Iran's Revolution Forty Years On: The Change People Wanted?

George Galloway on Venezuela (subtitulos en Español)

The Iran Revolution at 40: From Theocracy to ‘Normality’

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In February of 1979, Tehran was in chaos. A cancer-stricken Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the Western-backed autocrat, had gone into exile in mid-January, leaving behind a rickety regency council. On Feb. 1, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the godfather of the revolution, returned from exile in Paris. And in the Iranian version of “Ten Days That Shook the World,” street demonstrations raged until the government collapsed on Feb. 11.

Ecstatic Iranians danced in the streets, playing cat and mouse with soldiers as lingering pro-government sharpshooters fired from the rooftops. Families joined in mass protests, as vigilantes ransacked liquor stores and people kissed the foreheads of turbaned clerics leading the revolution. » | Thomas Erdbrink | Sunday, February 10, 2019

Reporting from Iran's 40th Revolution Anniversary Celebrations l Al Jazeera English

In Tehran, tens of thousands of marchers gathered at Azadi Square, one of the capital's most iconic monuments built by the United States-backed shah and renamed after the victory of the forces loyal to Khomeini.

Iran organises the nationwide rally every February 11 to highlight the size of grassroots support for the revolution, which replaced Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's government with an Islamic Republic under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Thousands of others also gathered in other cities, including the holy city of Mashhad. Al Jazeera's Zein Basravi reports from Mashhad, where he provides a first-hand experience of celebrations.

Additionally, Foad Izadi, professor of international relations at Tehran University, tells Al Jazeera how Iran has taken a more militaristic approach to diplomacy as a result of US President Donald Trump's decision to break the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Will Saudi Arabia Be Held to Account for Jamal Khashoggi's Murder? l Inside Story

It's been more than four months since journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Despite widespread demands for an international investigation and to hold the Saudi government accountable, Donald Trump has largely stood by his ally, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

The US President has now missed a Friday deadline to tell Congress who's responsible for Khashoggi's killing. Instead, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote a letter insisting the Trump administration will seek accountability.

So, will anyone be held to account for Khashoggi's murder?

Presenter: Peter Dobbie | Guests: Scott Lucas - Professor of American Studies at the University of Birmingham; Selva Tor - Political and Financial Strategist; Drew Liquerman - Vice Chairman of Republicans Overseas UK

Jeff Bezos’ Extortion Claim And The ‘Saudi Angle’ | The Last Word | MSNBC

Trump ally David Pecker could lose his immunity deal as federal prosecutors investigate whether AMI violated its non-prosecution agreement by trying to blackmail Jeff Bezos. A new report by the Daily Beast details the inner workings of the National Enquirer's "blackmail machine." Ari Melber discusses the new details with Noah Shachtman, Jonathan Alter and Nicholas Kristof.

Maduro Vows to Block US Aid

Geo-Political Realignments Over Venezuela

On the heels of the hard-line anti-Maduro Lima Group meeting in Ottawa, countries favoring a negotiated solution, including Uruguay, Mexico, and Bolivia, met in Montevideo on Thursday. The final declaration, however, compromises Venezuela's sovereignty, according to Bolivia. We discuss the outcome with Miguel Tinker Salas and Greg Wilpert

The Saudi Arabia Connection To The AMI Story | Morning Joe | MSNBC

In his Medium post, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos writes that the Washington Post's investigation into David Pecker's ties to Saudi Arabia 'seems to hit a particularly sensitive nerve.' And the NYT reports on evidence the Saudi crown prince considered killing Jamal Khashoggi long before his death in Istanbul.

With Jeff Bezos, Has 'The Enquirer' Messed With The Wrong Guy? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos accused the National Enquirer's parent company, American Media Inc., of 'extortion and blackmail' on Thursday for threatening to publish photographs from his personal life. The Morning Joe panel digs into the story.

Stephen Fry Takes On Global Anti-LGBTI Leaders

This important documentary should be shared with all people. The LGBTI community continues to face oppression, arrest and in some countries death just because of who they are, how they look or who the love. The haters need to be called out and Stephen Fry is doing just that.

