Nice Witch of the North

In a hushed Oslo nightclub, a woman takes the stage in a black burqa, the all-enveloping garment conservative Muslim women wear in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan. The woman's arms and hips begin to sway to the sound of a Norwegian folk song. It's a strange spectacle: a vision of conservative Islam in front of a liberal Western audience. "Personally," says a voice from behind the veil, "I think it's a drag to wear a burqa because I always get chased by kids for an autograph. They think I'm Darth Vader."

To loud applause, Shabana Rehman shakes off...

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