A photo purporting to be that of Ali Mousavi, nephew of the rightful president of Iran, murdered by the brownshirts of the military coup. My own sense is that gunning down the relatives of the opposition in broad daylight is a sign of utter desperation.
(Hat tip: Mackey, who's now up and running and again indispensable.)
A shopper, bundled up against the cold temperatures and high winds, near 58th and Fifth Ave. in Manhattan December 23, 2009 in New York. With just two days left to shop before Christmas some last-minute holiday shoppers are facing disappointment as stores are running out of key holiday items. By Don Emmert/AFP/Getty.
A Mexican clown holds a statuette of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, in Mexico City on December 16, 2009. Hundreds of clowns arrived at the Guadalupe Basilica as part of the clowns' annual pilgrimage to the sanctuary. By Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images.
A Chihuahua waits adoption at a Los Angeles Department of Animal Services shelter on December 15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Chihuahuas make up about a third of the dogs at many California shelters, so many that some shelters are shipping Chihuahuas to other states to find homes. A shelter in Oakland sent about 100 to Arizona, Oregon and Washington. Recently, a Los Angeles city shelter flew 25 Chihuahuas to Nashua, New Hampshire where all found homes within a day through the local Humane Society. Experts have blamed the glut of abandoned Chihuahuas in California on the influence of pop culture, a bad economy, puppy mills and backyard breeders. Fans sometimes abandon the dogs when they are no longer new and cute to them or when expensive vet bills start to add up. The tiny dogs are named for the Mexican state of Chihuahua. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
A protestor, dressed as a refugee, shouts slogans during a 'No Border' demonstration on December 14, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Politicians and environmentalists are meeting for the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 that runs until December 18. Some of the participating nation's leaders will attend the last days of the summit. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
A fighting dog bleeds after the weekly dog fights on December 11, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dogfighting is facing a resurgence after it was banned under the Taliban for being un-Islamic. By Majid Saeedi/Getty Images.
Golnaz Esfandiari explains:
Iranian oppositionists have launched a campaign in support of student Majid Tavakoli, who was arrested on Students Day on December 7 after giving a passionate speech during an antigovernment protest at Tehran’s Amir Kabir University. The semi-official Fars news agency posted pictures of Tavakoli dressed as a woman after he reportedly tried to escape by disguising himself. Fars paired a picture of Tavakoli with one of Abol Hassan Bani Sadr, Iran’s first president after the 1979 revolution, who reportedly escaped in 1981 disguised as a woman. In solidarity with Tavakoli, some Iranian men are taking pictures of themselves while wearing the Islamic hijab, which is compulsory for women in Iran, and posting the pictures on Facebook.
More photos here. A Dish reader points to a Facebook group called “FREE MAJID TAVAKOLI ???? ????? ?? ???? ????“. Its photo gallery here. The reader writes:
This is one of those rare moments of hilarity in the midst of tragedy. The Gov. websites published pictures of him in ladies cover to imply that he was arrested while trying to flee in drag. So a way to humiliate him has been transformed into praise for his bravery.
One of those photos of Tavakoli after the jump:
A pelican is seen at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center on December 8, 2009 in Tavernier, Florida. The center which cares for sick and injured birds came close to shutting down because of the lack of donations due to the economic downturn this summer, but recently donations have come through due to publicity about the plight of the center. The center continues to need donations to operate the place that founder Laura Quinn, a retired teacher, began almost 20 years ago. They treat and release about 700 birds a year and permanently care for about 90 birds as well as having daily feedings for wild birds in the area. By Joe Raedle/Getty Images.
Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, looks on during a press conference at the second day of the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 on December 8, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Politicians and environmentalists met for the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 that runs until December 18. By Miguel Villagran/Getty Images.
The Dish 