World At A Glance

Anwar's second trial opensKUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's ousted deputy premier, Anwar Ibahim, already serving a six-year sentence for abuse of ...

Anwar8217;s second trial opens

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia8217;s ousted deputy premier, Anwar Ibahim, already serving a six-year sentence for abuse of power, went on trial on Monday with his adopted Indonesian brother on three sodomy-related charges. Presiding Ariffin Jaka was expected to raise preliminary issues during the first day of the trial including a seeping gag order imposed by the high court last month, a defence lawyer said. Under the gag order, nobody is allowed to comment on the trial or 8220;any matter related to it8221;. Journalists can be barred from the court if their reports go beyond 8220;evidence or submissions in relation to the proceedings8221;. In addition to banning reports of Anwar8217;s comments to reporters inside the courtroom, the order severely restricts the reporting of remarks by Anwar8217;s lawyers and his wife Wan Azizah wan Ismail.

Ayurveda specialists for Russia

MOSCOW: India will train Ayurveda specialists for Russia at its leading Ayurveda institutions under a bilateral memorandum ofunderstanding signed here on Monday on closer cooperation in the field of traditional Indian systems of medicine. Under the MoU, signed by Dr Shanta Shastry, secretary, Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy, and Dr Alexei Karpeyev, head of the Department of Medical Services of Russia, India will also send Ayurveda experts to Russia to teach Russian students, the Indian embassy said. Though Ayurveda has long been used in Russia on a restricted scale to treat victims of the Chernobyl disaster, this is the first time Russia has signed a treaty on cooperation in this field at the official level.

X-rated Iranian film

TEHRAN: For the first time since the Islamic revolution in 1979, Iran8217;s ministry of culture has classified a feature film produced in the country as X-rated, the Tehran daily newspaper Entekhab reported on Sunday. The film, Maseeb Shirin Sweet Problems deals with the sexual problems of young people 8212; who are not allowed to date 8212; and suggests temporarymarriage, a controversial old custom, as a solution. Public regulations make it very difficult for young people in Islamic Iran to have relationships before marriage. Dating in public is legally forbidden and can lead to arrest, cash fines or even lashing. Temporary marriage, or Siqeh, is an old Shiite Islamic custom in which a woman or a girl can become the wife of a married or single Muslim man after a brief, simple religious ceremony. The duration of the marriage is determined by the two sides it can last as little as 30 minutes or last a lifetime. The film8217;s director, Ali-Reza Davudnejad, said that although Siqeh is widely criticised, it can solve the sexual needs of young people. 8220;The sexual needs of youth should not be ignored8230; Siqeh is a suitable alternative,8221; he said. 8220;Someone who is in some sort of pain needs a tranquilizer and this is some sort of treatment,8221; he added. No date or venue has been set for the first public screening of Maseeb Shirin, which is expected to become a hit. Thefilm was not rated X due to any 8220;immoral8221; pictures, the daily said, but because of its theme.