Hindus in India and World

During Islamic rule in the Indian sub-continent

The Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent led to widespread carnage as Muslims regarding the Hindus as infidels slaughtered and converted millions of Hindus. Will Durant argued in his 1935 book "The Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage" (page 459):

“The Mohammedan conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history. The Islamic historians and scholars have recorded with great glee and pride of the slaughters of Hindus, forced conversions, abduction of Hindu women and children to slave markets and the destruction of temples carried out by the warriors of Islam during 800 AD to 1700 AD. Millions of Hindus were converted to Islam by sword during this period.

There is no official estimate of the total death toll of Hindus at the hands of Muslims. Estimates have stated that over 13 centuries and over the entire subcontinent, the number of Hindus that died at the hands of the Muslims goes up into the millions. There have been several occasions when the Bahmani sultans in central India (1347-1528) killed around 80,000-100,000 Hindus over a short period of time, which they set as a minimum goal, to their anti-Hindu campaigns

“The massacres perpetuated by Muslims in India are unparalleled in history, bigger than the Holocaust of the Jews by the Nazis; or the massacre of the Armenians by the Turks; more extensive even than the slaughter of the South American native populations by the invading Spanish and Portuguese.”

Prof. K.S. Lal, suggests a calculation in his book Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India which estimates that between the years 1000 AD and 1500 AD the population of Hindus decreased by 80 million. Even those Hindus who converted to Islam were not immune to persecution, as per the Muslim Caste System in India as established by Ziauddin al-Barani in the Fatawa-i Jahandari., where they were regarded as "Ajlaf" caste and subjected to severe discrimination by the "Ashraf" castes.


By Arabs
Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent began during the early 8th century, when the Umayyad governor of what is now Iraq, Hajjaj responded to a casus belli provided by the kidnapping of Muslim women and treasures by pirates off the coast of Debal, by mobilizing an expedition of 6,000 cavalry under Muhammad bin-Qasim in 712 CE. Records from the campaign recorded in the Chach Nama record temple demolitions, and mass executions of resisting Sindhi forces and enslavement of their dependents. This action was particularly extensive of Debal, of which Qasim is reported to be under orders to make an example of while freeing both the captured women and the prisoners of a previous failed expedition. Bin Qasim then enlisted the support of the local Jat, Meds and Bhutto tribes and began the process of subduing and conquering the countryside. Capture of towns was also usually accomplished by means of a treaty with a party from among his "enemy", who were then extended special privileges and material rewards.However, his superior Hajjaj is reported at objecting to his method by saying that it would make him look weak and advocated a more hardline military strategy:

“ It appears from your letter that all the rules made by you for the comfort and convenience of your men are strictly in accordance with religious law. But the way of granting pardon prescribed by the law is different from the one adopted by you, for you go on giving pardon to everybody, high or low, without any discretion between a friend and a foe. The great God says in the Koran [47.4]: "0 True believers, when you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads." The above command of the Great God is a great command and must be respected and followed. You should not be so fond of showing mercy, as to nullify the virtue of the act. Henceforth grant pardon to no one of the enemy and spare none of them, or else all will consider you a weak-minded man. ”

In a subsequent communication, Hajjaj reiterated that all able-bodied men were to be killed, and that their underage sons and daughters were to be imprisoned and retained as hostages. Qasim obeyed, and on his arrival at the town of Brahminabad massacred between 6,000 and 16,000 of the defending forces. The historian, Upendra Thakur records the persecution of Hindus and Buddhists:

“ When Muhammad Kasim invaded Sind in 711 AD, Buddhism had no resistance to offer to their fire and steel. The rosary could not be a match for the sword and the terms Love and Peace had no meaning to them. They carried fire and sword wherever they went and obliterated all that came their way. Muhammad triumphantly marched into the country, conquering Debal, Sehwan, Nerun, Brahmanadabad, Alor and Multan one after the other in quick succession, and in less than a year and half, the far-flung Hindu kingdon was crushed, the great civilization fell back and Sind entered the darkest period of it's history. There was a fearful outbreak of religious bigotry in several places and temples were wantonly desecrated. At Debal, Nairun and Aror temples were demolished and converted into mosques.[Resistors] were put to death and women made captives. The Jizya was exacted with special care.[Hindus] were required to feed Muslim travellers for three days and three nights.[8]. ”

Other historians and archealogists such as J E Lohuizen-de Leeuw, takes the following stance of events proceeding the sack of Debal:

“ In fact, we have clear evidence that the Arabs were very tolerant towards both Buddhists and Hindus during the rest of the campaign and throughout the time they ruled Sind...Of course that does not mean that no monuments were ever destroyed, for war always means a certain amount of damage to buildings but it does prove that there was no wanton and systematic destruction of each and every religious center of the Buddhists and Hindus in Sind.[9] ”

Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni was an Afghan Sultan who invaded the Indian subcontinent during the early 11th century. His campaigns across the gangetic plains are often cited for their iconoclastic and plundering targeting of Hindu temples such as those at Mathura and looked upon them as "jihad".

Pradyumna Prasad Karan further describes Mahmud invasion as one of putting "thousands of Hindu's to the sword" and making a pastime of "raising pyramids of the skulls of the infidels".[11][12] Holt et al. hold an opposing view, that he was "no mere robber or bloody thirsty tyrant" . Mahmud shed no blood "except in the exegencies of war",[13] and was tolerant in dealings with his own Hindu subjects, some of whom rose to high posts in his administration, such as his Hindu General Tilak

Mahmud of Ghazni sacked the second Somnath Temple in 1026, and looted it of gems and precious stones and the famous Shiva lingam of the temple was destroyed and it's fragments taken away to Ghazni where they were used as stepping stones of a mosque.

In the Delhi Sultanate
The first Muslim Empire of India, the Sultanate of Delhi, was established in 1210 CE by Turkic tribes that invaded the subcontinent from Afghanistan. Many temples were looted and destroyed. Infamous cases are the destruction of the Somnath.

Muhammad Ghori
Muhammad Ghori conducted genocide of Hindus at Koi (modern Aligarh), Kalinjar and Varanasi, according to Hasan Nizami's Taj-ul-Maasir, 20,000 Hindu prisoners were slaughtered and their heads offered to crows.[15]

Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Historical records compiled by Muslim historian Maulana Hakim Saiyid Abdul Hai attest to the iconoclasm of Qutb-ud-din Aybak. The first mosque built in Delhi, the "Quwwat al-Islam" was built after demolishing the Hindu temple built previously by Prithvi Raj and leaving certain parts of the temple outside the mosque proper. This pattern of iconoclasm was common during his reign, although an argument goes that such iconoclasm was motivated more by politics than by religion.

Iltutmish
Another ruler of the sultanate, Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, conquered and subjugated the Hindu pilgrimage site Varanasi in the 11th century and had continued the destruction of Hindu temples and idols that had begun under the first attack in 1194.

Firuz Shah Tughlaq
Firuz Shah Tughluq was the third ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. The "Tarikh-i-Firuz Shah" is a historical record written during his reign that attests to the systematic persecution of Hindus under his rule. In particular, it records atrocities on Hindu Brahmin priests who refused to convert to Islam:

“An order was accordingly given to the Brahman and was brought before Sultan. The true faith was declared to the Brahman and the right course pointed out. but he refused to accept it. A pile was risen on which the Kaffir with his hands and legs tied was thrown into and the wooden tablet on the top. The pile was lit at two places his head and his feet. The fire first reached him in the feet and drew from him a cry and then fire completely enveloped him. Behold Sultan for his strict adherence to law and rectitude. ”

Under his rule, Hindus who were forced to pay the mandatory Jizya tax were recorded as infidels, their communities monitored and, if they violated Imperial ordinance and built temples, they were destroyed. In particular, an incident in the village of Gohana in Haryana was recorded in the "Insha-i-Mahry" (another historical record written by Amud Din Abdullah bin Mahru) where Hindus had erected a deity and were arrested, brought to the palace and executed en-masse.

In 1230, the Hindu King of Orissa Anangabhima III consolidated his rule and proclaimed that an attack on Orissa constituted an attack on the king's god. A sign of Anangabhima's determination to protect Hindu culture is the fact that he named is new capital in Cuttack “Abhinava Varanasi.” His anxieties about further Muslim advances in Orissa proved to be well founded.

