The main one is that Mr Kohl's sturdiest loyalists, still quite strong in the party, and the Christian Democrats' right-wing Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, fear that Mrs Merkel is too young, inexperienced and left-wing.

ECONOMIST: Germany

At one point, Aviva falls into the hands of Christian right-to-lifers who take care of the lame, the halt, and the blind while plotting to murder a doctor who performs abortions.

NEWYORKER: Palindromes

The Syrians were very, very alarmed way back in the 1975-76 period, when right-wing Christian militias were making common cause with Israel against Palestinian and leftist Lebanese organizations.

NPR: The Syria-Lebanon Connection