[ladyjane]

Years ago when the Pope died and his successor died a few weeks later the Harvard Lampoon (or maybe it was the Harvard Crimson) put out a headline: "Pope dies yet again."

[nwctwx]

Ramadan begins in several Arab countries

uslims in several Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday began observing the holy month of Ramadan after announcing the sighting of the new moon.

Clerics of some other Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan, and Syria announced that the new moon had not been sighted Friday night, and that Sunday will be the first day of Ramadan.

Countries that have begun observing the month also include Qatar, Libya, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sudan, and Yemen. Ramadan has also started for the Palestinian territories.

Sunni Muslims in Lebanon and Iraq began observing the month Saturday. But the top Shiite cleric in Lebanon has declared that Ramadan begins Sunday. For Shiites in Iraq, the month is expected to start Sunday or Monday.

During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. Bad thoughts and actions should also be avoided.

Muslims believe it was during Ramadan about 1,400 years ago that the Quran, their holy book, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.