Vijayanagara

Main article: Vijayanagara

The city flourished between the 14th century and 16th century, during the height of the Vijayanagar Empire. During this time, it was often in conflict with the kingdoms which rose in the Northern Deccan, and which are often collectively termed the Deccan Sultanates. The period saw brutalities from both sides. In 1366, Bukka I captured the Muslim region of Mudkal and slaughtered all but one inhabitant. The lone survivor of this carnage is supposed to have taken the news to Mohammad Shah, the Sultan of the Bahamani sultanate. In response the sultan ravaged the Hindus [20]. In 1565, the empire's armies suffered a massive and catastrophic defeat at by an alliance of the Sultanates, and the capital was taken. The victorious armies then razed, depopulated and destroyed the city over several months. The empire continued in slow decline, but the original capital was not reoccupied or rebuilt.

In the Mughal empire
The Mughal Empire was marked by periods of tolerance of non-Muslims, such as Hindus, Christians and Sikhs, as well as violent oppression and persecution of those people. The reign of Aurangzeb was particularly brutal. No aspect of Aurangzeb's reign is more cited - or more controversial - than the numerous desecrations and destruction of Hindu temples. Aurangzeb banned Diwali, placed a jizya (tax) on non-Muslims and matyred the ninth Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur. The confrontation with the Sikhs took Aurangzeb and his henchmen an endless series of atrocities against Sikhs which included torturous execution of several Sikhs including the eight and ten years old sons of Guru Gobind Singh by alive-burial.

During his reign, tens of thousands of temples were desecrated: facades and interiors were defaced and their murtis (divine images) looted. In many cases, temples were destroyed entirely; in numerous instances mosques were built on their foundations, sometimes using the same stones. Among the temples Aurangzeb destroyed were two most sacred to Hindus, in Varanasi and Mathura. In both cases, he had large mosques built on the sites.

The Kesava Deo temple in Mathura, marked the place Hindus believe was the birth place of Shri Krishna. In 1661 Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of the temple, and constructed the Katra Masjid mosque. Traces of the ancient Hindu temple can be seen from the back of the mosque. Aurangzeb also destroyed what was the most famous temple in Varanasi- the Vishwanath Temple. The temple had changed location over the years, but in 1585 Akbar had authorized its location at Gyan Vapi. Aurangzeb ordered its demolition in 1669 and constructed a mosque on the site, whose minarets stand 71 metres above the Ganges. Traces of the old temple can be seen behind the mosque. Centuries later, emotional debate about these wanton acts of cultural desecration continue. Aurangzeb also destroyed the Somnath temple in 1706.

According the Hindu claims the Mughals supposedly also destroyed the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, at the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama. On top of it, they built the Babri Masjid, which has since been a source of tensiosn between the Hindu and Muslim communities.

In Kashmir
The Hindu minority in Kashmir have also been historically persecuted by Muslim rulers. While Hindus and Muslims lived in harmony for certain periods of time, several Muslim rulers of Kashmir were intolerant to other religions. Sultãn Sikandar Butshikan of Kashmir (AD 1389-1413) is often considered the worst of these. Historians have recorded many of his atrocities. The Tarikh-i-Firishta records that Sikandar persecuted the Hindus and issued orders proscribing the residence of any other than Muslims in Kashmir. He also ordered the breaking of all "golden and silver images". The Tarikh-i-Firishta further states: "Many of the Brahmins, rather than abandon their religion or their country, poisoned themselves; some emigrated from their native homes, while a few escaped the evil of banishment by becoming Mahomedans. After the emigration of the Bramins, Sikundur ordered all the temples in Kashmeer to be thrown down......Having broken all the images in Kashmeer, (Sikandar) acquired the title of ‘Destroyer of Idols’".

During European rule in the Indian subcontinent
The Goa Inquisition, was established in 1560 by Portuguese missionaries. It was aimed primarily at Hindus and wayward new converts and by the time it was suppressed in 1774, the inquisition had had thousands of Hindus tortured and executed by burning. The British East India Company engaged in a covert and well-financed campaign of evangelical conversions in the 19th century. While officially discouraged conversions, officers of the Company routinely converted Sepoys to Christianity, often by force. This was one of the factors that led to the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Persecution of Dalits

Main articles: Dalit and Indian Caste System

Dalits, formerly known as "untouchables", include the members of Hindu society who are not included in the "caste system" as having a varna. Many Dalits have converted from Hinduism to Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. However, there has been at least one alleged instance of a group conversion of 3,500 Dalits back to Hinduism from Christianity, after it was alleged that Christians gave the Dalits "neither financial security nor social status."[

Under the 2,500 year old caste system, Dalits were considered as the lowest or outside the system. They were assigned the most menial of jobs, and enjoyed none of the rights that higher-caste Hindus did. They were not allowed to enter toilets, share water or food, or even so much as to touch or let their shadow fall over a higher-caste Hindu. In general, the sons of Dalits also took up these same tasks and in this way the entire Dalit community were relegated in Hindu society and persecuted by some Hindus. The caste system is now formally banned by the Indian government, and acts of violence against Dalits are considered crimes. Much of the legislation in regards to protecting Dalits remains completely unenforced. Dalits are presented with university quotas which allow them to achieve better paying jobs with lower marks than the higher castes. While this practice was meant to last 10 years after independence, it has instead increased. This has caused uproar amongst higher castes, leading to the 2006 Indian anti-reservation protests. They have been at least one attempt to encourage them to take on roles of leadership in Hindu society.

Discrimination against Dalits has all but disappeared in the urban public sphere, though prejudices remain in the private sphere. However incidents of violence still occur, especially in rural regions, that Dalits are still subject to persecution. In the Indian province of Rajasthan alone for instance, between the years 1999 and 2002, crimes against Dalits average at about 5024 a year, with 46 killings and 138 cases of rape. According to Human Rights Watch, over 100,000 cases of rape, murder, arson, and other atrocities against the Dalits are reported in India every year. Human Rights watch suspects the actual figure to be higher, given that Dalits do not tend to expect justice from their police for crimes against them.[37] Dalits were also targeted by Muslim rioters in the Gujarat riots, many being burnt alive.

Contemporary persecution
While the vast majority of Hindus live in Hindu-majority areas of India, Hindus in other parts of South Asia and in diaspora have sometimes faced persecution. The Hindu American Foundation's Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora: A Survey of Human Rights 2005 report surveyed the status of human rights for Hindus in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Fiji, Pakistan, and the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The report was based on media coverage, reports from human rights organizations, and firsthand accounts related to human rights violations perpetrated against Hindus because of their religious identity.


In the Indian subcontinent
Hindus, like Muslims, Sikhs, and members of other religious groups, experienced severe dislocation and violence during the massive population exchanges associated with the partition of India, as members of various communities moved to what they hoped was the relative safety of an area where they would be a religious majority. Hindus were among the between 200,000 and a million who died during the rioting and other violence associated with the partition.

India
In 1954, the Federal Government of India passed the Hindu Marriage Act that prohibited Hindu males in India from marrying more than one wife. Although by modern standards polygamy is a frowned upon act, the purpose of this act specifically only targeted Hindus, but did not mention any other religious groups, including Muslims, which are the 2nd biggest religious demographic and the 2nd biggest Muslim population in the world. Scholars believe the purpose was to entice Muslims to stay in India by giving their men the option to take more than one wife which is established as acceptable under Islamic Law.

Jammu and Kashmir
Pakistan has been covertly financing Islamic Terrorism in Kashmir. Islamic terrorists have routinely engaged in attacks on Hindu pilgrims in both Kashmir and neighboring Jammu. Kashmiri militants have consistently persecuted Hindus in the region, as well as moderate Muslims suspected of siding with the India. Kashmiri Pandit Hindus, who have been residents of Kashmir for centuries, have been ethnically cleansed from Kashmir by Islamic militants. In particular, the Wandhama Massacre in 1998 was an incident in which 24 Kashmiri Hindus were gunned down by Islamists disguised as Indian soldiers. Many Kashmiri Hindus have been killed and thousands of children orphaned over the course of the conflict in Kashmir.

Northeast India
In recent years, large parts of Northeastern India have become Christianized owing to the fervent activities of missionaries. In these states, especially Nagaland Hindus are not able to celebrate Durga Puja and other essential festivals due to harassment and killing by Christian Terrorist groups. In Tripura, the NLFT has targeted Swamis and temples for attacks. The Baptist Church of Tripura is alleged to have supplied NLFT with arms and financial support and encouraged the murder of Hindus, particularly infants.[45] A conventional tactic of the terrorists is to torch houses of Hindus with the residents still in it. They have been known to raid Hindu sanctuaries and shoot all the members.[46]

West Bengal
Main article: Morichjhanpi
The Left Front communist party government of the state of West Bengal executed a brutal massacre of low-caste Hindus in Morichjhanpi in 1978. The Morichjhanpi massacre was perpetrated by the communist government on poor Bengali Hindu refugees who were ethnically cleansed from Muslim-majority East Pakistan/Bangladesh during the Partition of India. They were migrating from other states in India where they had settled as refugees after the Partition of India. The attempt was seen by the communists as an "aggressive encroachment" so they manufactured allegations of "violating the forest act" and used it as a pretext to harass the refugees.The Morichjhanpi incident refers to the actions throughout 1979 when thousands of settler families were brutally evicted from the island. The incident resulted, directly or indirectly, in hundreds of deaths, including 36 refugees killed in police firings on January 31, 1979. In spite of a pathetic fightback by some of the islanders, several thousand settlers were eventually removed over the course of the year.

