Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter called on the international community Thursday to forgive Sudan's $39 billion debt burden so that dividing it between the north and south won't become another issue to resolve after Southern Sudan likely votes to become its own nation.

"In January, the Western world will welcome a new nation, South Sudan. The Islamic world will not. The coming independence of South Sudan, which holds most of the oil in the country now called Sudan, marks a loss of territory and of wealth for the Islamic world.

In many ways, State Question 755 will likely have little impact either in Oklahoma or elsewhere -- Muslims quickly point out they never lobbied for shariah law, and many wouldn't support its use anyway.

" US Senator John Kerry on Friday warned of tougher sanctions against Sudan if the governments of north or south placed obstacles in the way of a January 9 referendum on southern independence.

Turks took a step closer to Europe by voting for constitutional changes aimed at bringing the country into line with European standards of democracy. Yet it was also a massive show of confidence in an Islamic-rooted government whose closer ties with Iran and hostility toward Israel have caused dismay in the West.