Whistleblowers Speak Out about Religious Extremism in Military amid War on Iran

March 9, 2026

Democracy Now! can be supported here.

American religious freaks like Hegseth are as crazy as crazy can be. Needless to say, America is going downhill fast. At this rate, it will soon hit rock bottom. By the way, since when has God chosen felons and sex offenders to be his representative on Earth? — © Mark Alexander

Middle East Oil Crisis: What Is America's Real 'Endgame' in Iran?

The war in Iran is already sending shockwaves far beyond the battlefield. Stock markets are sinking, Brent crude has jumped above $100 a barrel, and G7 governments are considering tapping emergency reserves to steady the markets. Missiles landing close to critical Gulf energy infrastructure have sharpened fears that what began as a regional confrontation could tip the global economy into something far more dangerous.

The real question is whether this crisis can be contained, and if not, how vulnerable our economies really are - how fast could the world’s energy system start to break apart, and who would feel the pain first?

In today's episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Guy Laron, author of Oil Wars: The Struggle for Control That Has Shaped the Modern World and Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

March 9, 2026

Democracy Now! can be supported here.

Iran Picks New Supreme Leader; Toxic Black Rain Falls after Israeli Strikes on Iranian Oil Depots

Mar 9, 2026 | Iran has selected Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as Iran's supreme leader. The elder Khamenei was assassinated in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28. Iran selected the "hard-liner" Mojtaba Khamenei in defiance of President Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he can choose Iran's next leader. His selection also contradicts the Islamic Republic's previous resistance to hereditary succession. "The war changed everything," says Iranian American political analyst Hooman Majd, who adds that Iran's leadership sees the conflict as "existential" and is therefore carrying out retaliatory attacks throughout the region to "make it painful economically and in many other ways for the United States and for Israel to continue the war."

Meanwhile, preliminary investigations by _The New York Times_, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International indicate that the U.S. military carried out the strike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, that killed over 100 young girls. "It is a war against people," says Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard, who is calling for the school massacre to be investigated as a war crime.

"Iran is going to be changed forever," says Majd, rejecting claims from U.S. leaders that military intervention has created the conditions for a civilian uprising. "For them to be able to rise up and take control of the government is just a pipe dream. I mean, how are they supposed to do that when they're being killed or are running away from missiles almost on a daily basis?"


Democracy Now! can be supported here.

Peter Thiel and Praxis: The Billionaire Plan to Create the Fourth Reich

December 23, 2025

«Chah!», «Iran!» : plus d'un millier de manifestants pro-monarchie iranienne défilent à Paris

LE FIGARO : En soutien à Reza Pahlavi, fils du dernier chah d’Iran qui se présente comme une alternative pour succéder au guide suprême Ali Khamenei, plus d’un millier de personnes se sont rassemblées dans la capitale.

Plus d'un millier de manifestants agitant de nombreux drapeaux de la monarchie iranienne ont défilé samedi à Paris en soutien à Reza Pahlavi, fils du dernier chah d'Iran, a constaté l'AFP. «Chah!», «Iran!», a crié en chœur la foule lors de ce rassemblement organisé en soutien de Reza Pahlavi, qui se présente comme une alternative pour succéder au guide suprême Ali Khamenei, tué au début de la guerre déclenchée par les frappes israélo-américaines. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 8 mars 2026

British Journalist Uncovers Shocking Iran War Cover-up

March 9, 2026

Double Down News (DDN) can be supported here.

Khamenei's Son Built Secret Overseas Property Empire - Bloomberg

IRAN INTERNATIONAL: Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, directs a significant overseas real estate network through intermediaries, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday citing a year-long investigation.

No assets appear directly in Mojtaba's name, but he has been actively involved in deals dating to at least 2011, according to Western intelligence assessments, insider accounts, real estate records, and confidential documents reviewed by Bloomberg. The portfolio includes luxury London properties exceeding $138 million (one bought for $46.5 million in 2014), a villa in an elite Dubai district, and upscale hotels in Frankfurt and Mallorca.

Funding, largely from Iranian oil sales, moved through British, Swiss, Liechtenstein, and UAE banks via shell companies such as Ziba Leisure Ltd., Birch Ventures Ltd., and Emirati entities, as tracked by the report.

Iranian banker Ali Ansari, sanctioned by the UK in October, features as owner or director in many transactions. Ansari denies any connection to Mojtaba and plans to challenge the sanctions, the report said. » | Iran International | Thursday, January 29, 2026

From shadow to power: who is Mojtaba Khamenei? »

Easy Mini Beef Pies | Akis Petretzikis

Oct 8, 2025 | Whip up the most delicious and easy beef pies you’ve ever tried! With homemade dough made from just 3 ingredients and a filling of ground beef and cheese, it’s a recipe everyone will love!

Get the recipe here.

Londoners Want Action after Former UK Ambassador to the US Arrested

People give their views.

