Anne Hathaway’s ‘Modest Swimwear’ In France Highlights Double Standards Against Muslim Women
New Age Islam News Bureau
28 June 2026
• Anne Hathaway’s ‘modest swimwear’ in France highlights double standards against Muslim women
• Bank Muamalat Launches New Islamic Finance Initiatives, Empowers Women’s Well-Being,
• Iranian delegation attending SCO Women’s Forum
• Ex-Pakistan captain slams sexist remarks at women's team: We break their confidence
• 'Lack of bridge': Villagers ferry pregnant woman on cot across river in MP, delivers baby on way
• 'Her bail sending wrong message': SiyaGoyal became 'younger version' of Sonam, says Raja Raghuvanshi's mother
• MSDF participates in young Muslim women leaders programme in Ankara
• If only Afghan women were men, we’d care more
• Afghan Women’s Cricket Team Makes Historic Return
• Cricket games 'historical moment' for Afghan girls
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Anne Hathaway’s ‘modest swimwear’ in France highlights double standards against Muslim women
Nadda Osman
27 June, 2026
Anne Hathaway's decision to wear a full body swim suit in St Tropez has sparked debate [Getty]
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New photos of American actress Anne Hathaway wearing a full-body wetsuit in the coastal town of Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera have sparked comment and debate over the double standards which Muslim women have to endure when they wear similar clothing in France.
The Oscar-winning actress, who announced her third pregnancy earlier this month, has been sporting many looks on her holiday with her husband.
However, it was her long-sleeved, full-length tie-dye patterned wet suit that caught the attention of many, who compared it to modest swimwear that many Muslim women choose to wear.
Many commentators took to social media to decry "double standards", with Hathaway’s choice of dress at the beach accepted and praised while Muslim women who wear the hijab and full-coverage swimwear are often turned away from public pools and beaches.
“…She deserves to wear whatever makes her feel comfortable and protected. But as a Muslim woman, I’ve been told I can’t even join my own daughter in the pool because I wear a hijab and choose modest swimwear,” writer and publisher BoutinaAzzabi wrote in a post on Instagram.
She pointed out that often, Muslim women are forced to travel to another country in order to wear modest swimsuits freely, noting that many women in France don’t have that option.
“So here we are: Applauding a celebrity for covering her body in France, while Muslim women are still questioned, excluded, or restricted for doing the very same thing…Same fabric. Different headlines. One woman is called inspiring. The other is called oppressed,” she added.
Some said that while Hathaway may have worn the wetsuit for protection from the sun, the reason behind the choice was irrelevant, and that Muslim women should not be penalised or excluded for making similar clothing choices.
“No one would think to kick Anne Hathaway off the beach for this swimsuit cover-up. But a Muslim woman in the same outfit is a national controversy. For one, it's a responsible, stylish choice. For the other, it's oppression,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
Fraincart also said Laurent Wauquiez, a French member of parliament, was “wretched” after he praised effectively banning the burkini (modest swimwear) in municipal swimming pools in Grenoble.
“I congratulate myself on this new victory. All subsidies to the city of Grenoble have been cut, which had authorised the wearing of the burkini in its municipal swimming pools. Once again, on this issue, justice has ruled in our favour! We we’re right to not back down,” the MP wrote on X on Thursday.
France banned the hijab from public schools in March 2004, while prayers are prohibited in French educational spaces. Many Muslim women who wear the hijab in France also face challenges when it comes to finding employment.
“Laïcité”, or “secularism”, which is theoretically embedded in the French constitution to protect everyone’s religious freedom, has often been used as a pretext to block Muslim women’s access to public spaces in France,” the rights group said in a report.
“Over several years, the French authorities have enacted laws and policies to regulate Muslim women’s and girls’ clothing in discriminatory ways. Sport federations have followed suit, imposing hijab bans in several sports,” the Amnesty report added.
Source: www.newarab.com
https://www.newarab.com/news/hathaways-modest-swimwear-france-highlights-anti-muslim-bias
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Bank Muamalat Launches New Islamic Finance Initiatives, Empowers Women’s Well-Being,
Legacy Planning
KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Bernama) -- Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd (Bank Muamalat) launched its new M-Zahra Takaful MyLadies and a Digital Faraid Calculator initiatives today, in conjunction with the Terengganu Financial Literacy Carnival 2026.
