At least the strict religious police didn’t ban pets entirely! According to the Al-Hayat newspaper, the Muttawa (aka Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, aka religious police) have banned selling pet cats and dogs and walking them in public places in the country’s capital Riyadh to preserve public morals. Othman al-Othman, head of the Muttawa in Riyadh, said that the ban was being enforced because men use pets to flirt with women and to “disturb families.” LOL! What a strange way to flirt!

According to Islamic beliefs, a Muslim loses credit for one good deed each day he keeps a dog unless it is used for hunting, protection or to assist shepherds. However, the ban surprised many Muslims as the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have loved cats. Also, though conservative Muslims see dogs as “dirty animals,” having a pedigree animal has become fashionable in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to news reports, women have been BANNED from wearing mini-skirts at the Beijing Olympics. This is part of China’s strict dress code in the upcoming 2008 Games. Men will also be banned if they strip off their shirts, and anyone who will wave a large banner (more than 2 meters long). Outdoor music and eating outdoors in bars and restaurants near any Olympic venues are also banned. These items are just one of the few listed in a nine-page code of regulations called the House Spectator Rules drawn up by the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee.

Harsh huh?? But its get even “better” — even locals will be banned if they wear Go China T-shirts or waving banners reading I Love China in case they give the impression of a pro-China bias. Huang Keying, of the Beijing Organising Committee, said: “We have specially trained staff who will communicate with spectators. But refusal to comply with these rules will be subject to punishments or criminal prosecution.”

Sixty years after it was banned for being “too brazen”, an oil painting of a nude woman went back on show only to receive more complaints! This time it was not because the nude painting was “brazen, abandoned and vulgar” but because the nude model is smoking. Yeah, welcome to the 21st century gurl! The controversial painting, titled D. D. after the initials of the model, was painted by Sir Gerald Kelly, who painted the Royal Family and became president of the Royal Academy.

The portrait was bought by a public gallery in 1947 and more than 20,000 people queued to see it. However, council chiefs in Newport, South Wales, decided that the painting was scandalising their town and ordered that it be taken down. The picture, which became known as the “Newport Nude”, has been locked in a vault ever since. Now, the nude painting is part of an exhibition in Newport called The Art of the Nude.

Robin Hawkins, curator at Newport Museum and Art Gallery, said: “World War II had just ended when the picture first went on display in Newport. It caused quite a controversy and that increased the interest – thousands came to see it. We would consider it none of those things these days but she does come across as a confident young woman of her time.” The painting is now valued at around £30,000.

The reason? Sundays are supposed to be the day you go to mass and spend time with your family — and not go malling and shopping with your friends! Croatia is 90% Roman Catholic and the church has campaigned for years for Sundays to be devoted to family or Mass. Unfortunately, as with the rest of the commercialized world, Croatians have begun spending weekends in shopping malls that have flourished across the country in the past few years and remain open seven days a week.

But now, the Croatian parliament has passed a law forcing shops to close on Sundays in a concession to the Roman Catholic church. The law was adopted last Tuesday and goes into effect January 1. It allows Sunday shopping over the summer and Christmas holidays. The law also allows stores in gas, bus and train stations to open on Sundays year-round, along with those in hospitals. Bakeries, newsstands and flower shops are also exempt from the ban.

What is the world coming too?? Children these days are having no fun at all! =( According to reports, teachers at John F. Kennedy Primary School in Washington banned the sack race and three-legged race in their Edwardian-themed sports day. These banning occured after discussions with Beamish Open Air Museum and is because the children might fall over and hurt themselves. Parents and campaigners described the move as “completely over the top”.

Simon Woolley, head of education at Beamish in Co Durham, said: “We looked at a three-legged race and a sack race but what we want to do is minimise the risk to the children. We thought we would be better to do hopping and running instead because there was less chance of them falling over.” Running, hopping and throwing table-tennis balls into buckets will still be allowed for the 375 children dressed up in period costume for the said event.

What? Party with no alcohol?? How lame is that?! But the police fear that if alcohol is not banned, it would be harder to control the partygoers. Apparently, 10,000 people will attend the party after an open invitation to it was posted on Facebook. The event so-called “Party at the Beach 2008 – Torbay” invites people to join the party in the English seaside town of Torbay. More than 4000 people have already said they are attending the event, which says its aim is “to get as many party goers and ravers as we possibly can in one location on July 4″.

The posted invite read: “‘In order for this to work we need everyone to tell all your friends, book the night off, wait for the exact location to be revealed, then head on down with as much alcohol/music as you can afford, and if your hard core a tent might come in handy.” South Devon police commander Superintendent Chris Singer told the UK’s Daily Mail : ‘The event is likely to cause disruption and difficulty for our community. The supply and consumption of alcohol would add to those difficulties. It may therefore be necessary for me to apply to magistrates to instigate the provisions of Section 160 of the Licensing Act 2003.’”

Yeah, the cannabis party continues! But according to the Dutch government, those smoking marijuana with the banned tobacco will also be prosecuted. Last year, Great Britain adopted the smoking ban with great results. According to studies, 250-400000 smokers have quit since the tobacco ban was implemented. Other European nations then followed suit, the latest of which was the Netherlands. Thank god they didn’t ban marijuana as well! Hehe! For sure, the unique Dutch cannabis cafes will die if MJ is banned.