Racism veiled as liberation Whose ‘way of life’ is France’s lower house protecting? Not the women who wear niqabs Madeleine Bunting guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 14 July 2010 18.30 BST Article history A woman wearing a burqa. Photograph: John Moore/Getty ImagesIt sends a shiver down the spine. France’s lower house has passed a law banning the wearing of the full Islamic veil – covering the face – in public places. The hope has to be that this extraordinary decision never actually reaches the statute book given that France’s highest constitutional body, the council of state, warned some months ago that a ban … Continue reading Islamophobia as liberation in Sarkozyland (aka Shortzy!)

The job of an ambassador What does a British diplomat overseas actually do? Everything from organising WCs for VIPs to passing on secret messages … Oliver Miles guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 14 July 2010 13.30 BST Article history When I wrote about the problem of Britain’s blogging ambassadors a few days ago, a reader in the discussion thread challenged me to write “a new article, about the induction process of diplomats and ambassadors … things like ‘dos and don’ts’ lists … what type of scripts they need to follow, and what sort of training they attend to keep them on the narrow … Continue reading What does a British Ambassador actually do?

Calls grow for burka ban in Britain as French outlaw Islamic ‘walking coffins’ By Peter Allen Britain faced growing calls to ban the burka today after French MPs voted overwhelmingly to outlaw full-face veils in public. Politicians in France united yesterday to ban Islamic veils that cover a woman’s face, which some described as ‘walking coffins’. Deputies in the country’s 557-seat lower house, the National Assembly, voted in favour of the ban by 335 votes to one. Support for a ban in Britain has come from Tory backbencher Philip Hollobone and the UK Independence Party. Tory backbencher Philip Hollobone has … Continue reading Philip Hollobone MP – wants to pick on Muslim women…

Busted by YouTube: Video seen by 2m proves police officer who claimed cyclist ran into him was LYING By Mail Foreign Service A former police officer faces jail after an internet video exposed his bid to prosecute a cycling protester for running into him as a lie. Patrick Pogan claimed activist Christopher Long steered into him and knocked him down during a demonstration in New York. But a YouTube video seen by two million people so far has exposed him as a liar. Caught on camera: Still video images show how officer Patrick Pogan knocked over Christopher Long, despite opposite … Continue reading Is this why British Police don’t like their pics taken?

Cameron’s fury at thousands who joined Facebook tributes to ‘callous murderer’ Raoul Moat By Daniel Martin Downing Street is to contact Facebook to express the Prime Minister’s dismay after hundreds of people left messages of sympathy on the website for gunman Roaul Moat. David Cameron said yesterday that he simply could not understand why anyone would feel sorry for a ‘callous murderer’. Flowers have been left at the scene of Mr Moat’s death in Northumberland, and more than 30,000 people have joined a group on the social networking site Facebook to pay tribute to the gunman. Now Mr Cameron has … Continue reading Raoul Moat – Why is he a hero?

Put… me… DOWN! The elephant who took a fancy to a very unfortunate lizard By Mail Foreign Service Swinging mid-air like a rag doll, this monitor lizard was in for a rough time when a playful elephant took a fancy to it. The unlucky creature had been swept off the ground and was carried around for a number of days by Madhuri, an Indian elephant. With tail firmly clamped in the animal’s trunk the lizard was swung around and occasionally put back on the floor. This is not the beginning of a beautiful friendship: Madhuri, an Indian elephant, swings a … Continue reading The elephant who fancied a lizard!

dawn.com In this photo taken June 9, 2010, Iraqi painter Muayad Muhsin gestures towards a painting while in his studio during an interview with The Associated Press in Baghdad, Iraq. Iraq’s artists are using their work to try to process the turmoil since the 2003 US-led invasion, and what they are producing shows a profound anger over their country’s traumas and uncertainty over its future. – AP Photo BAGHDAD: Iraq’s artists are using their work to try to process the turmoil since the 2003 US-led invasion, and what they are producing shows a profound anger over their country’s traumas and … Continue reading Iraq’s artists reflect pain, trauma of the war

Who will cast the first stone? By Irfan Husain dawn.com Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. –AP Photo First, the good news: the Bangladesh High Court has abolished all physical punishments based on the scriptures. Thus, people will no longer be sentenced to lashing, chopping off their hands, or stoning to death. Unfortunately, Mrs Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is an Iranian widow, and was sentenced to be stoned to death in her country for alleged adultery before her husband was murdered. She has already been lashed 99 times in 2006 for “illicit sex”. The Iranian penal code is very explicit about how the sentence … Continue reading Muslims need to grow up?

Inspiring leaders by Guest As the room filled up with bright young faces, a girl with a huge smile walked up to the podium to introduce me to the audience. “I am very excited about today’s session,” said Zainub Riaz who was one of the organisers, her voice booming through the microphone. And so began the Young Leader’s Conference (YLC), a six-day residential conference where people from all around Pakistan attend workshops and inspiring talks to learn leadership skills from the world of business, development, academia and culture. Essentially, the place to be if you want to start off young … Continue reading Young Leader’s Conference – Inspiring leaders

In the shadows by Faisal Kapadia at dawn.com A new corporate mini-documentary featuring our new superstar Naseem Hameed is all over our television screen these days. It shows a girl sprinting at school races as her parents cheer her on. Cut to the South Asian Games and that girl now a woman, still a sprinter, who wins the 100-metre event gold medal for Pakistan. What a triumph! What a blow for feminism in Pakistan – the fastest woman is South Asia is a Pakistani. Now a household name in the country, she is adored by the media and has become … Continue reading In the shadows the heroines arise