, Gyanvapi, John, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

☆ India election: Modi’s Muslim remarks spark ‘hate speech’ accusations as mammoth vote deepens divides
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been accused of delivering Islamophobic remarks during an election rally Sunday, triggering widespread anger from prominent Muslims and members of the opposition. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking during a rally in Sydney, Australia, on May 23, 2023. Kalpit Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi, then BJP secretary is welcomed at Ahmedabad Railway Station by the party's followers on January 31, 1992. Kalpit Bhachech/Dipam Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi pictured in India on January 23, 1998. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: CNN —, Narendra Modi, Islamophobic, Modi’s, Modi, ”, ” Modi, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Rana Ayyub, Asaduddin Owaisi, “ Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge Organizations: CNN, CNN — India’s, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, of India, India's, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Sangh, Hindu, “, Hate Locations: Rajasthan, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, India, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, BJP, “

☆ In India’s 2024 election, BJP’s main opposition appears increasingly weak in face of Modi juggernaut
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

Supporters of India's opposition party, Indian National Congress, during an election rally in Puducherry on April 15, 2024 R. Satish Babu/AFP/Getty ImagesDemocracy under threat? Dipam Bhachech/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Modi worked his way through the ranks of the BJP, establishing himself as a respected politician. Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images Modi hugs French President Emmanuel Macron after a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, on June 3, 2017. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023. Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images Modi offers a toast during a State Dinner with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: ”, Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Indira Gandhi, Gandhi, ” Hazari Lal Rajput, Satish Babu, Modi, Modi’s, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Arati Jerath, “, it’s, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, gunning, ” Modi, shouldn’t, Mohammad Irfan, —, Arvind Kejriwal, Altaf Qadri, Kejriwal, Atishi, you’re, Jerath, Gandhi ‘, ’ Modi, Christophe Jaffrelot, CNN Modi, Rasheed Kidwai, Rahul, Diptendu Dutta, Mamata Banerjee, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, ” Kidwai, ” Jerath Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, Getty, Democracy, Modi’s BJP, Pew, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, India's, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Indian, Aadmi Party, Delhi, AAP, Aam Aadmi Party, All, Trinamool, West, All India, Congress, “, “ Democracy Locations: India, Uttar Pradesh, Ramlila, Puducherry, Modi’s, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, INDIA, Delhi, India’s, Lok Sabha, Atishi, ”, Manipur, Siliguri, West Bengal, Tamil

☆ Narendra Modi: India’s popular but controversial leader seeking a transformative third term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +26 min

Varanasi and New Delhi CNN —Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once famously made a simple election promise: “good days are coming”. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his supporters during an election campaign rally in Pushkar on April 6, 2024. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking during a rally in Sydney, Australia, on May 23, 2023. Kalpit Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi, then BJP secretary is welcomed at Ahmedabad Railway Station by the party's followers on January 31, 1992. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Himanshu Sharma, Getty Images Modi, –, ”, Saba Naqvi, “, Vajpayee, Naqvi, Dileep Patel, John Mees, Akash Jaiswal, “ We’ve, ” Jaiswal, isn’t, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Patel, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv, Rahul Gandhi, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, “ Narendra Modi, ” Mukhopadhyay, Mukhopadhyay, ” Modi, Keshav Baliram, “ Modi, BJP Modi, Lord Ram, ” Naqvi, Critics, Christophe Jaffrelot, Karan Thapar, ” Jaffrelot, Modi’s, it’s, —, Raj, India Narendra Modi, Kenny Hoston, Ram, ” Raniva, That’s Organizations: New Delhi CNN, Indian, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, India's, Getty Images, Pew, CNN, World Health Organization, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, Indian National Congress, AP, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Cambridge, today’s Congress Party, Harvard, The Times, Muslim, Australia Locations: Varanasi, New Delhi, Gujarat, Pushkar, India, “ India, United States, Brazil, “, Sydney, Australia, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Oxford, Vadnagar, Babri, Kadi, Kashmir, United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Jama

☆ In ‘Monkey Man,’ Dev Patel attempts to reclaim Hinduism for the underdog
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —“Monkey Man,” Dev Patel’s directorial debut action thriller that he also stars in, wrote and produced, opens with a tale familiar to Hindus around the world. This mythology is the foundation of “Monkey Man,” which hit theaters on April 5. In "Monkey Man," Kid plots revenge on the corrupt forces that raided his forest village and killed his mother. Dev Patel directed, wrote, produced and starred in the action thriller "Monkey Man," which is inspired by the Hindu legend of Hanuman. “Monkey Man,” then, is a warning about what can happen when people are oppressed and disempowered for too long.

