Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: religious minorities in the Middle East, the Dalai Lama, Pope Francis, and ISIS.
AROUND THE WORLD
Turkey Must Save the Kurds
by Asli Aydintasbas
New York Times op-ed
But Turkey cannot be a neutral bystander in this battle. To preserve our borders, as well as our democracy, we must take bold steps now to save the Kurds. At the end of the day, it’s the only way to save ourselves.
Are There Signs of a Thaw Between China and the Exiled Dalai Lama on Tibet?
by Annie Gowen
Washington Post
The Dalai Lama said Thursday that informal talks with the Chinese are continuing over his possible return to his homeland of Tibet — if only for a visit — and cautiously praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a realist.
Francis: The Pope’s Calling
BBC
Francis has proved a surprise as Pope, even to those who thought they knew him, and he has demonstrated the power of a priest with a personal touch. But, by his own admission, he is not a revolutionary. He is, though, a herald of change. A pope with a deliberately different approach to his calling.
The Houthis Must Leave Sanaa City
National editorial
Whatever it is that the Houthi rebels are planning in Yemen, it is certainly not going to be for the benefit of all Yemenis, or the GCC. That is the unmistakable impression of the past few weeks, as the Houthi rebels have taken their war against the Yemeni government from the mountains of the north to the city of Sanaa.
Vatican Meeting a Test Case for Pope Francis’ Papacy
by Philip Pullella
Reuters
A global assembly of Roman Catholic bishops is shaping up as the first major showdown of Pope Francis's papacy, with conservative and progressive cardinals trading insults ahead of its start on Sunday.
In Historic Homeland, Pakistan’s Sikhs Live Under Constant Threat
by Syed Raza Hassan
Reuters
Easily recognized because of their colorful turbans, members of Pakistan’s Sikh community say they have been singled out and attacked increasingly in the South Asian nation where radical Islamist militants see them as infidels.
Facing Fears Over Extremism, Austria Unveils New Law on Islam
by Shadia Nasralla
Reuters
Austria called on Thursday for standardized German-language translations of the Koran and moved to prohibit foreign funding of Muslim organizations on its soil in a draft law aimed in part at tackling Islamic extremism.
Oslo Is Dead
by Salam Fayyad
Foreign Affairs
Salam Fayyad argues that the existing paradigm in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, the Oslo framework, is flawed. Peace requires fundamental adjustments.
How Many Scriptures
Economist
At a time when hundreds of thousands of Christians, Yazidis and members of other minorities have been chased from their homes, or worse, in northern Iraq, academic or theological discussion about co-existence between Islam and other faiths might—as I have suggested in some recent postings—seem pretty hypothetical to many people.
ISIS
Muslims Around the World Rally Against Extremist Antics of Islamic State
by Lori Hinnant
Associated Press
In tweets, in street gatherings and in open letters, moderate Muslims around the world are insisting that Islamic State extremists don't speak for their religion. Many are also frustrated that anyone might think they do, and a backlash has already begun.
Women and Children for Sale
by Colum Lynch
Foreign Policy
By the end of August, the U.N. documented the abduction of up to 2,500 civilians, mostly women and children, from the northern Iraqi towns and regions of Sinjar, Tal Afar, the Nineveh Plains, and Shirkhan. Once they were in captivity, fighters from the Islamic State sexually assaulted the teenage boys and girls, witnesses told the United Nations.
The Case Against Qatar
by Elizabeth Dickinson
Foreign Policy
The tiny, gas-rich emirate has pumped tens of millions of dollars through obscure funding networks to hard-line Syrian rebels and extremist Salafists, building a foreign policy that punches above its weight. After years of acquiescing—even taking advantage of its ally's meddling—Washington may finally be punching back.
Turkey Votes to Allow Operations Against ISIS
by Ceylan Yeginsu
New York Times
Turkey appeared to take a big political step toward joining the American-led campaign against the militants of the Islamic State when its Parliament voted Thursday to authorize expanded military operations in Iraq and Syria and to allow foreign forces to launch operations from its territory.
The Fundamental Horror of ISIS
New York Times editorial
In this confused and complex landscape, the Islamic State seems a model of remorseless clarity. We have not seen the last of its horrors.
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