Samrat Chowdhery
@sam-rat.bsky.social
Media professional. Follow news on foreign affairs, media, nonprofits and nicotine policies.
Huge dent in Warren Buffet's goody good image as probe reveals he is not only America's biggest coal polluter, but is also aggressively fighting laws to greenify his coal plants.
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway operates the dirtiest set of coal-fired power plants in the US
A Reuters analysis shows that Berkshire coal plants emit more nitrogen oxide gases than any other coal-fired fleet in the country. Despite big investments in renewable energy, the company has resisted efforts by regulators to make coal plants cleaner.
www.reuters.com
January 15, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Huge dent in Warren Buffet's goody good image as probe reveals he is not only America's biggest coal polluter, but is also aggressively fighting laws to greenify his coal plants.
EU bought more Russian gas in 2024 than in the past five years. This has to be the strangest case of funding the enemy you are at war with. #UkraineWar
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
European imports of liquefied natural gas from Russia at ‘record levels’
Rystad Energy releases data days after Ukraine stopped flows of Russian gas through its pipelines
www.theguardian.com
January 10, 2025 at 5:04 AM
EU bought more Russian gas in 2024 than in the past five years. This has to be the strangest case of funding the enemy you are at war with. #UkraineWar
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
All credit to Erdogan for souring ties with regional allies Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as with Assad’s most powerful backers, Iran and Russia, to support Syrian rebels, yet won. But now if #Syria falls apart, he will lose most.
How Turkey Won the Syrian Civil War
Assad’s Downfall Is a Boon for Erdogan—at Least for Now
reader.foreignaffairs.com
December 12, 2024 at 2:31 AM
All credit to Erdogan for souring ties with regional allies Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as with Assad’s most powerful backers, Iran and Russia, to support Syrian rebels, yet won. But now if #Syria falls apart, he will lose most.
New blow to press freedoms: the bill would have prevented government from forcing journalists to reveal their sources and limit the seizure of their data without their knowledge. The bill passed the GOP-controlled House earlier this year.
Senate GOP blocks bill to protect journalists after Trump opposes it | CNN Politics
Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked an effort by Democrats to pass a bipartisan bill that would give journalists greater protections under federal law – a move that comes in the wake of President-el...
www.cnn.com
December 11, 2024 at 5:56 AM
New blow to press freedoms: the bill would have prevented government from forcing journalists to reveal their sources and limit the seizure of their data without their knowledge. The bill passed the GOP-controlled House earlier this year.
Gen Z gender wars will be a defining feature of global politics in coming decades. From US, Europe to Asia, gap between politics of young men and women is widening.
There's polarising social media, but also young women are more educated & landing better jobs, fuelling anti-feminism & anti-wokeism.
There's polarising social media, but also young women are more educated & landing better jobs, fuelling anti-feminism & anti-wokeism.
December 11, 2024 at 2:33 AM
Gen Z gender wars will be a defining feature of global politics in coming decades. From US, Europe to Asia, gap between politics of young men and women is widening.
There's polarising social media, but also young women are more educated & landing better jobs, fuelling anti-feminism & anti-wokeism.
There's polarising social media, but also young women are more educated & landing better jobs, fuelling anti-feminism & anti-wokeism.
Fall of Assad scorecard: Iran/Russia lose, US/Israel gain. Turkey wins most. Kurds get sold out by US to placate Turkey. No one is sure HTS can rule or which way it will go. Meanwhile, Putin will drive harder bargain on Ukraine as it has cost him #Syria.
December 10, 2024 at 9:17 AM
Fall of Assad scorecard: Iran/Russia lose, US/Israel gain. Turkey wins most. Kurds get sold out by US to placate Turkey. No one is sure HTS can rule or which way it will go. Meanwhile, Putin will drive harder bargain on Ukraine as it has cost him #Syria.
Today (Dec 9) is UN International Anti-corruption Day. About 5% of global GDP is lost to corruption every year, according to WEF. Stopping this leakage can help address a lot of the world's problems, from hunger to climate action.
December 9, 2024 at 2:58 PM
Today (Dec 9) is UN International Anti-corruption Day. About 5% of global GDP is lost to corruption every year, according to WEF. Stopping this leakage can help address a lot of the world's problems, from hunger to climate action.
What a surprising end to Assad regime. He had the world on edge and managed to bring the biggest powers into play, to finally be undone so incredibly quickly. #Syria
December 9, 2024 at 2:55 PM
What a surprising end to Assad regime. He had the world on edge and managed to bring the biggest powers into play, to finally be undone so incredibly quickly. #Syria
Everywhere, power is shifting away from institutions to individuals, who thanks to social media, now enjoy mass reach never possible before. But these institutions are the biggest achievements of liberal democracy and this shift threatens global order we've known for past century.
