Friday Links -- February 1, 2008

Iran’s leading women’s magazine, Zanan, has been forced to close after 16 years. Damn. Zanan staunchly promoted feminist ideas using oblique language to fly under the censors’ radar, and editor Shahla Sherkat has endured years of harassment by government censorship agencies.

Meet Rabiah Hutchinson, named “Australia’s most watched woman” because the Australian government accuses of her links to terrorism.
Lebanese-American author Deborah Kanafani talks about her book
Calgary, Canada has a Muslim women’s convention!
Malaysia’s Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil doesn’t dig a welfare state.
One reason not to try online Muslim dating sites.
Nazia Tabassum changes 50 years of sexist tradition by becoming a member of Anjman Islamia, an Indian organization of Muslims of Ranchi in Jharkhand that runs a number of educational institutions and a hospital. Barikallah!
Iran thinks about producing different textbooks for different genders. WHAT?
Tamil writer Salma brings up women’s issues through her poetry.
A conservative Brussels news site looks at Fadela Amara, one of two Muslim women in French president Sarkozy’s cabinet.
altmuslim’s Rafia Zakaria compares the political careers of Hillary Clinton and Benazir Bhutto.
Arab News’ Arjuwan Lakkdawala looks at the difficulty that single Saudi mothers have raising their children

AKI speaks with Saudi author Rajaa AlSanea about women’s lives in her country.
Swedish Muslim women who refused to change their clothes at a public pool are awarded damages.
In Kandahar, Afghan women protest against the kidnapping of a U.S. aid worker.
Egyptian police held Al Jazeera documentary producer Howayda Taha for 15 hours on the count of filming without a license and then released her.
MidEastYouth looks at new developments for women in Saudi Arabia.
The New York Times looks at how Turkey is coming into itself by lifting the ban on headscarves.
Legendary Lebanese singer Fairouz performs in Syria despite criticism.
A British Muslim woman dies under muddled circumstances while visiting Pakistan. May Allah grant her peace.

Britain’s prime minister formally launches the National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group that was set up last year.
Two women kill 72 people when they blow themselves up in Baghdad. May Allah grant peace to those who they killed and the families that have lost their loved ones.

Friday Links — February 1, 2008