Whenever I sit down to write my bi-monthly girl crush post, I’m usually looking for someone with a hot career that’s matched by her hot body, gorgeous face, gorgeous boyfriend, and impressive array of gold Emmy’s, Oscars or Grammy’s to perch atop the mantelpiece in her (assumingly) impeccable apartment. These are the celebrities of today, right?

Well, this week, in light of the horrendous violence and political strife that has unfolded in Iran throughout the past 10 days, we’ve decided to honor the women that are risking their lives on the streets to fight for justice.

Demonstrations and riots broke out in the city of Tehran last week when voting results confirmed that the conservative candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had defeated former prime minister Mir Hussein Moussavi. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, immediately threatened protesters and the Revolutionary Guard asserted that their actions would invite confrontation from the city police force. Government security officers with weapons and tear gas have been occupying the streets since then, where deaths and injuries continue to increase in number.

The protesters, many of whom are women, believe that Ahmadinejad was re-elected unfairly and through a corrupt voting process. One woman in particular, Neda Agha-Soltan, has become a heroic figure since her death on Tuesday, when she was shot in the chest while stepping out of her car. The 26 year old, who has been described as “not political” by a relative, was on her way to a rally with her singing teacher when a shot was fired from a rooftop across the street, supposedly from a sniper. A doctor had attempted to save the young woman but failed as the bullet had made its way to her heart in only a few minutes. Read More »

It’s time for the news with Kandy Korrespondent!

For those of you who may have thought this year’s presidential race couldn’t get any crazier: Meet Mr. Bob Barr! Former Republican congressman, Bob Barr said on Monday that he would run for President as part of the libertarian ticket. He was part of the Republican Revolution in 1995 and gained notoriety for his role in the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton. He left the Republican party in 2004 and became a Libertarian in 2005 as a result of his growing disillusionment with the civil liberties-eroding Patriot Act. His entrance into the race as a third party candidate may siphon off extreme right-wingers from the McCain platform.

Also on Monday, President Bush told the BBC that the US has plans to strengthen Lebanon’s army to enable it to disarm Hezbollah. At least 60 have died in clashes around Beirut this past week. Read More »