December 9, 2024 at 2:08 AM
Everywhere, power is shifting away from institutions to individuals, who thanks to social media, now enjoy mass reach never possible before. But these institutions are the biggest achievements of liberal democracy and this shift threatens global order we've known for past century.
Smart move by Zelenskyy, and it looks like Trump will have less convincing to do with his friend Putin than with NATO, whom he spent four years bashing when he was president. #UkraineWar
Zelenskyy suggests 'hot phase' of Ukraine war could end in return for NATO membership if offered - even if seized land isn't returned immediately
The Ukrainian president told Sky News's chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay NATO membership would have to be offered to unoccupied parts of the country in order to end the "hot phase of the war", as…
news.sky.com
December 4, 2024 at 9:54 AM
Smart move by Zelenskyy, and it looks like Trump will have less convincing to do with his friend Putin than with NATO, whom he spent four years bashing when he was president. #UkraineWar
Yesterday South Koreans proved they are as batshit crazy as the North Koreans. Issue thankfully resolved but it shows how fragile democracy is, even in the most advanced nations. And Trump isn't even in yet.
December 4, 2024 at 4:51 AM
Yesterday South Koreans proved they are as batshit crazy as the North Koreans. Issue thankfully resolved but it shows how fragile democracy is, even in the most advanced nations. And Trump isn't even in yet.
Biden's longtime adviser suggests the prez can still reshape ME for good by taking advantage of his lameduckness to sign an executive order recognising Palestinian state and introducing a UN resolution which no one is likely to veto.
How Biden Can Salvage Middle East Peace—and His Legacy
A Lame-Duck Agenda to Save Palestinian Lives and Bolster Israel’s Long-Term Security
reader.foreignaffairs.com
December 3, 2024 at 12:02 PM
Biden's longtime adviser suggests the prez can still reshape ME for good by taking advantage of his lameduckness to sign an executive order recognising Palestinian state and introducing a UN resolution which no one is likely to veto.
This is what's at stake as Georgia slips back into Russian fold despite massive protests. Belarus is already in the bag, Moldova is headed that way too and Trump may well deliver large swathes of Ukraine to Putin. NATO should really wake up!
December 2, 2024 at 4:43 AM
This is what's at stake as Georgia slips back into Russian fold despite massive protests. Belarus is already in the bag, Moldova is headed that way too and Trump may well deliver large swathes of Ukraine to Putin. NATO should really wake up!
Trump will think Mike Pence is an angel when he hears this: Philippines VP, Duterte's daughter, has threatened to assassinate the president after a fallout. The prez in turn may hand over Duterte Sr to ICC for killing thousands when he was in power.
Feud between Marcos and Duterte families distracts from suffering of typhoon-hit Philippines
The Philippines is recovering from six destructive typhoons in the past month. But its leaders are busily fighting among themselves.
theconversation.com
November 28, 2024 at 2:25 AM
Trump will think Mike Pence is an angel when he hears this: Philippines VP, Duterte's daughter, has threatened to assassinate the president after a fallout. The prez in turn may hand over Duterte Sr to ICC for killing thousands when he was in power.
India is spot on in accusing the #COP29 presidency and UN Climate Change Secretariat of adopting the meagre new climate finance deal without allowing objections, calling the process staged.
'We Have Seen What You Have Done': India Accuses COP29 Presidency, UN of 'Stage Managing' Decision
India’s accusation that it was not allowed to object to a new finance deal at COP29 raises questions on the decision making process at the UN climate body.
thewire.in
November 25, 2024 at 3:44 PM
India is spot on in accusing the #COP29 presidency and UN Climate Change Secretariat of adopting the meagre new climate finance deal without allowing objections, calling the process staged.
West has fooled Global South again as $350bn, that too by 2035, is hogwash. Worse, carbon credit trading means Big Biz can further delay greenifying their ops. Climate #COP29 is a total fail, like UN's all other COPs (including FCTC COP). Time to do things differently.
November 25, 2024 at 7:15 AM
West has fooled Global South again as $350bn, that too by 2035, is hogwash. Worse, carbon credit trading means Big Biz can further delay greenifying their ops. Climate #COP29 is a total fail, like UN's all other COPs (including FCTC COP). Time to do things differently.
Andropause, or menopause, different as it may be from menopause, is a reality for increasing number of men. Symptoms include tiredness and a large belly or man-boobs. Treatments now include testosterone replacement gels.
