The Iranian Times

Thursday October 26, 2000 / Aban 5, 1379, No. 1094


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Sehaty Foreign Exchange

Iranian books

Poem

Literature of the night

By Roya Hakkakian
October 25, 2000
The Iranian

Each night

In bed

Upon our sheets

We write stories >>> GO TO FEATURE

Poem

By Sheema Kalbasi
October 25, 2000
The Iranian

>>> GO TO FEATURE

Music

By Yari Ostovany
October 27, 2000
The Iranian

I have always looked forward to Mohammad Reza Shajarian's concerts. So I was overjoyed when I heard that he, along with his son Homayoun, and Hossein Alizadeh and Kayhan Kalhor, were going to be performing in Koln, my new home after my recent move from San Francisco.

The concert was unique as the first part was in a new form called "Maghameh Dad-o-Bidad", which consisted of a strong improvisational adaptation of Mehdi Akhavan Saless's poem "Zemestan" (Winter), a poem so eternally etched in the modern Persian psyche >>> GO TO FEATURE


Outlook

How solid is the 2nd of Khordad coalition?

BBC Persian Service

The 2nd of Khordad coalition in the parliament seems to have been bitterly divided over creditation votes given last week to left wing Ali Akbar Mohtashami and conservative Haddad Adel. How solid is the pro-Khatami 2nd of Khordad Front now? This is the question Sima Bahrami puts to university lecturer Hatam Ghaderi >>> LISTEN HERE

India Mahdavi: Born in Iran, Trained in France, Sought in America

By MALLERY LANE
The New York Times
Ocotber 26, 2000

PARIS -- WHAT magic ingredients turn a designer like India Mahdavi into a success in three years' time? The answer is talent, certainly, but also luck and an eclectic background that marks her work as exotic, global and sophisticated.

Her influences range from classical to cutting-edge: from the cole des Beaux Arts in Paris, where she received an architecture degree, to Cooper Union in New York, with its reliance on the craft of building and exploration of materials >>> FULL TEXT

See, this is one of the problems of being an Iranian in America. Especially if you are a practicing Muslim. Do you celebrate Halloween or >>> SEE HERE



More Letters

* Stereotyping Iranians

Jamshid Entesari writes: I suppose the main difference between Iranians and Americans (and perhaps Western culture) is that the Americans always use a systematic approach when they analyse a situation. They seem to be very fond of moulding people into categories. This is quite a logical way for breaking down a big problem into very small ingredient to better understand the intricacies of human nature. However, in doing so they go to the nth degree and at times they lose a proper track of their thoughts. The fact is that in this way they generalise things and attach a particular trait to a nation. Possibly the most pronounced feature of Americans is that they like to stereotype. "The twelve rules" by Ms Sciolino is definitely another attempt by an American 'intellecutal' >>> FULL TEXT

* Chalking out borders

Ramin Tabbib writes: Mr. Ameli ["Palestine has never existed"] seems to have a case of historical myopia when it comes to the Middle East. First, nation building and the concept of nation-state is a relatively new historical phenomenon. Many countries and their respective borders were created by colonial powers, especially in the Middle East. In fact Israel's borders are one of the latest to be carved up.

Just as there were no Palestinian borders to signify a Palestinian nation-state, there were no borders signifying Jordan, Saudi Arabia and many other countries until well into 20th century, including Israel's borders >>> FULL TEXT

* Ferdosi did not write it

Jamshid writes: For your information, that poem ["Okay. I'm a racist" ] was not written by Ferdosi. It was attributed to Ferdosi in the 1920s-30s,when when pro-German/Nazi like politics was polluting the political culture of Iran.You cannot find this poem in the old versions of the Shahnameh.


Rights: Nominate Batebai for student peace prize

You can nominate Ahmad Batebi for a student peace prize in Norway. Batebi was arrested during the student protests in the summer of 1999. The Economist magazine published his photograph on its front cover. You can write your own nomination letter or use the letter here and email it to: prize@isfit.ntnu.no


Books

.

,

Iranian Cities
Formation and Development
By Masoud Kheirabadi

.

Delaaviztarin
Poems by Fereydoun Moshriri

THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Music store


    Poem

    Translation of today's poem by Zara Houshmand:

    How could the soul that holds your image

    Ever fade or decay? The crescent moon,

    Though waning, thin and pale, begins its voyage

    And grows to full perfection very soon.

