Trapped in Yemen

(picture from Al-Jazeera.com)

News and views on all-things Muslim for April 2- 5, 2015.

This week is another sad one with Americans trapped in Yemen; one of them was actually killed. There are big (and somewhat more positive) news reports in Iran, one involving nuclear agreements and the other involving women in sports spaces.

I give to you newsworthy links I think you should know about. Check out the links and please let me know if you think I should add anything!

Articles About Muslims:

A Bay Area Man Trapped in Yemen Searches for Way to Leave. Mokhtar Alkhanshaliis is desperate to escape Yemen, which is under siege from Saudi airstrikes, but his efforts to leave put him in serious danger. If you know anyone that is trapped in Yemen, please visit Stuck in Yemen.

Alkhanshali’sconcerns are valid. Fellow Californian, 40 year old, Jamal al-Labani, a father of three, from Oakland died as a result of injuries sustained after being hit by mortar shelling. Al-Labani is the first reported U.S. citizen fatality of violence. To God we belong, and to God is our return.

In more devastating news, we learn that in one of Kenya’s worst terrorist attack where almost 150 students were killed, Come Out and Live, Shabab Told Kenya Students. It Was a Lie.

Rohina Malik is an amazing playwright who has written many plays about the Muslim experience. Her play, “THE MECCA TALES” was recently reviewed by Hedy Weiss and this line best describes the play: “Although framed by notions of contemporary Muslim-American life, Malik has written what is essentially a tale of feminist bonding.”

In Philadelphia, Septa, a transit agency, was forced to run anti-Islam ads after losing a court battle to AFDI, a right-wing fringe group that sued Septa when the transit agency refused to run them. In a “measured response”, Philadelphia Clerics Call Controversy Over Anti-Muslim Bus Ads a Teaching Moment.

Wow. Straight from Media Matters article, Fox News Confirms “Religious Freedom” Law Was About Discrimination: “After spending over a week denying that Indiana’s “religious freedom” law could be used for anti-gay discrimination, Fox News is now contradicting itself by arguing that the law has been “gutted” by new language that prohibits business owners from using it to discriminate.”

Sports Illustrated reported that Iran to allow women inside sporting events. The announcement was made to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. “Women will most likely be assigned to special sections in the stadiums, while mixed seating will be available for families.” Yup, this is BIG.

And more news on Iran, and this is almost bigger than letting women in stadiums, “U.S., Iran reach historic nuclear framework agreement.” Yup, you read right: diplomats from Iran, the U.S. and other world powers announced a framework nuclear agreement.

Article by Muslims:

I haven’t been to Pakistan in more than ten years, so when I read Asma T. Uddin’s piece, ‘After 17 years in America, I’m scared of going back to Pakistan, I felt like it was something I could have written myself. She writes about her hopes, fears, and her trip. It is a great read.

Cool Link:

(pic from Gabriela Maj’s website)

Stirring Photographs Document The Many Women Imprisoned In Afghanistan. In 2010, Polish-Canadian photographer, Gabriela Maj, visited a women’s prison in Afghanistan. The visit turned into a remarkable project that is worth seeing.

Sabina Khan-Ibarra is a freelance writer and editor. She regularly contributes to her blog, Ibrahim’s Tree which she created after the loss of her infant son in 2011. She created Muslimah Montage as a platform for women to share their stories. Sabina currently lives in Davis, CA and working on her memoir. Follow Sabina on Twitter: @muslimahmontage