Frank Comiskey

@JohnSimpsonNews You are right of course - Iran has been totally underestimated at every turn - never more so than now; what we wouldn’t give for a brilliant person like Bob Woodward to report on the White House conversations during this fractious and perilous time.

It’s unlikely that Iran is in any meaningful talks with the US, even via third parties like Pakistan, because Iran’s best (only?) hope is to make the war drag on. The US is using up its smart weapons at a rapid rate, and Pres. Trump wants to finish the war as quickly as he can.

@JohnSimpsonNews It’s true - who is left to properly talk to? I keep thinking back to you on that plane with Time’s Man of the Year when he arrived from Paris in February 1979 - that event still has colossal traction.

I took down my tweet on Iran & Larijani because it was being interpreted wrongly. As Donald Trump has hinted himself, the US may need someone to negotiate with. No good talking to a headbanger — and Larijani, though guilty of all sorts of crimes, clearly wasn’t one of those.

@JohnSimpsonNews Brilliant point & it’s one of a million vital moving parts; Yes - because - unlike some countries - Britain’s world renowned diplomatic status is based on the long game - however, if events go the way many dread/expect, an elegant exit must be on the cards.

A big decision coming soon for Keir Starmer: can Britain really allow the King to pay a state visit to the US when Pres Trump is so publicly insulting to the UK?

@Glinner Yes

Here's what will win everything - 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another'. Here's what should win everything - Marty Supreme

@morgfair I would laugh & laugh if my heart were not so terribly heavy.

😳😳😳

@BBCSteveR Yes - genius; I once read of an event apparently due to feature a performance by Elton John, who then refused to play & NS suddenly & graciously saved the situation by jumping onto the stage & doing an impromptu medley of his amazing body of work - excellent tribute.

Sad to hear of the death of Neil Sedaka. When I was five years old I drew piano keys onto a cardboard box with crayons & pretended to sing and play like Neil Sedaka. Loved his music. Here’s my musical tribute to a music legend.

@TansuYegen This is hilarious

Proof that your Nose will change everything?👃

@laurarobson5 Reminds me of my career.

Being the bottom person in luge doubles is actually wild. Imagine going 90mph down a hill without seeing a scooby

@BBCSteveR @BBCBenTavener @BBCPanorama It’s great & in the long run, I suspect, a very salient historical record.

Our BBC Panorama film 'Our Man In Moscow' is now available on YouTube: a year in the life of Russia and the BBC team here. youtube.com/watch?v=VZzsaq… @BBCBenTavener @BBCPanorama

@thetimes Haven’t seen it & wasn’t likely to; anybody who’s seen lots of films knows how marketing works & can detect the whiff of the moors from 100 miles away.

★★☆☆☆ Emerald Fennell’s film fails to reflect the complexity of the greatest gothic novel in English literature — and, chuffing ’eck, the less said about Jacob Elordi the better #Echobox=1770668155" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">thetimes.com/culture/film/a…

@BBCSteveR Another invaluable reminder that for every Goldsmith, Horner, Barry & Williams, there’s a brilliant alternative across the iron veil - thank you as ever.

I’m back with another Reading Russia Weekend Extra. In this edition: what the Russian papers have been saying about the talks in Abu Dhabi and the Olympics in Milan-Cortina, plus memories of a Nato chief visiting Moscow 25 years ago. #ReadingRussia

@jaketapper Given the age of the victim, there’s something especially wicked about this abduction & to leave the family begging for mercy takes a unique species of irredeemable evil.

Savannah Guthrie: “No matter where you are, even if you’re far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there’s anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation and we need your help.” 1-800-CALL-FBI

@GailRenard You are right - indeed, the last 6 weeks must have seen a run at the pharmacies; in the stress of it all, I almost considered a horse tranquilliser.

Such a slow news week.

@BBCSteveR @BBCPanorama @BBCiPlayer @BBCOne To be truthful I worried that the journalist would be the story (& they never should) but this was excellent; deftly walking the tightrope like Philippe Petit; an admirably balanced person guiding us through a momentous era; we are willing him on to be there till resolution.

Double-headed eagles, white parrots and “defecating squirrels”: my experiences reporting from Russia. Our film ‘Our Man In Moscow’ for @BBCPanorama is available on @BBCiPlayer and on @BBCOne at 8pm tonight (Mon Feb 2). bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@Karaszewski @TrailersFromHel Dickie is dismissed in some foolish quarters as an OTT “luvie” but he’s excellent here as in many other parts; just want to randomly mention that A Bridge Too Far is one of the great war films; he occasionally stumbled, but this effort got extremely close to his idol David Lean.

I sing the praises of acting legend Kim Stanley in my new TRAILERS FROM HELL commentary on the tense British thriller “SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON” youtu.be/ZYU2lD5pPus?si…

@EamonnHolmes The utterly irreplaceable master of live radio; the breakfast show was less a programme & more a world - he read a few of my little skits on air (admittedly a very tenuous link) but honestly, one of the great honours of my life.

El Tel . Gone , but never forgotten 😞

@BBCNews What a frightful fearful farce this all is.

Trump says UK handing over Chagos Islands sovereignty is act of 'great stupidity' bbc.in/4jUhiMK

@Peston Yes - there’s absolute madness in his method - what a time to be alive

Trump’s latest post is his most hostile to and damaging for Starmer, since he explicitly endorses the Tory and Reform attacks on the British prime minister for transferring sovereignty over Chagos to Mauritius - which he then cites as reason why he needs to own Greenland

@JohnSimpsonNews If ever there was an era for “Unspun World” - this is it; totally unprecedented - I feel like he’s constantly playing games, but it’s all extremely unsettling.

“Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace…” In 60 years’ reporting, I’ve never seen a message like Trump’s to Norway’s PM. We’ve left the realm of diplomacy for somewhere far more disturbing.

@Karaszewski This makes more sense than many recent world events - I’ll ask for this to be added to the Emirates Movie Club.

I’ve had a fever for a week. Drifting in and out of sleep. Watching weird movies. Woke up to this last night. I think my brain may have fried.