iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Brieg Powel

Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Here's the Iran-US MoU, and it's pretty much a severe strategic defeat and capitulation for the US and a massive strategic and economic victory for Iran. Really an utter humiliation for the US thanks to Trump's naked incompetence. edition.cnn.com/2026/06/17/m...

1 — The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, together with their allies in the current war, declare upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and undertake that from now on they will not launch any hostile action against each other, and will refrain from the threat or use of force against each other. The final agreement will confirm the provisions of this Article and the remaining Articles.

2 — The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States undertake to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.

3 — The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States undertake to negotiate and reach a final agreement within a maximum period of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent.

4 — Immediately upon the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, the United States lift the naval blockade and prevent any interference or obstruction against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and restore traffic within a maximum of 30 days to its full capacity; the traffic of ships shall be proportional to the pre-war volume of traffic on the part of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States also undertakes to withdraw its forces from the surrounding areas within 30 days after the final agreement.

5 — Upon signing this Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately take steps to ensure that the movement of merchant ships from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa is resumed within 30 days to the pre-war volume, taking into account the need for the removal of technical obstacles and the neutralization of mines by Iran.

6 — The United States undertakes, together with its regional partners, to create a comprehensive plan agreed upon by both parties for the rehabilitation and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while ensuring financing of at least $300 billion. The implementation mechanism of this plan, as part of the final agreement, will be formulated within 60 days.

7 — The United States commits to ending, on a schedule to be agreed upon as part of the final agreement, all types of sanctions currently facing the Islamic Republic of Iran, including resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and all unilateral U.S. sanctions, both primary and secondary.

8 — The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates that it will never produce nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States have agreed that the fate of enriched material and the fate of all other mutually agreed nuclear-related issues, including Iran’s nuclear needs, will be adequately addressed in a final agreement; the final agreement will confirm the provisions of this Article.

9 — The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States agree that, pending a final agreement, they will maintain the status quo: Iran will maintain the status quo on its nuclear program, and the United States will not impose new sanctions on Iran or strengthen its forces in the region.

10 — The United States undertakes that immediately after the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, and until the date of the lifting of sanctions, the United States Treasury Department will issue waivers for exports of Iranian crude oil, petrochemical products and their derivatives, and all related services, including banking, insurance, transportation, and the like.

11 — The United States undertakes that, in light of the progress of negotiations towards a final agreement, frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be released and made fully available. These funds, whether held in the master account or transferred, will be used for any final beneficiary payment determined by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran and will be fully available for use. The United States undertakes to issue all necessary permits and licenses on this basis.

12 — The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States agree that an implementation mechanism will be established to oversee the successful implementation of and future commitment to the Final Agreement.

13 — Following the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, and upon receipt of assurances regarding the commencement of implementation of Articles 4, 5, 10, and 11 of this Memorandum of Understanding, and the continued implementation of these steps, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States will enter into negotiations for a Final Agreement solely with respect to the remaining Articles.

14 — The final agreement will be approved through a binding resolution of the UN Security Council.

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Great piece on #astropolitics in @ejisbisa.bsky.social by @bleddb.bsky.social (I declare an interest for having read a draft!)

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Dmitry Grozoubinski @explaintrade.com · 23/03/2026

Having failed to secure the Snickers or M&Ms that were my original objectives, sources tell the Washington Post I will now be refocusing all energy on extracating my hand from where it is stuck inside the vending machine and restoring said machine to the working order it was in prior to my arrival.

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Trump TLDR: We've completely lost control of the war that we've already won. Even our only ally ignores us.

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Great news as it protects #BBC World Service a little longer. But would be great to see an even greater, longer term commitment by government to enhance a priceless element of #UK soft power, influence, that's also a key tool in the fight against #disinformation www.theguardian.com/media/2026/m...

theguardian.com

BBC World Service to get extra £11m a year in deal ending funding uncertainty

Corporation welcomes three-year settlement as it continues to push for government to take on all of service’s costs

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Excellent 🧵 on the significance of diplomatic capacity in the #USA. Worth noting that the #UK is also currently significantly cutting its Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Trump's decision to bomb Iran is now the greatest windfall to the Russian war effort on record. If it continues, it might save the Russian war economy.

