Saturday, March 14, 2026
Friday, March 13, 2026
Hegseth's Pastor Demands Catholics & Muslims Be Ruled by His Church
I’m fast coming to the conclusion that America is a nation of kooks! — © Mark Alexander
Steve Schmidt: One Insane Week After Another
Iran Ambassador Warns UK to Be 'Very Careful' about War Involvement | Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Mar 13, 2026 | In this extended interview with Iran's Ambassador to the UK, Seyed Ali Mousavi has warned the UK to be "very careful" about becoming further involved in the war.
The ambassador in London spoke exclusively to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg on Saturday 7th March, after a week of war in the Middle East.
Seyed Ali Mousavi said his country would have a "right to self-defence" if the UK directly joined US-Israeli attacks on Iran. He also warned that Iran expected the British government, and others, "to be very delicate, very careful" in their actions.
The ambassador in London spoke exclusively to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg on Saturday 7th March, after a week of war in the Middle East.
Seyed Ali Mousavi said his country would have a "right to self-defence" if the UK directly joined US-Israeli attacks on Iran. He also warned that Iran expected the British government, and others, "to be very delicate, very careful" in their actions.
Trump Calls Iran Leaders ‘Deranged Scumbags’ as Middle East Violence Spirals
THE GUARDIAN: Tehran residents report relentless bombing with US and Israeli planes launching wave of attacks
Donald Trump has said Iran will be hit “very hard” in the coming days, describing leaders of the regime as “deranged scumbags” who it was a “great honor” to kill, as Tehran residents reported relentless bombing and violence continued to spiral across the Middle East.
The US president’s comments, which signaled an intensification of the US-Israeli campaign, came as Israeli and US warplanes launched successive waves of attacks on the Iranian capital and elsewhere on Friday. One strike reportedly hit close to a square near Tehran University where crowds were gathered in support of Iran’s regime. The area is home to many government buildings.
Video published by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency showed a plume of grey smoke rising as demonstrators screamed “Death to Israel!” and “Death to America!”
Across the region, there was more chaos, bloodshed and destruction, with further Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where 800,000 people have been displaced; new missile and drone attacks by Hezbollah and Iran on targets in Israel; and fresh Iranian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gulf states. » | Jason Burke in Jerusalem and Deepa Parent | Friday, March 13, 2026
Donald Trump has said Iran will be hit “very hard” in the coming days, describing leaders of the regime as “deranged scumbags” who it was a “great honor” to kill, as Tehran residents reported relentless bombing and violence continued to spiral across the Middle East.
The US president’s comments, which signaled an intensification of the US-Israeli campaign, came as Israeli and US warplanes launched successive waves of attacks on the Iranian capital and elsewhere on Friday. One strike reportedly hit close to a square near Tehran University where crowds were gathered in support of Iran’s regime. The area is home to many government buildings.
Video published by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency showed a plume of grey smoke rising as demonstrators screamed “Death to Israel!” and “Death to America!”
Across the region, there was more chaos, bloodshed and destruction, with further Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where 800,000 people have been displaced; new missile and drone attacks by Hezbollah and Iran on targets in Israel; and fresh Iranian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gulf states. » | Jason Burke in Jerusalem and Deepa Parent | Friday, March 13, 2026
Iran Will ‘Fight to the Death’ and the USA Does Not Get That | Foad Izadi | UNAPOLOGETIC
Mar 13, 2026 | Foad Izadi is a professor of communication at Tehran University. He has been making the rounds across broadcasters recently where he generally conveys the Iranian government’s position.
He spoke to UNAPOLOGETIC to discuss the rationale behind Iran’s defence strategy, how he sees Iranian society rallying behind the Iranian state under this attack, the legacy of US-Iranian relations, Iran’s own exercising of ‘brute’ foreign policy, as well as Israel’s attempt to fashion the region according to its own designs.
He spoke to UNAPOLOGETIC to discuss the rationale behind Iran’s defence strategy, how he sees Iranian society rallying behind the Iranian state under this attack, the legacy of US-Iranian relations, Iran’s own exercising of ‘brute’ foreign policy, as well as Israel’s attempt to fashion the region according to its own designs.
Starmer 'Right' Not to Give In to Trump's Insults over Iran War | Max Hastings
Mar 13, 2026 | “Of course Trump is going to abuse us….We have to learn to take the insults and keep our own heads.”
Starmer has been “right to keep as far as possible” from the Iran war but the UK must now play a part in keeping open the Straits of Hormuz for the sake of the world economy, says Sir Max Hastings.
