News and Analysis (7/20/17)

The opponents of the Travel Ban argue that excluding certain family members from entering the U.S. is “nonsense” and the court should not define what “close” is…

• Justices Urged to Reject Trump Plea to Tighten Travel Ban (AP / abc News)

… although Congress has the power to defund any of Trump’s executive orders, including the Travel Ban, they narrowly decided to let the administration ban Grandma:

• In First And Only Vote On Trump’s Muslim Ban, Republicans Fail The Test (Huffington Post)

A  German judge’s ill-thought out and probably illegal order for a woman to appear in court without her headscarf will effectively derive her of her right to sue for divorce:

• Muslim Woman Banned from Wearing Headscarf in Court: Legal professor accuses judge of using law as pretext for ‘racism and sexism’ (Independent)

“A bus driver with more than 20 years on the job filed a lawsuit against an Atlanta principal … [who refused] to let her in the [school] building because saw her praying”:

• Lawsuit: Atlanta Principal Bans Muslim Bus Driver for Praying (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

The headlining Afghan Girls Robotics team earned a silver metal …

• Story of Afghan Girls’ Team Just One of Many at Robotics Event (VoA)

…and a new perspective from Americans. Not only did President Trump intervene to get them their visa, but his daughter Ivanka welcomed them in person:

• Afghan All-girls Robotics Team Impressed by ‘Friendly’ US (VoA)

“Muslim-Americans are always finding themselves having to defend their patriotism and Americanism”:

• Commentary: Muslims Here and Around U.S. Are Weary of Constantly Playing Defense (Deadline Detroit)

Before 6:30 am, two men caught on camera leaving a pigs head in a back pack with a swastika on it outside of an Islamic School Gate:

• Rotting Pig’s Head Left at Islamic School Gate in Queensland (The Guardian)

Flying in the face of partisan polarization a Republican candidate promptly comes to the defense of his Democratic opponent Deedra Abboud, when she is bombarded with relentless hate messages because of her Muslim faith:

• Republican Sen. Jeff Flake Comes to the Defense of Muslim Democrat Hoping to Unseat Him (AP /abc News)

Notwithstanding reforms respecting Saudi women’s freedom “to play sports in public school and have access to physical education classes” it’s still illegal to show their belly buttons or legs:

• Saudi Woman Arrested for Immodesty After Social Media Condemnation (Christian Science Monitor)

“Officials said the phasing out of the secret program reflects Trump’s interest in finding ways to work with Russia, which saw the anti-Assad program as an assault on its interests”:

• Trump Ends Covert CIA Program to Arm Anti-Assad Rebels in Syria, a Move Sought by Moscow (Washington Post)

Layla Shoufer