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Yair Wallach @yairwallach.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Reports say that at least 26 Lebanese civilians were killed in this raid, by Israeli Air Force fire aimed to protect the troops. Absolutely abhorrent.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 07/03/2026

Trump: “The UK, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. That’s OK, PM Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”

Trump: “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won! President DONALD J. TRUMP

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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Governments and voters are both reacting to algorithm-shaped “public opinion,” not grounded priorities. Immigration feels urgent because platforms amplify fear, pulling parties into hollow performances of toughness. The far right reads that drift as confirmation it’s winning.

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Luca Migo @victinibcn.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

South Park: 🎶 Peter Thiel knows about the Antichrist 😂

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

If you think that professors exist as repositories of knowledge that students ask for answers, you’re missing the entire point of a college education. We’re here to teach students how to do research, how to analyze and argue, how to think for themselves — how to find the answers on their own.

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Farrukh @implausibleblog.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Here is Nathan Gill in 2014 blaming the EU for Russia advancing on Ukraine Nathan Gill pled guilty to accepting bribes from Russia to promote a pro Russia anti EU position He started in UKIP, joined the Brexit Party, then Reform UK Here's what he said at the European Parliament

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David Rothkopf @djrothkopf.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Any journalist or commentator who writes a wrap-up of this speech that suggests that any of it was normal, worthy of respect, not absolutely deranged, not an insult to the audience, not an embarrassment for the US, should be relieved of their jobs.

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Er...buses? Trams? Metros? Come on @economist.com , you're better than this

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Grumpy Philosopher @stevecooke.org · 05/09/2025

Nick Gibb was awarded a BA in Law in 1981 & trained as an accountant. Hence, he's enormously well qualified to comment on the quality of education research. No irony at all in his criticism of the sector as 'out-of-touch, ideological and lacking rigour'.

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Reform and X are not Britain, as John Curtice shows, though this loud minority voice thinks it is Migration bad for economy? 32% of public - but 73% of Reform Bad for our culture? 31% of public - 81% of Reform Rights for ethnic minorities have gone too far? 18% of public - but 49% of Reform

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

'Just 40,900 students entered to take history, compared with 41,900 taking economics and 43,000 for physics. Maths remains the most popular A-level with 105,000 entries this year, up by more than 4% compared with 2024.' Both 'Just' and 'career-related' doing heavy lifting here. 1/2

theguardian.com

A-level results in England expected to return to near pre-pandemic levels

Career-focused subjects such as business studies and economics to surpass traditional academic disciplines like history in popularity

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

A horrifying statement published today by the Editorial Committee of the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency. "Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die" Translation from French to English by @cnorristrent.bsky.social:

Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die
July 21, 2025

AFP has been working with 1 writer, 3 photographers and 6 videographers, all freelance, in the Gaza Strip since its staff journalists left in 2024.

Along with a few others, they are now the only ones left to report what is happening in the Gaza Strip. The international press has been banned from entering the territory for nearly two years.

We refuse to watch them die.

One of them, Bashar, has been working with AFP since 2010, first as a fixer, then freelance photographer, and since 2024, as lead photographer. On July 19th he managed to post a message on Facebook: “I no longer have the strength to work for the media. My body is thin and I can’t work anymore.”

Bashar, 30, works & lives in the same conditions as all Gazans, moving from one refugee camp to another under Israeli bombings. For > a year he’s lived in utter destitution, working at extreme risk to his life. Hygiene is a major issue for him, with recurring bouts of severe intestinal illness.

Since Feb, Bashar’s been living in the ruins of his home in Gaza City with his mother, 4 brothers & sisters and the family of one of his brothers. Their house is devoid of any furnishings, except a few cushions. On Sunday morning, he reported that one of his brothers had “fallen, due to hunger.”

Even though these journalists receive a monthly salary from AFP, it’s no longer enough to buy food, or they have to pay completely exorbitant prices. The banking system has collapsed, and those who exchange money via online bank accounts charge a commission of up to 40%.

AFP no longer has the ability to provide them with a vehicle and there is not enough fuel to allow these journalists to travel for their reporting. Driving a car means becoming a target for Israeli airstrikes. AFP reporters therefore travel on foot or by donkey cart. (alt txt continued in next post)

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Just when you think the destruction in #Gaza can't get any worse. Good BBC investigation into deliberate demolition of entries Palestinian towns. Reveals that emolitions have significantly accelerated in the last 3-4 months in what are suspected "war crimes" www.bbc.co.uk/news/resourc...

bbc.co.uk

Israel levelling thousands of Gaza civilian buildings in controlled demolitions - BBC News

Investigation by BBC Verify using satellite images and verified footage to show the extent of destruction in Gaza, where the Israeli military have carried out demolitions to raze entire towns and subu...

