Tom Bateman
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tombatemandc.bsky.social
Tom Bateman
@tombatemandc.bsky.social
BBC State Department Correspondent. Former Middle East. Host of BBC series #TheMandates. http://bit.ly/3RMvwTS . Email tom.b.dc@proton.me
Reposted by Tom Bateman
Professor Alex de Waal of @worldpeacefdtn.bsky.social quoted in a piece about the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Read more in @tombatemandc.bsky.social's piece for BBC.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Searching for answers about US-backed aid agency in Gaza
Much remains unknown about the GHF, the new US- and Israeli-backed group created to feed people in Gaza.
www.bbc.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
Episode 2 of
@tombatemandc.bsky.social 's examination of the relationship between Israel and the US explores the events of the 67 war, the Yom Kippur war, and the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Who now remembers the Sabra & Shatila Massacre?
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Indispensable Relations - Deepening - BBC Sounds
Tom Bateman examines the history of the special relationship between the US and Israel.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 12, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
The Mandates by @tombatemandc.bsky.social is highly recommended listening.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand...
BBC Sounds - The Mandates - Available Episodes
Listen to the latest episodes of The Mandates on BBC Sounds.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 6, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
Indispensable Relations: in this new series @tombatemandc.bsky.social examines the history of the special relationship between the United States and Israel.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Indispensable Relations - Beginning - BBC Sounds
Tom Bateman examines the history of the special relationship between the US and Israel.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 28, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
@tombatemandc.bsky.social examines the history of the special relationship between US+Israel, going back decades. One of the most consequential between 2 single countries+one of the most contested: a matter of life+death for Israelis+Palestinians – +a bedrock of US policy for the entire Middle East.
BBC Radio 4 - Indispensable Relations, Beginning
Tom Bateman examines the history of the special relationship between the US and Israel.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 28, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
Today’s Russian papers on tariff fall-out. From “Trump rejuvenates Russia's economy” to “Fall in energy markets will be very painful for Russia. Our economy was already between decline/recession. Global trade crisis & fall in demand in China could make it even worse.” #ReadingRussia
Steve's Reading Russia - Russian Press Review (7 April 2025)
YouTube video by Steve Rosenberg
youtu.be
April 7, 2025 at 8:27 AM
“As for the other side of the trade deficit: It’s difficult to ship to landlocked Lesotho. The small population does not amount to a large consumer market… residents live near the poverty line. They can’t afford American goods.”

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
First an insult. Now tariffs. Trump has made it a tough month for Lesotho.
Trump slapped the small African nation with the highest tariff rate of any country in the world. Lesotho’s leaders are wondering: Why us?
www.washingtonpost.com
April 7, 2025 at 4:33 AM
“We're not going to fund these global NGOs all over the world that are living off of this. We're not doing it.”

Rubio on not sending US rescuers to Myanmar - more:

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Rubio dismisses criticism over US response to Myanmar earthquake
The US has been accused of not doing enough to help Myanmar due to the shuttering of its humanitarian aid agency.
www.bbc.com
April 5, 2025 at 9:52 AM
“We are not the government of the world”. Rubio, USAID and the Myanmar earthquake. #Brussels #nato
April 5, 2025 at 9:50 AM
“The employees… were told to go home by one o'clock. Everyone was told. All employees in that building were told to go home at one o'clock,“

How the Musk cuts hit USAID’s disaster response unit, the day the earthquake struck Myanmar.

www.bbc.com/news/article...
USAID cuts put US on sidelines of Myanmar aid, former officials say
The US has been unable to respond like other countries to the recent earthquake, say former aid workers.
www.bbc.com
April 2, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
Nearly half of all cars sold in the U.S. are assembled abroad — and most have foreign components.

Here are the makes and models that would be most affected by President Trump's auto tariffs.
Here are the automobile makes and models that would be the most affected by Trump's tariffs
Nearly half of all vehicles sold in the U.S. are assembled abroad — and most have foreign components.
nbcnews.to
March 31, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
President Trump did not rule out seeking a third term in office on Sunday, telling NBC News that he was “not joking” about the possibility and suggesting there were “methods” to circumvent the two-term limit laid out in the Constitution.
Trump Says He’s ‘Not Joking’ About Seeking a Third Term in Defiance of Constitution
In wide-ranging remarks to “Meet the Press,” Mr. Trump said “a lot of people” wanted him to serve a third term and vowed to impose tariffs on global rivals, according to a transcript of the interview ...
www.nytimes.com
March 31, 2025 at 7:06 AM
Reposted by Tom Bateman
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US would receive a strong blow if it acts on President Donald Trump's threat to bomb if Tehran does not reach a new nuclear deal with Washington reut.rs/4hR4CDp
Iran supreme leader Khamenei rebuffs Trump threat over nuclear deal
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the U.S. would receive a strong blow if it acts on President Donald Trump's threat to bomb if Tehran does not reach a new nuclear deal with Washington.
reut.rs
March 31, 2025 at 7:08 AM
“[US] Military officials worried that it might be unduly provocative to call the targets “targets.” Instead they were referred to as “points of interest.”…”
March 30, 2025 at 8:45 PM