News Briefs for week of November 23, 2009

This week, a collection of photographs from around the world of men, women, and children celebrating Eid ul Adha, Rifqa rally is held in Ohio for the runaway Christian convert, first “gay honor killing” in Turkey continues to stir civil clash, concerns are rising in the US over rate of Muslim “honor killings,” and Hamas bans women dancers and scooter riders.
The Boston Globe features a collection of photographs from around the world of Muslim men, women, and children celebrating Eid ul Adha on Friday.

The Miami Herald reports scores of Christian activists rally for Rifqa Bary outside the Franklin County Juvenile Court in Ohio. The hearing for the 17-year-old runaway convert has been postponed to Dec. 22. Rifqa supporters fear her safety if she is ordered to return to her family’s home in the Columbus area even though authorities found no evidence the teen was ever threatened or in danger. She is currently residing with a foster family in Ohio.

USA Today reports rising concern over “honor killings” in the United States, reporting six occurrences in the past two years committed by immigrant Muslim men. The latest of such killing was of Noor Almaleki, 20, who died Nov. 2 after she and her boyfriend’s mother were run over in a parking lot in Arizona.

A New York Times correspondent describes how the “first gay honor killing” in Turkey underlines the tensions between the secular modern Turkey and a more traditionalist Turkey, in which conservative Islam holds increasing influence. 16 months ago, the publicly gay 26-year-old was shot dead by his father who is still in hiding.

According to the Bloomberg Press, the Hamas movement in Gaza has banned women from riding behind men on motor scooters and forbade them from dancing at the opening of a folk museum.
Shazia Riaz is Associate Editor of Altmuslimah.

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