Iran’s New Leader: Hardline Cleric, Military Insider, and Business Tycoon | Louise Callaghan

Mar 9, 2026 | “I think what it symbolises, obviously, is continuity more than anything else.”

The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader shows that the ruling system is intact, rather than changing direction, says Louise Callaghan, foreign correspondent for The Sunday Times.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's Extended 60 Minutes Interview

Mar 8, 2026 | CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett sat down with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington, D.C. They spoke on Friday, March 6th about the state of the war with Iran, potential American casualties, what an Iranian surrender could look like, and more. Editor's note: The video above is an extended version of the interview that was broadcast on 60 Minutes on Sunday, March 8, 2026. This extended version was condensed for clarity.

Pete Hegseth is a very dangerous fool. He should have stuck with his previous day job at Fox News! The world would now be a much safer place if he had dome so. The man is far, far too cocky for his own good. — © Mark Alexander

Christian Zionists in Trump Regime Want Iran War to be “Bloody” to Fulfil End Times Prophecy | Reupload

Mar 4, 2026 | Fundamentalist military commanders are taking cues from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by pushing the idea on U.S. servicemembers that the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran is actually a holy war that’s necessary to bring about the Armageddon and pave the way for the second coming of Jesus Christ. This religious extremism is so prominent that troops have filed more than 100 complaints since the war began, alleging their commanders are violating their religious liberty by pushing extremist views on them. The worst part: the Christo-fascist Zionists also believe the war in Iran “must” be “bloody”—as reported by journalist Jonathan Larsen—in order to fulfil biblical prophecy. In this video we’ll talk about the Christian Zionist evangelicals in Trump’s regime who think Israeli imperialism and war with Iran are precursors to their biblical end times prophecy. We’ll also consider the implications this extremism has on U.S. foreign policy.

The SHIT and POPPYCOCK that these American RELIGIOUS FREAKS believe! Little wonder the world is in a bloody mess! — © Mark Alexander

If Trump Thinks I'm a Fool, Then I'm Happy to Be One | Investment Banker

Mar 9, 2026 | "I'm happy to be a fool, because I think most people would look at the tangible impact on their lives."

President Trump has said that high energy prices are a very small price to pay for world peace, and you're a "fool to think differently". Chief economist at Panmure Liberum Simon French says he's happy to think differently to Trump.

Trump is a fool. As is Lindsey Graham. In fact, America today is being governed by know-nothing fools and jesters. Very dangerous fools and jesters at that! Trump should never have been able to find his way to the White House. Unfortunately, the rest of the world is having to pay the high price for the ignorance and imprudence of American voters. We are living in very sick times. — © Mark Alexander

‘We Just Don’t Know’ How High Gas Prices Will Go as Iran War Continues Warns Utilita Chair

Mar 9, 2026 | “It's going to be a white knuckle ride”

Utilita chair Derek Lickorish MBE tells Times Radio “we just don’t know” how high gas prices will go as long as the war in the Middle East continues.


WIKIPEDIA: Utilita Energy »

El líder de facto de Irán promete continuar la guerra y no rendirse

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Ali Larijani, aliado cercano del ayatolá Alí Jameneí, dijo que Teherán no detendrá sus ataques y buscará vengar la muerte del dirigente.

El principal responsable de seguridad nacional de Irán, en declaraciones a la televisión estatal cuando la guerra entraba en su segunda semana, dijo que Teherán no se rendirá ni reducirá sus ataques de represalia y prometió responsabilizar al presidente Donald Trump por la muerte del ayatolá Alí Jameneí.

Alí Jameneí, jefe del Consejo Supremo de Seguridad Nacional de Irán y confidente íntimo del ayatolá Jameneí, dijo que Irán estaba decidido a vengar el asesinato del dirigente, ocurrido el sábado 28 de febrero, en el primer día de la campaña de bombardeos estadounidenses e israelíes contra Irán. Larijani dijo que Estados Unidos “debe pagar el precio”.

“Los estadounidenses deben saber que no los dejaremos ir”, dijo Larijani. “Nuestro pueblo está con nosotros, nuestro liderazgo está unido, no hay división en la lucha contra Israel y Estados Unidos”.

Tras la muerte del ayatolá Jameneí, un consejo de tres personas compuesto por el presidente de Irán, el jefe del poder judicial y un jurista se quedó a cargo del poder, conforme a las disposiciones constitucionales sobre la sucesión. Larijani había sido ampliamente considerado el encargado preferido por Jameneí para dirigir el gobierno, como máxima autoridad en seguridad nacional y política exterior. » | Por Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi ha vivido y trabajado en Irán, ha cubierto el país durante tres décadas y fue corresponsal de guerra en Medio Oriente durante 15 años. | 9 de marzo de 2026

Read in English.

Col Doug Macgregor: We're in a Run Up to WW3

March 8, 2026

Who Was Edward Said and Why Are His Writings on Orientalism Important Today?

