This is a fascinating little interview with Timur Kuran, an expert in Islamic finance.

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In 1941 a Soviet team opened Timur's tomb and discovered that physically at least the emperor was no Hercules.

ECONOMIST: Letter from Samarkand

Uzbekistan's neighbours also get jittery with the hero worship of Timur.

ECONOMIST: Letter from Samarkand

Timur Goksel, a former spokesman for the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, worked with Suleiman and describes him as a cautious character who kept the army out of politics.

NPR: Lebanese Rivals Agree on Compromise Candidate

The Shah's nervous mullahs had warned him against stirring the spirit of Timur and sure enough a spate of tragedies ensued until the stone was returned to Samarkand, albeit broken in half.

ECONOMIST: Letter from Samarkand

Yet Timur Kuran, a professor at America's Duke University, argues that the inheritance rules in Islamic family law may have slowed development in the past by making it harder to accumulate wealth.

ECONOMIST: Religion and economics

Mr. TIMUR GOKSEL: He's a solid guy.

NPR: Lebanese Rivals Agree on Compromise Candidate

The opera is in three acts and is loosely based on the historic conflict between Bajazet, a Turkish sultan, and the Tartar conqueror Timur, or Tamerlano, who ruled much of western and central Asia in the 14th century.

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Meanwhile, National Police chief Timur Pradopo said police also killed one more suspected terrorist he identified as Abu Roban and arrested nine others in four additional operations in Central Java and West Java, but he declined to name the nature of the suspected terrorist activities.

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