Khalaf, saaxiib, yes wearing a niqaab does not prevent the sister from speaking, but neither would standing behind a door and shouting loudly for the rights of her client to recieve sharcigiisa. But this is a point on professionalism. In my humble oppinion, the lady is making a political statement. This is not a case about her believes. I would really like to know if she turned up for her Bar exams in a niqaab. Now does she have the rights to make political statement, yes, most definetly. Does she have the right to stick a finger up at the establishement, again yes and i will support her for it with all my heart. But, will i want her arguing my case behind her cloth, I'm sorry but the answer is no. Further, her actions are full of contradictions, first, if she's going to such lengths to protect her modestly against men, why engade in a profession that will expect her to constantly engage with men, and at that, men that arnt muslims. Now that does not mean dont get a job, it means get a job that minimises your risks. But hightening your risks of engadement, then arguing, you have a right to withdraw from the social etiquites that govern interactions in the profession she's chosen, that is just plain hypocrycy. Again in my oppinion, she should stand up and say she's making a statment. With that at least i have respect for her social conviction and will support her right to be a voice for all the niqaab denied sisters. Your other point about rascism is only too true, especially with regard to muslims. Everybody fears us and while they do, they will try to dismantle anything they believe gives us some form of power. This point i don't think you address by castigating yourself from the wider society you live in. If you want a homogeneous one society that thinks the way you do and believes what you do, probably the UK aint the place for you. And we all know she wouldnt be arguing anyone's case in saudi or in arguing with a judge in pakistan, unless her father is a military general. Anyhow the point is that there is always a compramise to be made, if you dont want to have to make it, dont put yourself in the position. Dont misinterpet this as "you've got to take everything that is thrown at you and smile for it", norms are there so that people are comfortable in interacting with each other, not just you with them.

Xula, give it up girl ...

interesting, just an observation on the above discussion. So far none of the ladies that have posted support miss Mughal's position. Now the interesting case is that the ramifications of any decisions from this incident affects them infinitely more than any man here. Therefore, boys what's the case, they obviously dont understand what is good for them and you have to show them?

very interesting points. I'm sorry i dont have much time to add my piece proper, but pls carry on. I'll rant as soon as i can

^ dude, very interesting, but please reference your posts. It would be useful to follow up and verify the information. thanks

lool, koofiyada wadaadka baan kaheley ... .. what was the saying about when in Rome --

my girl friend is better looking that all of you suckers

Say for a moment we get pragmatic about the issue rather than philosophical, leaving behind any specific theological beliefs. Do you see any role for secularism in todays societies? And by today's societies i mean the place that you live, with the people you interact with, not an idealised version of how it could be if everyone had... Anyhow would be interested in your opinions

^siman kuye, wax siman masa qaloocan yaa ka hadley. war idhahaada fur oo look at the lip plates. cara, surely you mean BLT's.

Originally posted by Zafir: ^^Timahaaga eeg. hadan timaheyga oo jileec la kala daataan baad sheekada soogelisey. Saaxiib, tima-adkeyso baan marsadaa si aan ishiina iskaga jeediyo. Reality walaal exactly, waxaan ma-aragtay, dadkoodi hataa ma garankaraan Cara, hada adna in add dekeena ceysid maad u soo safatey! ... uh aaaah dadka meeshaan waa u dhamaatay

^ waryaa, ma anaad konso iigu wacday

um uuumm, aq, hade arag waxaan tintooda. Hadana caruurti bey dhegaha u dureen, shedaanta !!!. See baad noogu sheegi kartaa waxaan baan isku nahay! ps. post the source of your story so that we can flood them with hate mail for their outragous lies

Originally posted by KEYNAN22: This is bullshit, something is wrong with this picture, these linguists are conspiring against somalis, there is no chance somalis are related to these people, i can accept being related to oromo because they look like us, but no way i'm related to people who have plates on their lips===> Exactly, the should at least have the decency to take their damned lip plates out before posing for a picture.

