Lot hinges on #IranUS meet in Istanbul or Muscat on Feb 6. Real chance of escalation if it fails. US wants total deal, Iran willing to discuss only nuclear.
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Samrat
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Media professional. Follow news on foreign affairs, media and nicotine policies.
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Joined November 23, 2022
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Bezos had $40mn to pay for Melania vanity, bribe docu but not for journalism.
https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2026/washington-post-layoffs-sports-books-metro/
Vape bans are framed in moral and public health terms, but a look at global data clearly shows it's more about the money. I write:
Two days after US-India trade deal, still no clarity on Russian oil. The contradictory messaging on oil imports says less about diplomacy and more about New Delhi’s habit of wanting both applause and cheap fuel. #EnergySecurity
The new tranche of #EpsteinFiles reveals he was a globally connected power broker for the elite, from Indian top brass to the British upper class, as the probe into a former ambassador for leaks to Epstein shows.
Clive Bates's blog on accelerating decline in smoking and restructuring of nicotine market: The public’s health will prevail, even if Public Health tries to stop it. #tobaccopolicy
China becoming the first nation to mandate physical door handles on EVs prioritises safety over Tesla-led minimalist aesthetics. Slick design should not come at the cost of saving lives. #EVSafety
Merging SpaceX with xAI creates a technological leviathan beyond state control. Elon Musk is building a private infrastructure that rivals the capabilities of major world powers. #SpaceX
India hosted 22 members of Arab League. The Delhi Declaration shows India and Arab states are trying to manoeuvre around US-Israel axis. Silence on Trump’s peace board signals a shared wariness of imposed solutions in Middle East. #Diplomacy
#Iran's decision to call off its live drill in the Strait of Hormuz appears to have averted the immediate crisis. The US will find it more difficult now to justify an escalation, though the regime's admission of 3,100 deaths could still be used as a trigger.
Xi has gutted China's entire military leadership, giving him blank slate to appoint loyalists. Essay argues US disinterest has given him space to recalibrate.
Fake videos of people in Venezuela thanking the US show the new frontline of conflict. AI 'slop' now actively manipulates public opinion on military interventions. Truth is becoming a rarer commodity. #AIWarfare
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wx2dz2v44o
Crucial day as Iran conducts live-fire naval drills in Strait of Hormuz which could be a front to lay mines, amidst recent news of 30k people killed in the protests. #IranUS
'It’s probably more likely that it’s recycled internet crud being recursively churned out at machine speed. But it’s hard to really know.'
https://zurl.co/OQNij
Survival guide by Poynter as the US criminalises newsgathering. Journalists everywhere should also take note. #Media
https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2026/journalists-should-prepare-to-defend-their-right-to-report-the-news/
One would think as West (especially US) becomes more protectionist, Global South would do more trade, but the opposite is happening as Mexico and South Africa raise tariffs on Indian cars. Carney was warning middle-pwers precisely against this.
The United States threatening tariffs on Mexico for shipping oil to Cuba weaponises trade against an ally to choke an adversary. Not new, but energy security battles in the Americas will hurt the US more than anyone. #OilPolitics
The Israeli military's tacit acceptance of the Gaza health ministry's death tolls chips away at years of official denial. Recognising the extent of the human toll is a prerequisite for any future efforts toward accountability. #GazaWar
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/30/israel-military-gaza-death-toll-broadly-accurate
High tariffs on intermediary goods hurt India's manufacturing competitiveness. To become a global manufacturing hub, India needs to fix the problem of inverted duty structures and join value chains, instead of relying on protectionism. #MakeInIndia
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/economic-survey-suggests-lowering-government-stake-threshold-to-26-to-enable-further-psu-disinvestment/articleshow/127785617.cms
Pakistan is capitalising on the Saudi-UAE split, using arms deals to quickly boost its finances. However, Pak is not US or China to afford selling to both sides, the strategy could backfire. #MiddleEast
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/pakistans-arms-deals-position-it-squarely-within-growing-saudi-uae-rift