Sunbeds definitely "carcinogenic to humans"

An international cancer research agency has said there is no doubt that sunbeds or lamps cause skin cancer.

The report published in the Lancet Oncology says that sunbeds are definitely "carcinogenic to humans" and are now assessed as being equally as dangerous as smoking and exposure to asbestos.

Previously the International Agency for Research on Cancer said that sunbeds and sunlamps were "probably carcinogenic to humans". However, campaigners hope that the new assessment of sunbed dangers will encourage tighter regulation of the industry.

Research says that the risk of a melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, increases by 75% in those who begin using tanning beds before the age of 30.

Cancer Research UK blames sunbeds for quadrupling of skin cancer cases in 30 years and the number of patients with melanomas topping 10,000 last year. However the UK's Sunbed Association said that there was no proven link between the responsible use of sunbeds and skin cancer.

Bomb explodes outside Spanish police barracks

A car bomb has exploded outside a police barracks in the Northern Spanish city of Burgos.

The attack, blamed on Basque separatist group ETA, slightly injured 46 people and caused the barrack's facade to collapse.

The bomb detonated at around 4:30am local time outside a barracks of the paramilitary Guardia Civil, where the families of officers were staying. The majority of the injuries were caused by flying glass and 38 people required hospital treatment. Most of the 48 injured suffered only minor cuts and bruises, said emergency services.

"All the windows are broken. It's very damaged so it's almost a miracle no one was hurt more seriously," said an emergency services spokesman.

ETA has been held responsible for the bombing despite the lack of the group's trademark phone call before detonating explosives. The separatist group is thought to be responsible for the deaths of around 800 people across Spain in a long campaign of attacks. The organisation, typically attacking police and army targets, aims to achieve an independent Basque homeland in Northern Spain and Southern France.

ETA was most recently blamed for the death of police inspector in Bilbao when his car was booby-trapped. In April, Spanish police arrested Jurdan Martitegi, a suspected top commander of ETA, along with 18 other members in June and July.

Iran releases 140 political prisoners

Iranian officials have announced that 140 prisoners, arrested during recent demonstrations, have been released from jail.

Sources say that the surprising announcement demonstrates the pressure that Ayatollah Khamenei and Iran's other leaders are under.

Their release comes amid allegations of abuses and torture by several former detainees as well as the deaths of two held in Evin prison. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently closed one detention centre as it failed to "preserve the rights of detainees".

An Iranian official, speaking to Iranian news agencies, said that "Those who were released had committed lighter offences.", while 200 other prisoners accused of more serious crimes are being still held.

Mr Jalali, quoted by the Fars news agency, said that those who remained in detention were susupected of were suspected of carrying weapons and bombs and vandalising property during the demonstrations. Judical officials alledged that 50 currently held were "agents of the unrest and some of them were members of anti-revolutionary groups,".

Opposition supporters claim that the true number being held far exceeds the official figures and that the number of dead is closer to 100 than the confirmed 20 deaths.

Iran refuses permit for memorial rally

Iranian authorities have refused to issue a permit to Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi for a memorial rally planned for Thursday 30 July.

Iran's Interior Minister, Abbaszadeh-Meshkini, told the Fars News Agency "Memorial ceremonies are considered to be private issues of citizens and any request for such ceremonies from the interior ministry has obvious political overtones".

This Thursday marks the 40 day anniversary of the death of at least 20 demonstrators including 'angel of the protests', Neda Agha-Soltan. In Islamic tradition the dead are remembered 3, 7 and 40 days after their death and opposition politicians had planned a memorial ceremony at Tehran's Grand Mosalla Prayer Halls.

Speaking about his plans for Thursday, he said "we don’t want to do anything. We will not have speeches. We just want to use this Mosalla for mourning… so allow us to gather only to recite the Koran,”.

An official at Iran's Interior Ministry said "We have received a request signed... by two presidential election candidates who were not popular amongst the majority of voters asking, as two individuals, for a permit to hold a memorial service for those who were killed in the post-election incidents.". He continued to say that the request had be declined.

On Sunday, twitter users began planning a 2 minute silence in memory of those that had been killed in the protests . The event is planned for Thursday 30 July at 11am and 6.30pm (local time) and has been planned to achieve maximum global participation. The protest has spread rapidly online, becoming the subject of numerous tweets and spawning its own website (http://silentwave.info/) and facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129068429275).

"With Peace Comes Freedom-With Freedom Comes Peace" by Mehdi Saharkhiz

An article by Mehdi Saharkhiz, son of Iranian journalist and political activist Isa Saharkhiz.

"I am Mehdi Saharkhiz, Proud son of the journalist and political activist Isa Saharkhiz. He is in jail for speaking his mind in opposition to the dictators that hijacked the elections in Iran. He was kidnapped in a way that his ribs were broken, he is kept in solitary confinement in an undisclosed location. My dad dedicated his life in order to depose the Shah and help with the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran—a republic that was supposed to be free and respect peoples’ votes, voices, and opinions. My father spent years fighting Saddam whom had illegally entered Iran’s sovereign land and imposed a war against the Iranian people. He fought alongside his brother, my uncle, Saeed who was eventually killed in the war, and millions of other brave Iranians. He fought for my rights. He fought for the rights of Iranians. They rewarded him by putting him behind bars in solitary confinement.

