The Burkini: A Closer Look At The Swimwear That's Making Headlines

The burkini has had a controversial summer in France.

A number of towns along the Riveria banned the burkini — a portmanteau of "bikini" and "burka," and a type of swimwear — in the wake of the deadly Bastille Day attacks in Nice. Officials argued that the body-covering swimwear isn't in line with France's secular views; French socialist prime minister Manuel Valls called the burkini "a symbol of the enslavement of women." Critics of the ban did not agree that the burkini is a symbol of oppression or extremism.The latest twist was the Friday ruling from France's highest court, addressing the ban in one town. The court suspended the ban, saying it "seriously, and clearly illegally, breached the fundamental freedoms to come and go, the freedom of beliefs and individual freedom."

Here's a closer look at the swimsuit that launched a worldwide debate.

The burkini was created by a Lebanese-born Australian woman.

Aheda Zanetti is credited with inventing the alternative swim gear in 2004 to accommodate a hijab-wearing niece who wanted to play sports. She's even trademarked the name "burkini." Zanetti says she strove to make something that made modest dress work with the active Australian (and beach-focused) lifestyle. Zanetti's designs aren't the only option. Companies from Jordan to the USA, like Veilkini, East Essence and YEESAM also offer modest beachwear.

The goal of the burkini is to marry swimwear with Islamic values.

Practicing Muslim women follow the Koran's call to "cover and be modest" in dress. Zanetti's Ahiida brand makes a few different types but all have the following elements: a long-sleeved tunic with a knee-skimming seam and an attached "Hijood" head covering and pants. They come in a variety of colors and patterns, including deep plum with a swirl design and a silver look with multicolored stripes. The fabric, 100 percentpolyester, is lightweight, resistant to chlorine and quick-drying — and provides UV protection. The burkini leaves only the face, hands and feet visible.

Muslim women aren't the only ones to favor modest swimwear.

Western swimwear has evolved dramatically over the centuries — in the 1800s, suits covered most of the female bather's body. Meanwhile, Orthodox Jewish women havestrikingly similar swimwear. As for the burkini — and do-it-yourself variations — they're part of the beach scene in India, North Africa and other areas where Muslims live (and swim).

The public outcry against the ban has been huge.

Muslim women from across the world have some common refrains: The ban is sexist, Islamophobic and, above all, extreme. "France's way of battling this extremism is with an extremist act," said Nayema Jilani, a British Muslim woman interviewed in a video on the topic done by the Huffington Post.

The ban isn't only an issue for Muslim women. Protesters threw a beach party at the French embassy in London on Thursday, complete with burkinis, sand and inflatable toys. An Algerian man dubbed the "niqab Zorro" has offered to pay the fine for any woman ticketed in France for sporting a burka or a burkini.

Backlash looks as if it's good for sales.

Some may be protesting the burkini ban with their wallets. Zanettii cited 60 online orders last Sunday compared to a typical 10 or so per day. A burkini will set a shopper back anywhere from $30 or so to about $100, depending on size and style.

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/08/26/491477033/frances-highest-court-suspends-burkini-ban-in-one-town

who-Muslim women

what-A number of towns along the Riveria banned the burkini — a portmanteau of "bikini" and "burka," and a type of swimwear

when-2004

where-France

why-Officials argued that the body-covering swimwear isn't in line with France's secular views

keyword-extremism,fundamental,beachwear,protection,percentpolyester

Week9-Girls head human rights event

Hadiqa Bashir of Pakistan nearly became a child bride when she was nine years old, but now she is devoted to putting an end to the practice, she said at a human rights event in Taipei.

Bashir, 14, was one of four Asian Girls’ Human Rights ambassadors who attended a news conference held by the Garden of Hope Foundation yesterday to mark Taiwan Girls’ Day, which has been observed on Oct. 11 since 2013.

Bashir, a recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, has launched a movement to fight for the rights of girls and has organized demonstrations to protest child marriage and all forms of violence against women and children.

