💬 Tariffs hurt, not help, fertilizer industry

EU tariffs on Russian fertilizers won’t help Europe’s industry recover from production cuts, warns Yara International CEO Svein Tore Holsether.

Fertilizer production relies on natural gas, and with European gas prices 345% higher than in the US producers may be tempted to relocate.

“These industries aren’t like restaurants during Covid, where you shut down and reopen,” Holsether said. “Once production moves and new facilities are built, they stay. It’s not like you go back.”

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'Shy Musk voter' could hand victory to Alternative for Germany, poll suggests

A new survey by the Washington-based Democracy Institute has sent shockwaves through European politics. It suggests the Euroskeptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on the brink of winning the country’s snap elections—and Elon Musk might play a key role.

🔸 The AfD is now the second-strongest party with 25% support, trailing the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) by just two points, the poll shows;

🔸 Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) are third place on 15% and the Greens fourth with 13%;

🔸 In a surprising twist, AfD co-chair Alice Weidel leads as the most popular choice for chancellor on 35%, leading CDU head Friedrich Merz by nine points;

🔸 But the real shocker? A striking 28% of Germans say they are more likely to vote AfD due to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s endorsement, compared to 23% who say they are “less likely”;

🔸 Democracy Institute director Patrick Basham dubbed the phenomenon the "shy Musk voter".

The German Bundestag elections are set for February 23.

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📹 Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Syrian interim president Ahmed Sharaa, who arrived to Riyadh on his first foreign trip for two days to discuss closer relations between the two countries.

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🔍Who controls what Americans listen to, read, and see in the news?

Elon Musk has publicly criticized the concentration of media ownership in the US, which allows a select few to "filter" information to fit a narrative. "There are like five people that control all the news," he said, deciding "what is newsworthy."

So, who are the individuals pulling the strings behind much of US media?

1️⃣BRIAN L. ROBERTS – Chairman & CEO of Comcast Corporation

Media assets:

🟠TV: NBC, Telemundo, MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Bravo, Syfy, E!, Golf Channel, Olympic Channel

🟠Film: Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation

🟠Streaming: Peacock

2️⃣CHRISTINE MCCARTHY, BOB IGER – Top individual shareholders at The Walt Disney Company

Media assets:

🟠TV: ABC, ESPN, FX, National Geographic, Freeform

🟠Film: Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures

🟠Streaming: Disney+, Hulu (majority stake), ESPN+

3️⃣SHARI REDSTONE – Major stakeholder at Paramount Global

Media assets:

🟠TV: CBS, The CW (partial ownership), MTV, Nickelodeon, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime

🟠Film: Paramount Pictures

🟠Streaming: Paramount+

4️⃣MURDOCH FAMILY – Owners of Fox Corporation, News Corporation

Media assets:

🟠TV: Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Sports, Fox Network

🟠Print: New York Post; Dow Jones & Company (owns The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, MarketWatch)

5️⃣HEARST FAMILY – Owners of Hearst Communications

Media assets:

🟠Print: San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar

🟠TV: Partial ownership in A&E Networks (History Channel, Lifetime), ESPN (with Disney)

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🤖China showcases performing robots at the Spring Festival AI Fair in Beijing – because who needs to splurge on human artists when AI can take the stage?

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🇮🇷 Iran unveils new 1,700 km ballistic missile: What to know

1️⃣ New missile, new name

Iran has introduced the Etemad missile, meaning "trust" in Persian, as its latest defense advancement.

2️⃣ High-profile unveiling

The missile was revealed in Tehran during a ceremony attended by President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to IRNA.

3️⃣ Defense, not offense

Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran's defense and space developments are for deterrence, not aggression, ensuring that no country dares to invade.

4️⃣ Specs & capabilities

The Etemad measures 16 meters long, 1.25 meters in diameter, and has a maximum range of 1,700 kilometers, expanding Iran's missile reach.

5️⃣ Strategic implications

With its extended range, the Etemad enhances Iran’s missile arsenal.

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The faces behind media giants: A breakdown of ownership and assets

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