Iran Insults Carla Bruni

BBC News prides itself on having a correspondent in every port, but it still hasn't published today's hottest news story. France's First Lady Carla Bruni has been branded a "prostitute" by Iranian newspaper Kayhan, a propaganda sheet for the medieval Islamic throwbacks running the country. Iranian state TV has also accused her of “immorality”. And all this vituperation because she called for the release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for alleged adultery. Avaaz gathered many signatures in an online petition to save Sakineh from stoning (I signed it; CLICK for the follow-up). Iran gave in to international pressure and cancelled the stoning. Then, allegedly after two days of torture, the victim appeared on state TV confessing to murdering her husband (CLICK). She is now due to be hanged. Even the Hindustan Times online has beaten BBC News to today's story (CLICK). Fatcat BBC wake up! World news doesn't stop for UK bank holidays.