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Editorial

And the winner is...
... not George W. Bush. But it ain't the end of the world
December 14, 2000
The Iranian
The absurdity of it all. The United States, the cradle of democracy,
has elected a president who has received fewer votes than his rival. Worse
still, the election was decided by an incomplete vote count.
But there is one other crucial aspect to this historic saga. And that
is the rule of law >>>
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Poetry

By Mahrokh Pourzaynal
December 14, 2000
The Iranian
>>>
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Book

His red-robed highness
Exposing Iran's dirty secrets
By Akbar Ganji
The Iranian
Secret socieites and repeating a national tragedy >>>
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Outlook
Mohajerani resigns
BBC Persian Service
President Khatami has accepted the resignation of the Minister of Culture,
Ataollah Mohajerani. Mr Mohajerani has been fiercely criticised by conservatives
who accuse him of encouraging an erosion of moral standards. Last month
his ministry's work was also criticised by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei. Here is an interview with Mehdi Khalaji, journalist, followed
by comments from Baqer Moin of the BBC >>>
LISTEN
Iran's Cultural Architect Steps Down
By Jonathan Lyons
TEHRAN (Reuters) - President Mohammad Khatami has accepted the resignation
of liberal culture minister Ataollah Mohajerani, a move which analysts
said could deal a fatal blow to the movement for greater freedom of expression.
Mohajerani was the chief architect of Iran's cultural renaissance, the
man behind the explosion of free press and arts in the country >>> FULL
TEXT
Persia through an insider's lens
The Christian Science Monitor
December 14, 2000
By Susan Llewelyn Leach
The new shah was so enthused by the photographic technology coming out
of France in the 1840s that whenever he traveled, he carried a pile of
freshly shot portraits of himself to present to foreign dignitaries.
Nasir al-din Shah, the Persian ruler, quickly appointed a full-time
court photographer to document his movements and converted a palace building
into a photo studio >>>
FULL TEXT
Kayhan: The youth voted for reformists. What have reformists
done for them? >>>
FULL TEXT
Rah-e Kargar: Iran's is close to experiencing another revolution
>>>
FULL TEXT
Thought this couldn't happen in this country?
B R A D E N T O N, Fla., Dec. 12 (AP) - Attorney General Janet Reno
today blocked the release of a Palestinian man jailed for three years without
charges, federal officials said >>>
READ
Thanks to Daryoush Mehrtash
More Letters
* Iran has seen worse throughout history
Mohammad Ali Yamini
writes: We Iranians have an ancient and rich history that is not going
to fade away just because of an isolated case of an Iranian girl marrying
a Black man ["Maryam
& Daryl"]. Iran throughout its histories has been exposed
to worse kinds of situations.
I think that the Iranian girl who has decided to marry an African-American
has absolutely every right to do as she wishes but she cannot impose her
choices on others. What will come next in your photo gallery? The picture
of an Iranian gay homosexual couple OR the picture of an Iranian gay homosexual
couple who have adopted a Black little girl OR ... How much more absurd
can it become? >>>
FULL TEXT
* Nothing special
Faramarz Kaviani
writes: Thank you for Shahriar Zahedi's "Daastaan-e
anbeh"!!! Up to this moment, and through reading other people's
cheering reactions to Sadaf
Kiani's articles, I have been thinking is it only me who doesn't see
anything special about them? Now I see it's not just me.
* Chashm
Adnaan writes:
I was looking at the photo-cartoon titled "Seasons
Greetings from Kheineken", where a hijab-wearing Iranian woman
is displayed with a distorted male face and a beer bottle tucked under
the garb.
It may appear funny to some, with it's computer graphic software-generated
image using a photo of an actual person, what appears to be a Muslim woman
in Islamic garb.
I personally find this "piece of art" to be very offensive
and is a complete mockery of hijab-wearing Muslim women in Iran and elsewhere!
Please do not post such insulting art work on your website in the near
future.
* Demeaning to monkeys
Dana Jalali writes:
Regarding the comparison between George W. Bush
and monkeys in the Anyway section: Very demeaning to monkeys.
Art: Manzanar project, Tokyo
Beyond Manzanar is a virtual reality art installation by Zara Houshmand
and Tamiko Thiel, showing December 12-25, 2000 at the Metropolitan
Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japan. >>>
FEATURE
Books
THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store
Poem
Translation of today's poem by Zara
Houshmand:
With a smile biting those two ruby lips,
How beautifully, idol, you've come to life!
Stealing my heart that day was not enough;
Today you're back, intent upon my life.
* Also see more Rumi
translations
Rumi book

