I have been following Dennis McCann's article on the protests swelling the streets of cities in Iran, originally held in support of Egypt and Tunisia, that has developed into a revival of the Green Movement, originally focused on toppling the allegedly improperly elected presdie …

CNN Video Discussion of the current events in Iran (Anderson Cooper 360)

Security forces cut phone lines and blockaded the home of an Iranian opposition leader Monday in attempts to stop him attending a planned rally in support of Egypt's uprising, a reformist website reported.

Iranian authorities have blocked reformist websites and detained several opposition supporters and activists, opposition website Saham News reported Thursday.

Fascinating debate about the MSM's power or lack thereof over the outcome of the revolution on the streets of Cairo....

Contrary to what I'm sure you're going to hear this weekend: Reagan was not one of our most popular presidents, both during his reign & for the first decade after it (how quickly we forget!);

Perhaps we should listen to more of what the "real socialists" have to say.... What do you think?

"Since the brutal repression of nationwide dissent following the 2009 elections, authorities are now increasing their crackdown on Kurds.

"If you thought the Harry Potter series was an innocent children's fantasy story, you're wrong, an Iranian movie producer says: In reality, the Harry Potter books and movies are part of a "Zionist plot" to "spread their poison."

"Iran has cut the annual budget it provides Hizbullah by over 40 percent, stirring an unprecedented crisis within the Lebanese Shi'ite guerrilla organization.

Iranians convicted for same-sex activities are on death row and awaiting hanging, including several who were minors when arrested, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday.

"Growing up in Richmond, B.C., I, like more than a few Canadian children, dreamed of becoming secretary-general of the United Nations. The ideal of engaged global citizenship enraptured me, a political refugee from Idi Amin's Uganda.

"Iran's state TV said Friday it will air new footage of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, the latest in state-orchestrated broadcasts on a case that has raised an international outcry.

Iran today denied it freed a woman sentenced to death by stoning after photos were released yesterday that showed her at home with her son during the making of a program about her case by state-run Press TV.

Defying a severe crackdown against the opposition and widespread political repression, Iranian students on Tuesday staged small anti-government protests throughout the country on the anniversary of Students Day.

Alleged Contract Killings
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¶3. (C) xxxxxxxxxxxx said he personally knew one such martial arts master whom he said was used by the Intelligence service to murder at least six different individuals over the course of several months in xxxxxxxxxxxx said that the victims included intellectuals and young "pro-democracy activists," adding that his assassin acquaintance was ultimately "suicided" by the authorities (i.e., killed in what was subsequently labeled a suicide). xxxxxxxxxxxx claimed that his club was raided and greatly restricted xxxxxxxxxxxx after he and the club manager refused to train Basij or lend them their facilities. He said that they also refused to mobilize their membership to assist in repressing local protesters xxxxxxxxxxxx. Although he has stopped working at the school, he claimed to be under relentless pressure to cooperate, xxxxxxxxxxxx

-----> NOTE: I accidentally typed in an incorrect url-- use THIS ONE instead! (These videos are from a pro-democracy Iranian blogger): "Where else in the world would you find police smashing up people's cars and throwing rocks at people's homes?

Opinion -- From Rantings of a Sandmonkey", a popular Egyptian weblog:

Concern over TSA Regulations:
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¶9. (SBU) Prince Torki noted he had been instructed to raise Saudi Arabia's significant concern about the TSA regulations which had included Saudi Arabia in a limited group of countries for additional airport screening. Prince Torki said that this issue had caused a lot of difficulties and embarrassment for Saudi Arabia, to the degree that Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal will raise this with the Secretary in London on January 27. Prince Torki said that Saudi Arabia was not upset about the regulation itself, as it recognized the U.S. right and obligation to protect its citizens. The issue, rather, was inclusion on the list with the likes of Cuba, which causes Saudi Arabia's friends and enemies to question how strong its bilateral relationship with the United States really is. Prince Torki said it is very hard to explain to the Saudi public why they are included on this list, despite not being the origin of the December 25 flight, while other countries that have had recent terrorist incidents on planes, like the UK, Egypt and Turkey, are not. Prince Torki said that Saudi Arabia had been shocked to be included on the list. He noted that Saudi Arabia had been told these provisions would only be temporary, and said Saudi Arabia would like to know how and when they will be amended, implying that the longer they remained in effect without any public explanation from the USG, the more it was likely to prompt the Saudi Government to re-evaluate areas of cooperation, including counter-terrorism cooperation. A/S Feltman promised to convey the spirit and strength of the message, and invited any specific Saudi suggestions to address the security gap regarding nonmetallic explosives exploited in the December 25 incident.