Bangladesh
The HAF report documents the long history of anti-Hindu atrocities in Bangladesh, a topic that many Indians and Indian governments over the years have preferred not to acknowledge. Such atrocities, including targeted attacks against temples, open theft of Hindu property, and rape of young Hindu women and enticements to proselytizationconvert to Islam, have increased sharply in recent years after the Jamat-e-Islami joined the coalition government led by the Bangladesh National Party.

Bangladesh has had a troublesome history of persecution of Hindus as well. A US-based human rights organisation, Refugees International, has claimed that religious minorities, especially Hindus, still face discrimination in Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh, a nationalist party openly calls for ‘Talibanisation’ of the state. However, the prospect of actually "Talibanizing" the state is regarded as a remote possibility, since Bangladeshi Islamic society is generally more progressive than the extremist Taliban of Afghanistan. Political scholars conclude that while the Islamization of Bangladesh is real, the country is not on the brink of being Talibanized .In 1971 at the time of the liberation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan, the Hindu population accounted for 15% of the total population. Thirty years on, it is now estimated at just 10.5%. The ‘Vested Property Act’ previously named the ‘Enemy Property Act’ has seen up to 40% of Hindu land snatched away forcibly. Since this government has come into power, of all the rape crimes registered in Bangladesh, 98% have been registered by Hindu women. Hindu temples in Bangladesh have also been vandalised . The United States Congressional Caucus on India has condemned these atrocities.

Bangladeshi feminist Taslima Nasrin's 1993 novel Lajja deals with the anti-Hindu riots and anti-secular sentiment in Bangladesh in the wake of the destruction of the Babri Masjid in India. The book was banned in Bangladesh, and helped draw international attention to the situation of the Bangladeshi Hindu minority.

On October 2006, the United States Commission on International Religion Freedom published a report titled 'Policy Focus on Bangladesh', said that since its last election, 'Bangladesh has experienced growing violence by religious extremists, intensifying concerns expressed by the countries religious minorities'. The report further stated that Hindus are particularly vulnerable in a period of rising violence and extremism, whether motivated by religious, political or criminal factors, or some combination. The report noted that Hindus had multiple disadvantages against them in Bangladesh, such as perceptions of dual loyalty with respect to India and religious beliefs that are not tolerated by the politically dominant Islamic Fundamentalists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Violence against Hindus has taken place "in order to encourage them to flee in order to seize their property".The previous reports of the Hindu American Foundation were acknowledged and confirmed by this non-partisan report.

On November 2, 2006, USCIRF criticized Bangladesh for continuing persecution of minority Hindus. It also urged the Bush administration to get Dhaka to ensure protection of religious freedom and minority rights before Bangladesh's next national elections in January 2007.

Pakistan
There has been severe and often institutionalized persecution of Hindus by Muslims in Pakistan since its formation in 1947. The increasing Islamization has caused many Hindus to leave Hinduism and seek emancipation by converting to other faiths such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Such Islamization includes the blasphemy laws, which make it dangerous for religious minorities to express themselves freely and engage freely in religious and cultural activities. Minority members of the Pakistan National Assembly have alleged that Hindus were being hounded and humiliated to force them to leave Pakistan. In addition to the ethnic cleansing of Hindus following the Partition of India in 1947, the Hindus in Pakistan are subjected to anti-blasphemy laws, hate propaganda, attacks, and forced conversions. Hindus in what is now Pakistan have declined from 23% of the total population in 1947 to less than 2% today. The HAF report condemns Pakistan for systematic state-sponsored religious discrimination against Hindus through "anti-blasphemy" laws. It documents numerous reports of Hindus being held as "bonded laborers" in slavery-like conditions in rural Pakistan, something repeatedly ignored by the Pakistani government. Pakistan aggressively portrays its struggle against India as a Hindu-Muslim conflict, making it clear that its own Hindu minority is fair game for persecution.

1971 Bangladesh atrocities
Main articles: 1971 Bangladesh atrocities and Operation Searchlight
During the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities there were widespread killings and ethnic cleansing of civilians in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan under Pakistani occupation), and widespread violations of human rights carried out by the Pakistan Army, which was supported by political and religious militias during the Bangladesh Liberation War. In Bangladesh, the atrocities are identified as a genocide, which is disputed by Pakistan. Many of the victims were Hindus, and the total death toll was in the millions. TIME magazine reported that "The Hindus, who account for three-fourths of the refugees and a majority of the dead, have borne the brunt of the Muslim military hatred."


Masih incident
On June 29, 2005, police in Nowshera, NWFP, arrested Christian janitor Yousaf Masih on blasphemy charges. Witnesses claimed Masih had burned pages of the Qur'an while disposing of trash for his employer. Following his arrest, a mob of between 300 and 500 protesters destroyed a Hindu temple and houses belonging to Christian and Hindu families in the city. While police arrested some perpetrators after the fact, under the terms of a deal negotiated between Islamic religious leaders and the Hindu/Christian communities, police released all of them without charge. Police released Masih from custody on bail on August 6, 2005.

Forced Conversions
Forced and coerced conversions of religious minorities to Islam occurred at the hands of societal actors. Religious minorities claimed that government actions to stem the problem were inadequate. Several human rights groups have highlighted the increased phenomenon of Hindu girls, particularly in Karachi, being kidnapped from their families and forced to convert to Islam.[citation needed]

Hindu women have also been known to be victims of kidnapping and forced conversion to Islam. Krishan Bheel, a Hindu member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, came into news recently for manhandling Qari Gul Rehman.

On October 18, 2005, Sanno Amra and Champa, a Hindu couple residing in the Punjab Colony, Karachi, Sindh returned home to find that their three teenage daughters had disappeared. After inquiries to the local police, the couple discovered that their daughters had been taken to a local madrassah, had been converted to Islam, and were denied unsupervised contact with their parents.


[edit] Temple Destruction
Several Hindu temples have been destroyed in Pakistan. A notable incident was the destruction of the Ramna Kali Mandir in former East Pakistan. The temple was bulldozed by the Pakistan Army on March 27, 1971.The Dhakeshwari Temple was severely damaged during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and over half of the temple's buildings were destroyed. The main worship hall was taken over by the Pakistan Army and used as an ammunitions storage area. Several of the temple custodians were tortured and killed by the Army though most, including the Head Priest, fled to their ancestral villages and to India and therefore escaped death.

In 2006, the last Hindu temple in Lahore was destroyed to pave the way for construction of a multi-storied commercial building. The temple was demolished after officials of the Evacuee Property Trust Board concealed facts from the board chairman about the nature of the building. When reporters from Pakistan-based newspaper Dawn tried to cover the incident, they were accosted by the henchmen of the property developer, who denied that a Hindu temple existed at the site.

Several political parties in Pakistan have objected to this move, such as the Pakistan People's party and the Pakistani Muslim League-N. The move has also evoked strong condemnation from in India from minority bodies and political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress Party, as well as Muslim advocacy political parties such as the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat. A firm of lawyers representing the Hindu minority has approached the Lahore High Court seeking a directive to the builders to stop the construction of the commercial plaza and reconstruct the temple at the site. The petitioners maintain that the demolition violates section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code prohibiting the demolition of places of worship.

Bhutan
The Hindus of Nepalese origin have been living in Bhutan since nineteenth century. On a 1980 census, the Bhutanese Druk autocracy found a significant population of ethnic Nepalese (mostly Hindus) which they interpreted as a danger to the Druk domination. [70] The monarch imprisoned a Brahmin democratic movement leader Tek Nath Rizal and forced the Hindus "to observe dress codes and etiquette characteristic of Northern Bhutanese, under threat of punishment". The Hindus were then tortured and expelled from the nation. Approximately 103,000 of such refugees including Hindus, Kirats etc are living in Nepal, which was the only Hindu nation left when they were exiled.

In other countries
The Hindu presence in countries outside South Asia is small but growing. Historically, there have been large Hindu populations in Indonesia, Cambodia, Fiji, and the Philippines. There have been Hindus in Guyana, Suriname,and Malaysia since the 19th century. The twentieth century saw the growth of Hindu communities in Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The persecution of Hindus have risen in several of these countries, especially in Muslim dominated countries such as Malaysia and Afghanistan.

