I think if I tore up the proclamation 30 years ago I could have wound up getting shot.”

Captain Kirk, politics, tackling Irish accents and life as the face of Armani fragrance – there was a lot to talk about when Annmarie O’Connor met Chris Pine in London.

The process of breathing life into words on a page is magic.

China will prosecute the leader of a “cult” on charges of rape, fraud, sabotage, and other crimes, state news agency Xinhua said, as the government deepens a crackdown on illegal religious movements.

THIS is an expansive exploration of Buddhism and the plight of Buddhist nuns across the globe.

IF SOMEONE had told me even 10 years ago that my relationship with my phone would actually be physically closer than the one I’d have with my children I’d have laughed at the daftness of the notion.

The West has borrowed the Buddhist concept of ‘being in the moment’ and is repackaging it for a mass-consumer audience, says Suzanne Harrington. But there is a danger we are ignoring the philosophy at the heart of this ancient religion — compass.

A friend invited me round for afternoon tea. Actually, that’s not precisely accurate – she really invited me round to admire the new tree she’d planted and we didn’t drink tea, we drank wine. But afternoon tea sounds better, doesn’t it?

USA: South Dakota officials have cancelled a public safety campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of jerking the steering wheel on icy roads, saying it’s too risqué.

Ancient sacred Buddha relics said to have mysterious energy and healing properties are to go on public display in Cork for the first time — all thanks to a non-Buddhist.

The spoiler-free guide to the things appearing on your audiovisual receiving box.

Rebecca Solnit

Check out our spolier-free guide to what's good to watch tonight.

DID you know that Bert and Ernie were a couple? It’s amazing what can be learnt on a fair to middling July week in the throes of the silly season.

SRI LANKA: A British tourist is to be deported from Sri Lanka because of a tattoo of Buddha on her arm.

A British tourist is to be deported from Sri Lanka because of a tattoo of Buddha her arm.

Jennifer Aniston is thinking about becoming a Buddhist.

Christianity still dominates the United Nations, and a more diverse system is needed to increase non-Christian representation in world peace-making, according to a study.

Exploding fireworks sprayed from the sails of the Sydney Opera House and the Australian city’s harbour bridge at midnight as the world ushered in a new year.

Mark Boyden’s early upbringing near San Francisco gave some hint as to how his life might unfold.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are having yoga lessons to "make their love life even better".

Michael Harding, author of the bestselling memoir, Staring at Lakes, feels privileged to be touring, reading from his book and chatting to audiences. He will be at the Ballymaloe Grainstore on Nov 7 as part of a national tour.

WESTERN religions seem indifferent, even hostile, to nature conservation. Perhaps they see environmentalism as too secularist in outlook.

The Washington massacre gunman had serious mental problems and suffered fits of rage, but was still able to hold an official security clearance for the complex where he killed 12 people.

Aaron Alexis seems a study in contradictions: a former Navy reservist, a Defence Department contractor, a convert to Buddhism who was taking an online course in aeronautics. But he also had a temper that led to run-ins with police over shootings.

The defence contractor who fatally shot 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard was carrying three weapons during the rampage.

LEONARD Cohen returns to Dublin next week to perform two concerts at the O2.

Staring At Lakes Memoir of Love, Melancholy and Magical Thinking

Buddha statues have joined Barbie dolls and characters from The Simpsons as banned items in the conservative Muslim nation of Iran.

There are times when the cliché is correct.

Gay Byrne begins a new series of The Meaning Of Life on Tuesday at 10.15pm on RTÉ One with an interview with Mary McAleese.

SATURDAY

A Tibetan mother of three has died in the latest in a recent wave of self-immolations to protest against Chinese rule, according to reports.

Two men engulfed themselves in towering flames outside a temple that is a popular tourist site in Lhasa, marking the first time a recent wave of self-immolations to protest Chinese rule has reached the tightly guarded Tibetan capital.

China is beset by a moral crisis, widespread corruption, and lawlessness, leading millions of Chinese to seek solace in Buddhism, Tibet’s exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, said.

WITH international financial meltdown and personal worries about work, bills and so much more, clearing your head has never been so important.

Dzogchen Beara is a welcoming retreat centre for anyone needing some direction in life, says Siobhán Cronin.

IF YOU’RE heading down to the Lakes of Killarney in the next week or so you may encounter a large group of walkers out around the shores.

WHEN people ask me whether I’ve visited Dogzchen — the Buddhist retreat centre on the tip of the Beara peninsula — the tone of the inquiry is hard to pinpoint.

Residents held open-air prayers for the dead and missing today on the lawns of churches cracked and shattered in New Zealand’s earthquake while teams continued their search through debris of one of the country’s worst disasters.

I WISH to acknowledge your recent special investigation series entitled ‘Alternative Religions’ (October 6/7).

The Uses of Pessimism and the Danger of False Hope