France
Decapitated body, daubed with Arabic, found at French attack site
By Reuters — June 26, 2015
(Reuters) French President Francois Hollande described it as a terrorist attack and said all measures would be taken to stop any future strikes on a country still reeling from Islamist assaults in January.
French attack survivor Luz will leave Charlie Hebdo
By Reuters — May 19, 2015
PARIS (Reuters) One of the few cartoonists to survive an Islamist militant attack on France's Charlie Hebdo journal is leaving the publication, saying he can no longer bear the pressure.
Vatican standoff with France tests pope’s ‘Who am I to judge?’ stance
By Elizabeth Bryant — April 24, 2015
PARIS (RNS) The pope's reaction, as reported in the media, appears to contrast starkly with his remarks two years ago in which he said, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?”
Report counts sharp spike in global anti-Semitism
By Kim Hjelmgaard — April 15, 2015
The report found there were 766 recorded incidents against Jewish people in 2014 — the worst year for attacks since 2009.
Paris stands by Holy See ambassador nominee as Vatican silence prompts gay speculation
By Reuters — April 13, 2015
PARIS (Reuters) France is standing by its nominee to be ambassador to the Holy See despite the Vatican's failure to confirm his posting for more than three months, a delay that French and Italian media said was due to his sexuality.
A national campaign for ‘Islam a la Francaise’ takes root amid growing radicalization
By Elizabeth Bryant — April 6, 2015
LYON, France (RNS) The 24-week program includes classes on law, religion and how French principles of secularity are applied to daily life.
No to Netanyahu: Danish Jews’ loyalty to Denmark runs deep
By Reuters — February 17, 2015
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) The Jewish Agency said 12 Danish Jews migrated to Israel in 2014. In contrast, more than 7,000 French Jews made Aliyah, or emigrated to Israel.
Jewish cemetery desecrated hours after Israeli premier calls for mass migration of Jews
By Elizabeth Bryant — February 16, 2015
PARIS (RNS) On Sunday, French Jews received a further shock, with the desecration of several hundred tombs at a Jewish cemetery in Alsace.
A complicated world intrudes upon an ideologically driven Congress (COMMENTARY)
By Tom Ehrich — January 13, 2015
(RNS) The disconnect between what Congress wants to do and what the nation needs done is vast and bizarre.
Vatican downplays report that it’s under threat from Islamic terrorists
By Josephine McKenna — January 12, 2015
VATICAN CITY (RNS) “The Vatican and the pope may be targets ... but it is not opportune to feed a state of particular alarm, because at the moment it is neither justified or well-founded," the Vatican's chief spokesman said.
Muslims on edge after Paris terrorist attack on satirical magazine
By Aida Alami — January 7, 2015
PARIS (RNS) "I believe that the attacks today will only grow the racism against Muslims," said Abdallah Zekri, president of the National Observatory Against Islamophobia, in Paris.
Why Bess Myerson still matters (COMMENTARY)
By Jeffrey Salkin — January 6, 2015
(RNS) Bess Myerson: old news, right? Wrong.
As online anti-Semitism grows, so do efforts to counter it
By Luigi Serenelli — August 15, 2014
BERLIN (RNS) The Gaza conflict has sparked a wave of counter speech, with organizations debunking anti-Semitic myths and stereotypes on blogs, forums and social media.
France’s new chief rabbi calls for inclusiveness
By Elizabeth Bryant — June 23, 2014
PARIS (RNS) The election of Rabbi Haim Korsia comes during a deeply troubled time for France's Jewish community, the largest in Europe.
As French cemeteries fill up, Jews seek burial plots in the Holy Land
By Elizabeth Bryant — March 12, 2014
(RNS) Jewish-only plots in some French cemeteries -- along with their leases -- are rapidly running out.
