cafebabel.com

Meet the Danish playwright staging Anders Behring Breivik’s 'Manifesto 2083'

('Katharina Kloss',) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:04:38 -0000

The Norwegian terrorist’s racist and anti-islam manifesto will be staged in the Danish capital in October 2012, despite criticism from the right wing and families of his 77 victims. ‘You can be disgusted by your own fascination,’ admits theatre director Christian Lollike over a coffee in Copenhagen

French caricaturist on satire magazine petrol bombing

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:56:56 -0000

On 2 November the Paris HQ of Charlie Hebdo, a French weekly satire magazine, were completely burnt in a Molotov cocktail attack at the next day's planned release of the paper called 'Charia Hebdo', dedicated to Tunisia's moderate islamist election victory. One French cartoonist replies

Blogger Khelil Ben Osman on Tunisian elections

('ZoeBBee',) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:02:13 -0000

There's no official result in the Tunisian elections yet. Nonetheless the moderate islamist party ennahda is on the verge of victory. One of the pioneers of the digital awakening during the jasmine revolution gives his view of the first great moment of democracy in Tunisia

Self-identification, multiculturalism and erasmus in the EU

('Alexandra Belopolsky',) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:24:20 -0000

In a world where the physical borders are a blur, no wonder the mental ones are blurring as well. With nationalists turning to the 'protection of Europe' rather than the 'protection of the homeland', it is fair to say that the erasmus generation is the face of future Europe. United within itself, far past the division to Germans, French, Poles, or Italians, it's an identity in its own right - even for me

Building a mosque in Warsaw: is it all trouble and strife?

('Peter Robbins',) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Muslims in Poland go back several centuries, beginning with the arrival of tatar settlers in the eastern reaches of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The muslim community in Poland has only recently begun attracting attention, with the building of a mosque financed by a Saudi sponsor in the Warsaw district of Ochota. Not everyone is happy

Heard about the niqab, mini short wearing ‘Niqabitch’ in France?

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:30:00 -0000

In September two twentysomething ‘crazy girls’ walked to the French ministry of immigration and national identity in Paris in somewhat alternative outfits; one has Maghreb origins. They're protesting over the internet against a law which bans the burqa in the public sphere - after all, 'this is a democracy’

Islam for beginners: first stop Istanbul

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:45:00 -0000

Hanging out on the streets of Turkey’s European capital can be an exotic experience for those who haven’t had too much contact with islamic culture. University lecturer and islamic history expert Anas Eryarsoy takes us though everything we wanted to know, but were too afraid to ask

Islam and Europe: a five step waltz

('G. Ring',) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:30:00 -0000

The more widespread an idea, the more erroneous it is. Since the Middle Ages, each period imagines that the question of islam in Europe is a new phenomenon, too often forgetting history, which has not always been about the mode of conquest. A brief overview of a stormier past than one could have imagined

What does terrorism mean in Europe anyway

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:30:00 -0000

On 18 October EU counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove warned about governments crying wolf during recent threats of a new terrorist alert. The last time the EU continent was attacked was during the London bombings of 2005. The term ‘terrorism’ has taken on various meanings

Angela Merkel: 'multiculti' German society failed, but islam 'has a place'

('euro topics',) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:06:17 -0000

The German chancellor's statements on 16 October have provoked the Slovakian, British, Dutch and Polish media - both immigrants and host societies have to work on integration, or the extreme right will win. Press review

Bosnia-Herzegovina cinema: Jasmila Zbanic's 'On the Path'

('Annie Rutherford',) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:23:59 -0000

Four years ago the Bosnian director unexpectedly won the golden bear at the Berlin international film festival with her debut film. Her new work 'Na Putu' also has controversial potential, handling themes of islamism and a couple's alienation in modern-day Sarajevo

Berlin launch: Anti-islam book by German bank exec Thilo Sarrazin

('eurotopics',) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:25:08 -0000

The former politician launched his book 'Deutschland schafft sich ab' ('Germany abolishes itself' on 30 August in Berlin. Criticism of Germany's immigration policy is legitimate, writes the Italian, German and Austrian press, but don't attack muslims. Translated European press review selection

Dutch elections: did Geert Wilders get the last laugh?