Afghanistan
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan had committed atrocities on the Hindu minority in the country. 500 Hindu families disappeared in Afghanistan shortly after the Taliban came to power.

During the Taliban regime, Sumptuary laws were passed in 2001 which forced Hindus to wear yellow badges in public to identify themselves as such. Hindu women were forced to dress according to Islamic hijab, ostensibly a measure to "protect" them from harassment. This was part of the Taliban's plan to segregate "un-Islamic" and "idolatrous" communities from Islamic ones. In addition, Hindus were forced to mark their places of residence identifying them as Hindu homes.

The decree was condemned by the Indian and United States governments as a violation of religious freedom. Widespread protests against the Taliban regime broke out in Bhopal, India. In the United States, chairman of the Anti-Defamation League Abraham Foxman compared the decree to the practices of Nazi Germany, where Jews were required to wear labels identifying them as such. The comparison was also drawn by California Democrat and holocaust survivor Tom Lantos, and New York Democrat and author of the bipartisan 'Sense of the Congress' non-binding resolution against the anti-Hindu decree Eliot L Engel. In the United States, congressmen and several lawmakers wore yellow badges on the floor of the Senate during the debate as a demonstration of their solidarity with the Hindu minority in Afghanistan.

Indian analyst Rahul Banerjee said that this was not the first that Hindus has been singled out for state-sponsored oppression in Afghanistan. Violence against Hindus has caused a rapid depletion in the Hindu population over the years. Since the 1990s many Afghan Hindus have fled the country, seeking asylum in countries such as Germany.

Fiji
Hindus in Fiji constitute approximately 38% of the population. During the late 1990s there were several riots against Hindus by radical elements in Fiji. In the Spring of 2000, the democratically elected Fijian government led by Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry was held hostage by a guerilla group, headed by George Speight. They were demanding a segregated state exclusively for the native Fijians, thereby legally abolishing any rights the Hindu inhabitants have now. The Hindu minority are denied any land owning rights and are routinely attacked and harassed. Several dozen Hindu temples have been vandalized or destroyed by arson or looting.

The methodist church of Fiji repeatedly calls for the creation of a Christian State and has endorsed forceful conversion of Hindus after a coup d'etat in 1987.

Indonesia
Hinduism and Islam relationship in Indonesia have been benign for most parts of Indonesia due to the ingrained cultural influence. Hinduism was the indigeneous religion in Indonesia before the arrival of Islam in the 14th century, until the conversion of the local Acheh ruler to Islam. With the ruler's conversion, the majority of the people gradually converted to Islam. Islam spread east from Acheh to Java and gradually converted the people to Islam. Traces of Hindu influence remain in the Indonesia language, literature and arts. Early Hindu architecture can be seen in temples built by the Srivijaya, Kediri and Majapahit kingdoms.

In the present day, Hindus are subjected to renewed persecution to convert their faith by Christian missionary group and Christian evangelism in the temple town of Terupati has angered Hindus.Also, Hindus in Bali are persecuted by certain segments of the Muslim population.

Kazakhstan
In 2005 and 2006 Kazakh officials persistently and repeatedly tried to close down the Hare Krishna farming community near Almaty.

On November 20, 2006, three buses full of riot police, two ambulances, two empty lorries, and executors of the Karasai district arrived at the community in sub-zero weather and evicted the Hare Krishna followers from thirteen homes, which the police proceeded to demolish.

The Forum 18 News Service reported, "Riot police who took part in the destruction threw personal belongings of the Hare Krishna devotees into the snow, and many devotees were left without clothes. Power for lighting and heating systems had been cut off before the demolition began. Furniture and larger household belongings were loaded onto trucks. Officials said these possessions would be destroyed. Two men who tried to prevent the bailiffs from entering a house to destroy it were seized by 15 police officers who twisted their hands and took them away to the police car."

The Hare Krishna community had been promised that no action would be taken before the report of a state commission – supposedly set up to resolve the dispute – was made public. On the day the demolition began, the commission's chairman, Amanbek Mukhashev, told Forum 18, "I know nothing about the demolition of the Hare Krishna homes – I'm on holiday." He added, "As soon as I return to work at the beginning of December we will officially announce the results of the Commission's investigation." Other officials also refused to comment.

The United States urged Kazakhstan's authorities to end what it called an "aggressive" campaign against the country's tiny Hare Krishna community.

Malaysia
Approximately nine percent of the population of Malaysia are Tamil Indians, of whom nearly 90 percent are practicing Hindus.Indian settlers came to Malaysia from Tamil Nadu in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Between April to May 2006, several Hindu temples were demolished by city hall authorities in the country, accompanied by violence against Hindus. On April 21, 2006, the Malaimel Sri Selva Kaliamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur was reduced to rubble after the city hall sent in bulldozers .

The president of the Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam in Selangor State has been helping to organise efforts to stop the local authorities in the Muslim dominated city of Shah Alam from demolishing a 107-year-old Hindu temple. The growing Islamization in Malaysia is a cause for concern to many Malaysians who follow minority religions such as Hinduism.

Many Hindu advocacy groups have protested what they allege is a systematic plan of temple cleansing in Malaysia. The official reason given by the Malaysian government has been that the temples were built "illegally". However, several of the temples are centuries old[85].

On May 11, 2006, armed city hall officers from Kuala Lumpur forcefully demolished part of a 60-year-old suburban temple that serves more than 1,000 Hindus. The "Hindu Rights Action Force", a coalition of several NGO's, have protested these demolitions by lodging complaints with the Malaysian Prime Minister.

Another form of persecution is the requirement by the Malaysian government for the annual Thaipusam procession to obtain a police permit under the Internal Security Act, which by the anti-discriminatory standards of most nations, is flawed as it requires permits only for Hindu religious festivals.[citation needed]

Russia
Hindus in Russia have been subject to discrimination. For example, significant obstacles have been placed to the construcition of a Hindu temple in Moscow. It was reported that some influential official of Russian Orthodox Church propagated misinformation and defamation, e.g., describing Krishna as an "evil demon".

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is an Islamic theocracy, and officially does not tolerate any other religion. Hindus are considered polytheists by Islamic law, which is used as a justification for greater discrimination in calculating accidental death or injury compensation. According to the country's "Hanbali" interpretation of Shari'a, Hindus receive 1/16 of the amount a male Muslim receives.

On April 1 2005, Saudi authorities demolished a clandestine makeshift Hindu temple in an old district of Riyadh and deported three worshipers found there, in act that is considered as persecuting Hindus by Paul Marshall.


Trinidad
Indians, predominantly Hindus, came as indentured laborers in 1838 to British Guyana and later to Trinidad, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Surinam. During the initial decades of Indian indenture, Indian cultural forms met with either contempt or indifference by the Christian majority. Hindus have made many contributions to Trinidad history and culture even though the state historically regarded Hindus as second-class citizens. Hindus in Trinidad struggled over the granting of adult franchise, the Hindu marriage bill, the divorce bill, cremation ordinance, and others.After Trinidad's independence from colonial rule, Hindus were marginalized by the African-based People's National Movement. The opposing party, the People's Democratic party, was portrayed as a "Hindu group", and other anti-Hindu tactics were used against them. Hindus were castigated as a "recalcitrant and hostile minority". Hindus were alienated by such Christian communal groups. The support of the PNM government to creole art forms in Carnivals, while their public rejection and ridicule of Hindu art forms, was a particular source of contention for the Hindu minority. The displacement of PNM from power in 1985 would improve the situation.

There has been persistent discontent among the Hindus with their marginalization. Many Christianized groups portray Hindus as "clannish, backward and miserly".During the General Elections of 1986, the absence of the Bhagavad Gita and the Quran at polling stations for required oath-taking was interpreted as a gross insult to Hindus and Muslims. The absence of any Hindu religious texts at the official residence of the President of Trinidad and Tobago during the swearing in of the new Government in 1986 was perceived as another insult to the minority communities since they were represented in the government.The exclusivist Christian symbolism operative in the country's top national award, the Trinity Cross, has persistently stung Hindu religious sensibility. This was to climax in 1995 with the refusal of the Hindu Dharmaacharya to accept the award, while issuing a statement that his action should be seen as an opportunity for those in authority to create a national award that recognizes the plurality of religious beliefs in this country. The national education system and curriculum have been repeatedly accused of such majority-oriented symbolism. The use of discernibly Christian-oriented prayers at Government schools, the non-representation of Hinduism in approved school textbooks, and the lack of emphasis on Hindu religious observace evoked deep resentment from the Hindu community. Intensified protests over the course of the 1980s led to an improvement in the state's attitudes towards Hindus[89].The divergence of some of the fundamental aspects of local Hindu culture, the segregation of the Hindu community from Trinidad, and the disinclination to risk erasing the more fundamental aspects of what had been constructed as "Trinidad Hinduism" in which the identity of the group had been rooted, would often generate dissension when certain dimensions of Hindu culture came into contact with the State. While the incongruences continue to generate debate, and often conflict, it is now tempered with growing awareness and consideration on the part of the state to the Hindu minority. Hindus have been also been subjected to persistent proselytization by Christian missionaries. Specifically the evangelical and Pentecostal Christians. Such activities reflect racial tensions that at times arise between the Christianized Afro-Trinidadian and Hindu Indo-Trinidadian communities.