Trump, the chump, should be dumped in a prison cell, preferably in one of the cells in one of his many concentration camps, or in his chum’s CC in El Salvador, to let him perish there. Trump is a cruel warmonger, bereft of all mercy and compassion for others. That this is so can be seen by the way that he and members of his regime are behaving towards the poor, innocent people who are perishing unnecessarily in Iran. The world needs a ‘pray-in’ to see if the power of prayer can hasten Trump’s demise! — © Mark Alexander
Starmer has been “right to keep as far as possible” from the Iran war but the UK must now play a part in keeping open the Straits of Hormuz for the sake of the world economy, says Sir Max Hastings.
Trump, the chump, should be dumped in a prison cell, preferably in one of the cells in one of his many concentration camps, or in his chum’s CC in El Salvador, to let him perish there. Trump is a cruel warmonger, bereft of all mercy and compassion for others. That this is so can be seen by the way that he and members of his regime are behaving towards the poor, innocent people who are perishing unnecessarily in Iran. The world needs a ‘pray-in’ to see if the power of prayer can hasten Trump’s demise! — © Mark Alexander
Economist Jeffrey Sachs: US-Israeli "War of Choice," Assault on UN Charter Could Lead to WWIII
Mar 14, 2026 | The global economy has been rocked by the war in the Middle East, with Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatening energy flows and sending the price of oil soaring to its highest level in years. The United Nations Security Council responded to the unprovoked US-Israeli war by passing a resolution this week condemning Iran — specifically for its attacks on US allies in the region — while ignoring the role of the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government in instigating the bloodshed. Economist Jeffrey Sachs joins Democracy Now! to discuss the fallout of the "war of choice" and why it also constitutes an assault on the United Nations.
"This is so out of control, without any logic, any rationality, not any humane, moral, legal justification whatsoever," says Sachs. "It will lead to world war the way we're going, because we have two malignant narcissists, Netanyahu and Trump, that are leading us to disaster."
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
"This is so out of control, without any logic, any rationality, not any humane, moral, legal justification whatsoever," says Sachs. "It will lead to world war the way we're going, because we have two malignant narcissists, Netanyahu and Trump, that are leading us to disaster."
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
What Is Trump's Off-Ramp for Iran?
March 13, 2026 | We are in the second week of a war that was supposed to be over by now. Yet the world is facing soaring oil prices, rising inflation and a regime which doesn't seem ready to capitulate.
While President Trump continues to threaten Iran, he faces the limits of what air power, alone, can achieve and increasing pressure at home.
While President Trump continues to threaten Iran, he faces the limits of what air power, alone, can achieve and increasing pressure at home.
Jeffrey Sachs: US and Israel underestimated Iran
Mar 13, 2026 | We spoke with renowned economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs about the ongoing US and Israeli military strikes on Iran and their devastating consequences.
He also discusses the broader pattern of US military intervention across the Middle East.
The mere thought of Trump choosing the leader of Iran is ABSURD! Only a chump like Trump could ever utter such NONSENSE! — © Mark Alexander
He also discusses the broader pattern of US military intervention across the Middle East.
The mere thought of Trump choosing the leader of Iran is ABSURD! Only a chump like Trump could ever utter such NONSENSE! — © Mark Alexander
Armistead Maupin on Trans Rights and Growing Up Gay in a Homophobic Household
Mar 14, 2024 | Author Armistead Maupin is a pioneer - writing about AIDS and HIV for a mass audience and daring to include gay, lesbian, trans and queer lives when few others were.
His ‘Tales of the City’ series, which started as a newspaper column in 1974, became worldwide best-selling novels and a Netflix series. It chronicles the lives of queer people in San Francisco and pokes fun at morality and social norms, touching millions of readers and viewers over 50 years. The beloved saga is now back for its 10th and final instalment, Mona of the Manor.
Now in his late 70s and living in London, the American writer opens up to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about growing up in the South in a “sexist, homophobic” conservative family, how he came to embrace the LGBTQ community, what life was like at the peak of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s.
Produced by Silvia Maresca.
His ‘Tales of the City’ series, which started as a newspaper column in 1974, became worldwide best-selling novels and a Netflix series. It chronicles the lives of queer people in San Francisco and pokes fun at morality and social norms, touching millions of readers and viewers over 50 years. The beloved saga is now back for its 10th and final instalment, Mona of the Manor.
Now in his late 70s and living in London, the American writer opens up to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about growing up in the South in a “sexist, homophobic” conservative family, how he came to embrace the LGBTQ community, what life was like at the peak of the AIDS epidemic in the 80s.
Produced by Silvia Maresca.