Jan 15, 2025 | As Israel’s war in Gaza rages and its settlement expansion accelerates in the West Bank, one man’s critiques of Israel, the PLO, and Orientalism have proven to be precise even twenty years after his death.

The world-renowned Palestinian-American academic Edward Said was born to Christian parents in Jerusalem in 1935 but fled his home along with his family in 1947 in the lead-up to the creation of Israel in 1948.

He went on to write several books on music, media representation, literature, and colonialism, including Orientalism - said to be one of the most influential texts of the 20th century.

So who exactly was Edward Said and how is his legacy prevalent today?

Iran : Mojtaba Khamenei, un « dur » proche des gardiens de la révolution, succède à son père comme guide suprême

LE FIGARO : PORTRAIT - L’assemblée des experts, un groupe de 88 religieux chargés de désigner le dirigeant du pays, a annoncé dimanche que le fils de l’ayatollah Ali Khamenei, éliminé samedi 28 février par Israël, avait été choisi.

Mojtaba Khamenei, l’influent deuxième fils du guide suprême éliminé samedi 28 février par une salve de missiles tirée contre sa résidence, a été élu ce dimanche pour succéder à son père. Plus tôt dans la journée, l’un des membres de l’Assemblée des experts, un groupe de 88 religieux chargés de désigner le prochain dirigeant du pays, avait déclaré que « le vote pour nommer le guide [avait] eu lieu et que le guide [avait] été choisi », mais sans dévoiler son identité. Bien que le processus se soit déroulé dans des conditions relativement opaques, il semblait avoir impliqué quatre ou cinq autres candidats. Parmi eux : l’ancien président Hassan Rouhani, le haut dignitaire religieux Alireza Arafi, l’ultraconservateur Mohammed Mahdi Mir Bagheri ou encore le réformateur Hassan Khomeiny, petit-fils du fondateur de la République islamique.

« La désignation de Mojtaba Khamenei témoignerait de la priorité accordée par le régime à sa continuité », observait cette semaine dans nos colonnes Vali Nasr, professeur de relations internationales à l’université Johns-Hopkins. Ali Vaez, directeur du programme Iran au centre de réflexion International Crisis Group, soulignait pour sa part qu’elle constituerait « une arme à double tranchant ». « D’un côté, le fils de l’ayatollah Khamenei est un proche des gardiens de la révolution qui pourrait prendre la relève sans délai car il connaît tous les rouages du système pour avoir travaillé pendant plus de trente ans au côté de son père. Mais, de l’autre, il est extraordinairement impopulaire et n’a jamais occupé de fonction élective. Sa nomination consacrerait l’avènement d’un système dynastique, alors que la République islamique était jusqu’à présent créditée d’avoir mis fin à une monarchie héréditaire. » » | Par Cyrille Louis | dimanche 8 mars 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

Iran’s New Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei’s Son, Is a Mysterious Figure

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The succession of the slain leader’s son is seen as a signal of the Islamic republic’s defiance of Israel and the United States, and of continuity during crisis.

Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the recently killed supreme leader, as his father’s successor, according to a statement from top clerics published on state media early Monday local time, signaling the continuity of hard-line theocratic rule as Israeli and U.S. airstrikes pound the country.

Mr. Khamenei himself, though, is something of a mystery even within Iran.

He is a son of the recently killed supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and has been an influential figure in the shadows of power, coordinating military and intelligence operations at his father’s office. He is known to have very close ties to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and was considered their favored candidate.

Unlike his father, Mr. Khamenei, 56, carries the full religious credentials as an ayatollah at the moment of his ascension. He was known for teaching popular Shiite seminary classes.

But his personality or politics outside of his father’s tight inner circle are not known. He seldom speaks or appears in public. And now he will take the helm not just as Iran’s new religious and political authority, but also as the commander in chief of its armed forces.

Vali R. Nasr, an expert on Iran and Shiite Islam at Johns Hopkins University, said that Mr. Khamenei would be a surprising choice, but a telling one.

“The choice of Mojtaba is choice of continuity with his father, and also he is more ready than other candidates to quickly consolidate power and assert control over the system,” said Mr. Nasr. He added that Mr. Khamenei had been considered a successor for a long time; but for the past two years, he had seemed to have dropped off the radar. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Farnaz Fassihi has lived and worked in Iran, has covered the country for three decades and was a war correspondent in the Middle East for 15 years.| Sunday, March 8, 2026

Iran Names Khamenei’s Son New Supreme Leader

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Top clerics said in a statement published in state media that they had picked Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to succeed his father.

Screenshot taken from this section of the New York Times. | Mojtaba Khamenei, center, the son of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in 2019.| Credit...Rouzbeh Fouladi/Middle East Images, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the country’s slain supreme leader, as his father’s successor, according to a statement from top clerics published on state media. His ascension, announced early Monday morning, signals the government’s desire for continuity as Iran faces expanding attacks from the United States and Israel nine days into the war.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was appointed by a committee of senior Shiite clerics after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the highest authority in the country for more than three decades, was killed in an airstrike during the opening blow of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. He is known for having close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and takes the helm not just as Iran’s new religious and political authority but also as the commander in chief of its armed forces.