President and chief executive officer DatukKhairulKamarudin said women are playing an increasingly important role not only within the family but also as economic contributors and financial decisionmakers. “At Bank Muamalat, we believe every woman deserves financial
protection that supports their aspirations, well-being and future security.“M-Zahra Takaful MyLadies was developed not merely as an insurance product but as a comprehensive solution that t year - Amir Hamzah | Official BUDI MADAN
Source: www.bernamabiz.com
https://www.bernamabiz.com/news.php?id=2573908/
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Iranian delegation attending SCO Women’s Forum
June 27, 2026
With the theme “Women’s Leadership,” the SCO Women’s Forum is being held on June 26-27, IRNA reported.
The forum discusses current issues related to women's roles in public and political leadership, their participation in economic development, and new opportunities in the context of digital transformation.
Representatives of government agencies from SCO member states, international organizations, and civil society, as well as experts, women entrepreneurs, and women’s movement leaders, are participating in the forum.
The administration pays special attention to empowering women in social and economic areas, as well as improving their access to social services and facilities through implementing certain national programs.
According to Zahra Behrouz-Azar, the Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs, more than 2,700 female managers were appointed in the country as deputy ministers, director generals, deputy director generals, governors, district governors, and heads of research institutes in the past two years.
“President MasoudPezeshkian’s administration has always highlighted the importance of national unity and empowering women. As a result, for the first time, we have Sunni female governors in the country,” IRNA quoted Behrouz-Azar as saying in August 2025.
The official went on to say that in Iranian year 1403 (2024 – 2025), efforts were made to identify and address harmful issues to women, including the bill on the elimination of violence against women, the hijab, and women riding motorcycles. Moreover, the vice-presidency for women and family affairs has offered loans and other facilities for childbearing.
Iran has always focused on programs that empower women, particularly those who are heads of household, economically and socially. Actions taken by the country have always aimed to promote women’s status by observing the principles of the constitution and Islamic teachings, Behrouz-Azar said.
Referring to the country’s remarkable achievements in education, health, science, technology, and entrepreneurship, she underscored the prominent role of Iranian women in these fields, Mehr news agency quoted Behrouz-Azar as saying in November 2024.
The official further said the seventh National Development Plan has stressed the need to overcome barriers to women’s professional development. Accordingly, the current administration has put supporting women’s entrepreneurship and home business growth on the agenda despite unfair sanctions.
Source: www.tehrantimes.com
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527660/Iranian-delegation-attending-SCO-Women-s-Forum
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Ex-Pakistan captain slams sexist remarks at women's team: We break their confidence
By: Sabyasachi Chowdhury
Jun 27, 2026
Former Pakistan captain Sana Mir has condemned the sexist criticism directed at the women's cricket team following its early exit from the Women's T20 World Cup. Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals after losing their opening three matches.
They pushed South Africa close, thanks to an impressive all-round display from captain Fatima Sana, but ultimately fell short. Their campaign officially ended with a disappointing defeat to Bangladesh, where the batting unit suffered a dramatic collapse.
In a video posted on Instagram, Mir criticised the gendered nature of the backlash, arguing that women cricketers are judged far more harshly than their male counterparts.
She urged fans and critics to offer constructive criticism instead of targeting players based on their gender, adding that such attitudes only undermine female athletes and reflect a broader societal mindset that needs to change.
"The thing that pains me the most right now is our mindset. When we discuss women, it's about the perspective we adopt, the way we talk about them, and the extent to which we try to break their confidence whenever they make a mistake. Unless we change this mindset, we as a society will never move forward,” Mir said in a video on Instagram.
"Some people did support us, but what we've mostly seen is players being bashed. More importantly, they're being targeted because they're women. Haven't our men's teams lost World Cups? Haven't their performances gone up and down as well? Yet when it comes to women, the conversation shifts to feminism and all sorts of stereotypes about how women behave.”