Rumi:
The Life Teachings and Poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi
By Frankin D. Lewis
Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
|
More
news
Lawyer for families of assassination victims
freed on bail: press
TEHRAN, Dec 14 (AFP) - A lawyer for the families of two Iranian
dissidents assassinated in 1998 was released on bail three days after his
arrest, a newspaper said Thursday. Nasser Zarafshan, who was arrested Sunday
just days before the trial of the alleged killers begins in a Tehran military
court, was freed Wednesday on 27,000 dollars bail, the Khorassan paper said
>>> FULL TEXT
Judiciary denies motion filed to oust president
TEHRAN, Dec 14 (AFP) - Iran's judiciary spokesman was quoted in
Thursday's press denying reports of a motion filed with the supreme court
to oust reformist President Mohammad Khatami from office. "No such
letter regarding the incapability of Mr. Khatami has been received by the
judiciary," Hossein Mirmohammad-Sadeq said, cited in the Entekhab daily
>>> FULL TEXT

Former Guards commander tipped to run for
president: paper
TEHRAN, Dec 14 (AFP) - The former commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary
Guards corps is expected to announce his candidacy for next May's presidential
elections, press reports said here Thursday. Mohsen Rezaie, now serving
as the number two member of a powerful conservative-dominated oversight
body, will present himself "soon" as a candidate, the conservative
Tehran Times said, citing an unnamed source >>> FULL TEXT

Iran to authorise $2.8 bln investment in
Azadegan
TEHRAN, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Iran's draft budget bill for the new
year starting March 2001 authorises up to $2.8 billion to be invested in
the giant Azadegan oilfield through buy-back contracts, the semi-official
Iran newspaper said on Wednesday. With an estimated six billion barrels
of recoverable reserves, Azadegan, located in the Iranian southwest, is
the world's largest find since Russia found the 5.5 billion barrel Priobye
in 1982 >>> FULL TEXT
Renault confirms deal to build natural
gas engines for Iran buses
TEHRAN, Dec 14 (AFP) - French automotive giant Renault confirmed
Thursday it will equip a number of Iranian buses with natural gas engines
in collaboration with local partner Shahab Khodro. It said the lower-pollution
engines had passed initial testing and would go into production in early
2001 in the western city of Tabriz to outfit roughly 1,000 buses >>>
FULL TEXT
Iran to reduce crude swap rates from January
2001
TEHRAN,
Dec 14 (Reuters) - Iran's acting deputy oil minister said oil swap rates
for Turkmen and Kazakh oil would be reduced from January 1, 2001, Hambastegi
newspaper reported on Thursday. Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, who is also
Iran's OPEC governor, was quoted as saying the new rate would be $16 per
tonne for Turkmen oil and $13 per tonne for Kazakh oil, because of higher
transport costs >>> FULL TEXT

"The Circle": World distribution
Tehran (Hamshahri) -- Jafar Panahi's highly-acclaimed "The
Circle" will be screened in 29 countries >>> FULL PERSIAN
TEXT

Hot film subject: Afghans
Tehran (Hammbastegi) -- Don't be surprised if Iranian films about
Afghans sweep the awards at international film fests next year. No less
than five directors are making films on this subject, notably Mohsen Makhmalbaf
>>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Kimiaie: Filming soon after long delay
Tehran (Hammbastegi) -- Masoud Kimiaie will finally start shooting
his new film in the U.S. or Canada. No word if his wife Googoosh will star
in it, as originally planned >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT
Faridzadeh may leave his post
Tehran (Hayat-e No) -- Mohammad Javad Faridzadeh is the head of
the Center for Dialogue of Civilizations. But perhaps not for long. He suffers
from heart disease -- and he's unhappy about the lack of funds >>>
FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Reza-Zadeh on top of the world
Tehran (Iran daily) -- World record holder Hossein Reza-Zadeh has
been chesen as the world's best weightlifter >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

German coach undecided
Tehran (Iran daily) -- A prominent German soccer coach, who is
battling cocaine addiction, says he is considering Iran's offer to coach
the national team >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Persepolis defeat Bargh Shiraz
Tehran - December 14 (Iran Sports Press) -- With video: A penalty
kick gave Persepolis the much needed three points in its encounter with
Bargh Shiraz on Thursday, in which Persepolis won 1-0 >>> FULL
TEXT
BBC
Nasser Zarafshan stays in jail
A leading lawyer in the case of serial political
killings, who was arrested last week and was about to be released on bail
today was sent back to prison on new charges. The Judiciary Organisation
of Armed Forces accused Nasser Zarafshan of keeping illegal documents and
weapon at home. Ramazan Haj Mashadi, Mr Zarafshan's lawyer gives more details
to Rosita Atai >>>
LISTEN HERE
BBC Persian
Service

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Coca-Cola Television Advertisements
Marking yet another triumph for those savvy
team players capitalism and media, The Coca Cola Company has graciously
donated its archive of television commercials to the Library of Congress.
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Quote Unquote
Impossible conditions
The conditions and requirements that have taken shape in
the realms of art, culture and the intellect have made it impossible for
me to continue my duties... We have not achieved any success worthy of our
nation, artists and writers.
-- Culture Minister Ataollah Mohajerani's resignation
letter
Reuters
December 14, 2000
Photo of the Day

Masoud
Behnoud on trial
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