United States
The rise of the Indian American community in the United States has brought about some isolated incidences of attacks on them, as has been the case with many minority groups in the United States. Attacks specific to Hindus in the United States stem from what is often referred to as the "racialization of religion" among Americans, a process that begins when certain phenotypical features associated with a group and attached to race in popular discourse become associated with a particular religion or religions.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, Indian American Hindus in the United States, together with adherents of other religions from the same community of the Indian Americans (mainly Muslims and Sikhs), have faced isolated instances of attacks on them, often for "looking Middle-Eastern" or being mistaken for Muslims. Notable instances include the attack on a Hindu temple dedicated to Krishna in Matawan, New Jersey which involved firebombing with a Molotov cocktail and instances of some Hindus being verbally assasulted and/or harassed.

Belarus
The tiny Hindu communities of Belarus have seen some of the worst persecutions in former Soviet Union. Most of the Hindus are either imprisoned in the notorious jails or are living as refugees in USA and other countries. See Also: Light of Kailasa - The first Hindu movement in Belarus.

Wake up People-HINDUS….. We have to prove that we are BEST.

Ice lingam at Amarnath to reduce its size by one-tenth

Due to rapid melt-down and if the mercury continues to raise then the size of Ice-Lingam (Lord Shiva) size will keep on decreasing. Weather will affects the shape and size of the ice lingam. Due to rising temperature around the cave shrine the size and height of the lingam has reduced considerably.

Four lakh devotees are on their way to visit the lingam not withstanding the weather vagaries.

The temperature in Srinagar has shown an upward trend in the past week and today's maximum temperature shot up to 32.5 degree celsius making it the hottest day of the season so far.

The minimum temperature rose to 20.1 degrees which is four degrees above normal.

Mummy of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut found?

Hatshepsut was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt. She is considered by many historians to have been the most powerful and successful woman in ancient Egypt.

The attempt failed as evidence of her reign survived but the attempted historical revisionism of Thutmose III may have inspired Hatshepsut' s supporters to move her mummy to a safer location.

Really we found her... Mystery mummy is lost female pharoah. She use to dress like a man and wearing a false beard. But when her rule ended, all traces of her mysteriously disappeared, including her mummy. Reason behind it as said that her stepson (Thutmose III) damage all trace after her death. Statues and monuments to her were destroyed and she was written out of the official histories.

Hatshepsut was behind of this Discovered in 1903 in the Valley of the Kings, the mummy was left on site until two months ago, when it was brought to the Cairo Museum for testing, Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said. DNA bone samples taken from the mummy's pelvic bone and femur are being compared with the mummy of Queen Hatshepsut's grandmother, Amos Nefreteri, said molecular geneticist Yehia Zakaria Gad, who was part of Hawass' team."

Hatshepsut is really the one, that is good for the world of History to add her and give her due back as adding her in our world history page.

Interface Announces Pending Sale of Its Fabrics Division

Interface, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFSIA), a worldwide floorcoverings and fabrics company, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its fabrics division in an all-cash transaction valued at up to $70 million. The division, known as InterfaceFABRIC, is a leading producer of interior fabrics and upholstery products, which it markets under the Guilford of Maine(R), Chatham(R) and Terratex(R) brands, and provides specialized automotive textile solutions.

The fabrics division will be sold to an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, a leading private investment firm. According to the terms of the agreement, Interface will receive approximately $63.5 million in cash proceeds at the closing of the transaction, with potential for an additional $6.5 million in cash proceeds, subject to the division meeting certain performance metrics over the subsequent six to eighteen months period. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter, subject to regulatory review and other customary closing conditions.

Upon closing, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Interface's results by approximately $0.05 to $0.08 per diluted share on an annualized basis. In the second quarter of 2007, the Company expects to reflect the fabrics division as discontinued operations in its financial statements, and record an after-tax, non-cash loss of approximately $9.0 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, as well as other after-tax exit costs and expenses estimated at $5.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, as a result of the transaction (of these exit costs and expenses, the Company estimates that between $3.8 million to $6.0 million represent pre-tax cash costs and expenses). The final loss and expenses related to the disposition will be determined after the closing of the transaction based upon the closing balance sheet of the division.

For the full year 2006, the fabrics division generated revenue of $161.2 million and an operating loss of $27.3 million, and had depreciation and amortization of $9.4 million. These full year 2006 results include the operations of Interface's former European fabrics business, which was sold in April 2006. The divested European fabrics business accounted for sales of $17.3 million and an operating loss (after a $20.7 million goodwill impairment charge) of $19.6 million in 2006.

Source: Interface, Inc.

Unifi Announces Venues for Analysts' Briefings

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) announced last week on its second quarter earnings conference call that the Company is planning on conducting a series of analysts' briefings at the end of February. From the responses the Company has received, the following is a schedule of the locations planned:

Monday, February 19th, 2007 -- New York
Wednesday, February 21st, 2007 -- California (San Francisco-Tentative)
Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 -- California (Los Angeles-Tentative)

Analysts interested in attending one of these briefings should contact Rebecca Landas directly at (336) 316-5676 or rlandas@unifi.com.



Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) is a diversified producer and processor of multi- filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials. The Company adds value to the supply chain and enhances consumer demand for its products through the development and introduction of branded yarns that provide unique performance, comfort and aesthetic advantages. Key Unifi brands include, but are not limited to: aio(R) -- all-in-one performance yarns, Sorbtek(R), A.M.Y.(R), Mynx(R) UV, Reflexx(R), Repreve(R), MicroVista(R) and Satura(R).

Courtesy: Unifi, Inc.

Fashion religion news and articles: True Religion Apparel to Open New Branded Store at The Galleria in Houston, TX

Fashion religion news and articles: True Religion Apparel to Open New Branded Store at The Galleria in Houston, TX

Santorini related to Atlantis ?

According to my research on Santorini having relation with Atlantis, I came to know that in the year 1966 at Akroteri, a city was found on Santorini, archeologist James Maber Jr. thought that this is the lost Atlantis, the reason behind thinking of Atlantis, is when the carbon dating system was used, he found out that the city was buried by a volcano eruption, which dated around 1550 BC to 1500 BC and their Atlantis name croped up.



Some scholar rubbish this radiocarbon dating, some support it. Santorini is related to Atlantis or not, this story is in circulation for long-long time and have been passed from generation to generation, that an island was present, which was magical, divine in nature and very advance, named Atlantis.



As this was pass on orally, their were no written literature, but
during the time of Plato, the great Greek philosopher, wrote the story about Atlantis, around 375 BC. He penned the entire story, which came down from forefathers to father then to their sons.



People are divided in this issue, many says Atlantis is mythical, some
says it is extraterrestrial and some says it never existed.

Some day the truth will be out to the world, very soon.

David Kohler elected to Interface Inc BoD

Interface, Inc., a worldwide floorcoverings and fabrics company, today announced the election of David Kohler to its board of directors. (This addition brings the total members of the Company's board of directors to 11, of which 9 are independent directors.) Mr. Kohler, age 40, is Group President of the Kitchen and Bath Group for Kohler Co., a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products, tile, cabinetry, engines and power generation systems, and an owner/operator of golf and spa destinations.

Mr. Kohler was previously a chairman of the National Kitchen and Bath Association's Board of Governors of Manufacturing. He is currently a member of the board of Kohler Co., and has previously served on the board of Menasha Corporation, a privately-held manufacturer. In 2004, he was named one of Builder Magazine's 50 Most Influential People in Home Building. Mr. Kohler holds a Master's degree in management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Bachelor's degree in political science from Duke University.

Daniel T. Hendrix, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are very pleased to welcome David to Interface's board of directors. His extensive experience in designing, manufacturing and marketing products for the consumer products and homebuilding markets, throughout North America and Asia, will be very valuable to our company as we continue to build our business. We look forward to his contributions."

