@ruthmichaelson.com
Observer Middle East correspondent based in Turkey. Bylines @theobserveruk.bsky.social & seen in @theguardian.com, sometimes others. ruth.michaelson@observer.co.uk ruth.michaelson@guardian.co.uk ruth@ruthmichaelson.com www.ruthmichaelson.com
Israel has just issued a demand that all of Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area roughly the size of central Berlin or lower Manhattan, run for their lives. Tens of thousands are forced to flee- again. Real fears that they will level much of southern Beirut- an area where more than 500,000 live.
Also: This assumes that the US can set the stage for how to end this war, which in the current conditions look difficult. The US can decide it's had enough– but now seems unable to stop Israel from fighting as long as Netanyahu decides is convenient, which could be a very long time.
What happens after the killing of the Middle East's longest-serving leader, as those at the top of the Iranian regime jostle for power. The regime had planned for years about what to do after Khamenei's death– but is now focused on ensuring its own survival. My piece for @theobserveruk.bsky.social
“I don’t think they have any illusions that regime change is possible, but regime collapse certainly is, and that’s what they’re going for," a diplomat told @hughtomlinson.bsky.social. Reporting for @theobserveruk.bsky.social
Essential to remember that just because Israel & the US were capable of doing this, doesn't mean it was the right thing to do.
“Operationally speaking this level of penetration is amazing, but strategically we do not understand Iran. This is not going to topple the regime,” said Danny Citrinowicz.
“From a purely technical perspective this is one of the greatest intelligence successes in modern military history, without exaggeration – to reach that kind of depth of penetration and that precision is extraordinary,” @thomasjuneau.bsky.social told me: On the strike that killed Khamenei.
If you want to know how the British print news industry ends (which is, de facto, amazingly still what supports most newspaper websites) it's the distribution channels getting banjaxed. When you lose "TG Jones" etc even people who want a paper can't get one. That'll be the real start of the ending.
A quote from 24-year-old Hamid in Tehran that will stay with me: “We are in a region where the world’s great powers play and dominate without regard for people’s lives.”
Trump, he said, is prioritising American interests¬ the Iranian public– despite what he claimed now, and during past protests.
“The streets are really scary here. Regime forces have appeared on the streets in high numbers – on motorcycles, showing their guns to create fear,” - life in Iran where people stockpiled food and hoarded cash in fear, as Trump launched an attack he claimed would allow them to seize control.
A quote for the ages.
As the laid off Middle East News Editor, I concur. Management eliminated the positions of every single staff correspondent and bureau chief in the Middle East.
“Almost all of the most viral posts reviewed by WIRED on Saturday came from accounts with blue check marks, meaning they…could be eligible to earn money based on how much engagement their posts generate, even if the content is false.”
From @davidgilbert.bsky.social
A joy to spread joy. Now I'm going to try and see if the flute album is the right vibe for the elliptical at my gym (let's be real: clearly not. Might end up playing his earlier work...)
...I'm assuming you're currently listening to it, and I definitely want your review afterwards. In these times, maybe we all need a little chill flute music.
“Don’t pull the thang out unless you plan to bang," is at least more fun to say than "the largest American military buildup in the Middle East since 2003." Wish that the current state of things here was more like his recent solo flute album: Zen, peaceful.
a year is a long time in politics
An ad for Mullvad VPN was banned in the U.K. for potential references including: “Journalists, Refugees, Controversial opinions, People’s bedrooms, Police officers, Children’s headsets … is inappropriate and irrelevant to the average consumer’s experience with a VPN.”
You might have already written about this (in fact, as I'm saying this I feel like I maybe remember something you've written on this exact subject, so forgive me), but keen to hear an expanded point about how Jews should warily embrace Magneto – mostly as instinctively I agree with this.
@ishaantharoor.bsky.social wrote The Washington Post's WorldView column for its flagship newsletter on international affairs. It had around half a million subscribers when management eliminated it — and Ishaan's position — last week. You can continue to follow his work by signing up here ⬇️
Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years for publishing a newspaper. www.cnn.com/2026/02/08/c...
Incredible stuff from @wsj.com
www.wsj.com/us-news/igno...
Absolutely. But also this idea that he lied about the depth of his friendship with Epstein, and that they somehow had no way to know this was a lie. Even considering Mandelson's long record in public life. It just looks like stratospherically bad judgement.
Extreme weather disasters and climate tipping points aren't in economic models of the impact of climate change on the global economy
The result "is widespread complacency amongst investors and policymakers"
We will all suffer as a consequence
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
“Those correspondents risk their life to help readers understand how, say, the United States deposing a leader in Venezuela may have consequences for citizens living in Ohio.”
“What Bezos, Lewis, and their jargon-loving underlings also fail to understand is that the paper’s coverage of Washington will be neither as vivid nor as authoritative without the contributions of journalists in bureaus around the world.“
“The public will be denied the ground-level, fact-based reporting in our communities and around the world that is needed now more than ever.”
This is most likely a terrible day for our industry and a self-inflicted wound by the Post's top staff. Solidarity rage with everyone at WaPo, particularly on the international desk which has done so much excellent coverage for years.
1. Build huge subscriber base by telling them their $ supports democracy.
2. Don’t establish other revenue sources.
3. Rug-pull subscribers by pushing opinion side to the right.
4. Subscribers leave, revenue falls.
5. Enact crippling newsroom cuts.