"• Embassy cables show Arab allies want strike against Tehran • Israel prepared to attack alone to avoid its own 9/11 • Iranian bomb risks 'Middle East proliferation, war or both'"

For the last 10 years sexual orientation has been included in a list of discriminatory grounds for executions – gay rights activists say the vote to remove that listing is "dangerous and disturbing."

Iranian state television has broadcast a purported statement by an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery in which she calls herself a "sinner."

Iran has imposed new restrictions on 12 university social sciences deemed to be based on Western schools of thought and therefore incompatible with Islamic teachings, state radio reported Sunday.

"Iranian authorities have amputated the hand of a convicted thief in front of other prisoners, state radio reported Sunday, in a possible step toward restoring the punishment to common use and carrying it out in public.

For Hezbollah, which calls the shots in the neighborhood, this was just the right soundtrack for the Iranian president's state visit last week.

Last week, Iranian President Ahmadinejad took a two-day trip to Lebanon where he basked in the glory heaped upon him by hordes of Hezbollah supporters. Their turn-out is to be expected. Hezbollah is going to be indicted by the U.N.

Under orders of Nouri al- Maliki and on the eve of his trip to Tehran, yet another good will gesture to Iranian regime, was thrashed onto Camp Ashraf residents this evening. Iraqi forces attacked Ashraf residents by firing bullets, and ‎using sticks and truncheons.

An Iranian judge has ordered the amputation of the hand of a man who confessed to robbing a candy shop, local media reported Saturday.

The arrival of a new Middle East player startled Washington and Jerusalem Military sources disclose that when Turkish Prime Minister Tayyep Erdogan met Syrian president Bashar Assad in Damascus Monday, Oct.

A new Hizbullah country seems to be developing in place of the sovereign nation of Lebanon, and its population is preparing for another war with Israel.

Shortly before Russia inserted the fuel rods into Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactor on August 21, some experts warned it would be the last opportunity for Israel to destroy the facility and prevent Iran from going nuclear.

After a series of jokes about conservative that sounded -- and were received -- more like a stand-up act then a political speech, Coulter told the assembled (and predominantly wealthy) conservative gay crowd why they should oppose same sex marriage, adding, "I should warn you: I' …

President Obama will use next week's annual gather ing of world leaders at the United Nations to highlight a looming catastrophe in Sudan -- but not to actually prevent it. At least, not the way he's going.

As a gay diplomat seeks US asylum, Saudi Arabia seems torn between wanting a civilised image and appeasing traditionalists

A ranking diplomat at the Iranian Embassy in Finland said Friday he has quit his job to protest the Islamic Republic's treatment of its citizens.

TEHRAN, Iran — The lawyer for an Iranian woman sentenced to be stoned on an adultery conviction said Monday that he and her children are worried the delayed execution could be carried out soon with the end of a moratorium on death sentences for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The lawyer for an Iranian woman sentenced to be stoned on an adultery conviction said Monday that he and her children are worried the delayed execution could be carried out soon with the end of a moratorium on death sentences for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

" Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to inject urgency into Israeli-Palestinian peace talks Friday, warning the negotiations may be "the last chance for a very long time" to reach an agreement.

An Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning was subjected to a mock execution by hanging. In preparation for her death, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani wrote her will and embraced her cellmates in Tabriz prison.

The mother of a slain Iranian woman who became an icon for opposition protesters said she has no doubt that pro-government forces were to blame for her daughter's death, according to comments released Monday by a rights group.

Iranian woman sentenced to death for adultery without evidence. Found report saying they suspended her stoning. Don't know if she is still locked up.

The lawyer who defended a woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran was reunited with his family in Norway Thursday.

An Iranian reformist website says a top aide to the country's opposition leader has been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.

A United Nations panel says Arabs, Kurds and other minorities in Iran face discrimination because of their ethnicity.

