The Latest from Iran (8 November): Death of a Blogger in Detention?

See also Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- Bad Days for Female Political Prisoners
The Latest from Iran (7 November): Posturing on Syria

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Blogger Sattar Behesthi with his mother2135 GMT: Confrontation Watch. Three "senior US officials" have told CNN that two Iranian Su-25 fighter jets. belonging to the Revolutionary Guards, fired on an unarmed US Air Force Predator drone in the Persian Gulf last week.

The drone was carrying out "routine maritime surveillance" in international airspace east of Kuwait, the officials claimed.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- Bad Days for Female Political Prisoners (Arseh Sevom)

Nine female political prisoners who recently went on hunger strike over their treatment

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It has been a bad news week for female prisoners of conscience. Harassment of attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh continues unabated despite international calls for her release. Nine other imprisoned women have embarked on a hunger strike to protest unprovoked and aggressive treatment from prison guards. Director Rakshan Bani Etemad’s latest film, Stories, remains unheard, while workers continue to bear the brunt of economic hardships and political suppression in Iran.

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US Elections Audios: What's Next for Obama, the Republicans, & the Country --- Scott Lucas' 4 Interviews with BBC

In a series of interviews with the BBC on Wednesday, I tried to look beyond the immediate outcome of President Obama's re-election to assess both the short-term challenge of the dispute over the Federal budget and other economic issues and the long-term prospects for the Democrats, the Republicans, and a changing American society.

Some of the comments may be familiar to listeners, but I think others --- such as the rising significance of  ethnic groups in American politics, countering the narrative of recent years about the influence of conservative Republicans --- may be surprising.

BBC Radio 5 Live: What next for the US and Britain? (with former British Ambassador to the US, Sir Nigel Sheinwald) --- Start just before the 1:50.00 mark

BBC WM: A wide-ranging talk about the challenges for Obama over economic issues and foreign policy and about the state of the Republicans --- Start at the 4:19 mark

BBC Scotland: The immediate fight over economic and social issues --- The item starts at the 1:07:24 mark; my comments come just after 1:11.00

BBC WM: What do the Republicans do now? --- Start just before the 15:00 mark

US Elections 2012: Wednesday's EA Analysis --- Obama, Romney, and What Happens Next

Scott Lucas: Obama's Victory and "What's Next for Foreign Policy" --- An Interview with Monocle 24
James Miller: The GOP Needs to Listen to Mitt Romney
Video: When Karl Rove Would Not Believe Fox News "Obama Wins Ohio"
Video: Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech
US Elections 2012 Special: Tuesday's Live Coverage and Analysis

US Elections 2012 Video: When Karl Rove Would Not Believe Fox News "Obama Wins Ohio"

Three minutes summarising Election Night for the Romney campaign and the Republican Party....

Karl Rove, campaign strategist for George W. Bush, refuses to believe Fox's call of Ohio for Barack Obama --- he remains unconvinced as Fox's anchorwoman takes a long journey down the corridors to verify the projection with the political number-crunchers. They explain the reasoning; Rove still does not believe.

The Latest from Iran (7 November): Posturing on Syria

1810 GMT: Oil Watch. Demonstrating the phrase "cutting off your nose to spite your face"....<,/p>

Parliament's Energy Committee has prepared a bill to decrease crude exports by nearly one third in the current Iranian year --- from March 2012 to March 2013 --- in retaliation for international sanctions.

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Iran's oil exports have already fallen by 60% this year. The Parliamentary committee did not make clear how a further reduction of exports, and thus revenue, would benefit the Islamic Republic.

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US Elections 2012 Audio: Obama's Victory and "What's Next for Foreign Policy" --- Scott Lucas with Monocle 24

This is one of the most challenging and thus productive interviews I have had on radio and television this year. Jeffrey Kaufman of ABC News and I spoke with Monocle 24's The Globalist around the range of foreign policy challenges facing President Obama even as he celebrated his victory late Tuesday night.

Topics range from the US presence in Afghanistan to the relationship with China to the global economic situation.

To get to the discussion, go to the 1:02.30 mark.

US Elections Opinion: The GOP Needs to Listen to Mitt Romney

See Also US Elections 2012 Special: EA's Live Coverage and Analysis

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Barack Obama won a decisive victory last night, taking both the popular and electoral vote. However, America does not feel any more united than it did before the polls opened. In fact, it feels more divided than ever. In the very early hours of the morning there was a man who could have broadened the divide or could have set the GOP, and the country, on the path of reconciliation and unity.

His name was Mitt Romney, and it appears he chose reconciliation over division.

While Conservative pundits were trying to rip the country apart and divide it further, and with some in the crowd calling for revolution, Mitt Romney gives a conciliatory and moving concession speech.

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US Elections Video: Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech

President Barack Obama gives his acceptance speech at 1:40 AM this morning.

Audio and written transcript of the speech is available here.

See also Mitt Romney's Concession Speech, with Opinion and Analysis --- US Elections Opinion: The GOP Needs to Listen to Mitt Romney

US Elections 2012 Special: EA's Live Coverage and Analysis

EA on the Road: Seminars and Media on the US Election

0725 GMT: I will be in seminars this morning with the University of Birmingham and Lloyd's Bank assessing the US elections and what they mean for the world as well as America, and this afternoon I will be working with BBC Radio 5 Live.

Live coverage of the US elections, Iran, and Bahran, Syria, and Beyond will be limited, particularly until our staff --- after getting a few hours' sleep --- return this afternoon. However, we will have features later today, including a look at the last days of the Tehran American University and a discussion that I had this morning with Monocle 24 about the American vote.