In his post-election press-conference, Ahmadinejad said “We have close to absolute freedom in Iran” and he called upon Western powers to learn from the democracy in Iran. He forgot to explain, however, how his democracy manifests itself. He did not explain how his great vision of democracy includes breaking into an opposition publishing house, taking books and other materials and vandalizing the place. Nowhere in his speech did he explain the freedom and democracy involved when four huge men walk up to a home and threatened to break in when the occupant, a terrified 19-year-old girl, says she is home alone. Mr. Ahamdinejad, is this your democracy that destroyed my father’s publishing house? Is this your freedom that terrorized my sister? For them, I must not and cannot be silent.

Perhaps your so called “freedom” is clearly shown when a general warrant is only shown to a few of those arrested? Or is it shown clearer still when they are arrested without warrant, without cause? When their only crime is standing up and speaking up in the name of true freedom and true democracy. In the name of freedom and democracy, we must not be silent.

Ahmadinejad, the price paid for your “absolute freedom” has been extremely high, and it keeps getting higher. The list of people killed keeps getting longer. Were they all killed by foreigners? Aren’t you the one responsible for protecting our country from invaders, for keeping our borders safe? How is it, then, that these foreigners can walk around our country holding guns? No one in the world believes your lies anymore. We all know Iranians are being beaten and murdered under your orders and those that support you.

Tell me, has one of your children ever been hit with a baton? Have they been arrested? Tortured? Have you felt the pain of a mother crying over her son’s body, or the tears of a father who will never see his daughter in a wedding gown? For the tears, for the pain, for our fathers, mothers, and even YOUR children, we will never be silent.

I only feel your so-called freedom when I open a government-backed newspaper or watch the state TV. Much like your government, they accuse anyone of absolutely anything based upon lies and fabrications, mostly in the name of religion.
This absolute freedom only extends to your supporters. Any publications or media that has even the faintest scent of opposition will have their every line scrutinized by your censors, their pages torn or printed white. If only these blank pages could be filled with the truth, with the tweets, emails and facebook posts from our people, the Iranian people could finally read the truth of what is going on in their own country.

Your puppet media can only come from someone with nothing better to do than to blame other countries for any and all of Iran’s ills. The mark of a true dictator, trying to deflect criticism by blaming outside influences. You have inflicted these atrocities on your own people, on your own religion.

Ahmadinejad, your claims of freedom are hollow. Just like your claim of the halo of light that was around you during your speech at the UN. Iranians and the world sees you for what you are—a dictator—and you cannot lead a democracy as a dictator. For any democracy, you need the people. When you torture and kill the people, they will not be with you but will stand up and oppose you, and the only outcome is your downfall. You and those who support you must step aside … like all the dictators before you, you WILL be swept away like “dirt and dust”.
Today millions of people all across the world stand by us. They stand with Iran and its people against murder, against oppression, and against dictatorship. Until my father is free, until my sister is no longer afraid, until all Iranians are FREE and can stand up with us in freedom and without fear, we will never be silent. We are all together, and the 'world is watching'"

Iran protests enter new phase

Following Iran's presidential election on 12th June, millions of Iranians took to the streets of the country in protest at the polls result, claiming widespread vote rigging.

Six weeks later the pro-reform movement has changed its approach to protesting in light of the government's tough crackdown on street rallies. After several deaths and numerous arrests the 'green' movement has changed its tactics to increaslingly imaginative methods of disobedience.

Protestors have began boycotting goods which are advertised on state-controlled media. An Iranian human rights activist says that the whispered phrase "Don't buy that. It's from an advertiser." is now commonly heard in shops.

Reports also say that anti-government activists are encouraging others to switch on all electrical appliances before the evening news, in order to overload Tehran's power grid. Dissidents have also published guides online of ways to down Iran's telephone network by leaving phones of the hook.

Whilst the large gatherings have now become almost impossible, so-called 'blitz' demonstrations have been reported on the streets of Iran's cities. The protests last just a few minutes and quickly disband before government militia have chance to react.

At Friday prayers in Tehran,when a prayer official said "We are all your soldiers, Khamenei! We await your orders!" his audience replied "We are all your soldiers, Mousavi! We await your orders!". Former president Rafsanjani addressed prayers at Tehran's university and when refferring to those who had recently been imprisoned, many in the crowd chanted "Political prisoners must be freed!".

Reformist activists have also used subversive artwork, which have been graffitied around the country, to spread their campaign.

The disobedience is predominantly leaderless and unorganised with most actions arranged by email or on twitter and facebook.

Mousavi steps up criticism of Ahmadinejad

Former Iranian presidential candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi, has increased his criticism of President Ahmadinejad.

In an unusually hostile speech, posted on his website, Mousavi accused the government of a series of abuses. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's 'erratic behaviour' has drawn criticism from fellow hardliners.

Mousavi said that a crucial test of Ahmadinejad's commitment would be whether they permit a mourning ceremony at Tehran's Grand Mosalla prayer halls on Thursday.

Mr Mousavi said in his speech that “We don’t want to do anything. We will not have speeches. We just want to use this Mosalla for mourning… so allow us to gather only to recite the Koran,”.

However, the authorities fear that any large gathering may escalate into an opposition demonstration. Mousavi warned that the Iranian people would not allow a regime that did not abide by the country's constitution to continue their rule.

This Thursday is the 40 day anniversary of the deaths of many of the anti-government protestors including 'Angel of the protestors', Neda Agha-Soltan. Twitter users have organised a 2 minute silence to be observed this Thursday at either 11am or 6.30pm (local time) in memory of the 'martyrs' of the protests.