Clashes broke out in Beirut Tuesday evening between the Shiite organizations Hezbollah and Amal and the Sunni militia al-Ahbash. Lebanese media reported that at least three people were killed, one of them is believed to be a senior Hezbollah official.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has beamed a congratulatory message in the Farsi language to Iranians for their efforts "to liberate themselves from the burden of the oppressive regime" headed by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

This week, the Iranian regime completed its ridiculous and unjust show trial of seven Baha'i leaders and sentenced them to 20 years in prison. -- all upstanding Iranian citizens whose only crime is that they belong to the Baha'i community.

"It's Not Just About Israel" "The whole emphasis on Israel's salience in this matter, and of the related idea of subcontracting a strike to the Israeli Defense Forces, is an evasion, somewhat ethnically tinged, of what is an international responsibility."

"President Barack Obama has personally warned Turkey's prime minister that unless Ankara shifts its position on Israel and Iran it stands little chance of obtaining the US weapons it wants to buy.

This story was not well covered by the media-- seeded as background to the current US withdrawal from Iraq. After the US is out-- can the Kurds expect more atrocities like this?

"As the United States works toward a drawdown of combat forces in Iraq by this August, and a withdrawal of all troops by 2011, military commanders and diplomats are scrambling to make sure that the Iraqi government will be ready to take over.

An 18-year-old Iranian is facing imminent execution on charges of homosexuality, even though he has no legal representation.

Earlier Thursday, one of Ashtiani's lawyers told the International Committee Against Stoning that Iranian authorities have decided to go forward with Ashtiani's execution. The lawyer told the group that no more appeals will be allowed.

About the band ("Blurred Vision"): "The band is in the studios with legendary Rock producer Terry Brown, working on the follow up singles to their online hit and remake of Pink Floyd's iconic track- Another Brick In The Wall- dubbed "Hey Ayatollah Leave Those Kids Alone".

"US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the mothers of three young US nationals detained without charge in Iran for 12 months renewed appeals Friday for the trio's release."

Amnesty International accused Iran of harassing the lawyer of a woman sentenced to death by stoning, saying Wednesday that he has gone missing and two of his relatives have been detained.

By the time Mohammad Abdollahi figured out he had been living in the United States illegally for more than a decade, he also knew that his personal safety would depend on being able to stay in the country he calls home.

"Iran amputated the hands of five convicted thieves inside a prison in the western city of Hamedan on Thursday, the semi-official ILNA news agency said.

"The Sunni Muslim rebel group Jundollah said it was behind the attacks, telling Al Arabiyeh television in an email that it had carried them out in retaliation for Iran's execution in June of the group's leader, Abdolmalek Rigi.

Shahram Amiri says he was subjected to "the harshest mental and physical torture".

An Iranian scientist who claims he was kidnapped by the CIA has said he was subjected to extreme mental and physical torture by the Americans.

Shahram Amiri, who has flown from the US to Tehran, also denied being heavily involved in Iran's nuclear programme.

"According to HRANA, Elnaz Babazadeh, a 26 year old woman was raped and murdered by Basij forces in the city of Tabriz (northwestern Iran) last week. According to the reports, Basij forces stopped Babazadeh in her car for not following the Iranian regime's dress code.

This undated image made available by Amnesty International in London, Thursday July 8, 2010, shows Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a mother of two who is facing the punishment of stoning to death in Iran, on charges of adultery.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, convicted of adultery in Iran, may be stoned to death unless a last-minute campaign saves her.

The case of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning drew international outrage after her lawyer's blog posts sparked a global campaign to save her life, and British media reported late Thursday that the stoning would not occur.

"The proposed styles are inspired by Iranians' complexion, culture and religion, and Islamic law," said Jaleh Khodayar, who is in charge of a festival. *WARNING* *GRAPHIC PICTURES* (those with any fashion sense whatsoever should take care in viewing material)

"A veteran Iranian human rights activist has warned that Sakineh Mohammadie Ashtiani, a mother of two, could be stoned to death at any moment under the terms of a death sentence handed down by Iranian authorities.

"A quiet battle is being waged on the streets of Tehran between opposition activists and authorities in preparation for the anniversary this Thursday of the student protests of 1999, which is commemorated yearly and which was, before last year's disputed presidential election, th …

Joining a global trend, the fundamentalists have added another way to dehumanize women and girls: buying and selling them for prostitution.

Ashtiani was forced to confess after being subjected to 99 lashes, Mostafaei said Thursday in a telephone interview from Tehran.

Increasing numbers of Iranian women resist the veil, as hardliners search for enforcers.