Persons: ” Dev Patel’s, Hanuman, Patel himself, —, Patel, ” Patel, Kid, ’ ”, Rana Singh, Sikandar Kher, Baba Shakti, Makarand Deshpande, Rana, Sita, Sobhita, Rama, Ravana, Lord Rama, Sailaja Krishnamurti, ‘ What’s, ” Krishnamurti, “, Thrisha Mohan, Narendra Modi, Lord Ram, Imtiyaz Khan, ” Mohan, Baba Shakti —, ”, Krishnamurti, Mohan, Modi, it’s, wasn’t, Siddhant Adlakha, ” Adlakha, It’s, Amitabh Bachhan, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Keanu Reeves, Hollywood’s, Hollywood’s “ John Wick ”, India’s underclasses, “ He’s, Dev Patel, Monica Schipper, hijras, Kid bungles, he’s, Baba, Shiva, Parvati, Bedatri D, Choudhury Organizations: CNN, SXSW, Universal Pictures, Queen’s University, Human Rights, Indian, Anadolu, Getty, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, TIME, Alpha, Philadelphia Inquirer Locations: Yatana, India, Ayodhya, Hong Kong, Hollywood’s “, Kid’s

☆ While many flock to see the eclipse, these cultures are doing something different
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —For many people, the upcoming total solar eclipse is a joyous and celebratory occasion. But in other cultures and faith traditions, an eclipse is less spectacle and more spiritual. Having drunk the nectar, Rahu becomes immortal while Ketu dies. Some Christians believe it signals the second coming of ChristPeople visit the Bald Knob Cross near Alto Pass, Illinois, on August 19, 2017 ahead of a total solar eclipse. The New Testament of the Bible contains several mentions of the sky darkening while Jesus was hung on the cross, which some believers associate with a solar eclipse.

Persons: Sanjay Kanojia, Sangeetha Kowsik, Kowsik, Vishnu, Mohini, Ketu, Rahu, Hanuman, ” Kowsik, Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, Fachrul Reza, NurPhoto, Akif Aydin, Muhammad’s, Ibrahim, Aydin, —, Prophet Muhammad, ”, Scott Olson, Jesus Christ, Jesus, Matthew, “, “ Eli, Eli, lema, Joel, Andrea L, Robinson, Brian van der, Evelyn Bahe, ” Bahe, Bahe, Institute’s Nancy C, Maryboy, David Begay, Kristin Fisher Organizations: CNN, Getty, New York University, Atlantic Institute SC, Christ People, Christianity, “, Los Angeles Times, Department of Diné, Sun, Institute’s Locations: Mexico, Canada, Prayagraj, Yamuna, AFP, South India, Lhokseumawe, Indonesia, South Carolina, Alto Pass , Illinois, American, America, it’s, Navajo, Rock , Arizona

☆ India investigates alleged Hindu nationalist attack on foreign students offering Ramadan prayers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Authorities in western India have launched an investigation after far-right Hindus allegedly attacked foreign university students offering prayers during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, as religious tensions simmer ahead of a crucial general election. One eyewitness told CNN the students were offering prayers when a group of people arrived and repeatedly told them to stop, while chanting Hindu slogans. “One of the students got up and slapped a member of the group,” the Gujarat University student, who does not want to be named out of fear of retribution, told CNN. We request the university to shift us to a safe place.”Another student told Gujarat First News that the university had given them permission to pray on campus. Gujarat University vice chancellor Neerja A. Gupta confirmed clashes broke out between two groups after which some foreign students were injured.

