Kuwait, Iran pledge to boost cooperation

TEHRAN: Iran and Kuwait pledged to boost economic cooperation during the first visit to Tehran by a Kuwaiti prime minister in more than 30 years, Iranian state media said on Saturday.

In a possible reference to the disputed Arash gas field in the Gulf, Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah called for “cooperation in connection to the resolution of the continental shelf issue,” state broadcaster IRIB said.

They also discussed boosting trade between the two major oil producers and the resumption of halted projects, IRIB said, without elaborating.

“Iran does not observe any limitations in raising the level of the two countries’ ties and is prepared to improve exchanges in all fields,” Rahimi said.

IRIB quoted the Kuwaiti prime minister as saying: “We are prepared to improve our ties in all fields with the friendly ... country of Iran.”

The aim of his visit was to boost political and economic ties, Iran’s state television, Press TV, said. Source: Arab News

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Egypt won’t tolerate attacks on its citizens, says Mubarak

CAIRO: President Hosni Mubarak entered Egypt’s bitter soccer row with Algeria on Saturday, vowing in a televised speech that attacks on Egyptians abroad will not be tolerated.

Mubarak did not mention Algeria by name in his previously scheduled address to Parliament, but it was clear he was referring to the fierce soccer rivalry that boiled over into violence when the two Arab nations met in two crucial World Cup qualifiers on Nov. 14 and 18.

Egyptian fans incensed by media reports of Algerian attacks after Wednesday’s match in Sudan rioted in central Cairo on Thursday night and into Friday morning. Clashing with hundreds of police in an attempt to reach the Algerian Embassy, they threw rocks and smashed car and shop windows.

The tension in the streets has also reached the diplomatic level, with Egypt bringing home its ambassador to Algeria.

“I want to say in clear words that the dignity of Egyptians is part of the dignity of Egypt,” a visibly angry Mubarak told a joint session of Parliament’s two houses. “Egypt does not tolerate those who hurt the dignity of its sons,” he said, without saying whether his government planned to take punitive measures against Algeria.

Algeria won the second, make-or-break playoff match 1-0 to reach next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

The trouble began before the first match in Cairo when Egyptian fans pelted a bus carrying the Algerian team.

Three Algerian players were injured and two of them played with bandages on their heads. Fan violence after that match injured more than 32 people.

Algerian fans also attacked the offices of Egyptian companies in Algeria, prompting hundreds of Egyptians fearing for their safety to return home, according to reports in official Egyptian media.

Street protesters and some media commentators have demanded that Egypt’s government expel the Algerian ambassador. Others have called for an all-out economic and cultural boycott of Algeria.

Lawmakers applauded Mubarak’s comments Saturday. When egged on by lawmakers who apparently wanted him to directly threaten Algeria, Mubarak briefly departed from his prepared text. “We don’t want to be drawn into impulsive reactions. I am agitated too, but I restrain myself,” he said.

Egypt has recalled its ambassador to Algeria for consultations and summoned the Algerian ambassador in Cairo to express to him its dismay over the attacks in Khartoum and Algeria. ¬
Source: Arab News

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UK Muslim Schools Face Closure

LONDON — After knocking down giant firms and causing massive layoffs, the global economic downturn is pushing almost all British Muslim schools towards closure. "The economic crisis has put them under enormous pressure and they are getting through each day with great difficulty,'' Mohammed Mukadhum, the chairman of the Association of Muslim Schools (AMS), told the BBC News Online.

Most Muslim schools in Britain rely on donations and fees to cover costs.

The schools need about £2000 per pupil per year to stay afloat, but the economic meltdown has dried up donations and turned many parents unable to pay fees.

''The possibility of closing down is a looming reality and the smaller schools are the ones that are most vulnerable,'' said Mukadhum.

The Muslim leader said that the private schools are now hand-to-mouth organizations, operating on a shoestring budget.

''Many of them have been relatively recently established so there has always been some financial struggle."

There are 130 Muslim schools in Britain, including 119 private ones and eleven in the state sector.