La crisis del petróleo asesta otro golpe a la economía mundial
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Los países ya afectados por la ruptura del orden comercial internacional, la guerra en Ucrania y el caos de los legisladores estadounidenses se enfrentan a daños económicos potencialmente duraderos.
Las bombas estallan en Irán y Medio Oriente, pero las consecuencias sacuden los hogares y las empresas de todo el mundo.
En Kansas, los compradores de viviendas han visto cómo los tipos hipotecarios a 30 años superaron el 6 por ciento esta semana. En el oeste de India, las familias que lloraban la muerte de un ser querido descubrieron que se habían cerrado temporalmente los crematorios de gas.
En Hanoi, Vietnam, los propietarios de gasolineras colocaron carteles de “agotado”. En Kenia, los cultivadores y comerciantes de té temían que sus exportaciones a Irán se pudrieran en el muelle. Y en Estados Unidos, Canadá, Europa, Gran Bretaña y México, los agricultores palidecieron ante el aumento de los costos de los fertilizantes.
El recrudecimiento de la guerra en Irán ha asestado un duro golpe a una economía mundial que ya se ha visto afectada por la ruptura del orden comercial internacional, la guerra en Ucrania y la caótica política del presidente Donald Trump.
“Esto sí que es grave”, dijo David Goldwyn, exdiplomático estadounidense y exfuncionario del Departamento de Energía de Estados Unidos, sobre el cierre del estrecho de Ormuz, el punto de estrangulamiento más importante del mundo para el petróleo. Es el escenario de emergencia que todos temían, dijo. » | Por Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen es corresponsal de economía mundial en Londres. | 13 de marzo de 2026
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Las bombas estallan en Irán y Medio Oriente, pero las consecuencias sacuden los hogares y las empresas de todo el mundo.
En Kansas, los compradores de viviendas han visto cómo los tipos hipotecarios a 30 años superaron el 6 por ciento esta semana. En el oeste de India, las familias que lloraban la muerte de un ser querido descubrieron que se habían cerrado temporalmente los crematorios de gas.
En Hanoi, Vietnam, los propietarios de gasolineras colocaron carteles de “agotado”. En Kenia, los cultivadores y comerciantes de té temían que sus exportaciones a Irán se pudrieran en el muelle. Y en Estados Unidos, Canadá, Europa, Gran Bretaña y México, los agricultores palidecieron ante el aumento de los costos de los fertilizantes.
El recrudecimiento de la guerra en Irán ha asestado un duro golpe a una economía mundial que ya se ha visto afectada por la ruptura del orden comercial internacional, la guerra en Ucrania y la caótica política del presidente Donald Trump.
“Esto sí que es grave”, dijo David Goldwyn, exdiplomático estadounidense y exfuncionario del Departamento de Energía de Estados Unidos, sobre el cierre del estrecho de Ormuz, el punto de estrangulamiento más importante del mundo para el petróleo. Es el escenario de emergencia que todos temían, dijo. » | Por Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen es corresponsal de economía mundial en Londres. | 13 de marzo de 2026
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'Gringo Go Home': Mexico’s Growing Tourism Backlash
‘Unbelievably Unequal’: Report Shows How 1% of Mexicans Own 40% of Country’s Wealth
THE GUARDIAN: Fortunes of the country’s 22 billionaires doubled in last five years, reaching unprecedented collective wealth of $219bn
Scrunched between luxury apartment buildings and a lush gated community, the neighborhood of Santa Lucía Reacomodo in Mexico City is a working-class pocket of real estate. Electrical wires tangle above cinder-block houses, stray cats slink down narrow streets, debris piles up on the pavement.
María del Socorro Corona, 79, arrived here decades ago, back when it was just a cactus-covered hillside. The two-bedroom turquoise house she built with her now-deceased husband is crammed with bags of clothes and knick-knacks she sells at a weekly market.
“I have to make money,” she said, “or I won’t eat.”
While most people built their homes here in the 80s and 90s, the area really started to change about 20 years ago, Corona said, when the government constructed a bridge connecting Mexico City to the high-end business district of Santa Fe nearby. Foreigners came wanting to buy up their land, but none of the neighbors wanted to sell.
“So now the rich are over there,” she said, pointing at one of the looming luxury apartment buildings: row upon row of glass balconies with carefully manicured hedges. “And the poor are over here.”
The stark contrast in this little enclave of the capital is a microcosm of a problem that has plagued Mexico for decades: rampant income inequality, with a small slice of the population living in opulence while millions of families languish in poverty.