France Recalls Rome Ambassador after Worst Verbal Onslaught 'Since the War'

THE GUARDIAN: Move comes after Italian deputy prime minister met with leaders of the anti-Macron gilets jaunes movement

Paris has taken the extraordinary step of recalling its ambassador from Rome in the worst crisis between neighbouring France and Italy since the second world war.

France blamed what it called called baseless and repeated verbal attacks from Italy’s political leaders which it said were “without precedent since world war two.”

In a statement, the French foreign office said: “For several months, France has been the target of repeated, baseless attacks and outrageous statements.”

It added: “Having disagreements is one thing but manipulating the relationship for electoral aims is another.”

Italy’s two deputy prime ministers, Matteo Salvini of the far right League and Luigi Di Maio of the populist, anti-establishment Five Star Movement, have criticised the centrist French president, Emmanuel Macron, on a host of inflammatory issues, from immigration to the gilets jaunes (yellow vest) anti-government demonstrations in France. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Thursday, February 7, 2019

Dutch Former Anti-Islam MP Says He's Become a Muslim

THE TELEGRAPH: A former far-Right MP who once called Islam "the biggest disease to have hit our country in the last hundred years" has become a Muslim in a shock conversion.

Joram van Klaveren was an MP from 2010 until 2017 for the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led by anti-Islam and anti-immigration firebrand Geert Wilders. Mr van Klaveren once fiercely advocated Mr Wilders' policies of banning the Koran and closing down mosques.

However, he has now said that he discovered out he had more in common with Islam than he initially thought when he started research for a book criticising the religion, which caused him to completely change his view.

Mr van Klaveren said: "I looked at the Bible on my bookshelf, on the table were books about the Prophet Muhammad. "The prior years I had a big aversion to Islam. When you then have to conclude that you were wrong, it is not a fun moment. But while searching for God I always felt a certain unease. And that slowly disappeared. It felt a bit like coming home in a religious way." » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Donald Tusk: 'Special Place in Hell' for Those Who Backed Brexit without Plan

THE GUARDIAN: European council president also says remain movement has no effective leadership

Donald Tusk, the European council president, has said there is a “special place in hell” for politicians who promoted Brexit “without even a sketch of a plan”, while he reiterated the EU’s refusal to renegotiate the withdrawal treaty.

Speaking to journalists after meeting the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, Tusk also took aim at Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, claiming there was a leadership void at the heart of the remain movement.

Tusk, who has never disguised his hopes that the UK might change its mind, said he knew there were “still a very great number of people” in the UK, on the continent and in Ireland who wanted to reverse the decision.

“I have always been with you with all my heart, but the facts are unmistakable. At the moment the pro-Brexit stance of the UK prime minister and the leader of the opposition rules out this question. Today there is no political force and no effective leadership for remain.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Pope Francis Holds Arabian Peninsula's Largest Mass | DW News

It was billed as the largest show of Christian worship ever seen on the Arabian Peninsula. Pope Francis celebrated mass in the Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates. More than 130,000 people attended the event in the capital Abu Dhabi. The mass wrapped up a three day trip to the country, the first ever by a pontiff. Pope Francis condemned war and said his main aim was to promote harmony and tolerance between Christians and Muslims.

Maduro Issues Threat to Jail Venezuela’s Opposition Leader

THE GUARDIAN: Incumbent asks how long Juan Guaidó will persist with his ‘virtual presidential term’

Nicolás Maduro has issued a thinly veiled threat to the young opposition leader trying to force him from power, hinting that Juan Guaidó could soon be imprisoned as a result of his challenge.

Addressing a meeting of supporters on Monday night, Maduro questioned how long Guaidó – who declared himself Venezuela’s rightful interim president on 23 January – would persist with his “virtual term”.

“Until 2025, too?” Maduro said, referring to the six-year term he recently assumed to a storm of international condemnation. “Or until he ends up in jail by order of the supreme court of justice.” » | Tom Phillips in Caracas | Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Venezuelan Foreign Minister: The US Interferes in Latin American Politics Every Day, Every Hour

A Coup in Progress? Venezuelan Foreign Minister Decries US & Brazil-backed Effort to Oust Maduro

Read the article here »

Top US News & World Headlines — February 5, 2019

Trump's Venezuela Fiasco

Trump will regret listening to the neocons on Venezuela.