Prashant Rao
banner
prashantrao.bsky.social
Prashant Rao
@prashantrao.bsky.social
Semafor Senior Editor, responsible for international and climate coverage.

Sign up: http://semafor.com/newsletters

Ex-The Atlantic and The New York Times in London, AFP in Baghdad
🟡 SCOOP

A data center project in Kenya that was meant to offer a blueprint for the US to leverage tech giants and allies to fend off China in a burgeoning tech race in Africa has stalled, a @semafor.com investigation showed.

Tremendous reporting by @alexisak.bsky.social and Kelsey Warner
September 22, 2025 at 12:49 PM
If it's good enough for @billdeblasionyc.bsky.social, it's good enough for you.

Subscribe to Flagship, @semafor.com's free twice-daily global news briefing: www.semafor.com/newsletters/...
April 29, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Over the past 24 hours, I've had the privilege of running the London Marathon and speaking at a diplomatic event, both in aid of a cause I care deeply about: press freedom.

I'm still raising money for @rorypecktrust.bsky.social, so please do donate! 2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/prashant-...
April 28, 2025 at 9:27 PM
I managed a pretty decent time at the Richmond Park Half Marathon: next step, the London Marathon!

Please support my fundraising for @rorypecktrust.bsky.social, which helps freelance journalists — whom we need more than ever before!

2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/prashant-...
April 14, 2025 at 7:40 AM
I texted with the co-head of McKinsey's geopolitics practice about *waves hand* all of this

Check out her response in Flagship, @semafor.com's daily global briefing: www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
April 11, 2025 at 3:05 PM
More: At @theatlantic.com, I edited Tahir Izgil's masterful account of his final days in Xinjiang and persecution of Uyghurs there, and asked @deepseek.bsky.social about him.

Unlike the back-and-forth about June 4, this one looked broadly right
January 28, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Kinda fascinating to see DeepSeek outline its thinking about why it can’t discuss what happened in Beijing on June 4, 1989
January 27, 2025 at 7:38 PM
US military recruitment hit its target for the first time in a decade last year — thanks to enlistments by women.

For more, read @semafor.com's daily global briefing, Flagship: www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
January 14, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Today's edition of @semafor.com's global newsletter features the London Review of Substacks, our look at the best newsletter-writing on the web.

This week, we feature Snowden Todd, @mjrobbins.bsky.social, and @cartoonshateher.bsky.social in @mattyglesias.bsky.social: www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
January 13, 2025 at 3:43 PM
There is a part of the Biden climate legacy that Donald Trump won't be able to unpick, @timmcdonnell.bsky.social writes in @semafor.com's Net Zero newsletter today.
January 9, 2025 at 11:26 AM
For @semafor.com's daily global newsletter, Flagship, I texted with @ianbremmer.com of @eurasiagroup.net about the year ahead.

Check out his response: www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
January 7, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Monday = London Review of Substacks in @semafor.com's daily global briefing

Today's edition by @tomchivers.bsky.social features smart pieces by Daniel B., @edjameswest.bsky.social, and @stephenfhwebb.bsky.social www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
January 6, 2025 at 12:55 PM
EV sales around the world are rising, albeit at very different paces: Norway just announced around 90% of all cars sold last year were electric, India saw 27% EV growth, and BYD sold more EVs than any other carmaker.

For more, read @semafor.com's global briefing: www.semafor.com/newsletter/0...
January 3, 2025 at 11:34 AM
The latest edition of @semafor.com's London Review of Substacks features smart pieces by @brianklaas.bsky.social, @neilpaine.bsky.social, and @stimsoncenter.bsky.social's Jesse Marks www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
January 2, 2025 at 10:56 AM
🟡 The last edition of @semafor.com Net Zero for 2024 goes out with a bang — a scoop on a major copper mine that is calling for Donald Trump's help to rescue it from legal battles.

@timmcdonnell.bsky.social has all the details www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
December 20, 2024 at 12:19 PM
Cool mix of stories over on @semafor.com!

An exclusive on what the Dems missed in 2024, analysis on Saudi Arabia and climate in Africa, news from around the world

So much diversity, so much news, so many cool stories

www.semafor.com
December 16, 2024 at 4:23 PM
Monday = London Review of Substacks

@semafor.com's @tomchivers.bsky.social reviews three smart essays by @deborahvass.bsky.social, @henrygjeffreys.bsky.social, and @scientificdiscovery.dev in our daily global newsletter www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
December 16, 2024 at 3:57 PM
For @semafor.com's Net Zero climate newsletter, I chatted with @ember-energy.org's @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social about his *fascinating* idea for a subsea power line connecting Europe to North America.

Check out his response: www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
December 13, 2024 at 1:29 PM
In discussions of the brutal legacy of Bashar al-Assad, the economic devastation he wrought on Syrians should not be forgotten.

Chart is from @semafor.com's daily global newsletter: www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
December 13, 2024 at 12:28 PM
Truly a bummer — selfishly, it sucks that the (excellent) swimming pool I use is going away

Great reporting as usual by @jim.londoncentric.media www.londoncentric.media/p/merry-chri...
December 12, 2024 at 12:10 PM
It’s not just the US — several major nations have older leaders, a fact spotlighted by the Brazilian president’s health worries

(Chart from @semafor.com’s daily global newsletter www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...)
December 12, 2024 at 11:28 AM
Well, this isn't good.

The Arctic — once one of the world’s greatest carbon sinks — is becoming a greenhouse gas emitter.

(From @semafor.com's daily global newsletter: www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...)
December 10, 2024 at 10:35 PM
Monday = London Review of Substacks

This week, @semafor.com's daily global briefing looks at smart pieces by a former Russian deputy minister, @smithnoah.bsky.social, and Virginia Postrel: www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
December 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM
Pressure on TikTok:
+ A US court may decide today whether ByteDance must sell its stake in TikTok to avoid a US ban
+ EU officials are demanding TikTok preserve data over allegations it boosted a pro-Russia candidate because of Moscow

More via @semafor.com: www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
December 6, 2024 at 11:46 AM
China is on track to have the world’s biggest nuclear power sector by 2030 and could approve 100 new nuclear reactors in the coming decade.

Read more in @semafor.com’s daily global newsletter www.semafor.com/newsletter/1...
December 5, 2024 at 2:40 PM