At yesterday’s event, Bashir told the story of a classmate who was forced into marriage when she was seven years old.

The classmate did not return to school after the wedding, but came to a farewell party in her honor not long after and looked very pale with tears falling down her face, Bashir said.

It was then that they realized her husband had beaten her with a wire, Bashir said.

It was intended that Bashir be married to a taxi driver when she was nine years old, but she protested and eventually won the support of her uncle in resisting the planned union.

She continued her education and decided to publicly advocate an end to child marriage, she said.

Other event ambassadors, Inessa Arshakyan from Armenia, Zolzaya Ganbold from Mongolia and Peng Liang-yu (彭亮瑜) from Taiwan, also shared stories about fighting for girls’ rights.

Arshakyan, 17, is an advocate for biological conservation, environmental protection and helping girls from socially disadvantaged families.

Arshakyan said that in Armenia selective abortions are common if the fetus is female, because traditionally men own the house and pass it down to their sons.

Arshakyan said she is lucky not only because her mother chose to have her, but also supports her cause.

She said she hopes that the media can raise awareness of gender issues, such as selective abortion and child marriage.

Tomorrow is Taiwan Girls’ Day. The day is also the International Day of the Girl Child, which was declared by the UN in 2011.

Hadiqa Bashir of Pakistan nearly became a child bride when she was nine years old, but now she is devoted to putting an end to the practice, she said at a human rights event in Taipei.

who-Bashir

what-Hadiqa Bashir of Pakistan nearly became a child bride when she was nine years old

when-Oct. 11 since 2013

where-Taiwan Taipei

why-now Bashir is devoted to putting an end to the practice

Keywords-protested / awareness / Foundation / selective / demonstrations / abortion 

Week8-Slowdown hits UK’s Brexit economy

The UK economy appears to be weathering Brexit better than many expected, but it is still heading for its weakest performance in a year.

After a 0.7 percent expansion in the second quarter, economists in a Bloomberg survey anticipate just 0.3 percent growth in the three months since the vote to leave the EU.

While that is far from the recession that some warned the referendum would trigger, it would still be just half the average quarterly pace over the past four years.

The data is the first official indicator of how the economy as a whole has fared in the aftermath of Britain’s decision to divorce from its biggest trading partner. Surveys and data on consumer confidence and services, the biggest part of the economy, have held up after an initial post-vote dip. Still, the pound has slumped 18 percent since the vote and uncertainty about any new EU trading relationship might weaken business investment.

“There are still challenges ahead, let’s not get too carried away, but certainly it’s a decent start,” Investec economist Victoria Clarke said. “From a position where we could have seen a huge shock to sentiment and a much bigger hit to services sector, it will be a decent performance.”

The report from the statistics office is to be published on Thursday as Bank of England (BOE) Governor Mark Carney and fellow officials are to begin discussing new forecasts before announcing their interest-rate decision on Thursday next week.

They cut rates to a fresh low in August and restarted bond buying as a defense against the Brexit vote, and some have questioned whether the stimulus was needed in light of the rosier-than-anticipated outlook.

That issue might come up tomorrow, when Carney is to be questioned by lawmakers in the upper house of British parliament on the BOE’s response to Brexit.

Among the topics the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee said it would address is whether the governor “misjudged” the impact.

“There is probably a reasonable chance still of another cut in interest rates over the coming months,” Capital Economics economist Ruth Gregory said. “Although we can take some comfort in the resilience of recent data, the economy is clearly not out of the woods yet.”

Data in the past month indicate that both industrial production and construction might have declined in the third quarter, leaving services to drive growth.

Budget numbers on Friday last week showed Britain is on course to borrow billions of pounds more than planned this year, leaving Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond with little wriggle room on fiscal stimulus. 

