Issues in Politics
President Nicolas Sarkozy calls for a fight against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in France
Stopping briefly at the annual CRIF (French Council of Jewish Institutions or the Conseil représentatif des institutions juives en France) dinner in Paris, French president Nicolas Sarkozy called those engaging in anti-Semitic and anti-Islamophobic actions “racists who should not be accepted in the French Republic.” In his speech, Prime Minister François Fillon recognized that the…
Senator John Kerry calls for improved US ties with Muslim world
Senator John Kerry, chairman of the US Foreign Relations Committee, has called for a new chapter in America’s relationship with the Muslim world. Kerry chaired a hearing on Thursday to explore ways to forge better ties with the Muslim world, and opened the hearing by echoing President Obama’s call for better ties: “we share your…
Dutch MP Geert Wilders refused entry to Britain, returned to the Netherlands
Far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders was turned away at London’s Heathrow airport after attempting to ignore the security ban on his entry into the country. Immigration officials denied Wilders entry into the UK after the government decided he should not be allowed to attend a screening of his anti-Islam film, Fitna. They have deemed him…
U.S. Muslims hopeful but wary of status under Obama
While many American Muslim leaders are eager to help President Barack Obama improve the image of the United States in the Arab and Islamic world, many worry that their contribution may not always be welcome, marked by suspicion that continues to keep many U.S. groups from working with the Muslim community and vice versa, with…
British Muslims offer Obama cautious welcome
British Islamic groups gave a cautious welcome to new U.S. President Barack Obama’s pledge to reach out to the Muslim world, saying his policies needed to match his words. In his inauguration address on Tuesday, Obama promised a “new way forward” based on “mutual interest and mutual respect” following tensions that followed the September 11…