Beauty pageant in doubt
The week's news at a glance.
Abuja, Nigeria
Several nations have withdrawn their contestants from the Miss World competition to protest a Nigerian court’s death sentence for a woman found guilty of adultery. A state court in the Islamic north of the country, operating under the Koran’s sharia law, sentenced Amina Lawal to be stoned to death. She is to be killed once she weans her illegitimate baby. The Nigerian federal government, which does not follow sharia law, said the sentence is likely to be overturned when the case reaches federal appeals courts. “No woman has ever been punished in such a dastardly manner,” said Foreign Minister Dubem Onyia, “and this will not be an exception.” But some countries are insisting that Lawal be freed before they participate in the pageant. France, Belgium, Norway, Kenya, and Switzerland have already withdrawn their contestants.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Marine Le Pen's fake jobs trial
The Explainer The far-right French leader could face a fine, jail time, and a five-year ban from public office if found guilty of embezzlement
By Abby Wilson Published
-
How to earn extra cash for Christmas
The Explainer The holiday season can be expensive but there are ways to bolster your festive finances
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published