“Mexico is unbelievably unequal – it’s almost inconceivable,” said Viri Ríos, a public policy expert and director of Mexico Decoded. “Inequality in our country has been around for centuries: we’ve just grown accustomed to living this way.” » | Oscar Lopez in Mexico City | Thursday, March 12, 2026
Scrunched between luxury apartment buildings and a lush gated community, the neighborhood of Santa Lucía Reacomodo in Mexico City is a working-class pocket of real estate. Electrical wires tangle above cinder-block houses, stray cats slink down narrow streets, debris piles up on the pavement.
María del Socorro Corona, 79, arrived here decades ago, back when it was just a cactus-covered hillside. The two-bedroom turquoise house she built with her now-deceased husband is crammed with bags of clothes and knick-knacks she sells at a weekly market.
“I have to make money,” she said, “or I won’t eat.”
While most people built their homes here in the 80s and 90s, the area really started to change about 20 years ago, Corona said, when the government constructed a bridge connecting Mexico City to the high-end business district of Santa Fe nearby. Foreigners came wanting to buy up their land, but none of the neighbors wanted to sell.
“So now the rich are over there,” she said, pointing at one of the looming luxury apartment buildings: row upon row of glass balconies with carefully manicured hedges. “And the poor are over here.”
The stark contrast in this little enclave of the capital is a microcosm of a problem that has plagued Mexico for decades: rampant income inequality, with a small slice of the population living in opulence while millions of families languish in poverty.
“Mexico is unbelievably unequal – it’s almost inconceivable,” said Viri Ríos, a public policy expert and director of Mexico Decoded. “Inequality in our country has been around for centuries: we’ve just grown accustomed to living this way.” » | Oscar Lopez in Mexico City | Thursday, March 12, 2026
Rasputin and the Romanovs: Secrets, Scandal, and Revolution in Russia
Mar 10, 2026 | Discover the secret struggles of the Romanovs, Rasputin’s mysterious rise, and the revolutionaries shaping Russia’s fate in this gripping deep dive into Russian history.
Step inside the dramatic world of late Imperial Russia, where hidden illnesses, political unrest, and spiritual intrigue set the stage for a nation’s collapse. This video explores the private crisis of Tsarevich Alexei’s haemophilia, the secrecy that gripped the royal family, and the desperate search for hope that brought the enigmatic Rasputin into their inner circle. Uncover how Rasputin’s unique background, his “people whisperer” talents, and his controversial influence over Tsar Nicholas and Alexandra turned him into both a healer and a lightning rod for scandal.
We also trace the revolutionary ferment that threatened the Russian autocracy - from Lenin’s vision for a tightly organized vanguard party, to Trotsky’s intellectual ascent and the fateful split between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Witness the momentous events of 1905, the brutal massacre of Bloody Sunday, and the reluctant birth of the Duma as Nicholas II clung to absolute power. Experience the identity crisis of St Petersburg’s elite, their fascination with mysticism, and how Rasputin’s arrival both captivated and divided society.
This is a story of power, belief, and rebellion - from the palace nurseries to the streets, and from the faith healers’ whispers to the revolutionary shouts that changed history forever.
This documentary cannot be embedded on any external websites; it must be watched only on YouTube itself. Click here to watch it.
Step inside the dramatic world of late Imperial Russia, where hidden illnesses, political unrest, and spiritual intrigue set the stage for a nation’s collapse. This video explores the private crisis of Tsarevich Alexei’s haemophilia, the secrecy that gripped the royal family, and the desperate search for hope that brought the enigmatic Rasputin into their inner circle. Uncover how Rasputin’s unique background, his “people whisperer” talents, and his controversial influence over Tsar Nicholas and Alexandra turned him into both a healer and a lightning rod for scandal.
We also trace the revolutionary ferment that threatened the Russian autocracy - from Lenin’s vision for a tightly organized vanguard party, to Trotsky’s intellectual ascent and the fateful split between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Witness the momentous events of 1905, the brutal massacre of Bloody Sunday, and the reluctant birth of the Duma as Nicholas II clung to absolute power. Experience the identity crisis of St Petersburg’s elite, their fascination with mysticism, and how Rasputin’s arrival both captivated and divided society.
This is a story of power, belief, and rebellion - from the palace nurseries to the streets, and from the faith healers’ whispers to the revolutionary shouts that changed history forever.
L’Iran promet une réponse « plus cinglante » qu’en janvier dernier en cas de nouvelles manifestations
LE FIGARO : La guerre a débuté quelques semaines seulement après des manifestations sans précédent en Iran, d’abord contre la vie chère, avant de se transformer en vaste mouvement de contestation contre le pouvoir, avec un pic le 8 janvier.
