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President Trump's assertion of 'very good' talks with Iran has raised eyebrows, especially after Tehran denied any negotiations were underway. The sudden detente comes as US markets prepare for another volatile trading day, with oil and energy markets closely watching developments.Trump, standing beside Air Force One, attempted to sell the unexpected diplomatic shift, but provided few details. He hinted at a potential deal involving Iran's nuclear program and control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil supplies.The reported interlocutor, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament, has denied any talks with the US, suggesting that Trump is trying to mitigate financial damage from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Ghalibaf accused Trump of using 'fake news' to manipulate markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.Despite skepticism, international leaders, including Keir Starmer and Benjamin Netanyahu, have cautiously welcomed the talks. Netanyahu emphasized that any deal must safeguard Israel's interests, while also continuing to strike targets in Iran and Lebanon.The negotiations may be another attempt by Trump to buy time, particularly for oil and energy markets. The Pentagon is still positioning military assets, and a potential strike or occupation of Iran's islands or coastline remains a contingency plan if diplomatic efforts fail.

Sri Lanka's government has rejected a request from the United States to land two combat aircraft at Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in southern Sri Lanka from March 4 to 8. The request was made on February 26, just before the US and Israel launched their military offensive against Iran.President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Sri Lanka's parliament that the US wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight antiship missiles from a base in Djibouti. The government turned down the request to maintain Sri Lanka's neutrality in the conflict.The decision comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, with Iranian missile and drone attacks sending energy prices soaring and fuelling fears of a widening conflict. The US-Israeli war on Iran has sparked widespread concern globally, with many countries refusing to get directly involved while calling for urgent de-escalation.Sri Lanka's president also cited his country's neutrality in denying the US request, saying that had they accepted the US request, they would have had to do the same for Iran, which had also made a request for three naval vessels to make a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka on the same day.In recent weeks, Sri Lanka's navy rescued 32 Iranian crew off IRIS Dena after it was torpedoed by a US submarine off the country's coast, killing at least 84 people. Days later, Sri Lanka evacuated more than 200 crew members from a second Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, after the ship requested assistance from Colombo.

The documentary 'Breaking the Cycle' shines a light on Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a charismatic Thai politician and pro-democracy activist, who has captured the nation's attention with his progressive vision.As the founder of the Future Forward Party (FFP), Juangroongruangkit's message of correcting past wrongs and securing a brighter future resonated with students, working-class, and rural voters in Thailand.The FFP's campaign in the 2019 general election led to a stunning result, with the party securing the third-most seats in parliament, despite facing an onslaught of court cases from the ruling party.While the documentary provides an inspiring look at the progressive movement in Thailand, it could have benefited from a deeper analysis of Juangroongruangkit's policies and other key figures in the FFP.Nevertheless, 'Breaking the Cycle' serves as a vital reminder that progressive movements are thriving globally, even in the face of far-right rhetoric.