Israel’s military has been threatening to kill whoever succeeds Ayatollah Khamenei, and President Trump has called the younger Khamenei an “unacceptable” choice. Before the announcement, he warned in an ABC News interview on Sunday that the next supreme leader “is not going to last long” without the approval of the United States.

There was no sign of an offramp for the war, as fears mounted that the fighting would broaden across the Middle East. In a sign that American officials were aware of growing risks in the region, the State Department told American diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia, according to current and former U.S. officials.

And as markets opened Sunday evening, oil prices surged more than 10 percent, crossing $100 a barrel for the first time in almost four years. Live Updates » | Farnaz Fassihi, Edward Wong, Mark Mazzetti, Eric Schmitt and Aaron Boxerman | Sunday, March 8, 2026

How Soviet Leaders Really Lived Behind Closed Doors

Mar 5, 2026 | In public, Soviet leaders preached equality, worker solidarity, and the evils of bourgeois excess. Behind closed doors, they lived like tsars. While ordinary citizens waited in lines for bread and lived in cramped communal apartments, the Politburo elite enjoyed sprawling dachas with private chefs, luxury cars with dedicated lanes on Moscow roads, exclusive stores stocked with Western goods unavailable to anyone else, and medical care in elite hospitals that rivalled anything in the West. The gap between communist ideology and leadership privilege was staggering.

This video explores how Soviet leaders actually lived. We examine the perks of power: the dacha system where top officials had multiple country estates with servants, hunting grounds, and private beaches; the ZIL lanes reserved exclusively for leadership motorcades that allowed them to bypass Moscow traffic while everyone else sat gridlocked; and the "closed stores" like GUM's fourth floor where only the nomenklatura could shop for imported champagne, caviar, French cognac, and Western electronics.

We explore the medical privileges: the Fourth Directorate health system that provided Politburo members with their own hospitals, German pharmaceuticals, and doctors who faced severe consequences if their elite patients didn't recover. We look at the travel privileges—private jets, luxury Black Sea resorts closed to ordinary citizens, and hunting lodges in restricted forest preserves. We examine how their children attended special schools, got admitted to top universities regardless of merit, and were shielded from military service.

We also explore specific leaders' excesses: Brezhnev's obsession with Western luxury cars gifted by foreign leaders, his collection of over 50 vehicles while most Soviets waited years for a basic Lada. Stalin's paranoid network of dachas and bunkers. Khrushchev's surprising modesty compared to his peers. The hypocrisy that even ordinary Soviets recognized—the Party elite living like aristocrats while preaching classless society.

This is about power, hypocrisy, and the privilege hidden behind the Iron Curtain.

Jeffrey Sachs Warns US Militarism Risks Wider War Over Iran

Mar 8, 2026 | Jeffrey Sachs, a public policy analyst and former senior advisor to the UN, strongly criticizes the US's militaristic and imperialistic actions, particularly under the current administration. He warns of the devastating consequences of the conflict with Iran, and highlights China and most of the world's belief in international law and multilateralism, in contrast to the US's disregard for these principles. Sachs argues that the US is not listening to calls for cooperation, and is instead seeking conquest and hegemonic control, risking World War III.

Lawrence: Trump’s Son Will Not Fight in His ‘Illegal and Unconstitutional War’ in Iran

Mar 5, 2026 | MS NOW’s Lawrence O’Donnell explains how the “Trump family's flawless record of avoiding military service would be unremarkable if Donald Trump never started a war” as we learn more about the six U.S. service members who lost their lives in Trump’s war.

Vital Desalination Plants in Iran and Bahrain Are Attacked

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Strikes on nonmilitary infrastructure were a “serious escalation,” analysts said, and could widen the war’s impact on civilians.

Water desalination plants have come under attack in Iran and on the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain over the weekend, threatening a resource vital to life in the harsh desert climates of the region.

On Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, accused the United States of attacking a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, affecting the water supply for 30 villages.

“The U.S. set this precedent, not Iran,” he said on social media, calling the attack “a dangerous move with grave consequences.”

Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, said that U.S. forces were not responsible for that attack.

A day later, Bahrain’s interior ministry said that an Iranian drone had “caused material damage” to a desalination plant there, accusing Iran of “indiscriminately” attacking civilian targets. The country’s water and electricity authority said there had been “no impact on water supplies or water network capacity.”

It was not immediately clear whether either plant was still functioning. And there was no immediate comment from Iran on Bahrain’s allegation.

