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News & Notes

Iran's president bans Western music

By wire services
Published December 20, 2005

Hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has banned all Western music from Iran's state radio and TV stations - an eerie reminder of the 1979 Islamic revolution when popular music was outlawed as "un-Islamic" under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The official IRAN Persian daily reported Monday that Ahmadinejad, as head of the Supreme Cultural Revolutionary Council, ordered the enactment of an October ruling by the council to ban all Western music, including classical music, on state broadcast outlets. Iranians with satellite dishes can still get broadcasts from outside the country. Earlier this month, Ali Rahbari, conductor of Tehran's symphony orchestra, resigned and left Iran to protest the treatment of the music industry in Iran.

Louisiana fugitives captured in Houston

Thirteen fugitives wanted for violent crimes in Louisiana have been captured in Houston after applying for federal aid as refugees from Hurricane Katrina, authorities said Monday. Investigators with the attorney general's fugitive unit found the 11 men and two women in November and December, using Federal Emergency Management Agency aid information. The list identified 29 violent fugitives in Texas. Among the 16 still at large are three wanted in connection with killings. Most of the 13 were wanted on parole or probation violations. Four were wanted on charges of assault, four on robbery and three on sex offenses. One was wanted for failure to appear on stalking charges and one was wanted on weapons charges.

Senator donating Abramoff donations

Another senator involved in the congressional investigation of indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is giving away campaign donations connected to the lobbyist, including money used for a 2001 fundraiser in Abramoff's skybox. Montana Sen. Max Baucus, ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, is donating $18,892 he once got from Abramoff's clients and associates to seven tribal colleges in his state. The committee is part of a congressional investigation of Abramoff's activities. North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan returned $67,000 in donations earlier this month. Montana Republican Sen. Conrad Burns and Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg, returned their own Abramoff-related contributions last week.

UPDATE

Sharon's health

Doctors expect Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to recover fully from a mild stroke and leave the hospital today, but his illness raised questions about his long-term health and ability to lead Israel if he wins a third term next year. As the 77-year-old Sharon recovered, members of the hardline Likud Party, which he quit last month to form the centrist Kadima Party, picked former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to run against Sharon on March 28.

[Last modified December 20, 2005, 01:51:07]