    * Also see more Rumi translations

    Rumi book

Rumi: The Life Teachings and Poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi
By Frankin D. Lewis



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Saudi calls on Iran to sign a security accord

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Congressmen want Russia-Iran papers

WASHINGTON (AP) - The debate over an alleged secret deal on Russian arms sales advanced on Capitol Hill Thursday, with Republicans in both chambers calling for release of the agreement. ``We should demand it,'' Sen. Christopher Bond of Missouri said on the Senate floor. ``We should subpoena it.'' >>> FULL TEXT

Hamilton defends Gore over arms

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Iran says Iraq lets more pilgrims visit shrines

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Neighbors Iran and Iraq have agreed to allow more Iranian pilgrims to visit Shi'ite holy shrines in Iraq, Tehran's official IRNA news agency said on Thursday. The move is a sign of improving relations between the two countries, which have long been at odds over a host of issues including prisoners still held after their 1980-88 war and support for guerrilla groups fighting to overthrow each other's governments >>> FULL TEXT

Iran Signs $850 Mln Salman Oil, Gas Deal

October 23, TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran signed an $850-million deal with the Iranian company Petro Iran on Monday to boost oil output and begin natural gas production at the offshore Salman field in the Gulf, state television reported. It said that under the agreement, oil production would be increased to 130,000 barrels per day (bpd) within three years from the current 85,000 bpd >>> FULL TEXT

BBC special series: Iranian performing arts

BBC Persian Service -- A unique 22-part series narrated by the distinguished photographer and film maker, Shahrokh Golestan, begins on BBC World Service next month and will mark the 60th anniversary of the Persian service. The series, Performing Arts of Iran, celebrates Iran's enduring cultural identity and tells the story of the country's resilient dramatic art - from the passion plays and fertility rites of ancient Persia which are still captivating Iranians in towns and villages today, to comic improvisation, traditional dances, operettas and experimental and modern Iranian theatre >>> FULL TEXT

Youth film fest kicks off

Tehran (Hamshahri) -- The 17th international youth film festival began in Tehran today. The event is huge, with many promising young filmmakers trying to make a name for themselves. Some 161 women submitted films >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Basiji boys, the TV series

Tehran (Jam-e Jam) -- The lives of boy soldiers in the Iran-Iraq war is the subject of a 13-part TV series which will soon air on Iranian television >>> FULL PERSIAN TEXT

Farahani: "We don't have enough money!"

Tehran ­ Oct. 26 (Iran Sports Press) -- With audio: In an interview on Thursday, Safaee Farahani, the President of the Iranian Football Federation, said he will shoulder all the responsibility for Iran's early exit from the Asian Cup finals. "I am sorry for what happened in Asian Cup finals", said Farahani. "I am saying sorry not because I did not do something that I had to do, because I did everything that could have been done in my capacity. We had record number of friendly matches in past year, and everything was done to prepare our team", he added >>> FULL TEXT

Talebi: "Mahdavikia Should Say Why He Played Poorly"

Tehran ­ Oct. 26 (Iran Sports Press) -- With video: In an interview on Thursday, Jalal Talebi, the former head coach of the Iranian National Team, said the results in Lebanon were 'acceptable'. "The results themselves were good in Lebanon", Talebi said. "It happens all the time in European games where a team gets knocked out in the golden goal period", he added >>> FULL TEXT

Mahdavikia: "I owe everything to the national team"

Hamburg ­ Oct. 26 (Iran Sports Press) -- With audio: In an interview on Thursday, Mehdi Mahdavikia blasted the Iranian media for magnifying internal rifts in the Iranian National Team. "The media has created side issues for our players. Instead of focusing on the game our players are worried about what the papers are saying about them", Mahdavikia said >>> FULL TEXT


BBC

CIS defence ministers talk security

Defence Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States have discussed regional security in Dushanbe. The Russian Defence Minister, Igor Sergeyev, also held talks in Dushanbe with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, and the anti-Taleban Alliance commander, Ahmed Shah Massoud. Noor Mohammad Khalzadeh reports from Dushanbe >>> LISTEN HERE

BBC Persian Service


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Tyrant. Hero. Revolutionary. Military genius. Brilliant politician. Short French guy with an incredible Napoleon complex. There's a lot you can say about Napoleon Bonaparte. On November 8, PBS Television will premiere a new show about the man ...

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Quote Unquote

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A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.

-- Gloria Steinem


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Medical aid for Palestinians


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