Somalis learn to follow the law Fear of a good lashing or having one's head shaved is keeping drivers in Somalia's capital on the straight and narrow. A few months ago, Mogadishu's chaotic roads were ruled by red-eyed, open-shirted militia, speeding along in their technicals - the open vehicles with anti-aircraft guns mounted on the back - weaving from one side to the other to avoid the potholes. Today, one of the world's most dangerous cities has been tamed: law-abiding men and women motor along without a gun at their side, keeping steadily to the speed limit, and not daring to swerve for craters. This transformation is down to the rule of the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), which took control of Mogadishu in June and much of southern Somalia since then. They have imposed Sharia law and are at lengths to show that no-one, no matter their clan or influence, is above God's law. Trials are swift and punishments public: publicity is their policeman. Most are astounded by the changes - restaurants are opening, business is booming - and people are proud to show off to visitors their new-found security. But with reports that Ethiopian troops are in the country backing the beleaguered interim government in Baidoa and peace talks deadlocked in Khartoum, the calls for jihad grow. It is talk that may win approval amongst the young at rallies after Friday prayers, yet behind the rhetoric the city's residents are sick and tired of the 16 years of fighting Somalia has experienced since the fall of Siad Barre. "Jihad will mean more deaths. Why can't we use our brains to solve the political stalemate instead of fighting?" a female student recently had the temerity to ask UIC chairman Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in a debate broadcast on the BBC Somali Service. The 400-strong audience burst into applause before Mr Ahmed had a chance to respond. Questions then flowed thick and fast from other women. "Will you allow women to work in the media? Are you the Taleban?" A known moderate, Mr Ahmed sought to allay their fears: the Islamists, he said, did not want to stop women working. "Actually, I am happy a woman is asking this question - at a university campus," he said. Yet it is this uncertainty about the UIC's intentions that marks life in the capital. Loud music no longer blares from taxis: it has not been banned, but it is felt best not to test the waters. In Kismayo, 500km south of the capital, Islamist hardliners have banned the chewing of the mild narcotic khat - an afternoon ritual across the country. On Tuesday, a distraught football fan phoned up the BBC Somali Service from Jamame, near Kismayo, begging them to include La Liga match details in their sports reports the next day as he said the screening of football matches had just been banned in his town. These creeping edicts may be the courts undoing as Somalis have always had a fairly liberal interpretation of the holy scriptures. Agaran, which means green in Somali, is the perfect example. The coastal town is Somalia's Gretna Green, where couples eloping from the capital can go for a quick marriage. According to Islamic law, a woman must get her father's consent to marry if her father or guardian is within 50km. On the map, Agaran is just over 50km south of the capital with many a willing sheikh at hand to perform the nuptials without dowry objections and saving the young couple wedding expenses that can ordinarily cost up to a year's wages. Agaran's days as Somalia's romantic capital, however, are over, as Islamic leaders banned elopement marriages as unlawful on Monday. Dissenters argue that this authoritarian attitude is eating away at Somali culture and traditions, from dulling their dress code to muting their music. But for most this is an argument for another day. For now, Somalis are basking in the novelty of moving about freely, the novelty of seeing a woman behind the wheel, the novelty of militiamen greeting them politely at checkpoints, the novelty of leaving their guns at home. -------- This article is based on an interview with the BBC Somali Service editor Yusuf Garaad who has just returned from a trip to Mogadishu. -------- source

well done passion, and any one else who has graduated. and all the best luck for the next stage of the adventure

people what are you deffending. This is an idoit that is is ridiculing your faith. An idoit because you'd have to politely ask your brain to disengade before you come out with the corker that he did. the man was not fuelling the vilification of islam but quitely building a possitively interminable fuel source for it. Sooomaal, a valid reason to point out Angela Merkel 's comments would be to show the double stantards and show that you are willing to accept niether. Not to score an own goal, by tying to make one for us, one for them at the cost of half the population sheer fcking lunacy

Alle-ubaahne, Khalaf, boys, u'll get more literal bang for your cash at the local crack house, i mean really how much would it cost to fly to eriterea (cos that's were the tigre live) oo "lago dhargo" hablo muslim ah (in case you didnt know most are - but i'm sure your disserning eyes will not look at those superior woman). Anyhow think of the home advantage, at least ajar baad ku helin hadaan diinta bartaan.

hey man i use skype regularly no spyware (that i'm aware of), a decent quality of service and by far the most popular VoIp service out there

Malaysia outlaws unsuitable names By Jonathan Kent BBC News, Kuala Lumpur Malaysian authorities have published a list of undesirable titles to prevent parents giving their children names such as Hitler, smelly dog or 007. Such choices are not allowed, but there is a right of appeal. The list came as a response to the growing number of Malaysians who are applying to change their birth names. Malaysia's National Registration Department made the decision after consulting with various religious bodies in the country. They represented the country's Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist communities. Traditionally, some groups have given newborns inauspicious names to ward off demons and evil spirits. Now names like the Hokkien Chinese Ah Chwar, meaning snake, and Khiow Khoo, meaning hunchback, are being ruled out. So too are Cantonese monikers Chow Tow, meaning smelly head, and Sor Chai, meaning insane. Members of Malaysia's Tamil community will be discouraged from using the likes of Karrupusamy (black god), and Malays from trying names like Woti, meaning sexual intercourse. But the ban extends further. Parents will not be able to call their babies after animals, insects, fruit, vegetables or colours. Numbers are also not allowed, so little James Bonds cannot flaunt their 007 status on their ID cards. Other restrictions stop parents giving children royal or honorary titles as names or calling their little ones after Japanese cars. source

