PM intervenes on niqab issue, Islamists lose a battle

By Azzeddine Bensouiah. The Algerian prime minister’s recent reiteration of a ban on the wearing of the niqab (face veil) by all public service employees in the workplace, including universities, can be seen as evidence of a push to enforce a rule that has existed since 2006 but not strictly applied because of pressure from Islamists. More...