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2016/10/24/2003657784

The UK economy appears to be weathering Brexit better than many expected, but it is still heading for its weakest performance in a year.

who- The UK economy 

why-it is still heading for its weakest performance in a year

when- Thursday next week.

where-UK 

what-The UK economy appears to be weathering Brexit better than many expected

Keywords-economy / slumped / reasonable / performance / services / defense 

Week-7-US denies Syrian aid worker entry

The leader of a Western-backed rescue organization that searches for survivors of bombings in Syria was denied entry into the US this week, where he was to receive an award recognizing his contributions to humanitarian relief.

Raed Saleh, the head of the Syria Civil Defense, was to accept the award from InterAction, an alliance of international aid agencies, at its gala dinner on Tuesday night in Washington. The dinner’s keynote speaker was Gayle Smith, the administrator of the US Agency for International Development.

However, when Saleh, who works in Syria and Turkey, arrived on Monday at Washington’s Dulles International Airport on a flight from Istanbul, the authorities said he could not enter the US.

He was told his visa had been canceled.

It was unclear whether Saleh’s name might have shown up on a database, fed by a variety of intelligence and security agencies and intended to guard against the prospect of terrorism suspects slipping into the country.

The US Department of State declined to give specifics, but a spokesman, John Kirby, said that “the US government’s system of continual vetting means that traveler records are screened against available information in real time.”

“While we can’t confirm any possible specific actions in this case, we do have the ability to immediately coordinate with our interagency partners when new information becomes available,” he added.

Saleh was put on the next flight back to Istanbul.

In a telephone interview from Istanbul on Wednesday, Saleh sought to turn the focus away from his own case to the experience of millions of Syrians who find the world’s borders closed to them.

“In any airport, the treatment we get as Syrians is different,” he said. “The way they look at us, we are suspected.”

In his case, he said, he had no intention of staying longer than 16 hours.

His group is widely known as the White Helmets for the headgear its members wear as they rush to bomb sites to rescue survivors and dig out the dead from the rubble. Syrian government supporters have criticized the group for working in some areas held by the al-Nusra Front, a terrorist organization.

However, like many internal aid groups, it says it is neutral and seeks to help civilians no matter whose territory they live in.

Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma at Norman, called the denial of entry “a scandal.”

“The White Helmets are one of the few organizations in Syria that have been above reproach,” he said. “They have tried to observe strict neutrality to facilitate their humanitarian work and save lives. To do this they have worked alongside all sorts of militias to get to victims of the fighting.”

At the dinner on Tuesday night, InterAction staff members wore white helmets in solidarity — and posted a photograph on Twitter.

Saleh, who once made a living buying and selling electronics, became a search-and-rescue volunteer after the Syrian civil war began in 2011.

Smith praised the work of Saleh’s organization in her remarks at the dinner, without elaborating on why he had been denied entry.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2016/04/22/2003644569

what-He was told his visa had been canceled.
who-The leader of a Western-backed
when-began in 2011
where- US 

The leader of a Western-backed rescue organization that searches for survivors of bombings in Syria was denied entry into the US this week, where he was to receive an award recognizing his contributions to humanitarian relief.

keywords-headgear.database.observe.solidarity.treatment.elaborating.

Trump expresses hope for ‘freedom’ in post-Castro Cuba

US president-elect Donald Trump on Saturday said that his administration would “do all it can” once he takes office on Jan. 20 to help increase freedom and prosperity for Cuban people after the death of former Cuban president Fidel Castro.

However, his initial reaction to Castro’s death sidestepped whether Trump would make good on a threat made late in his White House campaign to reverse US President Barack Obama’s moves to open relations with the Cold War adversary.

Obama used his executive powers on a series of steps to ease trade, travel and financial restrictions against Cuba, arguing it was time to try diplomacy after the half-century-long economic embargo against Cuba had failed to shake the regime.

Trump’s first statement on Cuba policy since the Nov. 8 election, issued from his Palm Beach, Florida, resort where he and his family were spending the weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday, did not address whether he would roll back Obama’s measures because of concerns about religious and political freedom in Cuba.

“Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty,” Trump said in the statement.

“While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve,” he said.

Trump has just begun to fill out the top ranks of his national security team, and has not yet named his top diplomat — the US secretary of state — who would play a major role in formulating policy on Cuba.