First of all gents, thank your for your responses Now lets dissect the info. [in order of appearance] [NGONGE] runtii balayo kula talisey , but i do like you proactive approach to tickling the underbelly of teh beast. [Juje] Do i detect a hint of sarcasm there! -1 point [Lieutenant Xalane] Dude, many a times i've said that exactly, however i feel right about blood in my hands. The problem is as you say 'geriatrics with agendas'. The fact we cant take sides - as with every other somali that sees no vested intrest in a tribe or an religious doctrine, says more about what on offer than what we need or want. - i'd say 'Viva la Revolution!' but we need an ideology first. care to suggest [baashi] indeed it's a pig ! Skaggy voltures fighting of the bleached bones of what was somalia. Your analogy with the congo rings only too true. The logical analysis always says look at who gains what - and 'what' men will do for a power we've all seen. Considering whats on offer i'm inclined towards the UIC, if for nothing else, they havent murdered as many yet. wrt to the peace process, to be a 'peace process' it has got to do more than plan carve up strategies. I dont know if you've ever seen a cartoon by an 19th cent. british cartoon called "The Plumb-Pudding in Danger", well here it is. But as you said the alternative is the political football match with the heads of the retched somali's as balls [Alle-ubaahne] I dont see any fight against kuffars, unless kufaar equals those who dont agree with you. And i dont understand how you can claim victory for allah, when allah is the creator. [General Duke] Are you saying stick my head in the sand? I have problems with that.. 'support no one distrust all' just backs Lieutenant Xalane's point. But my question for u is how long are you willing to be a commentator or passive to the choices of these people. Or why should you care?

ok, so one wants to help out here.. so i may of phrased it light heartedly, but surely some of you must think its worth while trying to put together a digest of the *masses* of information put up here everday. Or at least giving objective commentry on whats going on - without a dr.so and so says this or that cheers

Dear seasoned political bundits Given the situation we find ourselves in, a mini-break down (for the ignorant such as myself) regarding who's doing who and who we should be rooting for/against and most importantly why would be appreciated. Conversion points will be given for: 1. unbaised, non-partisan analysis 2. the persuasiveness of argument 3. getting to the point in less than 10 pages 4. dubious sources will loose points thanks -

Originally posted by Tahliil: I am sorry to admit but I haven't read the article posted. However.. ummm dude, u know the response to that, so i wont say it. Aside from that, i dont think this is about dark continents or the political ramifications of the africa saga. It is simply a study to try to analyse the structure of the malaria virus and how it might *theoretically* respond to various drugs. The problem is that the are too too many possible combinations of components that can be used to make a drug and all of them have to be tested to see if they could work -- after all science is not an exact science -- What these computer programs do is they generate combination of the components (lickle' bit' a this and lill' a that = a new drug model) and try to model how certain proteins in the maliria virus might respond to this new drug. If the model predicts/finds something interesting, it notifies the scientists that this might be a rewarding avenue to go down. Now according to the world health organisation There are at least 300 million acute cases of malaria each year globally, resulting in more than a million deaths. Around 90% of these deaths occur in Africa, mostly in young children. Malaria is Africa's leading cause of under-five mortality (20%) and constitutes 10% of the continent's overall disease burden. It accounts for 40% of public health expenditure, 30-50% of inpatient admissions, and up to 50% of outpatient visits in areas with high malaria transmission. source So in effect, if you think malaria is an important disease to tackle, then africa is where the plight is the 'darkest' Originally posted by Nuur planting a computer program in your computer that is using complex algorithems may be another infingement on privacy in a world at war with its maker No this isnt that type of program, these programs number crunch and thats all they do. Your MSN messenger has more spywear capacity loaded on it and it needs to do more than test for possible malaria cures before god disapears in a 'puff of logic'. Sorry i didnt understand the rest of your sentence. Anyhow donate your machines if they run idle i.e. your not always using them to come up with the latest killa putdown on the SOL politics section. U never know, your little grey boxe's number crunching might one day save your life also.

Originally posted by NGONGE: However, I can’t help feeling that this book is not aimed at me ... Couldnt agree more

^ someone delete this spam please.