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Latest update: 24/12/2009
- Christmas - Internet - Iran
Bloggers report clashes to back Iranian opposition's demonstrations
CLASHES IN IRAN
Clashes between Iranian security forces and opposition supporters broke out on Wednesday in Ispahan and in Najafabad, in the centre of the country. Protesters who gathered once more to commemorate the death of Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, a staunch detractor of the Iranian Government. As the authorities have forbidden foreign media from covering the protests, it is online that information is leaking out of the country.
And it is mainly via Twitter that net users were able to follow developments in the situation in real time. This user of the micro blogging service spoke of several arrests of protesters and the arrival of police reinforcements around the country to prevent mobilisation increasing further.
The site Rahesabz.net, close to the opposition, asserts that police used tear gas to break up opponents.
The situation therefore seems just as critical since the funeral of Ayatollah Montazeri, in the Holy city of Qom, on Monday. As shown by this video, his funeral, attended by tens of thousands of mourners, quickly turned into a demonstration against the authorities.
On Tuesday opponents met once more in front of Ispahan University to call for President Ahmadinejad to stand down.
This tension, which has persisted since the re-election of the President in June leads this Iran specialist to question the capacities of the country’s religious figures to permanently wipe out such an opposition movement.
CHRISTMAS SONGS ONLINE
During the holiday season, net users are eager to break into song. Videos are flooding into the web. A small selection of the Christmas songs posted on share sites.
WHERE IS GARY ?
After being swindled in Brussels train station, Belgian filmmaker Jean-Baptiste Dumont has decided to launch an interactive investigation entitled, ‘Where is Gary?’. A man named Gary asked him to lend him money to travel home to Norway. The filmmaker lent the man 100 Euros before realising that the address Gary had left was fake. And apparently he is not the only one. The site requests assistance from net users to discover the identity of this infamous Gary.
STORMTROOPERS
Every day since April three 2009, Stéfan Le Dû places in position and takes photos of his Star Wars figurines in run of the mill situations. He aims to publish a total of 365 photos in his Flickr album, revealing the private lives of soldiers of the film’s imperial elite. On the toilet, in the bath or decorating the Christmas tree. Stormtroopers have lives just like you and I.
TODAY’S VIDEO
And finally, here is the gift Japanese beatboxer Daichi is offering net users and fans this year via Youtube.
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Comments (1)
Iran Protests
The Martyrs of the Basij
Yes, I will remember
the Martyrs of the Basij.
I will remember them
and I will tell their stories to the world.
For I bear witness of their deaths
in the hands of wicked.
So let their songs of love be sung,
for who among us would give
their lives so willingly for freedom?
So I say: "Let the world know
that the gates of Heaven will be open
to the Martrys of the Basij
and they will be welcomed
and delivered into the hands of the Lord."
Amen.
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