🇭🇺 Hungarian elections:
‼️Viktor Orbán congratulated Péter Magyar

The 3mn tourists expected to visit Guadalajara this summer were more likely to be customers than victims of the CJNG, security analysts said. Cocaine and marijuana are routinely sold by the cartel in bars around the city, while illicit alcohol, tobacco and vapes show up in shops. The group also controls prostitution rings and has directly targeted foreigners in fraud schemes involving timeshare resorts. "All these opportunities will expand during the World Cup," said Fernando Jiménez Sánchez, a Guadalajara-based security researcher. "It is going to be a very good few weeks for criminal businesses."

Those visiting Guadalajara for the World Cup needn’t worry about physical crime: the cartels don’t want to undermine the far bigger opportunities of drugs, prostitution and fraud which the tournament presents. Great piece this
www.ft.com/content/08c5...

US and Iran fail to reach deal after marathon talks Negotiations foundered over Tehran’s unwillingness to concede ground on nuclear weapons, says JD Vance

US and Iran fail to reach deal after marathon talks ft.trib.al/BGHbwrz

Hungarian voters turn out in force for biggest test of Orbán era Election follows bitter campaign that has energised both government loyalists and opposition behind Péter Magyar

Hungarian voters turn out in force for biggest test of Orbán era ft.trib.al/AVotRAP

🇭🇺Hungary’s turnout is breaking records: 16.89% by 9am (2022: 10.31%). Areas where the opposition Tisza party did well in last year’s EP vote are overperforming. Urban, strongly anti-Orbán voters—who tend to vote later—are just starting to head to the polls. Follow me for #HungaryElection updates!

Hall of fame FT correction

Much ado about marshmallows Good news, it’s s’more VAT nonsense

Another magic post from our resident VATfluencer @louisashworth.bsky.social, this time on the tax treatment of giant marshmallows. www.ft.com/content/eb37...

Pete Hegseth’s broker looked to buy defence fund before Iran attack [FREE TO READ] Morgan Stanley wealth manager approached BlackRock about multimillion-dollar investment for US defence secretary

Pete Hegseth’s broker looked to buy defence fund before Iran attack - as.ft.com/r/dcda930b-6...

Hellish new planet identified beyond solar system Observations add to scientists’ expanding picture of far-flung worlds

A potential new type of planet beyond our solar system resembles human visions of hell.

A sulphurous atmosphere sits above an ocean of magma thick with yet more brimstone.

An apparently unpromising bolt-hole for humanity, but let's see how things go in the next while...

www.ft.com/content/2bc3...

Coffee, straight out of my nose.

Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ explores stablecoin for Gaza Proposal to launch cryptocurrency pegged to US dollar comes after cash supply was decimated during Israeli offensive

Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ explores stablecoin for Gaza—Another potential complication of relying on a stablecoin would be the fact… www.ft.com/content/cf4f... @jamesshotter.bsky.social @financialtimes.com

Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ explores stablecoin for Gaza [FREE TO READ] Proposal to launch cryptocurrency pegged to US dollar comes after cash supply was decimated during Israeli offensive

as.ft.com/r/802e5863-8... Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ explores stablecoin for Gaza @nerizilber.bsky.social @jamesshotter.bsky.social

Excellent choice of image 🤣

How ICE Already Knows Who Minneapolis Protesters Are

A Minnesota woman observing ICE agents in her car was cornered on one-way streets. An agent approached, called her by name—citing facial recognition. Days later, her Global Entry and TSA privileges were revoked, with no explanation.

The Sausage, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Ali Sha’ath: the new Gaza chief who must rebuild the shattered enclave Civil engineer and former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority faces daunting reconstruction task

Ali Sha’ath: the new Gaza chief who must rebuild the shattered enclave—That Sha’ath, a civil engineer and former deputy minister in the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, was plucked to spearhead this new era in Gaza… www.ft.com/content/814f... @jamesshotter.bsky.social @financialtimes.com

Broad mandate of Trump’s Board of Peace sets it up for rivalry with UN Body was originally planned to oversee Gaza but charter’s expansive wording suggests it could mediate in other conflicts

Broad mandate of Trump’s Board of Peace sets it up for rivalry with UN—The body was originally conceived as part of the US president’s push to create a new governance framework for the shattered Palestinian enclave in… www.ft.com/content/0ee7... @jamesshotter.bsky.social @financialtimes.com

It's Davos this week, so please find attached a list of phrases that you may hear and what they actually mean.

Full phrasebook here 😉 www.ft.com/content/ab4f...

The famous pale blue dot image with an arrow pointing to the Earth and text reading: “everyone you know lives here”.

a reminder.

Bronze plaque saying "A Letter to the Future. Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier. In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it. August 2019. 415ppm CO2"

TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".

New malaria drug promises to beat resistant strains Novartis-led project should help curb spread of deadly disease in Africa and Asia

NEW: The first big new malaria treatment in a generation is close, offering hope at a time of rising resistance to existing drugs and steep cuts to global health funding.

www.ft.com/content/9070...

Read more here about fears of a malaria resurgence due to slashed aid.

www.ft.com/content/6d5e...

The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.

Phenomenal. In my 10 year update of A Brief History, I make the point that in the first edition, not one disease had been successfully treated using gene therapy. Today that number is at least 7.

UK, Canada and Australia recognise Palestine as an independent state [FREE TO READ] Move comes as Israel intensifies military action in Gaza and expansion of settlements in occupied West Bank

on.ft.com/4mpXYq8 UK, Canada and Australia recognise Palestine as an independent state

Starmer set to announce UK recognition of Palestinian state Move comes as Israel intensifies military action in Gaza and expansion of settlements in the West Bank

Starmer set to announce UK recognition of Palestinian state on.ft.com/4ngcj9X

How times have changed. Jeb Bush, Republican presidential hopeful, on illegal immigration, 11 years ago www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Israel has killed at least 20 people, including several journalists, in a double strike on Nasser Medical Complex, the largest health facility in southern Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave. on.ft.com/41X8Jsz