Mir said criticism is part of sport but should never descend into sexist abuse or personal attacks. She condemned AI-generated misinformation and abuse targeting players and their families, urging people to treat women cricketers with the same dignity and respect afforded to male athletes.
“We, too, sit on sports shows and criticise performances, but have you ever heard a woman cricketer say about a male cricketer, 'He's better off making rotis in a tandoor; that's what he should be doing'? There's a way to speak about people. These players represent your country. They're your fellow human beings—they have minds, talent, and they've already proved themselves. So why speak about them in such a manner?” Mir said.
“The way women are viewed is deeply troubling. People create AI-generated videos, spread one lie after another about players, and even drag their families into it. This is the very mindset that suppresses women. And it's not just your women's cricket team that suffers because of it—your society suffers too. Your daughters aren't safe, your elders aren't safe, and no one is truly protected from the consequences of this mentality,” Mir added.
After losing their first four matches, Pakistan suffered a crushing 113-run defeat to Australia in Leeds before ending their campaign on a positive note with a 37-run victory over the Netherlands. Gull Feroza starred with a match-winning 63, earning the Player of the Match award, while Ayesh Zafar and captain Fatima Sana claimed three wickets each.
Source: www.indiatoday.in
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'Lack of bridge': Villagers ferry pregnant woman on cot across river in MP, delivers baby on way
Jun 28, 2026
BHOPAL: A video of villagers carrying a pregnant woman on a cot across a river in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district has gone viral, highlighting the lack of a bridge in the area and delays in emergency medical care.
Residents said nearly 20 families in the remote hamlet depend on crossing the river to access the nearest road and have been demanding a bridge for years.
They said the village remains cut off during emergencies, causing repeated hardship. According to locals, the woman, identified as SavitaVishwakarma, developed labour pain on Wednesday and an ASHA worker called the 108 ambulance service. However, poor network connectivity and the river crossing delayed medical help. As her condition worsened, villagers placed her on a cot and carried her across the river.
The woman delivered the baby before she could reach a healthcare facility. Villagers later took the mother and newborn on a motorcycle to a hospital for treatment.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the difficulties faced by people in remote parts of the district, where poor transport infrastructure can delay access to emergency healthcare.
Source: timesofindia.com
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshowprint/132045165.cms
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'Her bail sending wrong message': SiyaGoyal became 'younger version' of Sonam, says Raja Raghuvanshi's mother
Jun 28, 2026
INDORE: The mother of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was allegedly murdered during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, on Saturday drew parallels between her son's case and the recent alleged murder of Ketan Agarwal, alleging that accused SiyaGoyal acted like a "younger version" of her daughter-in-law SonamRaghuvanshi, who is out on conditional bail in Raja's murder case.
SonamRaghuvanshi, who was arrested in connection with the alleged murder of her husband Raja last year, was recently granted conditional bail by a lower court, which cited certain technical shortcomings in the investigation.
Drawing similarities between both the cases, Uma Raghuvanshi said, "Just like SonamRaghuvanshi had planned, weaved a story; SiyaGoyal too conspired and pushed her fiancee off the cliff."
Referring to Siya and Sonam, she said, "If girls do not want to get married then don't, but please don't kill other people's sons. And please speak to your parents, they don't have the right to murder."
Commenting on SonamRaghuvanshi being granted bail, Uma Raghuvanshi said: "Her bail is sending a wrong message to the society. Accused may think that they, too, will easily come out of prison after committing such heinous crimes, if they are caught."
"Firstly, they (the accused) are not scared of being caught and even if they are arrested, the accused think that if Sonam can be released then they too will be let out," she added.
Appealing to Ketan Agarwal's family to continue their fight for justice, she said: "I have not yet received justice for my son but I would urge his family to not lose hope till the accused is given death penalty."
Source: timesofindia.com
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshowprint/132044768.cms
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MSDF participates in young Muslim women leaders programme in Ankara
27/06/2026
ANKARA: The Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF) has reaffirmed its commitment to building national capacities and empowering young leaders through its participation in the 'Ally for the Future: Muslim Young Women' programme held in Ankara, Türkiye.