Persons: Malik, Randhir Jaiswal, Narendra Modi’s, “ Jai Shree Ram, Lord Ram, ”, ‘ Jai Shree Ram, ’, “, Neerja A, Gupta, Modi, Asaduddin Owaisi Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Gujarat University, “, India’s Ministry, External Affairs, clarion, News Capital Gujarat, Gujarat, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP Locations: India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Ahmedabad, ” Ahmedabad, “, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat

☆ Bali Nyepi: Why one of the world’s most popular islands falls completely silent for a day
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This is Nyepi, Balinese New Year. Amanda Syrowatka, owner of the Viceroy Bali, helps manage expectations for hotel guests during Nyepi. The day before Nyepi is Ngrupuk, when giant monster effigies called ogoh ogoh, representing evil spirits, are paraded around by local children. While some tourists plan to come to Bali for Nyepi specifically to witness or take part in the holiday, some find themselves there unexpectedly. “While I might not plan a trip around Nyepi,” says Bigg, “I certainly wouldn’t mind being in Bali for it again.

Persons: CNN —, Amanda Syrowatka, Viceroy Bali, Nyepi, ”, Wayan Ari, Putu Sayoga, Agung Parameswara, Margot Biggs, “ Organizations: CNN, Local, School for International Training, Viceroy Locations: CNN — Bali, Indonesia, Bali, Putu, India, Viceroy Bali ., Nyepi, American

☆ Atheists are still reluctant to ‘come out’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Just like people of faith, not all atheists believe the same things. Because atheists are defined by what they don’t believe, it’s difficult to generalize what they do believe. What do atheists believe? Nearly a third of atheists believe humans have souls or spirits in addition to their physical body. It's hard to talk about atheists as a large group because they're defined by what they don't believe in.

Persons: CNN —, Ron DeSantis, it’s, “, Ricky Gervais, ‘, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Nick Fish, ” Fish, don’t, ”, Jason Lancaster, Diana Nyad, Oprah, Will Gervais, Maxine B, Najle, Gervais, ” It’s, —, I’m, Jocelyn Williamson, doesn’t, ” Williamson, “ There’s, Williamson, They’re, Fish Organizations: CNN, Florida Gov, Gallup, Merriam, American Atheists, Pew Research, Getty, Pew, Central, Central Florida Freethought, Central Florida Freethought Community, ” Atheists, Interfaith Council of Central, Christian, Habitat, Humanity Locations: Florida, Central Florida, Interfaith Council of Central Florida

☆ India’s Modi to inaugurate Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the United Arab Emirates to inaugurate a Hindu stone temple, boosting his credentials as a global statesman months before he heads to the polls in a nationwide election where he is seeking a rare third term in power. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Ahmedabad state of Gujarat, India on January 9, 2024. Yet, analysts expect this will not present an issue for Modi during his visit, given India’s rising prominence, its growing economy and strategic position on the global stage. In 2015, the UAE government allocated land for the development of the temple, in a major win for the diaspora. President Joe Biden visits Raj Ghat memorial with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and other G20 leaders, Sept. 10, 2023, in New Delhi.

Persons: CNN —, Narendra Modi, Modi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al, ”, Asim Ali, ” Ali, “, Ram, Nicolas Blarel, Blarel, Swaminarayan, ” Blarel, Kadira Pethiyagoda, that’s, Joe Biden, Raj, India Narendra Modi, Kenny Hoston, Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Powers, ” Pethiyagoda Organizations: CNN, CNN — India’s, United, United Arab Emirates, Emirates, Guard, Indian, PIB, Getty, Bharatiya Janata, International Relations, Institute of Political Science, Leiden University, BJP, Brookings, Reuters Locations: United Arab, Abu, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Anadolu, UAE, New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, The Netherlands, South Asia, Indian, “ India, Saudi Arabia, East, Europe, “, China, Russia, Ayodhya, India’s

☆ Modi’s ‘divine India’ vision threatens to marginalize millions
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“(Today) is the beginning of a new time cycle,” Modi said at the new temple honoring Hindu deity Lord Ram. “After centuries of waiting, our Ram has arrived.”Modi’s vision of a “divine India” is a far cry from the ideas of the modern country’s founding fathers. “India becomes a de facto Hindu nation, where the task of building national Hindu religious symbols falls to the state. And he reiterated his party’s desire to build the Ram Temple on the contested holy site. Hindu groups have for decades claimed the Mughals destroyed Hindu temples, building mosques and other monuments in their place.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, ” Modi, Lord Ram, “, Ram, ”, Gilles Verniers, officiates, ‘, Sachin Tendulkar, Mukesh Ambani, Modi’s, ” Modi fasted, ” Narendra Modi, Prakash Singh, Pratishtha ”, –, Sunita Viswanath, “ Modi, tramples what’s, Ravi Agrawal, it’s, Babar, Douglas E, Curran, ” Agrawal, Ritesh Shukla, Aurangzeb, “ Aurangzeb, Policy’s Agrawal, Gilles Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Centre for Policy Research, Bloomberg, Getty, Indian, Human Rights, India’s, Ram Locations: Ayodhya, “, India, New Delhi, Babri, Delhi, India’s, Jammu, Kashmir, South Asia, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Varanasi

