Europe
German law to explicitly legalise circumcision
The German government is to present new legislation intended to end a legal dispute over the religious tradition of circumcision. In June this year, a regional court in Cologne considered the case of the ritual circumcision of a four-year-old Muslim boy which had led to medical complications. The court found the child had suffered bodily harm and ruled that the practice amounted to assault, prompting protests from both Jewish and Muslim groups. The ruling was further charged by Germany’s experiences with anti-Semitism in the early 20th century. The federal government is now expected to legalise the practice explicitly, provided it is done by trained people and parents are fully informed about any downsides to the operation.
Two terror suspects held at Heathrow
Two people have been arrested at London’s Heathrow airport on suspicion of committing terrorism offenses, according to the Metropolitan Police. A man and a woman, both 26, were arrested yesterday evening after their flight from Egypt landed. The arrests are part of an investigation into travel to Syria in support of alleged terrorist activity. Dozens of people are thought to have travelled from the UK to Syria to fight in the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, and some of those believed to have made such trips have joined jihadist groups. Two east London addresses are being searched under the Terrorism Act in connection with police inquiries.
Cameron: UK faces ‘hour of reckoning’
British Prime Minister David Cameron will address his party’s annual conference later today, warning in his headline speech that the UK is facing an “hour of reckoning”. He will set out the scale of the challenges faced in bringing about an economic recovery, and will say “these are difficult times. We are being tested”. The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its growth forecasts for the UK during the Conservative Party’s conference in Birmingham, which has been running throughout the first half of the week.
Africa and Middle East
Five militants dead in drone strike
A US drone strike on a militant base in a Pakistani tribal region near the Afghan border has killed five insurgents, according to security officials. The area, North Waziristan, is a known Taliban and al-Qaeda stronghold. The attack is the first since cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s rally last weekend against drones, which are deeply resented by many Pakistanis. The people are frightened of the unmanned aerial vehicles, which have been linked with significant civilian casualties and collateral damage alongside their successful kills of militant commanders. The Pakistani government argues the drones violate the nation’s sovereignty, but has done nothing to stop them – which many Pakistanis believe amounts to tacit consent. US President Barack Obama has insisted the drone strategy is “kept on a very tight leash” and that without drone strikes, the US would have had to resort to “more intrusive military action”.
Asia and Russia
China’s central bank governor pulls out of key meeting in Japan
Zhou Ziaochuan, the governor of China’s central bank, has pulled out of key World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings in Japan. He will be represented by a deputy, and it appears that China’s Finance Minister Xie Xuren will miss the meetings also. China’s explanation to the IMF cites scheduling difficulties, with an IMF spokesman saying in a statement “we were informed two days ago that Governor Zhou’s schedule might require him to cancel his lecture in Tokyo”. However, the decision comes amid an ongoing territorial dispute between China and Japan, and a report on China’s official news agency cited unidentified analysts saying the four state-owned banks had elected to skip the meetings “because bilateral relations between China and Japan have become strained”. Japan described the Chinese move as “regrettable”.
Australasia
Australian parliament approves offshore asylum camp
This morning, the Australian Senate approved legislation allowing an offshore processing camp on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, to being receiving asylum seekers, which it will do within weeks. Offshore processing camps were scrapped in 2008 but the decision to re-establish them was approved in August this year following recommendations from an independent panel. The recommendation came in response to a rising number of asylum seekers arriving by sea, often in unsuitable or damaged boats. Many such boats have sunk or broken up on rocks during the voyage, imperilling passengers and crew. It is hoped that offshore processing will deter people from making the dangerous journey, but critics say the policy is inhumane and provides inadequate protection for the human and legal rights of the asylum seekers held offshore.
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