Iran’s ‘Joan of Arc’ pro-democracy martyr’s murder described by doctor

September 1st, 2009 TEHRAN - If reports are to be believed it is being claimed that Mohsen Rouhalamini, the son of an adviser to defeated presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei, is the first official confirmation of a prisoner abuse death following Iran's post-election turmoil. A medical examiner has confirmed the Rouhalamini died from beatings and poor prison conditions.

August 20th, 2009 TEHRAN - The man accused of killing Iranian woman protester Neda Soltan during an opposition rally against the June 20 presidential result, has been identified as Abbas Kargar Javid, a pro-government militiaman. The identification challenges the Iranian regime's claim that foreign agents shot the young woman, who became a global symbol of resistance to the Government of President Ahmadinejad.

August 11th, 2009 LONDON - The escort girl who is at the centre of allegations involving Silvio Berlusconi's scandalous sex life has compared herself to Joan of Arc, a national heroine of France and a Catholic saint. Patrizia D'Addario had earlier alleged that she spent a night with the Italian Prime-minister in his palazzo in Rome.ow, she claims that the leader's allies are attempting to destroy her reputation.

July 14th, 2009 LONDON - French naval chiefs have been left gasping after the announcement that the country's favourite warship named after its national heroine, Joan of Arc, will be dismantled in England. A senior officer said that the idea of Jeanne-d'Arc, believed as the soul of the French navy, being "burned, martyred and dismembered" on English soil was difficult to digest considering England's involvement in the death of their war heroine in 1431.

July 5th, 2009 NEW YORK - Defying Iran's supreme leader and emerging as one of the most public signs of a major split in the country's clerical establishment, the most important group of religious leaders in the country has called the disputed presidential election and the new government illegitimate. A statement by the group, the Association of Researchers and Teachers of Qum, represents a significant, if so far symbolic, setback for the government and especially the authority of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, The New York Times reports.

June 23rd, 2009 NEW YORK - Young girl Neda Agha-Soltan, who became the central rallying cry of the Iranian protests, predicted her violent death by gunfire, but was determined to take part in protests that followed the disputed presidential election. As the violence continues to escalate on the streets of Iran, the beautiful philosophy student who had been engaged to be married, is now being hailed as the country's Joan of Arc.

June 6th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has said he has no personal animosity with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, and is only working for the restoration of democracy. Sharif said Pakistan has no real democracy, and is still running under a system that is an extension of the Musharraf regime.

June 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - A dog named Huahua couldn't forget the care given to him by a vet, and walked down almost 50 kilometres over 15 days to meet him. The one-year-old dog lived in a residential community in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, and was sent to a local pet hospital to be sterilized by a resident surnamed Han.

May 29th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Friday reiterated that Tehran was ready to negotiate with the US but stressed that the talks should be held under "equal conditions". The Americans keep sending us messages for negotiation.

May 11th, 2009 MYANMAR - Even as Burma's detained opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is facing eating difficulty and has been surviving on intravenous fluid injections, the military government is not allowing a doctor to see the Nobel laureate, her party claims. Authorities arrested Suu Kyi's primary physician on Thursday after an American was detained after allegedly sneaking into her closely guarded home and staying there for more than two days.

May 4th, 2009 LAHORE - Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Sufi Muhammad has declared it un-Islamic for anyone to be photographed, and added that democracy, communism, socialism, fascism are un-Islamic systems of governance. Sufi said any duplicated image of a person, whether a "still picture or video" was un-Islamic.

April 23rd, 2009 LONDON - X-Files star Gillian Anderson is being considered to appear in a forthcoming episode of Dr Who, it has emerged. The 40-year-old actress, who's known for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the sci-fi drama, is likely to be cast opposite the new Doctor Matt Smith.

April 21st, 2009 LONDON - 'The Doctor Who' music has topped a poll of the 'Best Science Fiction Theme Tunes of All Time'. 'Red Dwarf' theme landed the second spot while the third place went to the 'X-Files' music.

March 20th, 2009 LONDON - Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan expressed her sadness over the death of Hollywood actress Natasha Richardson, and paid her last respects to the talented actress. Lohan fondly remembered Natasha, who played her mother in the flick 'Parent Trap', and recalled the motherly love she showered on her during the filming of the flick.

March 14th, 2009 LONDON - 'Kumars' star Meera Syal, 47, will soon be seen playing a doctor in a medical drama, Holby City. According to reports, she is set to join the BBC1's prime-time medical drama in the summer.