Les gardiens de la révolution, l'armée idéologique de la République islamique d'Iran, ont mis en garde vendredi que toute nouvelle manifestation contre le pouvoir ferait face à une réponse « plus cinglante » qu'en janvier lorsque plusieurs milliers de personnes avaient été tuées.
« Aujourd'hui, l'ennemi, incapable d'atteindre ses objectifs militaires sur le terrain cherche de nouveau à instiller la terreur et provoquer des émeutes », ont indiqué les Gardiens dans un communiqué diffusé à la télévision, promettant « une réponse encore plus cinglante que celle du 8 janvier » en cas de nouveaux troubles. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 13 mars 2026
Les gardiens de la révolution, l'armée idéologique de la République islamique d'Iran, ont mis en garde vendredi que toute nouvelle manifestation contre le pouvoir ferait face à une réponse « plus cinglante » qu'en janvier lorsque plusieurs milliers de personnes avaient été tuées.
« Aujourd'hui, l'ennemi, incapable d'atteindre ses objectifs militaires sur le terrain cherche de nouveau à instiller la terreur et provoquer des émeutes », ont indiqué les Gardiens dans un communiqué diffusé à la télévision, promettant « une réponse encore plus cinglante que celle du 8 janvier » en cas de nouveaux troubles. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 13 mars 2026
Has the US Bitten Off More Than It Can Chew in Iran? | DW News
Mar 13, 2026 | The first statement from Iran's new supreme leader was read out by a newsreader and Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear on camera. Reports say he was injured in the strikes that killed his father, the former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the war. And now there's speculation whether Mojtaba himself is even alive.
Regardless who wrote the statement, it shows a regime that wants to project defiance and strength - saying Iran will keep retaliating, and use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.
Donald Trump is also trying to project success as Iran keeps launching attacks across the Gulf. He says the US will benefit from higher oil prices - something the US public may disagree with, as the economic costs of the war mount.
Regardless who wrote the statement, it shows a regime that wants to project defiance and strength - saying Iran will keep retaliating, and use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.
Donald Trump is also trying to project success as Iran keeps launching attacks across the Gulf. He says the US will benefit from higher oil prices - something the US public may disagree with, as the economic costs of the war mount.
Update: Iran Wins Strategic Dominance. US Out of Options. | Prof. Steve Starr
Steve Rosenberg: Moscow's Mobile Internet Blackout Sends Sales of Walkie-talkies, Pagers & Paper Maps Spiralling
Fact Check: Has Ukraine Just Legalised Same-sex Marriage?
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Chris Hedges on the U.S.–Israel War on Iran: “Iranians Will Decide the Outcome”
Seyed M. Marandi: Threat of Seizing Kharg Island & the Use of Nuclear Weapons
Steve Schmidt: The Truth Will Come Out
I don’t know about you, but I am sick to death of hearing that word ‘patriot’! What is it about Americans that they feel that they must utter that word incessantly? Are they so bloody insecure about their country and other people’s loyalty to it? To my mind, it is abnormal to dwell the whole time on a citizen’s patriotism. Bizarre even! If ‘tariff’ is Trump’s favourite word in the English language, ‘patriot’ is fast becoming my least favourite word! One can but yawn at the sound of it! — © Mark Alexander
La guerra en Irán causa la mayor interrupción petrolera de la historia, según agencia de energía
THE NEW YORK TIMES: El conflicto obliga a los productores a recortar la producción y cerrar puertos, mientras Irán intensifica los ataques contra las infraestructuras energéticas.
La guerra en Medio Oriente ha causado “la mayor interrupción del suministro en la historia del mercado petrolero mundial”, dijo el jueves la Agencia Internacional de Energía, al tiempo que Irán intensificaba sus ataques contra las embarcaciones petroleras de la región.
Antes de la guerra, 20 millones de barriles de petróleo pasaban diariamente por el estrecho de Ormuz, la estrecha vía navegable frente a la costa meridional de Irán. Esa cantidad se ha reducido a “un goteo” desde que Irán advirtió de que los barcos que pasaban por allí corrían peligro de ser atacados, dijo la AIE en su informe mensual.
Esta semana, los 32 Estados miembros de la AIE acordaron liberar 400 millones de barriles de petróleo de sus reservas estratégicas, la mayor cantidad de la historia y la primera liberación coordinada desde la invasión a gran escala de Ucrania por Rusia en 2022. » | Por Eshe Nelson | Reportando desde Londres | 12 de marzo de 2026
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La guerra en Medio Oriente ha causado “la mayor interrupción del suministro en la historia del mercado petrolero mundial”, dijo el jueves la Agencia Internacional de Energía, al tiempo que Irán intensificaba sus ataques contra las embarcaciones petroleras de la región.