Iran has faced severe water shortages in recent years, and Gulf countries like Bahrain depend heavily on desalination technology — which turns seawater into drinking water — to sustain tens of millions of people. Desalination infrastructure is one of the most vulnerable military targets in the region because without it, the Gulf’s sprawling metropolises would effectively collapse. » | Vivian Nereim | Reporting from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Sunday, March 8, 2026

Neue Fronten brechen auf: Hat mit dem Angriff auf den Iran der Weltkrieg schon begonnen?

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Der Angriff der USA und Israels zieht immer weitere Länder in den Krieg. Das Geschehen rückt gefährlich nahe an Europa heran.

Am Sonntagmorgen war der Himmel über der iranischen Hauptstadt Teheran von schwarzen Rauchwolken verhüllt. Ein Reporter zeigte auf CNN, dass es Öl geregnet hatte. Die USA und Israel hatten laut der Times of Israel in der Nacht fünf Ölanlagen in und um die iranische Hauptstadt angegriffen. Es wurden vier Menschen getötet, wie ein Regierungsvertreter dem staatlichen Fernsehen mitteilte. Videoaufnahmen zeigten Feuer- und Rauchsäulen. Es war zum ersten Mal zu sehen, dass eine zivile Industrieanlage in diesem Konflikt Ziel eines amerikanisch-israelischen Angriffs wurde.

Die Eskalation zeigt: Die US-Regierung unter Präsident Donald Trump ist entschlossen, den Krieg nicht nur fortzusetzen, sondern auszuweiten. Trumps Rhetorik hat längst alle Anklänge an Diplomatie eingestellt. Der Oberkommandierende der größten Streitmacht der Welt will offenbar die Welt neu ordnen – mit Mitteln des Krieges.

Brutale Rhetorik

Seit Wochen bedienen sich Trump, Verteidigungsminister Pete Hegseth, Außenminister Marco Rubio und Finanzminister Scott Bessent eines ausschließlich bellizistischen, aggressiven und extrem vulgären Vokabulars. Selbst Trumps „Unterhändler“ Steve Witkoff, der bisher die Rolle der Vermittlers mimte, ließ am Samstag nach der Überstellung der ersten toten amerikanischen Soldaten seine Maske fallen, grinste hinter dem Präsidenten stehend unaufhörlich und äußerte sich unflätig über die iranischen Verhandler. » | Michael Maier | Sonntag, 8. März 2026

Les États du Golfe en quête de ripostes financières contre Téhéran

LE FIGARO : Si, avant la guerre, les tensions s’étaient exacerbées après des mesures émiriennes contre les réseaux iraniens, le conflit change la donne pour l’ensemble des États du Golfe.

Face à la poursuite de la stratégie iranienne d’extension régionale du conflit, les pays du Golfe, exposés aux attaques de missiles et de drones de la République islamique, envisagent des scénarios de riposte, notamment financiers.

Dimanche, au neuvième jour du conflit, au Koweït, des réservoirs de carburant à l’aéroport de la capitale ont été la cible de drones, tandis qu’à Bahreïn une station de dessalement d’eau a été endommagée et qu’en Arabie saoudite et aux Émirats arabes unis d’autres attaques ont été déjouées.

Les pétromonarchies reprochent à l’Iran de cibler des infrastructures civiles, tandis que Téhéran les accuse de ne pas avoir honoré leur engagement de ne pas autoriser les États-Unis à lancer des frappes depuis leurs territoires, qui abritent toutes des bases militaires américaines. » | Par Georges Malbrunot | dimanche 8 mars 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

‘A Very Dangerous Person’: Alarm as Pete Hegseth Revels in Carnage of Iran War

Screenshot taken from this Guadian article. | Pete Hegseth at a Pentagon briefing earlier this week. | Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
THE GUARDIAN: Critics say brash, bombastic Fox News host out of his depth to guide US military through murky new Middle East conflict

Brash and bellicose, he sounded more like a cartoon bully than a sombre statesman. “Death and destruction from the sky all day long,” Pete Hegseth, wearing a red, white and and blue tie and pocket square, bragged to reporters at the Pentagon near Washington. “This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be.”

Hegseth, 45, a former Fox News TV host who now commands the world’s most powerful military, has this week become the face of Donald Trump’s war in Iran. That has set off for alarm bells for critics who warn that the Secretary of Defense – pointedly rebranded “Secretary of War” – has rapidly transformed the Pentagon into the staging ground for an ideological and religious crusade.

With machismo, Christian nationalism and callousness toward the lives of US troops, they say, Hegseth’s puerile displays on TV are aimed at sating Trump’s desire for a warmonger worthy of the manosphere. This was reinforced by a lurid social media video that intersperses clips from Hollywood blockbusters such as Braveheart, Gladiator, Superman and Top Gun with Hegseth and real kill-shot footage of the attacks in Iran. » | David Smith in Washington | Sunday, March 8, 2026

Iran’s Only Priority Is Survival Under Bombardment, Says Military Analyst

Mar 8, 2026 | “The main strategy for the regime at the moment is simply to survive the initial bombardment.”

