In The News

Islamic Group Blocked From Building “Britain's Biggest Mosque” in London

Andrew Gilligan October 28, 2015
An Islamic group is reported to have lost its appeal for building a mega-mosque in a London neighborhood. The court decision could end a 16-year battle that included protests in support and opposition to the plans. “Tablighi Jamaat is an ultra-conservative and separatist group which believes that Muslims should not integrate into non-Muslim society. Its current UK headquarters, in Dewsbury, West...

Pacific Trade Deal Needs to Harmonize With Sustainable Development Goals

Shuaihua Wallace Cheng October 22, 2015
Developed and poorer developing nations often struggle to agree on global initiatives. But two major deals have been announced: The 193 members of the United Nations approved global action on 17 Sustainable Development Goals to reduce poverty, and 12 nations concluded negotiations on the Transpacific Trade Partnership, the largest regional trade agreement in history. The trade agreement supports...

Among the Lucky Few: Syrian Family Rebuilds in America's Heartland

Ari Shapiro October 21, 2015
Toledo, Ohio, is among the communities doing its best to welcome refugees. “Fewer than 2,000 Syrians have come to the U.S., though the war has displaced more than 12 million since it began in 2011,” reports Ari Shapiro for NPR. He describes the experiences of one of eight families settling in Toledo with the help of diverse faith groups: A Christian group provides language lessons and day care,...

The German Lynchmob: Islamophobe Movement Returns With a Vengeance

Maik Baumgärtner, Maximilian Popp, Jörg Schindler and Wolf Wiedmann-Schmidt October 15, 2015
Germany’s decision to open its borders to thousands of refugees from Syria has reinvigorated the political party of Pegida, also known as “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident.” Some supporters insist that they are not Nazis, but oppose a system that fails to embrace a strong and unchanging culture; others call the refugees “invaders” and are ready to blockade streets,...

Rise of Muslim Population Poses Challenge for India

Riaz Hassan October 8, 2015
If current demographic trends continue, the ranks of religious believers in the world could rise through 2050, reports a Pew Research Report. Islam would show the fastest rate of growth, and the unaffiliated would decline in proportion to other religious categories. Riaz Hassan, director of the International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding at the University of South Australia,...

Pakistan Keen to Keep Ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia

Debalina Ghoshal October 1, 2015
Diplomacy in Asia is complicated by religious conflict and sets of regional rivalries including Iran and Saudi Arabia, along with Pakistan and India. A deal on Iran’s nuclear program negotiated by the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, could test strategic relations in Asia and trigger a series of recalculations. In particular, strengthening Indian-Iranian ties could fray...

The Insecurity Underpinning Xi Jinping’s Repression

Jerome A. Cohen September 28, 2015
China is the world’s second largest economy and poised to surpass the United States as the largest. Economic progress brings change, and in an opinion essay for the Washington Post, law professor Jerome Cohen describes Xi Jinping as a leader who is insecure about domestic unrest whether over a financial downturn, corruption, the lack of good jobs and opportunity, or pollution and environmental...