Interface, Inc. is a recognized leader in the worldwide interiors market, offering floorcoverings and fabrics. The Company is committed to the goal of sustainability and doing business in ways that minimize the impact on the environment while enhancing shareholder value.

The Company is the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet under the InterfaceFLOR, FLOR, Heuga and Bentley Prince Street brands, and, through its Bentley Prince Street brand, enjoys a leading position in the high quality, designer-oriented segment of the broadloom carpet market. The Company's InterfaceFabric business is a leading producer of interior fabrics and upholstery products, which it markets under the Guilford of Maine, Chatham and Terratex brands, and provides specialized automotive textile solutions.

Source : Interface, Inc.

Polymer Group Inc declares Management Changes

Polymer Group, Inc. announced that James Schaeffer is no longer chief executive officer of the company. William Hewitt, chairman of the board of directors of the company since April 2003 and a director since March 2003, will serve as interim chief executive officer.




Hewitt, who has significant experience in various executive and director- level positions with public companies, will be assisted in leading the company by an operating committee consisting of three of PGI's senior executives. They are Michael Hale, vice president and general manager, U.S. Nonwovens; Fernando Espinosa, vice president and general manager, Latin America; and Willis "Billy" Moore III, vice president and chief financial officer.

PGI will launch a search for a successor to lead the global nonwovens company and continue its growth. The search will focus on executives who can continue the positive momentum built by PGI over the past three and one-half years.

"PGI has a strong management team that has worked hard to ensure we have the proper strategies and initiatives in place to grow and succeed in the long-term," Hewitt said. "We have a broad base of industry veterans who have been the backbone of our success to date and will be the foundation of our success going forward."

"This company has improved remarkably since I became involved three and a half years ago," Hewitt continued. "During this period, PGI has significantly improved its balance sheet and recorded successive increases in annual sales to $948.8 million for fiscal 2005. Additionally, PGI has successfully positioned itself to be able to realize a vision of becoming the leader in its industry. By no means will this event change our commitment to our mission and vision or our commitment to our employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders."

As previously announced on August 11, 2006 and as disclosed in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006, the Audit Committee of the Board began an internal investigation and engaged special counsel to assist it with the investigation of certain transactions between the Company and an equipment supplier and related matters. In particular, the investigation focused on uncertainties regarding the economic substance of 4.0 million Euros in cash proceeds to be received under the terms of two settlement agreements entered into by the Company with the equipment supplier during the quarter ended July 1, 2006, the relationship of those agreements with other services agreed to be purchased by the Company from this equipment supplier, and drafts of other contracts being negotiated with this equipment supplier. As a result of such uncertainties, the Company concluded that the appropriate accounting treatment under generally accepted accounting principles was to defer recognition of any and all income associated with the settlement agreements until such uncertainties were resolved. Therefore, no financial statement recognition was attributed to the settlement agreements by the Company as of and for the three and six month periods ended July 1, 2006.

As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the relationship of the settlement agreements to other services agreed to be purchased by the Company from the equipment supplier and other contracts being negotiated with the equipment supplier appear not to have been fully or fairly reported to the Company's Chief Financial Officer, other members of management of the Company responsible for the preparation of the Company's financial statements, and the Board.

After being advised of these circumstances, the Board determined that it no longer had confidence in the ability of Mr. Schaeffer to continue in his capacity as CEO and Board member and asked for his resignation. Pending receipt of his resignation, the Board has relieved Mr. Schaeffer of his duties as CEO. Mr. Schaeffer does not hold a position on any Committee of the Board. The Board also asked for the resignation of James Snyder, Vice President of Global Purchasing, whose activities were also included in the investigation, and pending receipt of his resignation, the Board has relieved him of his duties as an officer of the Company.

With respect to the financial statement recognition attributed to the settlement agreements, the results of the investigation further confirm the appropriateness of the accounting conclusions previously reached by the Company as described above and as more fully detailed in Note 18 to the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006. Accordingly, the Company has concluded that the financial statements for all prior periods fairly present, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company, and that no restatement of any such prior period financial statements is required.

Hewitt's previous management positions include president and CEO of The Union Corporation (NYSE), a leading credit and receivables management firm that was sold in 1998 to Outsourcing Solutions Inc. Prior to The Union Corporation, he was a founder and executive vice president of First Manhattan Consulting Group, which serves the financial services industry; a founding vice president of ROI Consulting, where he managed large technology projects; and a department manager and large project manager at TRW. He is currently board chairman of Global Vantedge and has been a member of the board of directors of Rexene Chemical (NYSE), OSI, and Zibex.

Polymer Group, Inc., one of the world's leading producers of nonwovens, is a global, technology-driven developer, producer and marketer of engineered materials. With the broadest range of process technologies in the nonwovens industry, PGI is a global supplier to leading consumer and industrial product manufacturers. The company operates 22 manufacturing facilities in 10 countries throughout the world.

Courtesy : Polymer Group, Inc.

True Religion Apparel to Open 2nd Los Angeles Store on N. Robertson Boulevard

True Religion Apparel Inc announced the continued retail expansion for its growing lifestyle apparel collection with the signing of a new store lease in Los Angeles. This will be the second True Religion Brand Jeans store to open in the Los Angeles area following the December 2005 opening in Manhattan Beach.



This new store will be located on arguably the trendiest street in Los Angeles - N. Robertson Boulevard. Described as "the Mecca for hip Los Angeles," N. Robertson Boulevard houses such high-end boutiques as Madison, Lisa Kline, Nanette Lepore, MAC, Maxfield Blue, Les Habitudes, Ted Baker and Armani Casa, as well as one of the best known restaurants in Los Angeles, The Ivy, known as the place for celebrity spotting.

The N. Robertson store will be the third full-price store retail lease signed this year following one in New York's SoHo shopping district, and one on Collins Avenue in Miami's South Beach, and is expected to open after the SoHo and South Beach stores, which currently are scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2006.

This new store, with 1,226 square feet of selling space, will carry the entire True Religion line of clothing, including Men's, Women's, and Kid's denim jeans, jackets, shirts, T-shirts, skirts, fleece hoodies and pants, as well as the increasingly expanding line of sportswear, including knits, wovens, loungewear and outerwear.

"N. Robertson has always been high on our list of the most desirable retail locations as it combines the exclusiveness of Beverly Hills and the cutting edge coolness of Melrose Avenue," said Michael Buckley, president of True Religion Apparel, Inc. "Our True Religion customer already shops here, so we are simply making our products even more accessible."

"Robertson is one of the top shopping streets in Los Angeles, attracting celebrity clientele and the most fashionable Angelenos and international tourists to this hip retail location," said Jeff Lubell, chairman and chief executive officer. "This is yet another example of our team's commitment to identifying and executing the opportunities that complement our lifestyle collection and our growth strategy."

True Religion Apparel, Inc. is a growing, design-based premium global lifestyle brand. The company designs, manufactures and markets True Religion Apparel products, including its premium True Religion Brand Jeans.

Its expanding product line, which includes high quality distinctive styling and fit, may be found in premier department stores and boutiques in 50 countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Scandanavia, Greece, Italy, Mexico, South America, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, Korea, Japan, and China.

Source : True Religion Apparel, Inc

Louis LVMH delivers excellent results for the first half of 2006 - Operating profit rises 35% - Net profit improves 46%

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading luxury products group, recorded a 19% increase in profit from recurring operations during the first half of 2006 and a 35% increase in operating profit.

Each of the business groups recorded double-digit growth in profit from recurring operations, a performance which is even more noteworthy in view of the strong growth in the first half of 2005.



Group share of net profit grew 46% compared to the first half of 2005. This increase was mainly attributable to the Group’s improved operating profitability and financial results.

Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, commented:
“Our performance during the first half of the year once again demonstrates the exceptional appeal of our brands as well as the coherence and effectiveness of our strategy. The Group again recorded double-digit growth in its results and continued to improve its profitability. Revenue growth over the summer has continued the trend we saw at the beginning of the year. Numerous product launches alongside growth of our core brands, both in our traditional markets and in the emerging countries, should allow LVMH to continue its progress in the second half of the year in a well oriented economic environment. All these elements enable us to confirm our objective of a very significant increase in results for 2006.”

Wines & Spirits: continued growth in volumes

Wines & Spirits achieved an 11% increase in profit from recurring operations in the first half of 2006. A strong innovation program, combined with sustained marketing, was carried out during the period. Progress in high potential countries, notably China and Russia, accelerated while recently acquired brands, Glenmorangie and Belvedere, pursued their repositioning and expansion in core markets.
The Wines & Spirits brands have collectively achieved a remarkable performance driven by strong growth in sales volumes. Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon enjoyed significant growth in Japan. Veuve Clicquot benefited from particularly strong demand in Europe and in the United States.
Hennessy cognac confirmed its momentum in its target markets, notably the United States and China, and its premium qualities enjoyed the highest levels of growth.

