Violence in Libya and the more peaceful protests in Egypt, sparked by the online trailer of a film that mocks Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, is only the latest high-profile incident caused by anti-Muslim actions and anti-Western reaction. A teenage girl in Pakistan, a Christian, was released from jail last Friday after being accused of breaking Pakistan’s […]
Who Are the Copts?
Posted March 18th, 2012 at 11:25 pm (UTC-5)
Who Are the Copts? – Copts are followers of the Christian Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt, which traces its founding to Saint Mark, about 12 years after the death of Christ. – Copts make up about 10 percent of the Egyptian population of 80 million. – More than 1 million Copts practice their religion around […]
Delegate Count for Republican Candidates
Posted March 11th, 2012 at 3:25 pm (UTC-5)
A candidate must win 1,144 delegates in order to clinch the 2012 Republican presidential nomination at the party’s national convention in August. Here are the latest figures for the delegate count in the Republican race — as provided by the Associated Press: Mitt Romney — 454 Rick Santorum — 217 Newt Gingrich — 107 Ron […]
Attacks Claimed by Boko Haram
Posted March 11th, 2012 at 7:05 am (UTC-5)
* July 2009 – Attacks and clashes in Bauchi and Maiduguri leave 800 people dead. * December 2010 – Bombings in central Nigeria and church attacks in the northeast kill 86 people. * June 16, 2011 – Car bomb kills two outside police headquarters in Abuja. * June 26, 2011 – Attack on a bar […]
Soybeans: Facts and Figures
Posted February 15th, 2012 at 10:05 pm (UTC-5)
SOYBEANS: China is expected to sign deals to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans during Vice President Xi Jinping’s visit this week. What they are: *An edible bean high in protein cultivated in China as many as 3000 years ago. The bean has been used in a number of traditional Asian foods, including soy […]
Major Points of US Worldwide Threat Assessment
Posted January 31st, 2012 at 12:35 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday presented to Congress an assessment of worldwide threats to U.S. national security interests. The following are some of the key points as listed in James. Clapper’s prepared statement for the record. Terrorism: The Pakistan-based “core” al-Qaida group once led by Osama bin Laden has diminished in operations […]
A Look at the Arab League
Posted January 31st, 2012 at 12:05 pm (UTC-5)
-The League of Arab States, or Arab League, is an association of 22 Arab states, based in Cairo. -It was founded on March 22, 1945 in Cairo, with the aim of strengthening the relationships between member states through political, cultural and economic cooperation. -The first six members of the organization were Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (later […]
Arab League Monitoring Mission to Syria Factbox
Posted January 28th, 2012 at 7:15 pm (UTC-5)
November 2, 2011 — The Arab League adopts a plan of action for Syria and welcomes the Syrian government’s agreement to the plan. It emphasizes the need for Damascus to keep its pledge and stop the violent suppression of a 10-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule. November 24, 2011 — The 22-member bloc requests […]
US Defense Budget: 6 Key Priorities
Posted January 26th, 2012 at 5:10 pm (UTC-5)
Highlights of the U.S. Defense Department’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2013: -Billions of dollars in cuts: The Pentagon wants $525 billion for 2013, $6 billion less than this year’s request. For Afghanistan and other overseas operations, the department seeks another $88 billion, down from $115 billion this year. Overall, the plan aims to save […]
Factbox – Polish Troops In Afghanistan
Posted December 21st, 2011 at 9:40 am (UTC-5)
Five Polish soldiers were killed Wednesday in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan. It was the single deadliest day for Polish troops since their 2002 deployment to the country following the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan the year before. The total number of Polish troops to die in Afghanistan now stands at 36. Poland is one of […]
