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Death Sentence Renewed Against Writer
Two leading Iranian organizations have renewed a death sentence against Salman Rushdie, the Indian-born novelist and author of The Satanic Verses. The elite Revolutionary Guards and the Islamic Propagation Organization called on Muslims the world over to carry out the fatwa issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on February 14,1989. "We ask world Muslims to carry out this divine edict and cleanse the world of such mercenary Satans", the Islamic Propagation Organization said in a statement quoted by Iran's official news agency. The fatwa was pronounced against Rushie for his alleged blasphemy against the Islamic faith in The Satanic Verses.
AND THE WINNERS ARE
Two Canadians have won the top prizes in the Caribbean -Canadian competitions for this year's Commonwealth Writers Prize. Anita Rau Badami's A Hero's Walk took the first prize in the best book category, while Pearl Luke won the best first book award for her novel, The Burning Ground . Badami and Luke will now compete against the winners in the other regions of the Commonwealth-Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific.
President Hugo Chavez's plan for curriculum reform in Venezuela is drawing lots of attention.
The plan calls for all schools to teach a course called "Bolivarian Ideology", based on Venezuelan nationalism and other principles that form the doctrinal core of the Chavez government.
Many Venezuelans support the president's plan, saying that educational renovation is long overdue in this oil -producing South American nation of 24 million.
Critics dismiss the plan for reform, saying it is meant only to indoctrinate impressionable minds.
Those who oppose the plan are quick to point to the fact that it is the brainchild of Carlos Lanz, a Marxist sociologist who argues that globalization and imperialism are robbing Venezuelan kids of a sense of national identity.
Lanz argues that in response to this "imperialist threat" schools should teach children to see "individualism and competition as forms of social injustice".
Since taking office in 1999 Chavez has "democratized" education by banning public schools from levying registration fees.
The term "Bolivarian" is a reference to Simon Bolivar (1783-1830), the Venezuelan soldier, political philosopher and liberator of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.
COPYRIGHT DECISION FAVOURS ARTISTSRadio stations that stream broadcasts over the Internet have been ordered to
pay additional fees to artists and record companies. The order was handed
down in a recent ruling by the U.S. Copyright Office. According to legal
experts the order follows the logic of a recent appellate court decision in
the case of Tasini v. New York Times. In that decision the court ruled that,
"unanticipated exploitation of copyrighted works in new media warrant[ed]
additional compensation"
GROVE'S DICTIONARY OF MUSIC AND MUSICIANS
The second edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians was published
last week. The 29 volume, 25 million word collection can be had in print for
mere $4,800 U.S. If you do not have space at home you can purchase Internet
access for approximately $30 U.S. per month.
For more information please go to: http://www.grovemusic.com