Fashion & Leather Goods: continued exceptional growth of Louis Vuitton

Fashion & Leather Goods improved profit from recurring operations by 13%, taking the operating margin above 30% in the first half of 2006.
With double-digit organic growth in revenue, Louis Vuitton continues to reinforce its market position and to deliver exceptional profitability. Its performance in Europe and in Asia was particularly strong. The success of its new leather goods lines, which already have waiting lists around the world, and the launch of its first eyewear collection, illustrate Louis Vuitton’s impressive creative abilities.
Fendi’s performance was sustained by the excellent reception to its Spring-Summer 2006 collection; with the B.Fendi bag being one of the leading products of the season. The brand has developed its store network and has improved its profitability. Loewe, Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan are also progressing well.

Perfumes & Cosmetics: success of innovations

Perfumes & Cosmetics posted an 80% increase in profit from recurring operations. Parfums Christian Dior continued to win market share and improved profitability. All product categories have seen good momentum throughout all markets. The exceptional launch of its skincare product Capture Totale, the continued progress of J’Adore and the remarkable success of the make-up range have been the main drivers behind the development of the brand. Guerlain has confirmed its momentum in its target markets in the first half of 2006, in particular in Asia and Europe. Its new skincare range, Orchidée Impériale, has been enormously successful. Parfums Givenchy has benefited from the strong performance of Very Irresistible and BeneFit continues to develop rapidly.


Watches & Jewelry: strong growth in profitability

Watches & Jewelry has seen a strong rise in its results, more than doubling its recurring operating margin, which now exceeds 10%.

TAG Heuer had strong growth during the period in both revenue and profit. The brand highlighted its move towards the high end of the market with its Carrera, Link and Aquaracer lines and made significant gains in market share. Zenith had good momentum with the successful launch of Class Open. Montres Dior confirmed the considerable success of the Christal line. Chaumet continued to advance with the success of the automatic watch Dandy.


Selective Retailing: further improvement in results

DFS continued to focus on gaining Asian clientele and maintained rigorous control of costs despite the weakness of the Yen. Sephora performed remarkably in Europe and in the United States, continuing to win market share and further improving its profitability.

Outlook for 2006

Revenue in July and August 2006 confirms the continuation of the Group’s growth trend experienced since the beginning of the year. In a well oriented economic environment, LVMH will continue to grow thanks to the Group’s global market leadership and its numerous new product launches planned before the end of the year. All the above factors allow the Group to confirm its objective of a very significant increase in results for 2006.

Our policy of focusing on quality across our entire product range, combined with the dynamism and unparalleled creativity of our teams will enable us, once again in 2006, to reinforce LVMH’s global leadership position in luxury products.

An interim dividend payment of 0.30 Euros will be paid on December 1, 2006.

Source : Louis Vutton (LVMH Goup)

Tandy Leather Factory Inc Reports 5% Sales up in August

Tandy Leather Factory Inc reported that sales for the month of August were $4.4 million, an increase of 5% from $4.2 million last year. Year to date sales are up 10% to $36.1 million in the current year from $32.9 million last year.



Retail Leathercraft posted a 13% sales increase for August, with sales totaling $1.7 million compared to $1.5 million in August 2005. The 46 comparable stores' sales were flat for the month. The 16 stores opened since July 2005 added August sales of $271,000. Year-to-date sales for Retail Leathercraft are $14.1 million this year, a 22% increase over sales of $11.2 million for the same period of 2005. As of the end of August, the same store sales gain for the 42 comparable stores is 7% for the year.

Wholesale Leathercraft posted sales of $2.6 million for August. Within the Wholesale Leathercraft division, the comparable wholesale centers' sales were $2.1 million for August, down 2% from August 2005 sales. The National Account group's sales were up 5% from August 2005. For the year to date, Wholesale Leathercraft sales are $20.9 million compared to $20.5 million in 2005, an increase of 1.8%.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wray Thompson, commented, "August was another tough sales month, particularly at our Tandy Leather retail stores. However, as we had indicated previously, we were not expecting great sales results in August. We still believe we will finish the quarter with a strong September, which will start the momentum for the holiday shopping season."

Tandy Leather Factory, Inc., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a specialty retailer and wholesale distributor of a broad product line including leather, leatherworking tools, belt buckles and adornments, leather dyes and finishes, saddle and tack hardware, and do-it-yourself kits.

The Company distributes its products as The Leather Factory through its wholesale distribution centers and as Tandy Leather Company through its retail stores. Its common stock trades on the American Stock Exchange with the symbol "TLF."

Source : Tandy Leather Factory, Inc.

Award-Winning Zihaad Wells to blow creative as Design Director

To further enhance its burgeoning design talent, True Religion Apparel Inc announced the appointment of Zihaad Wells to the newly created position of design director, reporting directly to founder and CEO, Jeffrey Lubell. Wells, a premium denim and casual lifestyle veteran, earned wide acclaim as a progressive and innovative designer at Levi Strauss & Co. Europe, where he was part of the leadership responsible for engineering the successful Levi's Red and Levi's Vintage clothing concepts, as well as Levi's Type One, paving the way for that company's remarkable achievements with those product lines in Europe.



"Few designers are as intimately knowledgeable about the history of denim as Zihaad and we believe he brings to True Religion an insatiable drive to push the boundaries of design, silhouette, fabric and finish to bring about product innovation," said Jeff Lubell, chairman and chief executive officer. "Additionally, he has a unique talent for being at the forefront of emerging trends and for interpreting a distinctive design perspective in the collections that he develops. We are ecstatic to welcome Zihaad to our team."

"We were struck by his innovative ideas and his presence as a leader in the design room," said Michael Buckley, president. "Zihaad is a creative manager with a thorough understanding of the branded denim market and has experience working closely with every aspect of the production process - crucial as we expand our collections to become a premium global lifestyle brand."

Wells, 31, began his fashion design career in 1998 with Levi Strauss & Co. and became one of the company's youngest designers. He progressed quickly to senior designer and was appointed creative manager in 2004, directing both the men's and women's casual wear product lines with a focus on denim. During his tenure at Levi's, Wells received an excellence award for the development and success of Levi's Red and Levi's Type One jeans product lines and handled the redesign and fit of the 501 jean.

Wells holds a bachelor of arts degree with honors and an ND in fashion design and technology from the London College of Fashion. He is a member of the Royal Society of Arts and received the RSA Design Award in 1998.

True Religion Apparel, Inc. is a growing, design-based premium global lifestyle brand. The company designs, manufactures and markets True Religion Apparel products, including its premium True Religion Brand Jeans. Its expanding product line, which includes high quality distinctive styling and fit, may be found in premier department stores and boutiques in 50 countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Scandinavia, Greece, Italy, Mexico, South America, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, Korea, Japan, and China.

Source : True Religion Apparel Inc

United States : Xerium Technologies declares Management Appointments

Xerium Technologies Inc , a leading global manufacturer of clothing and roll covers used primarily in the paper production process, today announced the appointments of Josef Mayer to Executive Vice President--Business Development and Joan "John" Badrinas Ardevol to President--Clothing Europe, effective July 26, 2006. The Company has also reorganized its European clothing management structure along functional lines, representing a move away from the regional structure that had been in place previously.



Mr. Mayer, 55, has served as Xerium's President--Clothing Europe since 2003 and president of the Company's clothing business in Germany since 2001. From 2003 through 2005, Mr. Mayer also had responsibility for the company's Asia Pacific clothing operations. Mr. Badrinas, 52, joins Xerium Technologies from Trelleborg AB, where he was the President of Trelleborg Automotive Europe since 2000.

Thomas Gutierrez, Xerium's Chief Executive Officer, said, "Josef has been spending an increasing amount of his time on business development opportunities for the Company, and this appointment reflects the importance of that role to the Company overall. The addition of John Badrinas to the management team allows Josef to focus full-time on these opportunities. I expect that Josef's deep knowledge of and experience in the paper industry, particularly in Europe but also globally, will be a great asset in his new position. We are delighted to welcome John to Xerium. He is a proven leader with a demonstrated ability to run a significant European business unit of a multi-national organization. We believe that the move to a functional management structure for the European clothing business, a move which Josef had started, will enhance the efficiency and focus of that business."

The Company also announced its plans for Stewart Hay to assume the newly created position of Vice President of Advanced Process and Product Development in the third quarter of 2006. Mr. Hay, 45, who is expected to move to the Company's headquarters in North Carolina, has been in charge of the Company's clothing operations in Japan since July 2004. Mr. Hay's responsibilities in Japan would then be assumed by existing management in the Company's Australia/Asia operations.

