Iran has sentenced award-winning woman journalist Jila Baniyaghoob to jail for one year and banned her from writing for 30 years over post-election unrest, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. Ms Baniya-ghoob, 39, “has been sentenced to one year in jail and banned from journalistic work for 30 years,” moderate daily Shargh said.
Ms Baniyaghoob, who had been working for a string of best-selling but now closed reformist newspapers, was arrested on June 20 last year along with her husband and released on bail two months later.
She was charged with propaganda against the Islamic regime over her reports on last year’s disputed presidential election and the protests which followed the official results, the Kaleme.com website of Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi said.
The International Women’s Media Foundation gave Ms Baniyaghoob its courage in journalism award in 2009. Her husband Bahman Ahmadi Amooi, who is an economic journalist, has been jailed for five years on security charges over his articles in reformist newspapers. Iran cracked down heavily on the Opposition, rounding up reformist politicians, journalists and human rights activists.
***
Did Barack, Michelle star in ’93 video?
Melbourne : Internet users are wondering if US President Barack Obama ‘’hip-hopped’’ in a 1993 video for Whoomp (There It Is).
The 17-year-old video apparently features a left-handed hip-hopper in shades who’s seen smiling over a cash game of dominoes about 1:01 minutes into the video — thought to be Obama.
The bizarre speculations don’t end here — the video supposedly stars wife Michelle Obama too, at 0.47 minutes.
FOXNews.com reports that some bloggers claim Mr Obama, who would have been about 31 at the time, took a break from writing his memoirs to travel to Atlanta with his wife for the shoot.
In 1993, Mr Obama would have been involved with voter registration drives in Chicago and still a newly-wed. The low-resolution image shows that the would-be Obama as a slightly thinner man with pierced ears and the makings of a ratty moustache, reports News.com.au
“If it isn’t him ... then who is it?” News.com.au quoted one user as writing.
A remake of the song by Dodge & Viper in January this year is also causing added buzz.
The video of that version borrows clips from the old Tag team version — with the “Obama” scenes edited out. —ANI