by Brian Murphy

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)—The imam spearheading a proposed Islamic center near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York believes the fierce opposition is closely linked to the U.S. elections in November, according to comments published Monday.

ADDRESSES CONTROVERSY—Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, center, executive director of the Cordoba Initiative, greets worshipers inside a Muharraq, Bahrain, mosque after leading midday prayers Aug. 20.

“There is no doubt that the election season has had a major impact upon the nature of the discourse,” Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf was quoted by the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National in an interview as part of his State Department-funded trip in the Gulf.

Rauf did not cite any particular political race possibly tied to the protests, but many conservative candidates and political figures have aligned themselves with the opposition to the $100 million project that includes a mosque and Islamic cultural center.

After a flurry of weekend rumors surrounding 18-year-old Jordan Miles, allegedly beaten by three undercover police officers in January, it appears the case is more stagnant than ever. However, in response to the possibility that the Department of Justice will end their investigation into the incident, the Miles family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the three officers and the city on Aug. 30.

JUSTICE FOR JORDAN—Tim Stevens holds up photographs of Jordan Miles as he stands outside the courthouse.

“During the FBI’s discussion with us six weeks ago, they said they really didn’t think they had a viable case to go forward because of the credibility of the three officers against the victim Jordan,” said J. Kerrington Lewis, Miles’ attorney. “They required Jordan to submit to a lie detector test, which he passed. The physical evidence alone proves excessive force. The whole story is so irrational and incredible that any jury is going to know it was presented to cover up what they did.”

by Malik Vincent

The Pittsburgh City League is ready to pick up competition in the 2010 season with some much needed improvement to its home, Cupples Stadium on the South Side. With that should come some much-warranted improvements with certain teams around the league.

DEANDRE BLACK and MANNY REED

“We expect to win every game this season,” Allderdice coach Jerry Haslett said. “Whether those expectations are real or not, that’s what we expect to accomplish. Nothing less.”

Haslett and his Dragons posted a 1-9 record in 2009, but feel they have weapons at the skill positions that will help them make a turnaround this season.

Before Aug. 26, 1920, a woman’s inability to vote kept her from weighing in on political issues and attaining positions of power. For African-American women in the South the sense of powerlessness was even more suffocating as they were denied the right to vote because of their race and sex.

“Not just as women but also as African-Americans it was a huge struggle to get the right to vote and that alone should tell you there’s some power to it,” said Gladys Edmunds, entrepreneur and author. “I tend to think that anytime we can exercise our voices in anyway, it helps us collectively. We have to continue to get more and more people voting and especially our young women.”