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WASHINGTON, June 14, 2007 – Iraqi leaders yesterday called for unity from the Askra Mosque, the scene of another terrorist attack. Salahuddin province Gov. Hamed Hamoud Shekti made a public announcement from the Askira Mosque at around 11 a.m. and met with religious students, asking for the sheiks and educated people of Samarra to come forward and be the city’s eyes to watch out for outsiders who continue to attack the city and mosque. "You are sons and grandsons of the two greatest imams who ever lived," Hamoud said. "Please stop the sabotage and destruction, and work on the aims...

Local Iraq officials focus on recruiting police, creating peace. By Multi-National Corps – Iraq Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory TIKRIT, Iraq, May 17, 2007 — As coalition and Iraqi security forces continue to provide security and stability throughout Diyala Province, Iraq, many tribal leaders are also united in their efforts to bring peace and stand up against al-Qaida in Iraq. After a peace agreement was signed between the paramount sheiks of the Karki and Shimouri tribes, April 30, other tribal leaders gathered throughout the region to do the same – provide peace and protection for their people and their lands....

To all whose hearts are with the Serbian peoples concerning Kosovo: Here is a direct action request by the Serbian Caucus in Washington, D.C. SUC and Congressional Serbian Caucas

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has plunged into the debate over the nation's future with his call for a new, "post-partisan" governing style aimed at ending political gridlock. But the Republican governor, who intends to take his message to Iowa, New Hampshire and other critical states as the presidential campaign proceeds, is selling something that may be illusory. Schwarzenegger used raw political muscle to forge the big legislative victories of his first term, allying with the Democrats, who dominate California's Capitol. Along the way, Republicans felt quashed. Post-partisanship, said a rueful state Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) "is the process...

Catholics, Anglicans discuss reuniting Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:08AM EST By Michael Perry SYDNEY (Reuters) - Issues surrounding a possible reuniting of the Catholic and Anglican churches under the pope are discussed in a 42-page statement currently being prepared, church leaders said on Tuesday. The statement, titled "Growing Together In Unity and Mission. Building on 40 years of Anglican and Roman Catholic Dialogue", looks at common ground and differences between the two churches and is expected to be published later this year. "Our ultimate desire is to achieve full visible unity," said Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane John Bathersby, co-chair of...

Radical proposals to reunite Anglicans with the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope are to be published this year, The Times has learnt. The proposals have been agreed by senior bishops of both churches. In a 42-page statement prepared by an international commission of both churches, Anglicans and Roman Catholics are urged to explore how they might reunite under the Pope. The statement, leaked to The Times, is being considered by the Vatican, where Catholic bishops are preparing a formal response. It comes as the archbishops who lead the 38 provinces of the Anglican Communion meet in...

IT ONLY took one dispute for marble-hearted King Henry VIII to sever his ties with the Catholic Church and establish the Anglican Church as an alternative. He merely wanted to divorce his wife. Irreconcilable differences, perhaps. Now, more than 450 years later, that initial point of contention has grown into a plethora of theological disagreements, a long list of faith fractures and (sometimes) open sectarian rancour. Irreconcilable differences again? Not according to a handful of church leaders who have proposed a radical Catholic-Anglican reunion under the leadership of the Pope. The idea was drawn up by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic...

VATICAN CITY, FEB. 6, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a Vatican translation of the homily Benedict XVI delivered Jan. 25 at vespers. It was the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul and the closing of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The ceremony, held in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, was attended by representatives of other Christian confessions of Rome, including Orthodox Metropolitan Archbishop Gennadios of Italy; Bishop John Flack, director of the Anglican Communion's Center of Rome; and Pastor Holger Milkau, dean of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Italy. * * * LITURGY OF VESPERS ON...

Cardinal Walter Kasper Vatican City, Jan 23, 2007 / 03:31 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, said at a Vatican press briefing today that the current state of ecumenism is positive and offered a briefing on the Church’s relations with the Orthodox Churches, in addition to touching on Catholic-Protestant relations. The event was timed to coincide with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, being held from January 18 to 25. Cardinal Kasper affirmed that last year had been particularly fruitful in ecumenical terms, with the Pope's trip to Turkey, during which...

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27) Over the past few months I have received many phone calls and emails like the following: I need some advice; I have been told that I am a bad influence on the congregation and that I am dividing the body of Christ. What happened was that our pastor decided to change...