Antes de la guerra, 20 millones de barriles de petróleo pasaban diariamente por el estrecho de Ormuz, la estrecha vía navegable frente a la costa meridional de Irán. Esa cantidad se ha reducido a “un goteo” desde que Irán advirtió de que los barcos que pasaban por allí corrían peligro de ser atacados, dijo la AIE en su informe mensual.
Esta semana, los 32 Estados miembros de la AIE acordaron liberar 400 millones de barriles de petróleo de sus reservas estratégicas, la mayor cantidad de la historia y la primera liberación coordinada desde la invasión a gran escala de Ucrania por Rusia en 2022. » | Por Eshe Nelson | Reportando desde Londres | 12 de marzo de 2026
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Iran Issues Statement ‘from Mojtaba Khamenei’ as Its Attacks Disrupt Energy Markets
THE GUARDIAN: Message read out by newsreader calls for national unity and says that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks
In his first public remarks as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei apparently called for national unity and said that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks. The strait of Hormuz will remain closed in order to pressure Iran’s enemies, Khamenei reportedly said. He was not seen in the broadcast and the statement was delivered by a newsreader.
Khamenei said Iran will avenge the those who were killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, including the dozens of seven to 12-year-old girls who were killed in an airstrike that hit a school in Minab. He also offered financial compensation for Iranians who suffered damage from the attacks. Middle East Crisis Live » | Lucy Campbell (now); Tom Ambrose, Vivian Ho and Adam Fulton (earlier) | Thursday, March 12, 2026
In his first public remarks as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei apparently called for national unity and said that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks. The strait of Hormuz will remain closed in order to pressure Iran’s enemies, Khamenei reportedly said. He was not seen in the broadcast and the statement was delivered by a newsreader.
Khamenei said Iran will avenge the those who were killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, including the dozens of seven to 12-year-old girls who were killed in an airstrike that hit a school in Minab. He also offered financial compensation for Iranians who suffered damage from the attacks. Middle East Crisis Live » | Lucy Campbell (now); Tom Ambrose, Vivian Ho and Adam Fulton (earlier) | Thursday, March 12, 2026
Oil Shock Sends Tremors Through World Economy: ‘This Really Is the Big One’
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Countries already walloped by a breakdown of the international trading order, war in Ukraine and chaotic U.S. policymaking are facing potentially lasting economic damage.
Bombs are exploding in Iran and the Middle East, but the fallout is rattling households and businesses in neighborhoods all over the globe.
In Kansas, home buyers saw 30-year mortgage rates edge above 6 percent this week. In Western India, families mourning the death of a loved one discovered that gas-fired crematories had been temporarily closed.
In Hanoi, Vietnam, gas station owners posted “sold out” signs. In Kenya, tea growers and traders worried their exports to Iran would rot on the dock. And across the United States, Canada, Europe, Britain and Mexico, farmers blanched at the surge in fertilizer costs.
The widening war in Iran has delivered a stunning punch to a worldwide economy that has already been walloped by a breakdown of the international trading order, war in Ukraine and President Trump’s chaotic policymaking.
“This really is the big one,” David Goldwyn, a former U.S. diplomat and U.S. Energy Department official, said of the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important choke point for oil. It is the emergency scenario everyone feared, he said.
Cargo deliveries have been stranded, shipping charges have increased and insurance premiums have skyrocketed. Yes, the price of gas at the pump is affected. But so is the price of food, medicine, airplane tickets, electricity, cooking oil, semiconductors and more.
A drawn-out war between the United States and Iran could have “catastrophic consequences” for the world’s oil market and the global economy, Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil and gas company, warned this week.
Yet even if the war, which began on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel struck Iran, wraps up relatively quickly, this latest upheaval is sending consumers, workers and employers on another unnerving and unpredictable ride. » | Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen is the global economics correspondent in London.| Thursday, March 12, 2026
One can but wonder what all the members of Trump’s fan club have to say for themselves now! The king of dealmaking is not looking so clever now, is he? His magic touch looks pretty elusive to me. — © Mark Alexander
Bombs are exploding in Iran and the Middle East, but the fallout is rattling households and businesses in neighborhoods all over the globe.
In Kansas, home buyers saw 30-year mortgage rates edge above 6 percent this week. In Western India, families mourning the death of a loved one discovered that gas-fired crematories had been temporarily closed.
In Hanoi, Vietnam, gas station owners posted “sold out” signs. In Kenya, tea growers and traders worried their exports to Iran would rot on the dock. And across the United States, Canada, Europe, Britain and Mexico, farmers blanched at the surge in fertilizer costs.
