Ben Downie

تم اتصال هاتفي بعد ظهر اليوم بين الرئيس الاميركي دونالد ترامب والرئيس اللبناني جوزاف عون جدد خلاله الرئيس عون شكره للجهود التي يبذلها ترامب من اجل التوصل إلى وقف إطلاق نار في لبنان وتامين السلم والاستقرار بشكل دائم تمهيدا لتحقيق العملية السلمية في المنطقة وتمنى عليه استمرار هذه الجهود لوقف النار بأسرع وقت ممكن ورد ترامب بدعمه للرئيس عون ولبنان وتشديده على التزامه تلبية الطلب اللبناني بوقف النار في اسرع وقت.

On the positive side of the ledger: - highest-level diplomatic engagement between America and Iran since 1979 - talks were by all accounts serious and substantive - still time for another round On the other hand: - there are simply too many issues to get through in ~10 days - the psychological gap between the parties is enormous. Iran thinks it is winning the war, time is on its side, America is desperate for a deal; America thinks Iran is so badly battered that it will have no choice but to accept its terms, and that if it refuses, more military force will shift its calculus

Pope Leo XIV was half an hour late for his audience with the Italian Winter Olympic and Paralympic committees because he was meeting with David Alexrod, Obama’s chief strategist, this morning.

Just four ships passed through Hormuz on the first day of the "ceasefire", down from a daily average of ten the week before. Shipowners are worried about safety as well as the implications of paying Iran to cross: "If the Iranians are demanding a toll right now, if you pay that toll you are likely to be violating the US sanctions on Iran." ft.com/content/0ce6a1…

Day 1 of the ceasefire: bloodiest day of the war in Lebanon, one of the heaviest days of Iranian attacks on the Gulf since the first week, and also the Strait of Hormuz still isn't open It's a ceasefire only in the sense that America has ceased firing and declared victory

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman has warned that the war on Iran and its fallout is close to becoming uncontrollable, as the war continues to harm people across the region and impact the global economy.

Once celebrated as a national war hero, Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith has been charged with five counts of murder. Australia's most famous soldier is now being accused of the nation's worst war crimes. @Riley7News @telester

What if the whole LLM thing is a false start? If the flaws are inherent systemic problems - if the compounding of hallucinations/errors can't be sorted out? If the capex build out is one of the biggest misallocations of capital ever? Then what? bloomberg.com/news/newslette…

On behalf of the Joint Force and the Joint Chiefs, we extend our deepest gratitude to Chief of Staff of the Army, General Randy George, for his decades of steadfast service to our nation. Since 1988, General George and his family have consistently answered the nation’s call with honor and dedication. We are profoundly thankful to General George and his wife, Patty, for their many years of sacrifice and devotion to those who serve. As they graduate from this distinguished chapter of service and look toward the future, we wish them both continued happiness and success in all that lies ahead.

The cross is part of the mission. The imperialist occupation of the world is disrupted from within; the violence that until now has been the law is unmasked. The poor, imprisoned, and rejected Messiah descends into the darkness of death, yet in so doing He brings a new creation to light. #HolyThursday

@cassiezervos @7NewsMelbourne @7NewsAustralia 👏🏻

What started as a typical day on maternity leave, quickly turned into the biggest development in a 7 month manhunt for the country’s most wanted fugitive. @7NewsMelbourne @7NewsAustralia 7news.com.au/news/how-7news…

🇬🇧🇺🇸 On advice of His Majesty’s Government, and at the invitation of The President of the United States, The King and Queen will undertake a State Visit to the United States of America. Their Majesties’ programme will celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the UK and the US, marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence. 🇧🇲 The King will continue to Bermuda to undertake His Majesty’s first Royal Visit as Monarch to a British Overseas Territory.

After more than 5.5 years, investigative judge Tarek Bitar has completed his investigation into the August 4, 2020 Beirut port explosion 70 people have been reportedly charged in the case. After years of waiting, victims & their families deserve justice. nna-leb.gov.lb/ar/news/423571

#EXCLUSIVE: Dezi Freeman has been shot dead by heavily armed police this morning after more than 6 months on the run. @7NewsMelbourne @7NewsAustralia

Regarding recent press coverage

The AFL has secured Australia’s Princess of Pop Kylie Minogue to headline this year’s Grand Final pre-game entertainment. Even in the afternoon timeslot! An official announcement is expected within the next week @7NewsMelbourne @7AFL

Israeli strikes in south Lebanon just this morning have killed seven paramedics and wounded seven more. Three journalists covering the attacks have also been killed.

The US and Israel might not know the whereabouts of Iran's new supreme leader, but financial investigators have uncovered his sprawling property empire. @Ben_Downie

The world energy shock is coming — it will deepen inequality in ways we've seen before. Our new @newstatesman piece argues that without urgent government action, the Strait of Hormuz crisis will ripple through our economies and rip apart our societies. Here's why. 1/