Mr. Gutierrez said, "I am excited about this new role for Stewart. He has significant research and development experience in the industry, and this new position will allow us to better utilize those skills on a company-wide basis."

Xerium Technologies, Inc is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of two types of products used primarily in the production of paper: clothing and roll covers. The Company, which operates around the world under a variety of brand names, owns a broad portfolio of patented and proprietary technologies to provide customers with tailored solutions and products integral to production, all designed to optimize performance and reduce operational costs. With 36 manufacturing facilities in 15 countries around the world, Xerium Technologies has approximately 3,900 employees.

Source : Xerium Technologies, Inc

United States: True Religion Apparel to continue retail expansion

True Religion Apparel, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRLG) today said it is continuing the retail expansion for its growing lifestyle apparel collection with the signing of a new store lease in Miami Beach's fashionable South Beach community. The Miami Beach, Florida location follows on the heels of a proposed store in New York's SoHo district and is expected to open concurrently in December 2006, in time for the Christmas shopping season.



The store with 2,000 square feet of selling space will be located on Collins Avenue, among other high-end stores such as Intermix, Nicole Miller, MAC Cosmetics and Barney's. The store will carry the entire True Religion line of clothing, including Men's, Women's, and Kid's denim jeans, jackets, western shirts, T-shirts, skirts, fleece hoodies and pants, as well as the increasingly expanding line of sportswear, including knits and wovens.

"Expanding our retail store base is an important component of our growth strategy, and we are excited about establishing a presence in the vibrant South Beach shopping district," said Michael Buckley, president of True Religion Apparel. "This brings the number of stores that will be showcasing the entire True Religion collection to three by year-end and keeps us on pace for continued expansion in 2007."

"Arguably, Miami's South Beach is this country's French Riviera or Ipanema Beach, attracting a high level of fashion savvy U.S. and international tourists to this one-of-a-kind retail location," said Jeff Lubell, chairman and chief executive officer. "This is an excellent example of our team's ability to identify and execute on opportunities that complement our lifestyle collection and growth strategy."

True Religion Apparel, Inc. is a growing, design-based lifestyle brand. The company designs, manufactures and markets True Religion Apparel products, including its premium True Religion Brand Jeans. Its expanding product line, which includes high quality distinctive styling and fit, may be found in premier department stores and boutiques in North America, Europe the Middle East and Japan.

Source : True Religion Apparel, Inc.

United States : kimberly-Clark to transmit Q2 2006 earnings conference call

Kimberly-Clark Corporation will webcast a discussion of its second quarter 2006 results at 9 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, July 26. Chairman and CEO Thomas Falk and Senior Vice President and CFO Mark Buthman will participate in the live webcast. A news release detailing the results will be issued via PR Newswire and First Call earlier that same day.

A link to the broadcast and related presentation slides will be provided through the Investors section of Kimberly-Clark's Web site at www.kimberly-clark.com. The webcast will be available for replay for approximately three weeks through the link provided on the Web site.

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Kimberly-Clark will continue to post the date of future quarterly earnings releases and related webcasts on its Web site. Interested stockholders and others should monitor the Web site for these announcements.

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people--nearly a quarter of the world's population--trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries.

United States : Amazon.com to Webcast Q2 2006 Financial Results Conference Call

Amazon.com Inc announced today that it will hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2006 financial results on July 25, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET.

The event will be webcast live, and the audio and associated slides will be available for at least three months thereafter at www.amazon.com/ir.

Source : Amazon.com Inc

United States : Tandy Leather Factory to Open Retail Store in Minnesota

Tandy Leather Factory Inc announced that its new Tandy Leather retail store opens next week in St. Paul, MN. This new store completes the company's twelve planned store openings in 2006 and brings the number of Tandy Leather retail stores to 62. The store will be located at 1614 White Bear Avenue.



Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wray Thompson, commented, "We have been pleased with the performance of our Minneapolis store and expect similar results from the St. Paul store. Jason Pate, a 15-year leatherworker who managed stores for the former Tandy Leather for 6 years, will be managing the store."



Tandy Leather Factory Inc, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a specialty retailer and wholesale distributor of a broad product line including leather, leatherworking tools, buckles and adornments for belts, leather dyes and finishes, saddle and tack hardware, and do-it-yourself kits. The Company distributes its products as The Leather Factory through its wholesale distribution centers and as Tandy Leather Company through its retail stores.

Source : Tandy Leather Factory Inc

United States : JAKKS Pacific to declare results for Q2 2006

JAKKS Pacific Inc will announce 2006 second quarter and first six month results on Wednesday, July 19, 2006. The Company will also hold a teleconference and webcast to discuss these results and may discuss future plans and prospects.



Anyone interested will be able to listen to the teleconference, scheduled to begin at 6:00 a.m. PDT (9:00 a.m. EDT) on July 19th, via the Internet at www.jakkspacific.com, www.CompanyBoardroom.com, or www.StreetEvents.com. These websites will host an archive of the teleconference for 30 days.

A telephonic playback will be available from 9:00 a.m. PDT on July 19th through 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 18th. The playback can be accessed by calling 888-266-2081, or 703-925-2533 for international callers, pass code "937169."

JAKKS Pacific Inc is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories.

The products are sold under various brand names including JAKKS Pacific®, Play Along®, Flying Colors®, Creative Designs International(TM), Road Champs®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Trendmasters®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite®, Color Workshop®, JPI(TM) and Plug It In & Play TV Games(TM). JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games.

Source : JAKKS Pacific Inc

United States : AE Outfitters to give free movie ticket to its customers who try jeans

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American Eagle Outfitters announced an exciting event to reward all AE customers, as well as anyone who loves a good pair of jeans and the movies. American Eagle has formed a partnership with AMC Theatres to offer free movie tickets to the first one million customers who try on a pair of AE jeans at select American Eagle stores. The popular retail brand is creating awareness for its new line of Back To School jeans by combining two of its customers' favorite pastimes, shopping at American Eagle and going to the movies.

For two weeks starting July 11, American Eagle expects to distribute a million movie tickets in stores as customers try on AE's new collection of Back To School jeans. Everyone is also invited to visit ae.com to enter a national online sweepstakes for a chance to win a lifetime supply of AE jeans and AMC movie tickets. Full contest rules can be found at ae.com. The American Eagle/AMC Try-On movie tickets are valid at more than 300 AMC theatre locations nationwide.

"We are so proud of this season's new denim assortment that we've teamed up with AMC Theatres to thank our customers with a free movie ticket just for trying on a pair of our new AE jeans," said Susan McGalla, president and chief merchandising officer for the AE brand.

This season's new Back to School denim selection features more than six new cool cuts and a variety of new washes including:

Women's Fits:

* Skinny 77 -- This is the must have fit of the season, featured in all the magazines. City chic with heels or boho and down to earth with warm fuzzy boots and flats, this fit is tapered and long. Perfect for dancing all night or hanging with friends all day

* Straight 77 -- This fit is similar to the skinny, offering the same silhouette in the waist and hips, but is not as tapered giving more room from knee to ankle. It is perfect with flip flops or flats

* BOYFRIEND -- With a sexy top fit this fit sits low and straight on the waist with a wideleg. This fit is sexy but relaxed

* AE ARTIST -- This fit is the sexiest of all AE fits with an extreme low rise and slim leg. It is a fun fit that is great for going out, day to night

* HIPSTER -- AE's most classic, authentic jean. It is slim and features a clean leg. It sits slightly higher on the waist

Men's Fits:

* BOOTCUT -- This is an everyday, casual fit. It is comfortable and easy to wear

* LOW RISE BOOT -- This fit is slimmer and sexier than the regular bootcut. You can dress it up or dress it down and it looks great with a tee shirt or a blazer

* LOOSE -- This fit has the most casual, relaxed attitude of all

* LOW RISE STRAIGHT -- This fit is a modern classic. It is an easy to wear straight leg that can be dressed up or down and sits comfortably low on the waist


American Eagle Outfitters is a leading retailer that designs, markets and sells its own brand of laidback, current clothing targeting 15 to 25 year-olds, providing high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. AE's original collection includes standards like jeans and graphic Ts as well as essentials like accessories, outerwear, footwear, basics and swimwear.

American Eagle Outfitters currently operates 799 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 71 AE stores in Canada. AE also operates, which offers additional sizes and styles of favorite AE merchandise and ships around the world. The company plans to open MARTIN + OSA, a new sportswear concept targeting 25 to 40 year old women and men, in the fall of 2006.

Source : American Eagle Outfitters