The widening war in Iran has delivered a stunning punch to a worldwide economy that has already been walloped by a breakdown of the international trading order, war in Ukraine and President Trump’s chaotic policymaking.
“This really is the big one,” David Goldwyn, a former U.S. diplomat and U.S. Energy Department official, said of the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important choke point for oil. It is the emergency scenario everyone feared, he said.
Cargo deliveries have been stranded, shipping charges have increased and insurance premiums have skyrocketed. Yes, the price of gas at the pump is affected. But so is the price of food, medicine, airplane tickets, electricity, cooking oil, semiconductors and more.
A drawn-out war between the United States and Iran could have “catastrophic consequences” for the world’s oil market and the global economy, Amin Nasser, chief executive of Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil and gas company, warned this week.
Yet even if the war, which began on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel struck Iran, wraps up relatively quickly, this latest upheaval is sending consumers, workers and employers on another unnerving and unpredictable ride. » | Patricia Cohen | Patricia Cohen is the global economics correspondent in London.| Thursday, March 12, 2026
One can but wonder what all the members of Trump’s fan club have to say for themselves now! The king of dealmaking is not looking so clever now, is he? His magic touch looks pretty elusive to me. — © Mark Alexander
Berlin, 1933: Hitler’s Rise Through the Eyes of Diplomats I Pure WW2
Mar 10, 2026 | On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Within weeks, the Nazi regime began transforming the state from within. While the world watched with curiosity and uncertainty, foreign diplomats stationed in Berlin witnessed the rise of National Socialism first-hand.
Through private reports, personal notebooks and confidential communications, these diplomats tried to understand the rapidly changing political landscape. They observed how the Nazis seized control of institutions while carefully navigating elite social circles that still included aristocrats and influential figures. High-society receptions became strange stages where Nazi leaders such as Hermann Göring, Rudolf Diels and Ernst Hanfstaengel mingled with diplomats and journalists.
Behind the elegance of Berlin’s salons, however, the signs of persecution and dictatorship were already emerging.
Title: Ambassadors in Berlin
Direction: Pierre-Olivier François
Production: APC & BluePrint Gmbh for France Télévisions (2020)
WIKIPEDIA: Vossische Zeitung »
Through private reports, personal notebooks and confidential communications, these diplomats tried to understand the rapidly changing political landscape. They observed how the Nazis seized control of institutions while carefully navigating elite social circles that still included aristocrats and influential figures. High-society receptions became strange stages where Nazi leaders such as Hermann Göring, Rudolf Diels and Ernst Hanfstaengel mingled with diplomats and journalists.
Behind the elegance of Berlin’s salons, however, the signs of persecution and dictatorship were already emerging.
Title: Ambassadors in Berlin
Direction: Pierre-Olivier François
Production: APC & BluePrint Gmbh for France Télévisions (2020)
WIKIPEDIA: Vossische Zeitung »
Guerre en Iran : faut-il s'attendre à une vague migratoire en Europe ?
LE FIGARO : «Il faut empêcher les mouvements migratoires incontrôlés en provenance d’Iran», a déclaré le chancelier allemand Friedrich Merz le 6 mars.
Les combats se poursuivent en Iran. Si les frappes se concentrent sur des infrastructures militaires, elles ont aussi touché des dépôts de carburant, créant une « pluie de pétrole » sur le pays dont pâti directement la population civile. « La crise croissante au Moyen-Orient constitue une urgence humanitaire majeure », a alerté le Haut-Commissariat aux réfugiés vendredi. « L’ampleur du risque potentiel [d’une vague migratoire] est significative », ajoutait mardi 3 mars l’Agence de l’Union européenne pour l’asile dans son rapport annuel. « Il faut empêcher les mouvements migratoires incontrôlés en provenance d’Iran, abondait encore Friedrich Merz, chancelier allemand, le 6 mars. Nous ne voulons pas voir se reproduire ici le scénario syrien ».
