Muslims & Islam integrated into the American way of life

Islam is a religion that has spread through out the world and can be found in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Americas. The history of Islam in America can be traced back to the 16th century, were it was introduced into the United States of America by Muslim slaves. The US has a substantial Muslim population, which is due to the increase in immigration of Muslims to the US, some being legal permanent US residents and others being refugees from Iraq.

The India-Pakistan-Afghanistan Puzzle

India has restored full diplomatic relations, and has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development. But Pakistan views India’s growing influence in Afghanistan as a threat to its own interests in the region. Experts fear for Afghanistan’s stability as India and Pakistan compete for influence in the war-torn country.

Human rights & peace in the middle east – Arabism & radical Islam discrimination on the “other”

Human rights & peace in the middle east – Arabism & Islam discrimination on the “other”
[Analysis] Peace will prevail when economic, social and cultural rights are granted to all … The Middle East… conflicts…  For example:

* the Israel and [so called] “Occupied Territories” (Palestine) issue

* the conflict between Hamas and the Fatah; the Iraq conflict

* the conflict in Afghanistan

* conflicts within Saudi Arabia

* the security concerns, especially the nuclear threat, that Ahmadinajad’s Iran poses

Arab League slams US raid on Syria

CAIRO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Such a violation undermines the efforts to establish regional security and may lead to more tensions in the region, the pan-Arab body said in a statement. The U.S. move spoils the credibility for peace efforts in the war-torn Iraq and its neighbors, said the statement. Confirming its solidarity with Syria, the Arab organization voiced its support to Syria to protect its people and sovereignty.

NO Arab university among the top 400 in the world

The failure of Arab universities to make it to the Best 400 list is indeed a source of frustration for a region that pins big hopes on the potential contributions of higher education to national development. A glimmer of hope amid the university gloom

The publication of the THES-QS World University Rankings for 2008 brings unhappy news for aspiring institutions of higher education in many regions, including the Arab world. According to the rankings, not one Arab university is among the top 400 in the world. The THES-QS report comes on the heels of the Academic Ranking of World Universities compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Institute of Higher Education, which offers an equally dismal assessment of Arab universities against global benchmarks.

Livni calls for early general elections in Israel

Israel’s Kadima leader Tzipi Livni has called for early general elections after Shas party dashed her hopes of forming a new government. “The people will choose their leaders,” Livni said after meeting with President Shimon Peres on Sunday. She made the announcement after her month-long negotiation with other parties ended in what she called ‘an extortion of talks’. The Kadima leader, who feared the continuation of talks with other parties would damage her reputation, said “I’m sick of this extortion…recent days have turned the coalition demands impossible and I had to draw the line.

Iranian Interior minister to face impeachment over his alleged Oxford degree.

Iran’s Parliament is set to move for the impeachment of the country’s Interior Minister Ali Kordan over his alleged Oxford degree. The newly-appointed minister, Kordan, acknowledged in a September 27 letter that he was in possession of a forged Oxford University degree. “Kordan will face an impeachment vote on November 4,” a member of the Majlis presiding board, Hamid Reza Haji-Babaei told reporters on Sunday. Ever since his announcement, Kordan has faced calls for resignation or impeachment from Iranian Parliamentarians.

Iraq-Iran War

Recognizing, that Saddam Hussein and Iran’s Shah {His Imperial Majesty Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Shah} signed joint peace treaty between Iraq and Iran during presidents of OPEC meetings held at Algeria in 1975 via good will instrumental by former Algeria president Houari Bumedian who arranged for private separate meeting from presidents of OPEC sessions gathered Saddam and Shah’s Iran to reach for agreement about some important issues regarding Iran-Iraq relations, such as solving all borders problems between two sides regarding re-marking out joint land and river borders between Iraq and Iran, conduct active and strict surveillance for their joint borders to prevent any illegal violations and building strong neighbors relations based on joint respect and non-intrusion in interior affairs for both Iran and Iraq. This agreement between Saddam and Iran’s Shah called Algeria treaty.

UN wants world nuclear disarmament

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged nuclear powers to dismantle their atomic arsenals in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“Nuclear weapons produce horrific, indiscriminate effects. Even when not used, they pose great risks,” said Ban in a Friday conference at the East-West Institute. “Accidents could happen any time. The manufacture of nuclear weapons can harm public health and the environment,” he added. Nuclear-armed states, which include the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China, have yet to fulfill their NPT obligations and abolish their warhead arsenals.

rReport: Maliki won’t sign divisive SOFA

Iraqi Premier Nouri al-Maliki ‘will not sign’ the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) over fears that it might create division in the country.

A lawmaker from the United Iraqi Alliance, Iraq’s most powerful parliamentary bloc, made the announcement, adding that a “national consensus” is required before any move, the McClatchy Newspaper reported on Saturday. MP Sheikh Jalal al-Din al-Sagheer, who is also the deputy head of Iraq’s Supreme Islamic Council, added that the country’s political leaders are thinking about alternative options, including an extension of the UN mandate for the presence of US troops inside the country.