☆ Photos: Ayodhya Ram Mandir temple inaugurated in consecration ceremony overseen by Modi
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Crowds gather during the opening of a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Ram, in Ayodhya, India, on January 22, 2024. Inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple Monday, Modi presided over the Pran Pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, of an idol of Lord Ram, one of Hinduism’s most revered deities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi plays a leading role in the ceremony consecrating a statue of the god Ram. “Today our Lord Ram has come. A man prays on the banks of Sarayu River on the occasion of Ram temple's consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Lord Ram, Rajesh Kumar Singh, –, Modi, Pran Pratishtha, Ram, Imtiyaz Khan, ” Modi, “ Ram, Money Sharma, Hinduism's Lord Ram, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Mukesh Ambani, Anupam Kher, Beckham, ”, Ram Charan, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Katrina Kaif, Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Alia Bhatt Rajesh Kumar Singh Organizations: CNN, Indian, Anadolu, Getty Locations: Ayodhya, India, India's Uttar Pradesh, Sarayu, Babri

☆ Ayodhya temple: India’s Narenda Modi hails a new ‘divine India’ as he inaugurates Ram Mandir ahead of election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

By moving ahead of building the temple, now we all take the oath of building a national, capable, successful, beautiful, and divine India,” Modi said. His promise to build the Ram Mandir helped spur that initial election success. A devotee gets anoint the name of Lord Ram on his forehead ahead of the Inauguration of the Ram Mandir Temple on January 20, 2024 in Ayodhya, India. Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images“I have come here to seek blessings from Lord Ram and Sita, I am very happy today,” she said. “I have come here to seek blessing from Lord Ram, Modi has done so much,” he said.

Persons: Narendra Modi’s, Lord Ram –, Ram, ” Modi, “ Ram, Modi, Lord Ram, Rafiq Maqbool, Pran Pratishtha, Mohan Bhagwat, ”, Yogi Adityanath, Acharya Mohanjodaro Bharadwaj, Babar, Money Sharma, Maulana Badshah Khan, “, ” Khan, weaponizing, Modi “, Modi fasted, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Chandravanshi, Ritesh Shukla, Sita, Lal Singh Khushwa Organizations: CNN, “, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Human Rights, AP, YouTube Locations: India, India’s Ayodhya, Babri, Ayodhya, Vedika, India's, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, New York, Square, South Asia, Sarayu, New India, US, Tamil Nadu, “, Chhattisgarh

He has ensured this with the Ram Temple,” said Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, an expert in Hindu nationalism and author of a book on Modi. Modi’s Hindu nationalist party is expected to once again exploit religion for political gain in the upcoming national elections in April or May and secure power for a third consecutive term. The mosque was demolished by Hindu mobs in December 1992, sparking nationwide riots that killed more than 2,000 people, mostly Muslims. That fraught history is still an open wound for many Muslims, and some say the temple is the biggest political testament yet to Hindu supremacy. Modi has released postage stamps on Ram Temple, and live screenings of the ceremony are planned across the country.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Lord Ram, Modi, ”, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Modi's, ” Mukhopadhyay, “ Modi, Ram, Salam, ” Salam, revivalism —, “ Organizations: DELHI, —, Indian, Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party, Ram, BJP Locations: India, Ayodhya —, Ayodhya, Babri, Gujarat, Babri Mosque, Hindu India

☆ Ayodhya’s Muslims confront grief and anxiety as Ram Temple inauguration nears
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Aishwarya Iyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But like many of the town’s 500,000 Muslims, 65-year-old Maulana Badshah Khan says he’ll be staying at home. And tens of thousands of pious Hindus are thronging to the small town to place flowers and gifts inside the temple. “They will call for Muslims to be expelled from Ayodhya or demand a Hindu Rashtra (nation),” he said. Mahboob, one of the petitioners who fought for the Babri mosque in the Supreme Court, said for most Muslims of Ayodhya, its construction does not hold emotional sway. Muslims pray for peace ahead of verdict on a disputed religious site in Ayodhya, inside a mosque premises in Ahmedabad, India, November 8, 2019.