There are some 400,000 Muslim students in Britain, home to a sizable Muslim minority of nearly 2.4 million.

A financial firestorm swept the US and the world last year after the demise of Lehman Brothers, one of the Wall Street giants.

It has knocked down many major companies worldwide, causing mounting job losses, falling household wealth and forcing consumers to hold back on spending.

Loss

Muslim educators are concerned that the schools’ closure would leave no option for Muslim parents but to send their children abroad for low-fee education. ''It will be very sad because they won't get the same quality of education and some may just end up getting married and not completing their studies at all,'' said Hojjat Ramzy, head teacher of Iqra Girls' School in Oxford, one of private schools facing closure.

Many Muslim parents tend to send their children to Pakistan and Bangladesh to complete study.

''I love it here, I get to learn about my religion and I can talk openly about it," said Zainab Rahman, a seven-grade students at Iqra Girls' School.

"But if this school shuts down, I won't have anywhere to go," she said, fearing that her parents will send her to Pakistan to study and live with her relatives there.

Her best class mate was sent to Pakistan last month because her parents could not afford the school fees.

''She didn't really have a choice and had to go abroad," Rahman said.

"I've lost touch with her since."

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said the defaulting Muslim schools can join the state sector to get all running costs from the government.

But school officials see the option unworkable as it would give the government more substantial influence in how the schools are run.

''They want to remain independent and so they will have to try to survive by themselves," Mukadhum said.

"If they are unable to do so it will mean a great loss for all the parents, teachers and students involved.”

Source: IslamOnline

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Pilgrims Ready for Hajj, Unfazed By Swine Flu

MAKKAH – While the swine flu panic is spreading across the world, the nearly three million Muslim pilgrims packing the holy city of Makkah for the spiritual journey of hajj are unfazed by the virus. "People are not talking about the H1N1 flu,” Palestinian pilgrim Ibrahim Qanan told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Saturday, November 21.

“They reserve their time for their devotions.”

Around three million pilgrims from over 160 countries are expected to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, this year.

Preparing for the world's largest gathering, Saudi authorities are on alert to prevent outbreak of the virus during hajj.

Swine Flu: Beware, Be Safe (Folder) Swine Flu to Affect Hajj Season? Stockpiles of generic Tamiflu vaccine have been brought to vaccinate the pilgrims.

Thermal cameras have also been installed at air and sea terminals in Jeddah where most pilgrims arrive.

Thousands of 15,000 health workers are deployed, and hospitals have hundreds of extra beds to handle any rise in illness.

Saudi authorities have also deployed mobile units which can instantly send to a central monitoring centre the locations of infections, to monitor outbreaks.

In Medina, Makkah and Jeddah, Saudi authorities have also placed a number of special mach-virus in suspected cases.

Fliers and posters are hung in the streets and facades of hotels warning the pilgrims about the virus.

"The situation is under control and, God willing, it is very reassuring," said health ministry spokesman Dr Khaled Marghlani.

So far, despite a number of infections, no pilgrim has died from the H1N1 virus.

The swine flu, a mixture of various swine, bird and human viruses, first emerged in Mexico in April.

The virus has so far killed around 6,750 people in 191 countries.

Devotion

The pilgrims, however, are unfazed by the swine flu panic, dedicating their time to their devotion.

"People are not paying too much attention to all these posters," said Ashraf Abu Nimr, a 26-year-old Algerian from France.

"Personally, I'm not worried as I received a swine flu vaccination before leaving home.”

Umm Said, a Mauritanian pilgrim, is also unworried.

"The pilgrims take care of themselves,” she said.

“We don't need all these facilities.

"More than a million of us pray at the same time in the heart of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, and there is no sign of the disease."

Every able-bodied adult Muslim -- who can financially afford the trip -- must perform hajj once in their lifetime.

Hajj will climax on Thursday, November 26, when the faithful descend the Mount `Arafat.

