The Iranian government now says Neda Agha-Soltan—the 26-year-old martyr in the struggle for freedom in that tense country—may have been killed by a gunman who mistook her for the sister of an Iranian "terrorist," the Islamic Republic News Agency reports today.
Rather than blaming the marksman, Iran suggested "those groups who want to create division in the nation" are responsible for Neda's death, even hinting at something of a conspiracy by saying government foes planned the woman's killing "to accuse the Islamic republic of ruthlessly dealing with the opposition."
That's not likely to appease members of GreeNeda, a new "movement of unity" that has sprung up just about anywhere in the world where there are Persians living, including Orange County. Composed of participants in several local freedom rallies already, they will hold an all-day "teach-in" Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., in Aldrich Park at the center of the UC Irvine campus….
Colleges Tied the Yellow Ribbon (Inside Higher Ed)
About 700 colleges signed up for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill’s Yellow Ribbon Program, which allows colleges to enter into dollar-for-dollar matching agreements with the federal government to pay veterans' educational costs above those covered by the base GI Bill benefit (which varies by state and is tied to undergraduate, resident public university tuition rates). While the Department of Veterans Affairs has not yet released its final list of participating colleges, Keith Wilson, director of the VA’s education service, expects the 700 figure to stay pretty stable. “It’ll grow a little bit. I know we’ve still got some [cases] where we’re seeking clarification from the school, and a couple we need additional information from; the forms weren’t filled out completely. But it’s not going to change dramatically.”….