Persons: Saffron, Narendra Modi, Maulana Badshah Khan, he’ll, Modi, Khan, ”, Azam Qadri, Douglas E, Curran, Haji Mahboob, Mahboob, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Mukhopadhyay, Nalin Kohli, Modi’s, Amit Dave, Babri, Arafat Shaikh –, BJP –, Shaikh, Gharib Nawaz, Vinod Bansal, Mahant Jairam Das, Hassan Ali Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Indian, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Getty, he’s, CNN, Ram, Hindu Parishad, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Locations: New Delhi, Ayodhya, New India, India, Babri, Ahmedabad, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan

☆ Factbox-What Are the Contentious Events Behind India's New Ram Temple?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a ceremony on Monday to consecrate a grand new temple to the Hindu god-king Ram, delivering on a campaign promise his political party made more than three decades ago. Legal battles ended in 2019 with the Supreme Court deciding to allow a Hindu temple to be built there, on condition that Muslims received another plot to build a mosque. In Dec. 1949, authorities seized the mosque after Hindu activists placed idols of Ram inside the disputed structure. Hindu and Muslim groups tried unsuccessfully to resolve the dispute through talks, before Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a nationwide campaign in 1990 to build the temple. He rode to the office of prime minister in 2014 on a Hindu nationalist platform that included the promise to build the temple.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Ram, Modi, Modi's, Nripendra Misra, Lord Vishnu, Babur, India's, Lal Krishna Advani, Krishn Kaushik, Krishna Das, YP Rajesh, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Reuters, Indian, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, YP Locations: India, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, Gujarat

☆ Indian Devotees Splurge on Jets, Gold Idols as Hindu Temple Opens
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. Officials estimate 100 private jets will descend on Jan. 22 on Ayodhya airport, filling it to capacity. Mehra did not disclose the price of the charters, but private jet booking website JetSetGo lists the price of a Mumbai-Gorakhpur flight on a Falcon 2000 jet with nine passengers on board at about $74,000. There is a waiting period of two weeks," said Baldev Singh, a manager at HS Jewellers in Lucknow city. "People are betting on economic prosperity but there's also emotional attachment to be part of the Ayodhya story."

Persons: Saurabh Sharma, Tanvi Mehta, Narendra Modi, Mukesh Ambani, Lord Ram, Modi, It's, Rajan Mehra, Mehra, Baldev Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhinandan, Abhinandan Lodha, Aditya Kalra Organizations: Indian, Ram, Bharatiya Janata Party, Dassault, Reuters Locations: Tanvi Mehta AYODHYA, India, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Mumbai, Thailand, Lucknow city

☆ Ayodhya Ram Mandir: A decades long Hindu nationalist dream is about to be achieved. What does this mean?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Ahead of the event, Modi has been fasting and praying in an 11-day ritual steeped in Hindu religious symbolism. But many Hindus believe the Babri Masjid was built on the ruins of a Hindu temple, allegedly destroyed by Babar, the first Mughal emperor of South Asia. The site is significant to them because they believe it’s the birthplace of Lord Ram, now honored with the construction of the new Ram Mandir. Hindu nationalist groups had for years campaigned to demolish the mosque to build a temple in its place. Muslims pray for peace ahead of verdict on a disputed religious site in Ayodhya, inside a mosque premises in Ahmedabad, India, November 8, 2019.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Lord Ram, ”, ” Modi, Babar, Douglas E, Curran, “, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Amit Dave, “ Young, Asaduddin Owaisi, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Larsen, Toubro Organizations: CNN, country’s, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, YouTube, India’s, AP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Indian National Congress Locations: Indian, Ayodhya, India, Babri, South Asia, Uttar Pradesh, Ahmedabad

The Ram Mandir's opening Monday would fulfill a decadeslong Hindu nationalist pledge that is expected to resonate with voters during the upcoming national election expected in April or May. The narrow roads have given way to four-lane pilgrim route, including the newly developed 13-kilometer (8-mile) Ram Path leading to the temple. At least two head priests from a Hindu sect have refused to go the opening ceremony, saying consecrating an unfinished temple goes against Hindu scriptures. And volunteers from Modi’s party and other Hindu nationalist groups are going door to door, distributing religious flags and pamphlets. Many others shared Bhatia's feelings about the temple's opening.