What the ‘manopause’ tells us about the gender gap
Do male midlife challenges bear comparison with those experienced by women?
on.ft.com
November 25, 2024 at 4:42 AM
Andropause, or menopause, different as it may be from menopause, is a reality for increasing number of men. Symptoms include tiredness and a large belly or man-boobs. Treatments now include testosterone replacement gels.
Reposted by Samrat Chowdhery
The smoking rate among Indonesian men is extraordinarily high—and rising.
The country bucked trends by regulating vapes. But loud voices still call for prohibition.
@samrat6.bsky.social reports:
The country bucked trends by regulating vapes. But loud voices still call for prohibition.
@samrat6.bsky.social reports:
Will Indonesia, a Key Tobacco Control Outlier, Keep Vaping Legal?
If Indonesia was already frowned upon by the World Health Organization (WHO) and tobacco control groups for its high and ...
filtermag.org
November 22, 2024 at 3:22 PM
The smoking rate among Indonesian men is extraordinarily high—and rising.
The country bucked trends by regulating vapes. But loud voices still call for prohibition.
@samrat6.bsky.social reports:
The country bucked trends by regulating vapes. But loud voices still call for prohibition.
@samrat6.bsky.social reports:
Australian researchers say they have found evidence of Musk rigging X algorithms to favour right-wing content since July 13, the day he endorsed Trump. If this structural bias is proven, Musk should face consequences for deceiving X users.
Researchers Claim to Pinpoint Exact Date When Elon's X Started Boosting the Right
New research suggests that there was a very specific date when rightwing content began to be amplified.
gizmodo.com
November 22, 2024 at 5:57 AM
Australian researchers say they have found evidence of Musk rigging X algorithms to favour right-wing content since July 13, the day he endorsed Trump. If this structural bias is proven, Musk should face consequences for deceiving X users.
Plastics industry has gone fully rogue. Pledged to clean up 15mn tonnes of plastic waste, cleaned only 119k tonnes, but used the PR to produce 1,000 times more plastic! This got to stop. #COP29
Companies behind campaign to ‘end plastic waste’ produced 1,000 times more plastic than it cleaned up
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste spent five years clearing up the amount of plastic its key oil and chemical members produce in two days
unearthed.greenpeace.org
November 22, 2024 at 5:12 AM
Plastics industry has gone fully rogue. Pledged to clean up 15mn tonnes of plastic waste, cleaned only 119k tonnes, but used the PR to produce 1,000 times more plastic! This got to stop. #COP29
Despite looming tariffs, most emerging powers welcome #Trump win, seeing opportunities in his pro-business, transactional policies, especially his indifference to environment, democracy and human rights.
Why Emerging Powers Are Welcoming Trump’s Victory
Traditional powers are worried about Trump 2.0, but much of the world has had the opposite reaction.
foreignpolicy.com
November 21, 2024 at 12:55 PM
Despite looming tariffs, most emerging powers welcome #Trump win, seeing opportunities in his pro-business, transactional policies, especially his indifference to environment, democracy and human rights.
Guilt-tripping people into changing habits isn't going to save the planet, forcing big biz to mend ways will. #COP29
Only 57 producers are responsible for 80% of all fossil fuel and cement CO emissions since 2016 – new report
Cement and fossil fuel production has reached unprecedented levels, with most of the emission growth traceable to a relatively small number of companies.
theconversation.com
November 21, 2024 at 9:54 AM
Guilt-tripping people into changing habits isn't going to save the planet, forcing big biz to mend ways will. #COP29
The popularity of 'manifest' (to will something into existence) is symptomatic of our times—a world increasingly driven by science, most of which we barely understand, and perhaps because of it, believe in ideas with no scientific validity.
Celebrities make ‘manifest’ appear as 2024 word of the year
Cambridge Dictionary opts for word now used as a verb meaning to will something into existence
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2024 at 7:47 AM
The popularity of 'manifest' (to will something into existence) is symptomatic of our times—a world increasingly driven by science, most of which we barely understand, and perhaps because of it, believe in ideas with no scientific validity.
Future of news is not journos but influencers. Pew survey finds 1-in-5 Americans get news from influencers, and 65% say they have shaped their opinions. Inevitably these influencers will soon be hosted on bleeding legacy news outlets.
www.axios.com/2024/11/18/n...
www.axios.com/2024/11/18/n...
News influencers lean right
One-in-five Americans reports getting their news from influencers.
www.axios.com
November 20, 2024 at 2:24 PM
Future of news is not journos but influencers. Pew survey finds 1-in-5 Americans get news from influencers, and 65% say they have shaped their opinions. Inevitably these influencers will soon be hosted on bleeding legacy news outlets.
www.axios.com/2024/11/18/n...
www.axios.com/2024/11/18/n...