Friday Links — October 1, 2010

• emel discusses the differences between the French and Syrian niqab bans. More on the French niqab ban from The American Muslim.

• Sakineh Ashtiani’s son begs for a global ban on stoning. The Australian has the latest on her case.

• Tehran hospital fires nurses for “improper Islamic covering.”

• A planned kite-flying in support of Afghan women’s rights was hijacked by local police.

• On the women in Malaysia’s fiscal industry. More from Reuters.

• A psychological exam was ordered for an Indianapolis woman charged in the deaths of two young children. May Allah give them peace and justice.

• Disneyland has agreed to allow an intern to wear a company-designed head covering at work. More from the LAist and the Herald Sun.

• Women in Chechnya are under pressure to adopt Islamic dress, according to human rights activists.

• First Islamic fashion store in Calcutta draws crowds.

• You are never going to believe this! A professor finds that women who wear headscarves “face discrimination.”

• Speaking of: A New York ferry employee has been suspended after telling two Muslim women to take off some of their religious attire.

• In Kerala, India, 50% of seats in local self-governing bodies are reserved for women. But the Muslim women who get the tickets might have to adhere to a moral code of conduct, drawn up by prominent community organizations.

• On Rachida Dati’s latest embarrassing gaffe.

• Indonesia’s Aceh province enforces a ban on “tight trousers.”

• The man accused of ordering the death of Suzanne Tamim was sentenced to 15 years in jail instead of death. More from Bikya Masr.

• Spiegel Online looks at Bahrain’s first sex shop.

• This year’s Arab Booker Prize sees more female submissions.

• Dr. Mazlan Othman has been named “official space host” by the U.N.

• Northwestern University gets its first Muslim chaplain. She discusses her new role.

• Women in Saudi Arabia campaign for the freedom to marry.

• The Women’s Media Center profiles a Palestinian midwife. Meanwhile, NPR highlights Afghan midwives.

• The coalition agreement drawn up by the three right-wing parties forming a the new government cabinet in The Netherlands includes a ban on the burqa.

• elan interviews singer Yuna.

• An honor killing in Alexandria, Egypt. May Allah give her peace and justice.

• On Gaza’s first female truck driver and the hurdles she faces while trying to get her license.

• The Australian discusses honor killings.

• Something to make you sick: Muslim women in Palestinian mental hospitals are supposedly being given hysterectomies.

• In Ghana, Muslim women are being educated to help them cooperate with the government census.

If we’ve missed any news about Muslim women this week, please feel free to post links in the comments!