Sakineh A@!$%#ani has been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.

This year the message of Iranian upsiring was loud and clear "CHANGE for DEMOCRACY and FREEDOM" and " NO" to the "Religious Velayat Faghih in Iran". The Huge gathering in Paris this year was special backing to those who have in past 30 years strived for Freedom.

Today we stretch out our hands to the people of the whole world. It is now five years that we have lived in fear and in horror, deprived of motherly love. Is the world so cruel that it can watch this catastrophe and do nothing about it?

Iranians and their international supporters called on the world community to support democratic change in Iran by the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance.

"The killer of Neda Agha-Soltan, whose shooting death during a street protest against last summer's Iranian election was flashed around the world on the Internet, must be brought to justice, Amnesty International demanded on Saturday.

" Iran's foreign ministry has rejected Western nations' criticism of its human rights record, calling it unrealistic and politically motivated.

"Muslim states said on Wednesday that what they call "islamophobia" is sweeping the West and its media and demanded that the United Nations take tougher action against it.

"In this exclusive report, former senior members of the Revolutionary Guard offer a view from behind the scenes of the government following the disputed elections. A horrifying portrait from inside Iran's security institutions and prisons.

Parisa remembers the precise moment she heard her first song by Shahin Najafi, an Iranian rapper living in exile in Germany, on her illegal satellite television in the small city of Karadj, west of Tehran. "His words cut through me like a knife," she said.

Iran is jamming satellite broadcasts in attempts to stop people seeing a new film telling the story of Neda Agha-Soltan, the young woman who was shot dead during the mass protests that followed last summer's disputed presidential election.

Satire.

The video speaks for itself

The effort to destroy the Jewish state has many fronts. One front is in Iran, where the maniacal regime that has repeatedly promised to "wipe Israel off the map" marches inexorably toward a nuclear bomb.

"Iranian authorities executed five prisoners, four of them ethnic Kurds, without warning their families, and have so far refused to release their bodies, Human Rights Watch said today. These executions follow convictions that appear to have relied on the use of torture.

The New York Times, in a front page article, described how President Obama appears to be reconsidering, if not turning away from, the historic strategic alliance between the U.S. and Israel.

"Ingenuity, creativity, and guts have sustained this People longer than any other identifiable group of people in existence today. The only thing that may have outdone this is their sensitivity to needs of others.

The situation worsens....

On Dec. 17, a mob of nearly 1,000 Muslims attacked a church building under construction in Bekasi Regency, near Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, according to VOM Canada.

"State prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehei said the opposition leaders could be accused of supporting people who defy God by protesting against the government on Sunday. He said the leaders may face charges of supporting apostates, or those who go against God.

Quetta, capital of Occupied Balochistan, presented the look of a ghost town Saturday.

A remote-controlled bomb attached to a motorcycle killed an Iranian physics professor outside his home in northern Tehran on Tuesday, state media reported, blaming the United States and Israel for the attack

"You've been around enough to know that someone who showed the symptoms of Major Hasan in the army of Algeria, or Syria, or Tunisia, or Turkey, would have been in jail long before he could have gunned down his fellow soldiers.

Iran's police chief on Friday warned opposition supporters not to use cell phones and e-mail messages to organize protest rallies against the government, saying those who do so will be prosecuted and punished.

"I cannot use my real name. If the freedom of expressive condemnation practiced in this article were associated with my name I would never be permitted to return home. Dozens of family members would be in danger of interrogation and persecution for my words.

SADDAM Hussein's look-alike cousin Iraq's former Defense Minister Ali Hassan Al-Majid - better known as 'Chemical Ali' - has been sentenced to death for "crimes against humanity" that he was found to have committed in 1988 against residents of the Iraqi-Kurdish town o …

BBC News: " Iranian opposition leader has been jailed for six years for his role in the unrest following June's disputed presidential election, reports say.

"When you see footage such as this, with anti-regime Iranian protesters losing any concern about their own safety, it's hard to imagine the current leadership hanging on.

The video speaks for itself.

During a debate at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Iran has tried to brush aside allegations that it regularly resorts to torture, executions and mass detentions of opponents of the regime and claimed instead that it promotes and defends human rights.

The UN Human Rights Council has begun discussions about Iran's controversial record on human rights. A review was underway on Monday as part of a UN mechanism intended to hold all member states accountable on a range of human rights issues.