He last week named Mauricio Claver-Carone, a political lobbyist who has strongly criticized Obama’s efforts to normalize relations with Cuba and supports maintaining the US embargo against the island, to his transition team at the US Treasury Department.

The agency is responsible for enforcing US trade and travel restrictions on Cuba. Claver-Carone is director of the US-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee.

Trump’s initial statement was viewed by some to mark a softening from his rhetoric on Cuba policy late in the campaign, one US intelligence official told reporters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

“This may be one place where his business interests prod him to take a more pragmatic course, even if that angers the hardcore, anti-Castro elements of both parties,” the official said.

A second US official said that the foreign-policy advisers Trump has named thus far are not known to have any particular interest in Cuba.

That might mean Trump’s economic team will have more sway over Cuba policy, which could lead to a more pragmatic approach, the second official said.

An aggressive policy by Trump would close off lucrative opportunities to US businesses and hand them to European or Asian firms, and would hurt companies like American Airlines, due to start commercial flights to Havana on Monday for the first time in half a century.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2016/11/28/2003660137

who-Obama and Fidel Castro

where-in Cuba

when-Jan. 20

what-Trump expresses hope for ‘freedom’ in post-Castro Cuba

US president-elect Donald Trump on Saturday said that his administration would “do all it can” once he takes office on Jan. 20 to help increase freedom and prosperity for Cuban people after the death of former Cuban president Fidel Castro.However, his initial reaction to Castro’s death sidestepped whether Trump would make good on a threat made late in his White House campaign to reverse US President Barack Obama’s moves to open relations 
with the Cold War adversary.

keywords:administration/prosperity/adversary/statement/intelligence/anonymity/particular 

Taiwan heats up climate change conference

Taiwan’s government representatives may not have been allowed to participate in the negotiation process at the Paris Climate Change Conference, but civic society organizations made their presence felt.

A number of committed climate activists from Taiwan, along with environmental groups and researchers, represented the nation at the 21st UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 21), which took place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Because Taiwan is not a member of the UN, activists had to use other means to garner international support in order to gain entrance.

“We represent young people in Taiwan who are concerned about global warming and its effects,” said William Cheng (程泫尹) who spoke on behalf of an environmental organization from Canada.

Cheng’s organization is classified as part of the “Youngo” (Young People’s Organizations) — non-state entities given observer status.

Other non-state entity groupings include “Engo” (Environmental Organizations), “Tungo” (Trade Union Organizations) and“IPO” (Indigenous Peoples Organizations), among others.

Lindsey Wu, an environmental activist from Taiwan, who fell under the “Engo” category, has participated in climate change meetings in the past.

“It has been very difficult for someone from Taiwan to attend these UN climate forums because the Taiwanese government is excluded from the process, and this also precludes effective participation by us NGOs,” she said.

Wu added that at times, it was frustrating to see many small Third World nations entering COP 21 venues and engaging in climate negotiation.

“It’s like the world has invited everyone to a big party, but when mentioning that we are from Taiwan, the door is slammed shut to keep us out in the cold.”

Wu believes Taiwan should forge stronger bonds with its Pacific allies such as Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and the Solomon Islands — all who were well-represented at the COP meetings.

Ghazali Ohorella, an executive of Pacific Island Youth Network, said: “Taiwan is part of the global community, and they are suffering from the effects of global warming, just like other nations; Taiwan and its NGO representatives should be allowed to participate as an equal member in the COP 21 process.”

Instead, Taiwan’s government was only allowed to send a delegation of 50 people headed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to Paris. However, they tried to make the most out of the circumstances. On Dec. 10, a press conference was held at the Representative Office of Taiwan to discuss future goals such as gaining observer status at upcoming COP 21 events.

In addition, the government delegation has co-sponsored programs and seminar talks at venues of the official COP 21 site.