The ministry was represented by Sheikha Ali Al Mari, Head of the Family Affairs Department, in the international programme, which aims to prepare and empower the next generation of young Muslim women leaders.
The participation reflects the State of Qatar's active engagement in international initiatives focused on leadership development and capacity building, while underscoring its continued commitment to supporting young women and enhancing their role in shaping the future.
Source: www.qatar-tribune.com
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If only Afghan women were men, we’d care more
By NishthaGautam
Jun 28, 2026
In an essay written years ago, I rhetorically claimed that certain illnesses do not get enough resources because they are gender-specific — women dying or ailing, because of endometriosis, for example, do not matter; sexually insecure men do. In a different setting, this still stands true. If the Taliban behaved with men the way they do with women, all eyes would be on Afghanistan. Today, they stand normalised. The story has moved on.
The wreckage of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 keeps washing ashore, shards that refuse to settle in the depths of anonymity and indifference. They continue to prick. Like, a desolate email from an Afghan student to her professors in India. Or the video of a burqa-clad woman being whipped by a man for the crime of teaching girls in her house. Rising on the promise of peace, the Taliban has systematically erased women from the book of what the world cares for and acts against.
A UK-based journalist of Afghan origin, Yalda Hakim, has been keeping a count of days on her X timeline. As of today, “Day 1,743 of Afghan women being denied the right to an education. 2.2 million women and girls have been affected, and the world remains silent.” As a matter of fact, the world, specifically the ‘enlightened’ West, is actively trying to send refugees back. It knows what awaits them yet chooses not to care.
The latest EU-Taliban closed-door talks in Brussels are just another demonstration in the long history of apathy towards the victims of the Taliban. Domestic politics in Europe has succeeded in normalising the woman-hating Afghan government with this maiden invitation to Taliban officials. With a rising tide of hostilities against immigrants, European countries are keen to push them back into contexts that led to their immigration in the first place.
It has become de rigeuer to accuse immigrants of seeking greener pastures in the West after allegedly destroying their own yard. Such criticism falls flat in the face of facts. In the case of Afghanistan, the largest number of refugees — almost 90% of the total — are in the neighbouring countries Iran and Pakistan. Under constant threat of violence and deportation, these refugees live under pitiable conditions, braving everyday insults as the necessary price to pay for displacement. Cusswords are better than public hangings. Iran alone deported about 1.5 million Afghans in 2025. So, if greener pastures mean bare survival, Afghan refugees are guilty.
But let us talk about women. The US waged a war against Iran this year on the pretext of ensuring women’s rights by overthrowing the Ayatollah government. It is only when the heat became too much to bear for Europe that it started critiquing the US-Israel adventurism. A similar war was waged by the US against Afghanistan decades ago. It has ended up condemning Afghan women further by rendering them vulnerable to an empowered, emboldened, and now accepted Taliban. In the past five years, women have been punished for asking not to be treated as chattels. Taliban’s crackdown on women’s education, health, and any other marker of agency has evidenced a kind of vengeance that’s not uncommon but rarely unresisted.
Establishing relations with a government in the name of pragmatism may be a necessity that will weigh heavily on any establishment’s conscience. By treating the Taliban as the true sons of the Afghan soil, most countries, including India, have condemned the daughters of the same soil to torture and hopelessness. Internal matters of a country are best left to the people of that country. But what happens when an apartheid regime doesn’t allow half the population to even breathe? Modern diplomacy doesn’t care, nor should it, for moral absolutism. What, then, is the way forward for at least three generations of women languishing under the oppressive and discriminatory rule of the Taliban?
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
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Afghan Women’s Cricket Team Makes Historic Return
28-06-2026
After years of displacement and fleeing Taliban threats, Afghanistan’s refugee women’s cricket team travelled to Britain and, following a meeting with King Charles III, finally took to the field in Cambridge to show the world that the dreams of Afghan women remain alive.
Nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power and barred Afghan women from education, work and sport, Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team played two historic matches at the famous Fenner’s Ground in Cambridge, England.
Competing under the name “Afghan Women’s XI” because of international restrictions, the team faced the UK Armed Forces Women’s Cricket Team and the Cambridge University Women’s Cricket Club in two Twenty20 matches.