('euro topics',) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:15:00 -0000

Italian, Dutch and Belgian commentators doubt that VVD leader Mark Rutte will be able to form a more stable government than his christian democratic predecessor Jan Peter Balkenende after elections on 9 June

Bloc Identitaire: lowdown on France's new far-right

('Hanna Sankowska',) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:45:00 -0000

You couldn't miss them during the regional elections in France between 14 and 21 March. Not that the far-right party, which proclaims to defend the civilisation of 'true Europeans', shone at the voting booths. Other extreme-right parties have now taken up the same anti-islamic mantra

The Netherlands, France, Italy: rise of Europe's right-wing

('sofio',) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:00:00 -0000

After Geert Wilders in Holland, the1 Le Pen family in France gained the votes at the regional elections on 14 March 2010, confirming the positive trend of extreme righ-wing at the old continent. Together with Italy's Lega Nord, these parties represent a practical example of new right populists who do not like to be labelled 'extremists'

An Oscar for Geert Wilders please

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:31:00 -0000

'Fitna' the film means evil, European parliament has a fake birthday and ousted gay Iranians - it's your latest news from Brussels

Turkey through German eyes

('Katja Heise',) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:00:00 -0000

The first world forum for the Alliance of Civilizations, launched also by the moderate islamist Turkish PN Erdogan, promotes mutual understanding between different cultures

More Muslims, more mosques in Europe

('Katja Heise',) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:00:00 -0000

'Islamist' threats to power or positive signs of integration? A Ramadan special

In Turkey islamism is modern

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Durão Barroso says Turkey is not yet ready for entry into the EU, and Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union, Alberto Navarro argues that the sphere of influence in Turkey not taken up by the EU will instead be taken up by Russia, China or Iran.

Barcelonistan

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0000

As 29 people of mainly Moroccan origin go on trial in Madrid for the March 11 bombings of 2004, life for Barcelona's Muslim community ticks on

Milli Görüs: wolves in sheep’s clothing

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 12:00:00 -0000

The Islamic Association of Milli Görüs is Europe's largest 'radical' Islamic religious association, monitored by the Office of the Protection of the Constitution

Rocky ride from Jerusalem to Mecca

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:00:00 -0000

Interfaith forums uniting Muslims and Jews have mushroomed in the United Kingdom following escalation of international conflicts. Are these more than a kneejerk reaction to the pressure put on faith communities?

Putting out the papal fire

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 12:00:00 -0000

The power of words: uttered by a medieval Byzantine Emperor once upon a time, and infamously ‘quoted’ by Pope Ratzinger at a speech in Regensburg

Mixed greetings for UNIFIL in Lebanon

('Emily Griffins',) — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 07:29:00 -0000

The Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon has been UNIFIL’s first successful operation. In Beirut, the European troops have been welcomed but also criticized

The pope bars Europe’s door to Mohammed

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:00:00 -0000

Benedict XVI speech in Regensburg set forward a Christian vision of Europe which excludes Turkey

Education and Islam: keeping the faith

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 14:00:00 -0000

Are state faith schools a viable solution to integration problems in Europe?

Spain: Between bombs and calls for freedom

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 16:25:00 -0000

192 deaths and thousands of injuries was a harsh wake up call for Spain. On March 11, the country started their fight against Jihadist terrorism

Squabbles and wrangles in the Muslim world

Wed, 13 Sep 2006 07:29:00 -0000

Despite a population of 15 million Muslims in Europe, stereotypes are still strong: Islam = terrorism. Muslim organisations fail to tackle the identity crises that destabilise their communities

Europe’s anti-terror alert systems are out of tune with each other

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 12:24:00 -0000

The planned terror attacks uncovered in London are putting the alert systems of every European country to the test. Find out how these work and which alert levels are currently in place.

Europe - USA: back to french fries

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 02:00:00 -0000

Though support for Europe’s soft power grows in American liberal bastions, the military EU institutions still lack credibility in the US

Muhammad cartoons: humour or hate?

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 12:00:00 -0000

This week freedom of expression has taken up an inordinate amount of column inches in the European press. But where do the boundaries lie between freedom of expression and causing offence?