WASHINGTON — The reconciliation plan announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Oct. 2 enables Iraqi citizens from all political groups to hold their security forces responsible and to take responsibility for creating peace and tolerance within their own neighborhoods, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad said Oct. 4. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, Multi-National Force – Iraq spokesman, said in a news conference that the plan calling for the creation of joint committees throughout Baghdad, made up of clerics, tribal sheiks, representatives from all political blocs, and the armed forces, is aimed at ending internal battles that were...

BAGHDAD — Senior U.S. officials in Iraq are calling a four-point plan released Oct. 3 by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to halt sectarian violence “a significant step in the right direction.” Maliki’s plan, released Oct. 3, aims at uniting Shiite and Sunni parties to reduce and ultimately stop growing sectarian violence that threatens Iraq. “This … shows that the Iraqi leaders want their country to succeed and are responding to the wishes of their people for security,” said U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. George W. Casey, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, in a statement released yesterday....

Last update - 13:54 22/09/2006 Hamas: We won't join gov't requiring recognition of Israel By Aluf Benn and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies Hamas will not join a Palestinian unity government if recognition of Israel is a condition, a close aide to Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Friday. The comment appeared to contradict Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' statement to the United Nations from the day before. Abbas told the UN General Assembly on Thursday that the planned Hamas-Fatah government would recognize Israel. However, Haniyeh's political adviser, Ahmed Yousef, said "there won't be a national unity government if...

UNITED NATIONS - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that the planned national unity government will recognize Israel. Read more

FORT HUACHUCA — Unity is a part of soldier’s survival kit, a Korean War POW told thousands of soldiers standing on Chaffee Parade Field on Friday morning. The sun had just broken, bringing bright rays through light cloud cover and to soldiers of the 11th Signal Brigade and 111th Military Intelligence Brigade, as well as a few Air Force members assigned to the post. In the stands, some civilian sat. All were waiting for the start of the annual fort POW/MIA Walkathon. “Unity helped me and others survive,” Al Simpson said about the time he served as a prisoner of...

Last update - 00:51 13/09/2006 U.S.: deal on unity gov't doesn't meet Quartet terms By Aluf Benn, Avi Issacharoff and Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondents and Reuters The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that it would not deal with the new Palestinian unity government unless it met three conditions it had specified in the past and so far, it seems that the Palestinians are not complying with the demands. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch said Washington would only deal with a new unity government if it met three conditions laid down by the Quartet...

LOS ANGELES – Immigrants Without Borders is an Arizona-based assistance organization. It doesn't have the multimillion-dollar funding of national Latino organizations, nor does it have their fame. But this regional group has something the others don't: the ability to mobilize immigrants, to organize marches like the ones seen in the past few months and a long list of community contacts. Bringing these two sides together and the development of a long-term social and economic strategy for Latinos are among the goals of the National Latino Congress. Some 1,300 leaders and activists from across the nation are attending the event, which...

Senior citizens who lived through the traumatic days of partition must be feeling a sense of déjà vu when they hear Muslim clerics launching a shrill attack on our National Song Vande Mataram, 56 years after India became a secular, democratic republic. They know that in the past such arguments became the basis of separatist demands. While the Muslim League formally put forth the demand for partition, Mohammed Ali Jinnah prepared the ground for the vivisection of India three years earlier when he raised objections to the singing of Vande Mataram, the tricolour which we adopted as our National Flag...

With President Bush down in the polls, gasoline prices on the rise and the electorate dismayed by the lack of progress in Iraq, California Republicans gathered here Friday for their final statewide convention before the Nov. 7 election. Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore urged the party faithful to focus on the domestic issues of taxation, government spending and education, rather than the national security. But he was optimistic the GOP could win in California and praised Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for resisting tax increases. "One state where we have the best chance to bring us back is California," he said....

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is leaving open the possibility of backing Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein for re-election, despite an impassioned appeal from her GOP rival, former state Sen. Dick Mountjoy. Schwarzenegger surprised his Republican backers shortly after the primary when he said he would have no problem endorsing a Democrat for office this year. "If I like someone, absolutely,'' he said at a June 8 campaign stop in Antioch. While the governor didn't name any names, Steve Schmidt, his campaign manager, wasn't quite so circumspect. "Like most Californians, (Schwarzenegger) thinks Dianne Feinstein is a great senator,'' Schmidt said. While Schwarzenegger...