Through generations, our great nation has been asked great questions -- and we have answered them. Could we feed a people on this driest of lands? Could we unite a nation on a continent without the pressures of revolution or war? Could we carry our weight in the world and fight for the freedom of our friends? Could we defend ourselves in our greatest hour of need? Could we rebuild after decades of Depression and war? Could we embrace change and find new sources of wealth in demanding new times? Could we say Sorry?

While an October exhibition of Macedonian medieval manuscripts in Brussels incited protests from the government in Sofia over historical issues, there is another collection of texts in the country about which relatively little is known- that is, Macedonia’s Islamic manuscript collection, a legacy from Ottoman times. In this intriguing new interview, Balkanalysis.com Director Chris Deliso gets the insights of Prof. Dr. Mesut Idriz, an expert on the subject who has done considerable research on the history, identity and preservation possibilities of Islamic manuscripts from Macedonia.

The Israeli instrumentalis Avner Hodorov is expected in Luanda on October 31 to be part of “Ponte Cultural” project of the Angolan music house. This was said to Angop this Sunday by the promoter of the event Giyora Arbiser. According to him, the visit of Avner Hodorov will contribute to the cultural interchange between Angola and Israel.

The sun had risen over a hazy Benghazi about an hour earlier, and as he grabbed the wheel of his militia’s beaten-up white Toyota pickup, 42-year-old Ibn Febrayir (not his real name) groused to himself that this was no way to treat an ambassador, especially U.S. envoy Christopher Stevens. He had heard war tales about the lanky, good-natured Californian.

Hillary Clinton says she still intends to step down as U.S. secretary of state sometime around January's presidential inauguration, dispelling speculation over reports she might opt to stay in the post amid numerous diplomatic crises if President Barack Obama wins re-election. "It's really still my same time-frame," Clinton told the Washington Post in an interview published on Friday, repeating her plan to step down after one term even if voters on Nov. 6 give Obama another four years in office.

What’s your standard for loving your fellow man? Most people probably include family, friends, neighbors — all of the easy ones. But what about telemarketers or people who post politically belligerent statuses on Facebook? And what about people who aren’t merely annoying, but might actually be out to get you? Democrats, for example, or Ute fans.

The Arab League, officially called the League of Arab States, is a notoriously fractious regional organization of 22 Arab states based in Cairo. It was founded on March 22, 1945, with the aim of strengthening the relationships between member states through political, cultural and economic cooperation.

Contrary to popular belief, Angela Merkel does not hold all the aces in her game of high stakes poker with Enda Kenny and the Irish taxpayer. For unless she plays her cards most carefully, Ms Merkel in the longer term could back herself into a corner, and her options might suddenly become very limited indeed.