Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance shut down the reformist daily "Andisheh No" [New Thought] on December 21 for "questioning the general policies of the regime" and "continually attempting to sow discord among people after the presidential elections". The ministry also warned the ILNA news agency about its "coverage of the Green Movement."
A Radio Farda Website viewer wrote: "The authorities are under the impression that by banning ‘Andisheh No' they can fight thinking and new thoughts."
Segregated Textbooks at Iran Schools
In accordance with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's call for a fundamental change in education, boys and girls will be educated using different books starting from the age of nine, Education Minister Hamed Reza Haji-Babai said.
A Paris-based academic interviewed by Radio Farda said the decision runs counter to educational policies around the world that emphasize gender equality. "The constant clash between reality and the culture that Iran's educational system tries to convey to children drives them to oppose the regime even more."