Although Iran’s leadership is trying to show stability by appointing a new supreme leader, the regime is “not as secure as people think it is”, says military strategist Professor Ali Ansari.

Iran’s New Supreme Leader Has Been Selected, Says Deciding Body

THE GUARDIAN: Israel says it will target any figure chosen to succeed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes

The body in charge of selecting a new supreme leader for Iran says it has reached a decision – although the name was not immediately announced.

Israel has warned it would target any figure chosen to replace Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war with Iran.

“The most suitable candidate, approved by the majority of the Assembly of Experts, has been determined,” Mohsen Heydari, a member of the selection body, said on Sunday, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Another member, Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, confirmed in a video carried by Iran’s Fars news agency that “a firm opinion reflecting the majority view has been reached”.

Ayatollah Mohsen Heidari Alekasir suggested the figure chosen to succeed the supreme leader would most probably be someone opposed by Washington.

He said the “Great Satan” – Iran’s term for the US – had inadvertently done the assembly “a kind of service” by publicly criticising certain candidates. His remarks appeared to refer to comments by Donald Trump, who said it would be unacceptable for clerics to select Khamenei’s son Mojtaba as successor.

“Someone opposed by the enemy is more likely to benefit Iran and Islam,” Heidari Alekasir said. » | Lorenzo Tondo | Sunday, March 8, 2026

Article connexe ici.

‘If Iran Falls, You’re Next: Gulf States Beware’ w/ Foad Izadi

Mar 8, 2026 | As U.S. and Israeli bombs rain down on Tehran, University of Tehran Professor Foad Izadi speaks with Rania Khalek about the staggering human toll of an "unprovoked" war that has already claimed over 1,000 Iranians.

Izadi discusses how Washington wilfully sabotaged diplomatic talks, choosing instead a campaign of regime change that is trying to leverage ethnic separatists to balkanize the country. He warns that the assassination of Iran’s leadership has backfired, unifying the nation and ending the era of restraint. He warns that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states should be deeply concerned: if Iran is successfully targeted, they could be next, as U.S. and Israeli ambitions threaten to destabilize the entire region.

"Follow the Money": How Jeffrey Epstein Became Filthy Rich | Extra Minutes

Mar 8, 2026 | Amelia Adams and Tara Brown discuss what's been uncovered in the Epstein files so far - names of the richest and most powerful people, embarrassing and potentially criminal behaviour involving the dead paedophile, and making sense of the millions of information exposed in the documents.

The Arab Jew Experience Exposes the Myths of Middle Eastern Antisemitism | The Chris Hedges Report

August 14, 2024

El Pastificio de Nicola: Traditional Beef and Rice Recipe from Argentina — Guiso Trifón

Jun 8, 2025 | Today I’m cooking a delicious recipe from Doña Petrona C. de Gandulfo’s classic Argentine cookbook.

This dish, called Guiso Trifón, appears in every edition of her book—from the earliest to the Definitive Version—proving its staying power.

It’s a rustic stew made with beef, rice, vegetables, and lots of flavor. Perfect for cold days and for those who enjoy recipes with history.

Adapted from the 70th edition of Doña Petrona C. de Gandulfo’s cookbook (1974).


Click here for the full recipe. Then click on ‘more’.

The First Lesson of War Is ‘Know Your Enemy’ – and Britain’s Enemy Now Is Donald Trump

THE GUARDIAN — OPINION: As the Iran disaster escalates, Starmer should treat the US president as someone whose actions threaten the lawful, democratic way of life everywhere

Nine days in, the conduct of the unjustified, illegal US-Israel war against Iran grows ever-more disproportionate, dishonourable and deranged. The torpedoing of an Iranian navy ship off Sri Lanka by a US submarine demonstrated that for reckless Donald Trump, the whole world is his battlefield. Diplomacy, treacherously sabotaged by Washington, has been replaced by unceasing airstrikes that are murdering and maiming hundreds of Iranian civilians. Trump’s White House increasingly resembles a madhouse. War aims shift daily. A clueless, rambling president insists he must help pick Iran’s next ayatollah. Meanwhile, his “secretary for war”, Pete Hegseth, rants manically about killing without mercy.

Nine days in, it’s clear Iran’s leaders, those who survive, are not going to roll over in a repeat of Trump’s Venezuela coup. Their forces, though drastically outgunned, are succeeding in spreading pain across the Middle East, inundating defences with waves of drones and missiles. That’s no surprise. Iran warned of a region-wide conflict if attacked again. Trump is now at war with US allies, too, having adopted George W Bush’s crude Iraq war “for us or against us” maxim. The Gulf Arabs – and cruelly battered Lebanon – just want it to stop. Britain and Europe mostly want no part of it, but are being sucked in anyway. The global economy is tumbling into crisis. In Trump’s war on the world, there are no heroes, only victims. Spain’s defiant leader, Pedro Sánchez, is one exception.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, already charged with war crimes in Gaza, and Trump must now face prosecution by the international criminal court for atrocities perpetrated in Iran, notably the appalling 28 February bombing of a school in Minab. They should both be sanctioned by the UK and all other governments that still respect the UN charter, human rights and the rule of law. And their countries should be sanctioned, too. Many Americans and Israelis deplore their leaders’ crazed behaviour. Yet these two thugs act in their name. Concerned citizens, failed by an emasculated US Congress and Israeli Knesset, must demand a halt to the mayhem. » | Simon Tisdall | Sunday, March 8, 2026