Source: IslamOnline

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Sukuk Comes to America

DUBAI – Eying a share of the booming Islamic banking, General Electric, a multinational technology and services conglomerate, became the first major American corporation to issue Islamic bonds (sukuk), reported the Business-Intelligence Middle East website Saturday, November 21. “We have been focused on diversifying our alternative funding sources to include global deposits and covered bonds,” said Kathy Cassidy, GE’s Senior Vice President and Treasurer.

“Transactions such as the sukuk allow us to make progress in meeting our objectives.”

GE Capital Corporation, the company’s finance arm, sold last Thursday a five-year, $500m sukuk.

“This transaction is strategically important for GE as it establishes yet another way of raising funds from an important investor base,” Cassidy said.

Islamic Banks Weather Global Crisis Sukuks, which conform to Islam's prohibition of receiving or paying interest, typically work as profit-sharing vehicles.

Companies that issue Islamic bonds make payments to investors using profits from the underlying business, instead of paying interest.

But money can not be invested in alcohol, gambling, pornography, tobacco, weapons or pork.

The Sukuk market has reached $111.9 billion in the eight years to 2008 and a further $69 billion is expected to be issued in 2008/2009, according to the International Islamic Financial Market.

New Horizon

The GE views the sukuk issuance a step to bolster the company’s transactions in the Muslim countries.

“GE Capital’s inaugural entry into the sukuk market aims to further complement and solidify GE’s fast growing presence across the Middle East and Asian regions,” said Aris Kekedjian, Vice President and Managing Director.

“This issuance establishes our presence with a new and important investor base and demonstrates our commitment to these regions.”

Islamic finance is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global financial industry.

Starting almost three decades ago, the Islamic banking industry has made substantial growth and attracted the attention of investors and bankers across the world.

A long list of international institutions, including Citigroup, HSBC and Deutsche Bank, are going into the Islamic banking business.

Currently, there are nearly 300 Islamic banks and financial institutions worldwide whose assets are predicted to grow to $1 trillion by 2013.

GE, ranked by Forbes as the world’s largest company in 2009, is planning to issue more sukuk.

“We intend to be regular issuers in the sukuk market and are heartened by the support we have seen in this first transaction,” Cassidy said.

Source: IslamOnline

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Christians Threaten US Civil Disobedience

CAIRO — Angry with the liberal policies of the Obama administration, Christian leaders are threatening civil disobedience over pressures to participate in “anti-life acts” or bless same-sex marriages. "Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide or euthanasia or any other anti-life act," leaders of a broad spectrum of US churches said in a six-page document titled "Manhattan Declaration" cited by the Washington Times Saturday, November 21.

"Nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family."

The signatories, who include Catholic, Anglican, Hispanic Protestant and Orthodox bishops, archbishops and cardinals, threatened to stage civil disobedience if they are forced to take part in these acts.

"Throughout the centuries, Christianity has taught that civil disobedience is not only permitted, but sometimes required," said Archbishop of Washington Donald W. Wuerl, one of the signatories.

"(But) We certainly hope it doesn't come to that."

The threat comes amid high tension the government and many of the signing churches over the government’s liberal policies.

The Archdiocese of Washington has been under fire for refusing to comply with a pending law forcing it to give health benefits or adoption services to same-sex couples.

There are at least 224 million Christians in the United States, according to the website Adherents.com.

Deterioration

The Christian leaders said that they can’t keep silent while seeing their society falling from bad to worse.

"The institution of marriage is at risk of being redefined at its very essence," said Philadelphia Cardinal Justin Rigali.

"Justice demands that we not remain silent in face of these threats."

Princeton University professor Robert P. George, a Roman Catholic, echoes a similar view.

"We see case after case of challenges to religious liberty," he said, citing cases such as compelling pharmacists to carry abortifacient drugs or health care workers to assist in abortions.

"When the limits of conscience are reached and you cannot comply, it's better to suffer a wrong than to do it."

Archbishop Wuerl said faith leaders have a responsibility to protest the society against moral threats.

"(Our task) is to change human hearts. That is how society is changed."

Click to read the whole declaration
Source: IslamOnline

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