La police routière iranienne a recensé 100.000 départs de Téhéran au cours de deux premiers jours de frappes. Pourtant, aucune vague migratoire n’a été recensée par les pays frontaliers, qui en seraient les premiers réceptacles. « Je ne crois pas beaucoup au risque d’une vague migratoire venue d’Iran », tranche Patrick Stefanini, haut fonctionnaire et fin connaisseur des questions d’immigration. Quitter l’Iran relève de la gageure. Le régime des Mollahs quadrille le territoire, empêchant tout départ. Les routes migratoires semblent se fermer : les avions ne peuvent décoller, la Turquie a clos sa frontière... » | Par Amaury Coutansais-Pervinquière | jeudi 11 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Les combats se poursuivent en Iran. Si les frappes se concentrent sur des infrastructures militaires, elles ont aussi touché des dépôts de carburant, créant une « pluie de pétrole » sur le pays dont pâti directement la population civile. « La crise croissante au Moyen-Orient constitue une urgence humanitaire majeure », a alerté le Haut-Commissariat aux réfugiés vendredi. « L’ampleur du risque potentiel [d’une vague migratoire] est significative », ajoutait mardi 3 mars l’Agence de l’Union européenne pour l’asile dans son rapport annuel. « Il faut empêcher les mouvements migratoires incontrôlés en provenance d’Iran, abondait encore Friedrich Merz, chancelier allemand, le 6 mars. Nous ne voulons pas voir se reproduire ici le scénario syrien ».
La police routière iranienne a recensé 100.000 départs de Téhéran au cours de deux premiers jours de frappes. Pourtant, aucune vague migratoire n’a été recensée par les pays frontaliers, qui en seraient les premiers réceptacles. « Je ne crois pas beaucoup au risque d’une vague migratoire venue d’Iran », tranche Patrick Stefanini, haut fonctionnaire et fin connaisseur des questions d’immigration. Quitter l’Iran relève de la gageure. Le régime des Mollahs quadrille le territoire, empêchant tout départ. Les routes migratoires semblent se fermer : les avions ne peuvent décoller, la Turquie a clos sa frontière... » | Par Amaury Coutansais-Pervinquière | jeudi 11 mars 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Saudi Arabia and UAE Defence Strategy Against Iranian Missile Strikes
Bernie Sanders LIVE: ‘Real Reason’ for Trump’s Iran War Revealed in Explosive Discussion | Netanyahu
Trump’s Beloved White South African “Refugees” Returning Home in Droves
Very strong language alert!
Futures attaques de bases américaines, maintien du détroit d’Ormuz fermé... Le nouveau guide suprême iranien s’exprime pour la première fois
LE FIGARO : L’Iran va « inévitablement » poursuivre ses frappes contre des bases américaines dans le Golfe et continuera de bloquer le détroit d’Ormuz pour « faire pression » sur ses ennemis, a indiqué ce jeudi le nouvel ayatollah Khamenei. EN DIRECT » | Par Ségolène Forgar, Théo Sivazlian, Sidonie Rahola-Boyer et Félix Roudaut et Clara Hidalgo | jeudi 12 mars 2026
El Salvador: Expertengruppe wirft Bukele-Regierung Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit vor
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Menschenrechtsorganisationen berichten über schwere Vorwürfe gegen El Salvadors Regierung. Sie werfen ihr systematische Missachtung rechtsstaatlicher Garantien vor.
Ein neuer Menschenrechtsbericht erhöht den Druck auf El Salvadors Präsidenten Nayib Bukele. Am Dienstag berichtete Reuters, dass ein Expertenteam El Salvadors Regierung unter dem seit März 2022 geltenden Ausnahmezustand systematische Menschenrechtsverletzungen vorwirft.
Der Vorwurf ist politisch brisant, weil Bukeles harter Kurs gegen die kriminellen Banden im Land weiter Rückhalt hat. Zugleich verschiebt der Bericht die Debatte auf die Frage, ob der drastische Rückgang der Gewalt mit systematischen Rechtsbrüchen erkauft wurde. » | Peter Steiniger | Mittwoch, 11. März 2026
Ein neuer Menschenrechtsbericht erhöht den Druck auf El Salvadors Präsidenten Nayib Bukele. Am Dienstag berichtete Reuters, dass ein Expertenteam El Salvadors Regierung unter dem seit März 2022 geltenden Ausnahmezustand systematische Menschenrechtsverletzungen vorwirft.
Der Vorwurf ist politisch brisant, weil Bukeles harter Kurs gegen die kriminellen Banden im Land weiter Rückhalt hat. Zugleich verschiebt der Bericht die Debatte auf die Frage, ob der drastische Rückgang der Gewalt mit systematischen Rechtsbrüchen erkauft wurde. » | Peter Steiniger | Mittwoch, 11. März 2026
Rutger Bregman, Historian, Called Out Billionaires Face to Face in Davos
Why Is Spain's Pedro Sánchez Standing Up to Trump? | DW News
Liban : Israël frappe à nouveau Beyrouth
Why America Is Losing the War with Iran (w/ John Mearsheimer) | The Chris Hedges Report
Elect a know-nothing fool, expect geopolitical chaos! – © Mark Alexander
Wolff Responds: "Iran! Underappreciated Aspects" Dated March 11, 2026
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