Guerre en Iran : le nouveau guide suprême a été désigné, son nom n'a pas encore été annoncé

LE FIGARO : L’ayatollah Ali Khamenei a été tué le 28 février au lancement des frappes américaines et israéliennes contre l’Iran, qui ont déclenché une guerre s’étendant à l’ensemble du Moyen-Orient.

L'Assemblée des experts a choisi le nouveau guide suprême iranien pour succéder à l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei, tué le 28 février par des frappes israélo-américaines, ont indiqué dimanche des membres de cette instance cléricale iranienne, sans donner le nom de l'élu. « Le vote pour nommer le guide a eu lieu et le guide a été choisi », a déclaré Ahmad Alamolhoda, membre de l'Assemblée des experts, cité par l'agence de presse Mehr.

Le secrétariat de l'instance annoncera le nom ultérieurement, a-t-il ajouté. Au cœur du pouvoir iranien, le guide suprême - qui a le dernier mot sur toutes les affaires de l'État - est la plus haute autorité politique et religieuse de la République islamique. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 8 mars 2026

nternational: China will Frauen zurück in die Gebärsäle bringen

Mar 8, 2026 | Jahrzehntelang galt die strikte Ein-Kind-Doktrin. China fürchtete sich vor Überbevölkerung. Doch inzwischen ist alles anders. Die Bevölkerung schrumpft und die Behörden versuchen, Frauen zum Gebären zu motivieren. Auch mit unzimperlichen Methoden.

China hat eine der tiefsten Geburtsraten der Welt. Laut Demographen kommen auf jede Chinesin durchschnittlich nur noch 0.9 Kinder. Das ist weniger als in den geburtenschwachen südeuropäischen Ländern. Und weit entfernt von den 2.1 Kindern, die nötig wären, um die Bevölkerungszahl stabil zu halten.

Die Angst vor dem Bevölkerungsschwund hat dazu geführt, dass der Staat in den letzten Jahren den Druck auf junge Frauen stetig erhöht hat. Sie sollen wieder mehr Kinder auf die Welt bringen. Inzwischen heisst die offizielle Losung Drei-Kind-Politik. Die Behörden setzen auf Anreize, locken etwa mit Geburtenzulagen und Kindergeld. Doch sie scheuen auch nicht vor direkter Einflussnahme zurück. Verhütung wurde verteuert, frisch verheiratete Frauen bekommen Anrufe von Parteikadern, die sich erkundigen, wann sie endlich schwanger würden.

Viele moderne Chinesinnen aber entziehen sich der staatlich verordneten Familienförderung. Sie wollen sich nicht in die traditionelle Hausfrauen- und Mutterrolle zurückdrängen lassen.

What Do USA & Israel Truly Want in Iran? : Societal Collapse

Mar 6, 2026 | The US and Israel are bombing schools and hospitals in Iran. This is not an accident. War Secretary Pete Hegseth admitted they want to unleash as much "death and destruction" as possible. Their goal is total collapse of Iran's state and society. Ben Norton explains.

Iran Says It Will Never Surrender as Trump Warns It Faces Complete Destruction | BBC News

Mar 7, 2026 | Iran’s President has said the country will never surrender, in the face of the onslaught by the US and Israel. Speaking on state television, President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country’s enemies “will take their dream of the Iranian people’s surrender to their graves”. It follows President Trump’s recent statement that only Iran’s total capitulation would bring the war to an end.

The Iranian president also apologised to neighbouring Gulf states for Iran’s recent "actions” after retaliatory strikes on US allies in the region. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have all come under attack from Iranian missiles and drones.

President Trump responded by stating on his Truth Social media platform that if Iran did not surrender it would be “hit very hard” and faced “complete destruction”. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said his country would continue to strike Iran “with all our might”.

A military aircraft carrying the remains of six US service members killed in the Middle East has returned their remains to an air force base in Delaware. President Trump and other senior member of his administration attended a ceremony there.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood, Jack Fenwick, Nick Beake, Wyre Davies and Orla Guerin.

The Madman Might Actually Do it…

Mar 7, 2026 | NBC News is reporting that Trump is seriously considering boots on the ground in Iran, which would be a significant escalation in his illegal war that would result in inconceivable levels of bloodshed. U.S. servicemembers who Trump is planning to sacrifice for Israel aren’t being told the truth about their deployment as well, according to Mike Prysner, the Executive director at the Center for Conscience and War. In this video we’ll talk about why Trump is considering this unthinkable option.