The team’s origins date back to 2010, when Afghan women formed the country’s first national women’s cricket team despite cultural opposition and security threats. But everything changed after Kabul fell in August 2021. The Taliban banned women’s sport and completely shut down the women’s division of the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
Players spent weeks hiding in safe houses, burning national team uniforms and destroying or concealing their bats and medals to avoid being identified by Taliban intelligence.
With support from international organisations and the Australian government, most of the players eventually fled to Pakistan through dangerous routes before being resettled in Australia, Canada and Britain on humanitarian visas, where they restarted training from scratch.
Under International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, full member nations are required to have a national women’s team. Yet the ICC continues to recognise the Afghanistan Cricket Board under Taliban control. Afghanistan’s men compete freely in international tournaments, while the women’s team has no official national status and now competes as a refugee side without official funding.
The team’s visit to Britain, which coincided with the Women’s T20 World Cup, included events hosted by Cambridge institutions such as Hughes Hall.
The highlight of the trip was an official meeting with King Charles III at Clarence House in London, seen as a strong gesture of international recognition for the players.
During the meeting, veteran player ShukriaNoori presented the King with a cricket bat signed by all members of the team. King Charles praised their courage, saying he was delighted they had been able to continue pursuing the game they loved.
Another leading player, FiroozaAmiri, said the team now represents millions of Afghan women who have been deprived of their most basic rights under what she described as the Taliban’s system of gender apartheid.
Seventeen-year-old wicketkeeper EkilLatifi, who was forced to leave her family behind when Kabul fell, said the matches provided an opportunity to stand up for the rights of Afghan women.
For these Afghan women, playing in Cambridge was about far more than cricket. Five years after being forced to destroy their own sporting equipment to protect their lives, every run scored and every wicket taken stood as proof that although the Taliban emptied Afghanistan’s playing fields, they had failed to destroy the hope, talent and identity of Afghan women.
Source: www.afintl.com
https://www.afintl.com/en/202606276919
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Cricket games 'historical moment' for Afghan girls
Tom Williams
28-06-2026
An England cricket tour by the Afghanistan Women's team is being hailed as "a historical moment for Afghan girls".
The group, known as the Afghan Refugee Women's Team after the Taliban banned women's sports, played two matches in Cambridge on Saturday at the historical Fenner's ground.
"I hope that as a result of this match, people back in Afghanistan will also hear that the world is with them," said Sir Laurie Bristow, president of Hughes Hall in Cambridge.
Afghan journalist Zahra Joya, who is a by-fellow at Hughes Hall, said: "Seeing the girls back in the field, I am overwhelmed and joyful."
"It is a historical moment for Afghan girls, that they have this opportunity to play, and it shows their resilience and passion, their desire in sports," she added.
Joya added: "It's a kind of inspiration for the next generation of young girls in Afghanistan, because if they don't have this backup and support, then they will lose their hope."
The team has repeatedly called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to recognise them once again as an international team and commit to long-term funding.
FiroozaAmiri, one of the women's team members, said while it had not been an easy journey for any of them, cricket had brought them together and created "some sense of belonging".
The tour in England was "a great opportunity" to play matches but also "to represent our girls in Afghanistan around the world," Amiri said.
"We are here not to just play cricket, we are here to be a voice for the Afghan girls back in Afghanistan. To give them hope that there are some people fighting for them."
Louise Hulland/BBC The cricket ground with some players in their blue kit. Close to the camera is a woman with the name N.Amiri 16 on her shirt.LouiseHulland/BBC
On Saturday, they take on the Cambridge University Cricket Club Women's team as well as the UK Armed Forces Women's team at Fenner's.
Sir Laurie said the event had been years in the planning and it was a long-held ambition to get the team playing on the cricket ground where greats of the game, such as England skippers Mike Brearley and Mike Atherton, started their careers.
He added: "The matches are a celebration of women's sport and a recognition of the resilience and achievements of the Afghan women cricketers.
"This match is about saying 'We're with you, we're in solidarity with you, we want to stand with you'."
Source: www.bbc.com
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj0ge53gmr1o
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