While smaller NGOs fought tooth and nail to participate at COP 21, larger organizations, by contrast, filled up most of the booths at COP 21’s NGO halls; they included the Tzu Chi Foundation, the Tang Prize Foundation and Delta Electronics Inc.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2015/12/20/2003635208

Taiwan’s government representatives may not have been allowed to participate in the negotiation process at the Paris Climate Change Conference, but civic society organizations made their presence felt.

who-Taiwan’s government

what-may not have been allowed to participate in the negotiation process at the Paris Climate Change Conference

 

when- Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

keywords-government   representatives   participate   negotiation   global warming   effects   organizations

 Topics for Week five

HTC, Syntrend to launch VR arcade

HTC Corp (宏達電) and Syntrend Creative Park (三創園區) have jointly invested NT$10million (US$316,086) in building a virtual reality (VR) arcade in Taipei, that is set to open tomorrow, in an effort to expand HTC’s VR business and attract more consumers to the park.

“Our plan is to establish a new business model and generate NT$2 million in revenue per month at the Viveland in Syntrend,” HTC vice president of virtual reality Raymond Pao (鮑永哲) told a news conference in Taipei.

This is HTC’s first direct investment in a VR theme arcade since the company launched its Vive headsets worldwide in April.

The company invested between NT$4 million and NT$5 million, and Syntrend funded the rest for the project, Pao said.

HTC is in talks with large electronics store operators in the US, China and Japan to build similar VR theme parks there, he said.

The ticket prices for different zones and booths within Vivland range from NT$150 to NT$400 for 15 minute to 30 minute sessions.

Viveland could become profitable in one year after its launch, said Syntrend business vice president Ray Wang (王國瑞), who estimated the arcade could attract 500 to 700 consumers per day during weekdays and 1,000 to 1,500 per day on weekends.

Yuanta Securities Investment Consulting Co (元大投顧) said running a VR arcade is a positive strategy for HTC to directly introduce its devices to more consumers.

However, Yuanta analyst Jeff Pu (蒲得宇) said he remains conservative about the sales momentum of HTC Vive this quarter, due to its high price tag and complicated installment.

“We forecast Vive shipments this quarter will only grow slightly from last quarter on seasonal demand during the Christmas holidays,” Pu said by telephone.

Despite the company’s continuous investments in the VR business, smartphones remain a major revenue driver for HTC, accounting for more than 90 percent of the company’s total revenues last quarter, according to Yuanta’s estimates.

Pu said he expects HTC’s smartphone shipments this quarter to decline from last quarter, as HTC’s new models are not competitive enough.

Pu forecast HTC’s revenues could climb 13.2 percent to NT$25.16 billion from last quarter’s NT$22.23 billion, supported by VR shipments and contributions from Google’s Pixel smartphones, which are manufactured solely by HTC.

HTC on Tuesday posted a smaller-than-expected net loss of NT$1.8 billion, or NT$2.18 per share, for last quarter, and the company’s president of smartphone and connected devices business Chang Chia-lin (張嘉臨) expressed optimism over this quarter on holiday demand.

Macquarie Capital Ltd still holds agenerate  view on HTC.

In a note to clients on Tuesday, Macquarie said HTC could report continuous operating losses through 2018, citing smartphone market challenges and further investment in expanding VR developers and the forming of an ecosystem, which tends to drag operational profitability.

Shares of HTC yesterday dropped 1.28 percent to NT$92.5 in Taipei trading, underperforming the TAIEX, which fell 0.67 percent. 

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2016/10/28/2003658046

HTC Corp (宏達電) and Syntrend Creative Park (三創園區) have jointly invested NT$10million (US$316,086) in building a virtual reality (VR) arcade in Taipei, that is set to open tomorrow, in an effort to expand HTC’s VR business and attract more consumers to the park.

who-HTC

when- HTC could report continuous operating losses through 2018

where-Taipei.

how-HTC Corp (宏達電) and Syntrend Creative Park (三創園區) have jointly invested NT$10million (US$316,086) in building a virtual reality (VR) arcade in Taipei,

keywords-establish  business  model  generate  installment  operational  manufactured