Very strong language alert!

The Trump Threat

Father David talks of his comparison of Trump’s administration with the Mullahs’ in iran.

Verhältnis zu Trump angespannt: Papst Leo XIV. schickt neuen Botschafter nach Washington

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Der Vatikan besetzt einen seiner wichtigsten diplomatischen Posten neu. Papst Leo XIV. entsendet einen erfahrenen Diplomaten nach Washington.

Der Vatikan hat einen neuen Botschafter für die Vereinigten Staaten ernannt – zu einem Zeitpunkt, an dem das Verhältnis zwischen Papst Leo XIV. und der Regierung von US-Präsident Donald Trump als angespannt gilt. Der erfahrene Vatikan-Diplomat Erzbischof Gabriele Caccia soll künftig als apostolischer Nuntius in Washington eine der wichtigsten diplomatischen Beziehungen des Heiligen Stuhls betreuen.

Caccia, 68 Jahre alt, ist derzeit Botschafter des Vatikans bei den Vereinten Nationen in New York. Der Italiener folgt auf den französischen Kardinal Christophe Pierre, der mit 80 Jahren in den Ruhestand geht. Zuvor war Caccia unter anderem Nuntius im Libanon und auf den Philippinen sowie in einer Schlüsselposition im vatikanischen Staatssekretariat tätig. » | Alexander Schmalz | Samstag, 7. März 2026

Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: 2. Larghetto · Krystian Zimerman · Polish Festival Orchestra

Nov 10, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Lipatti & Ansermet - Schumann Concerto in A minor Op. 54

Jul 1, 2012 | Dinu Lipatti, piano. Ernest Ansermet conducting the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande live - Geneva, February 22, 1950

La influencia mundial de Rusia se erosiona ante las demostraciones de fuerza de Trump

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A corto plazo, el conflicto de Irán puede beneficiar a Moscú. Pero Vladimir Putin se enfrenta a un nuevo mundo de poder estadounidense que pone en jaque las alianzas de Rusia.

Uno de los primeros beneficiarios del ataque a gran escala de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán ha sido el presidente ruso Vladimir Putin.

Su gobierno se beneficia de la subida de los precios del petróleo y el gas, que podría aliviar los problemas económicos de Rusia. Está haciendo valer el peso geopolítico del país como proveedor de energía alternativa. Y puede salir ganando en su propio campo de batalla si el conflicto de Medio Oriente afecta el suministro de defensas aéreas de fabricación estadounidense para Ucrania.

Pero Putin también está lidiando con la llegada de un nuevo mundo de poder estadounidense desenfrenado bajo la presidencia de Donald Trump, el cual está poniendo en jaque la influencia global de Rusia y desbaratando el manual de estrategias de Moscú para establecer alianzas en el extranjero.

Durante años, Putin apoyó a gobiernos autoritarios antiestadounidenses en Irán, Venezuela y Cuba, sin apenas preocuparse de que Washington utilizara su abrumador poder militar para matar, capturar o expulsar a sus dirigentes. Ahora, eso ha cambiado, ya que Trump ha demostrado su voluntad de hacer caso omiso de las normas internacionales y emprender acciones riesgosas en el extranjero al explotar al máximo el poderío de Washington. » | Por Paul Sonne | Reporting from Berlin | 7 de marzo de 2026

Read in English.

Gas Prices Continue to Surge in U.S., Rising 14% in a Week

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Soaring oil prices suggest that more increases could be in store for American drivers. Diesel, jet fuel, and other refined products are also becoming much more expensive.

The price of gas in the United States reached an average of $3.41 per gallon on Saturday, a day after crude oil prices soared to levels not seen since 2023 as the spillover from the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran continued.

That gain means gasoline has jumped 14 percent in the past week, according to data from the AAA motor club. The prices recorded Saturday were the highest for gasoline since 2024.

The suddenly rising energy costs — everything from jet fuel to diesel for trucks and tractors is more expensive — are rooted in supplies of crude oil coming from the Persian Gulf. The tankers that normally carry oil out of the region are not sailing, cutting the world off from about one-fifth of its oil supply.

That’s led to a surge in oil prices globally. By Friday, the U.S. crude benchmark, called West Texas Intermediate, had climbed more than 35 percent for the week, to settle at $90.90 a barrel, with much of that gain coming on Friday alone. The last time crude was trading at those levels, gasoline in the United States was above $3.80 a gallon, the data from AAA shows. » | Emmett Lindner | Saturday, March 7, 2026

Iran Crisis: Social Media Video Published by the White House Is ‘Disgusting’ | Wendy Sherman

Mar 6, 2026 | “I think it’s really, quite frankly, disgusting.”

A recent video posted by the White House about the Iran crisis shouldn’t be something that comes from the White House, and is “not what we should be about at all”, says former Deputy Secretary of State under Biden, Wendy Sherman.