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Adam Squires @adsquires.bsky.social · 12/07/2025

The Dinah report is now published, on the widespread use of sexual violence by Hamas during the October 7th attack, consistent with earlier investigations by the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC), and likely a deliberate coordinated strategy. news.sky.com/story/widesp...

According to the Dinah Project, the documented patterns - such as forced nudity, gang rapes, genital mutilation, and threats of forced marriage - indicate a deliberate and coordinated use of sexual violence by Hamas operatives during the attack.

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Record air bombardment of #Ukraine by #Russia last night. Straight after #Trump agreed to restart supplies to Ukraine & questioned #Putin 's sincerity

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Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

1/ A remarkable essay by two eminent Israeli scholars "We wrote this essay to give [former IDF chief of staff's] words legal backing... We felt compelled to fulfill our human, conscientious, and civic duty, as Israelis – and as Zionists – who have expertise in areas related to the IDF’s ... order."

justsecurity.org

Moving the Population in Gaza is a Manifest War Crime

We wrote this essay to fulfill our human, conscientious, and civic duty, as Israelis – and as Zionists – who have expertise in areas related to the IDF’s order.

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

This from the @nytimes.com on #Israel's bombing of the notorious Evin prison in Tehran. They targeted the visitor centre & the wing holding transgender prisoners. Around 100 transgender prisoners remain missing, presumed killed whilst 79 others from across the prison already confirmed killed

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David Morgan-Owen @dmorganowen.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

Really insightful piece this, highly recommended

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

Somewhat reassured that the man who I thought was a spitting image of George Monbiot I saw crossing the road in front of me, stuck at a traffic light by the Exeter university campus, was in fact, George Monbiot. BTW, interesting 🧵 from the man himself here 👇

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Here's the text of the open letter protesting against the BBC's coverage of #Gaza. Robbie Gibb comes under particular scrutiny www.scribd.com/document/883...

scribd.com

BBC Open Letter | PDF | Bbc | Gaza Strip

An Open Letter to BBC Management, Written by BBC Journalists and Signed by Media Industry Professionals

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Delighted that my chapter 'Historicizing the Global' in the weighty Oxford Handbook of International Political Sociology is now out in both print & ebook! Huge thanks to the editors Stacie Goddard, @georgelawson.bsky.social , & Ole Jacob Sending for the hard work doi.org/10.1093/oxfo...

doi.org

Historicizing the Global

AbstractThis chapter challenges the preoccupation (“chronofetishism”) of international–political–sociological scholarship with the present. The rare studie

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Gregorio Bettiza @gregoriobettiza.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Terrific new handbook on International Political Sociology, a what's what and who's who in the field: "The Oxford Handbook of International Political Sociology" eds. Stacie E. Goddard, George Lawson, and Ole Jacob Sending global.oup.com/academic/pro...

global.oup.com

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Ben Christian @benchristian.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Book Launch: Oxford Handbook of International Political Sociology Interested in all things IPS? Join us for our online book launch featuring Co-Editor Ole Jacob Sending and Discussant Ingvild Bode on June 16 at 2 pm (CEST). Details for the @dvpw.bsky.social event: www.dvpw.de/gliederung/a...

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Not sure this profile quiz was designed for my diet... www.idrlabs.com/food-choice/...

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

Congratulations to @yazidbenhadda.bsky.social from @cais-exeter.bsky.social for passing his PhD viva yesterday. Yazid explored legacies of colonial policing & migration in Europe & N.Africa Thanks to examiners @fionaadamson.bsky.social & Martin Thomas, and lead supervisor @irenefmolina.bsky.social

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Neil Renic @ncrenic.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

'ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement and “consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels.”...ChatGPT users got lazier with each subsequent essay, often resorting to copy-and-paste by the end of the study.' time.com/7295195/ai-c...

time.com

ChatGPT's Impact On Our Brains According to an MIT Study

The study, from MIT Lab scholars, measured the brain activity of subjects writing SAT essays with and without ChatGPT.

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Imagine if just 20% of that went to universities or the academics themselves ...

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Ooh, look! The US Army is going full 18th century and allowing rich people to buy a commission (sort of)

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Brieg Powel @briegp.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

As a father, this is fascinating and makes a lot of sense 👇

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