Persons: Lord Ram, Hinduism’s, Ram, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Ananya Sharma, ” Sharma, Om Prakash Bhatia, —, marigold, “ Lord Ram, ” Bhatia, “ Jai Sri Ram, ”, “, Gaurav Shourey, ” ___ Banerjee, Piyush Nagpal Organizations: DELHI, Bharatiya Janata Party, Associated Press Locations: India's, Ayodhya, homestays, India, Modi, Indian, New Delhi, vermillion, Lucknow

☆ ‘Annapoorani’: Netflix removes Indian movie after backlash by right-wing Hindu groups
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New Delhi CNN —Netflix has removed an Indian film from its platform after it sparked backlash and protest from right wing Hindu groups – the latest in several recent controversies where India’s entertainment industry has caved to religious pressure campaigns. The movie was released on Netflix on December 29, where it quickly became the streaming platform’s top trending movie in India, according to production studio Zee Entertainment. “We removed this film at the request of the licensor,” a Netflix spokesperson confirmed to CNN in a statement Tuesday. CNN reached out to Zee Entertainment and the film’s director, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. That incident, like the ongoing controversy over ‘Annapoorani,’ prompted a police complaint against Netflix executives.

Persons: ”, Ramesh N Solanki, Lord Ram, Shriraj Nair, Vikram Seth, Narendra Modi’s, ‘, ’, Modi Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Netflix, Zee Entertainment, CNN, Hindu IT Cell, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, India, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, – Locations: New Delhi, India, Asia, Indian, Delhi, Mumbai

They sometimes break barriers and celebrate milestones, like Jabeen becoming the first female Muslim military chaplain a few years ago. In the film and in interviews, they provide a window into the struggles and victories of Muslim chaplains and service members in one of the most American of institutions. “These voices from both sides of the aisle start piling on upon Muslim service members,” Lantigua said. Now is the time for us to go work.’”Not long ago, being a Muslim military chaplain was uncharted territory. Then and now, he said, the presence of Muslim military chaplains helps chip away at misunderstandings, fears and bias.

Persons: Saleha, Jabeen, “ You’re, Major Rafael Lantigua Jr, Lantigua, ” Lantigua, “ We’re, ”, Khallid Shabazz, Islam, who’s, Abu, “, you’ve, Shareda Hosein, David Washburn, ” Jabeen, Muhammad’s, ’ ”, she’s, —, ‘, ’, Abdul Rasheed Muhammad, Muhammad, ” Muhammad, Islam — Organizations: PBS, Army, Muslim Army, ., Pentagon, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: U.S, Iraq, Lantigua, “, Afghanistan, Texas, Kuwait, Dominican Republic, African American, United States, India, Gaza, Israel

New Delhi CNN —India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is close to fulfilling a decade-old election promise months out from nationwide polls with the announcement that a controversial new Hindu temple will open on disputed land in January. Hindu fundamentalists demolish the wall of the 16th century Babri Masjid mosque in the city of Ayodhya in 1992. But many Hindus believe the Babri Masjid was built on the ruins of a Hindu temple, which was allegedly destroyed by Babar, the first Mughal emperor of South Asia. Disputed landThe site of the temple, previously claimed by both Hindus and Muslims, has long been the center of controversy. Hindu fundamentalists climb the dome of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya to demolish the structure on December 6, 1992.

Persons: New Delhi CNN —, Narendra Modi, Nripendra Misra, Douglas E, Curran, Lord Ram, Babar, Misra, ”, Sondeep Shankar, Modi, “, ” Modi, Madir, Larsen, Toubro, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi, Yogi Adityanath Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, New Delhi CNN — India’s, Getty, BJP, India’s, CNN, Pradesh’s BJP Locations: New Delhi, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, South Asia, Babri, India, Pradesh’s

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