Source: Yahoo! News

Wire Service: Reuters

Source: The New York Times

Source: RIA Novosti

Source: The Bristol Press

http://www.bristolpress.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13624477&BRD=1643&PAG=461&dept_id=10486&rfi=6

On December 25, 2004 The Bristol Press reported, "Recently, five Tibetan monks from the Krnataka and the Ggen Jangtse Monasteries in South India visited Bob Hoffman’s house at 30 Maxine Road and chanted in a ceremony to bless the house and remove negative energy. Nine people, including the owner,...

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4119965.stm

On December 23, 2004 the BBC News reported, "Thousands of teachers have gone on strike in southern Thailand, urging the authorities to do more to protect them from attacks by Muslim militants.

Teachers say they are perceived by the rebels to be representatives of the Buddhist-dominated administration.

Bangkok said it would send 2,000 extra policemen south to boost security....

Source: NZZ Online/swissinfo

http://nzz.ch/2004/12/22/english/page-synd5418722.html

On December 22, 2004 swissinfo reported, "The religious landscape has changed in Switzerland, with the Catholic and Protestant Churches emerging as the biggest losers. A substantial proportion of the population say they are not religious and minority religions, such as Islam, are on the rise. About 75 per cent of the population are practising Catholics and Protestants, according to...

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4112055.stm

On December 20, 2004 the BBC News reported, "Cambodia's government has banned a song about a lovelorn monk. They have asked radio and TV stations to stop playing Leaving The Monkhood For Love because they say it is disrespectful to Buddhists... But the airplay ban has been met with bemusement by fans of the singer Heng Bunleap, who is one of the rising stars of the Cambodian music scene. Over the...

Source: The Scotsman

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3906497

On December 19, 2004 The Scotsman reported, "Cigarette packs in Thailand may soon carry more than the usual health warnings, with an edict admonishing the public not to give Buddhist monks a smoke. The new label, proposed by the head of Thailand’s National Buddhism Office, will read: 'Donating cigarettes to monks is a sin.' Chakratham Thammasak told the Thai News Agency that he’ll ask the...

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

https://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/All-things-Asian-are-becoming-us-2628199.php

On December 19, 2004 The San Francisco Chronicle reported, "American pundits tend to look at the world...

Source: Yahoo! News

Wire Service: AFP

Source: The New Light of Myanmar

http ://w ww.myanmar.com/nlm/enlm/Dec12_h2.html

On December 11, 2004 The New Light of Myanmar reported, "The following is the Vote of Thanks delivered at the World Buddhist Summit by Lt-Gen Soe Win, Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar today: 'I would like to say that this historic World Buddhist Summit is a great success. More than two thousand participants—Sangha delegates and six hundred observers from thirty-eight countries, more than six hundred Myanmar Theras, Mahatheras and nuns,...

Source: Beliefnet.com

Wire Service: AP

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/157/story_15788_1.html

On December 10, 2004 the Associated Press reported, "Indian film idol Shahrukh Khan said Friday his concert in Sri Lanka can't be postponed despite Buddhists monks' threats to set themselves on fire to protest the show, which coincides with the anniversary of a cleric's death. 'The timing maybe wrong. We will observe a two-minute silence in...

Source: Channel News Asia

http ://ww w.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/121216/1/.html

On December 8, 2004 Channel News Asia reported, "Myanmar is preparing for the opening of a world Buddhist summit undaunted by a boycott called by its main sponsor because of an upheaval prompted by the sacking of the military regime's premier. Myanmar state media said the three-day event would be an undoubted 'landmark in the history of Buddhism' and is a rare potential showcase for a nation isolated by international...

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4069471.stm

On December 5, 2004 the BBC News reported, "The Thai government has dropped an estimated one hundred million paper origami birds in an unusual peace bid.

The birds were dropped by military planes over the country's Muslim south after a surge of violence in the area.

Ordinary Thais across the nation have folded and written peace messages on the paper cranes in a...

Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin

http://starbulletin.com/2004/12/04/features/story6.html

On December 4, 2004 Honolulu Star Bulletin reported, "members of seven Buddhist denominations will celebrate the founding of their religion tomorrow in a Bodhi Day service that is open to the public... The Rev. Jion Donald Prosser, an American who studied Buddhism in Japan and was ordained in the Tendai sect, will be the guest speaker. Now a resident of Minnesota, he conducts...