@lauraphillips.bsky.social
Campaigner to support the BBC, (not a BBC employee).It’s affected by savage UK govt cuts: c40% 2010-2024. BBC costs <48 pence/around 62 US cents a day per UK household. It’s a national public service broadcaster, respected worldwide for accurate reporting.
A trial using proton beams to try to treat a cancer caused mainly by exposure to asbestos has been described as offering "realistic hope" to patients.
Reuters: ‘US Treasury's Bessent says no price would make Iran war unaffordable’
Never has a nation been as dominant on the battlefield as the USA.
But this war is yet more evidence that tactical mastery has stopped them thinking about strategy.
ICE now has four warehouses for its “mega” detention centers, each which would individually be the largest prison in the country if filled to capacity.
With everything else going on I missed Badenoch committing the Tories to a policy of “enforced” assimilation into officially approved culture.
NEW: Several sources saying Google’s former Europe boss is closing in on becoming the BBC’s next director general.
Matt Brittin said to be quite far in the process. Let’s see.
This on the day Tim Davie said he worried about the brutality of public life:
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
‘The plan to escort ships would go ahead as soon as the U.S. has "complete control of the skies and ... (Iran's) rebuilding capabilities for the missiles completely degraded," he said.’ 2
Reuters: ‘My belief, that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will be escorting vessels through [Strait of Hormuz]," [Scott] Bessent said.’ 1/
Reuters: ‘NETANYAHU, ASKED ABOUT MOJTABA KHAMENEI AND HEZBOLLAH LEADER QASSEM, SAYS: I WOULDN'T TAKE OUT ANY LIFE INSURANCE ON THOSE LEADERS’
Not Hoffman, The. Sun: ‘EXCL: Foreign Office mandarins ran 120 war game exercises last year to prepare for an emergency like Iran.
Actors were brought in to play stranded Brits, as staff worldwide took part in high-intensity rapid-deployment drills.’
FT Exclusive: Moscow has so far earned a roughly $1.3bn-$1.9bn windfall from taxes on oil exports after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz led to rising demand for Russian crude from India and China.
'"These forces led the regime’s primary efforts to suppress internal protests, particularly in recent months, employing severe violence, mass arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators," the military said.' 5.
"After identifying the deployment, over the past day, the Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF (Israel Defense Forces) intelligence, has targeted the Basij roadblocks and operatives," the military said.' 4/
'The Israeli military said in a written statement that it had recently identified new Basij roadblocks in Tehran.' 3/
'The Basij militia is a part-time paramilitary force under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that is often used to quell protests inside Iran.'2/
Reuters: 'The Israeli military struck checkpoints in Tehran operated by the Basij, it said on Thursday, as part of an effort to weaken the rule of Iran's clerical leaders.'1/
@sameerhashmi.bsky.social: US Central Command (CENTCOM) says approximately 6,000 targets have been struck in Iran since the US and Israel launched their first strikes.
More than 90 Iranian vessels have also been damaged or destroyed, including more than 60 ships.
A Reuters visual investigation raises questions about how the U.S. military could have missed a documented, yearslong online presence for the girls school that was bombed in Iran. This including dozens of photos of the children and their activities. Investigation ongoing.
‘The BBC's research found that its trust level was largely unchanged from four years ago at 78%. However, trust in Russia Today and China Global Television Network had jumped from 59% to 71% and from 62% to 70% respectively.’
#BBCPersian journalists have provided a window on a world closed to outside reporters, giving a voice to those in Iran, and providing them with a precious link to the outside world. Their work is crucial and often done at great risk and cost to their families.
Sad news. RSC: We are saddened to hear of the death of Jane Lapotaire.
A truly brilliant actress her RSC credits include Piaf, winning her TONY & Olivier awards, & Gertrude opposite Kenneth Branagh in Adrian Noble’s Hamlet.
RIP.
💯
BBC Monitoring: ‘ #BBC boosts transmissions to #Iran. The #BBCPersian service has added two more mediumwave (AM) frequencies for its radio broadcasts to Iran. The two new ones are 720 (from Cyprus) and 1296 (from Tajikistan). These are alongside the existing 702 (from Oman) and 1395 (from Armenia).’
