Podcasts about bbc russian service

An information iron curtain has fallen across large parts of the globe, where access to impartial news reporting and information has never been more difficult. With the help of BBC specialists, Ros and Katie consider the impact of censorship and technological controls on Russia, Iran and China; how ingrained state disinformation has become and how it has distorted their citizens' perception of the world. Our panel also look at attempts to circumvent internet blocking and state restrictions on free media, from the use of VPNs by those on the inside, to the innovative tactics adopted by outsiders who are trying to deliver truthful news to an often indoctrinated audience. Guests: Kerry Allen, China media analyst, BBC; Francis Scarr, journalist, BBC Monitoring; Kia Atri, journalist, BBC Middle East; Suzanne Raine, Centre for Geopolitics, University of Cambridge; Joe Tidy, cyber correspondent, BBC News; Fabian Falch, tech entrepreneur; Evie Aspinall, Director, British Foreign Policy Group, Jonathan Munro Deputy CEO & Director of Journalism, BBC News; Famil Ismailov, News Editor, BBC Russian Service.Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson

The war in Ukraine has increased tensions in Europe as governments across the continent look to secure a peaceful existence. Expanding military service, increasing defence spending and joining Nato are only a few options available. But the importance of self-defence becomes clearer each day as Donald Trump, who is famously not fond of Nato, may move back into The White House. So what are countries going to do?Katya Adler speaks to BBC Europe correspondent Nick Beake and BBC Russian Service journalist Oksana Antonenko, who is based in Latvia, about their experiences and stories from the Baltic countries and other nations bordering Russia.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We're keen to hear from you, wherever you are in the world. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell The Global Story. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. #TheGlobalStory.The Global Story is part of the BBC News Podcasts family. The team that makes The Global Story also makes several other podcasts, such as Americast and Ukrainecast, which cover US news and the war in Ukraine. If you enjoy The Global Story, then we think that you will enjoy some of our other podcasts too. To find them, simply search on your favourite podcast app.This episode was made by Alice Aylett Roberts and Emilia Jansson. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

George Orwell practiced what many journalists preach, truth-telling in the face of pressure.​But decades later it's like Groundhog Day. Perennially, politicians stage a new "deja vu all over again" action replay of Animal Farm and 1984. As Masha Karp points out, the second translation of Orwell's fable was into Ukrainian - and thousands of copies were confiscated by the American Occupation authorities in Germany! Karp, former features editor for the BBC Russian Service goes into the Russian origins of Orwell's worldview and reveals the author's family connection with the Soviets and  Esperanto, the artificial language that preceded Newspeak! https://neweasterneurope.eu/2023/09/11/orwells-warning-of-totalitarianism-for-today/ https://www.historytoday.com/archive/review/george-orwell-and-russia-masha-karp-review https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/george-orwell-and-russia-9781788317139/Masha Karp is a leading scholar on the work of George Orwell.  Born in Leningrad, USSR (now St Petersburg, Russia), she also translated George Orwell's Animal Farm and its original preface ‘The Freedom of the Press'.In 1991 she moved to London to work first as a producer  (1991-1997) and then as Russian Features editor (1997-2009) for the BBC World Service. Her biography of Orwell was the first to be published in Russia.

Svetlana came from a dissident Jewish family opposed to Soviet rule in Latvia. Her parents survived World War 2, but during the Stalin era two members of her family were held in the Gulags. The family never resigned themselves to Latvia's occupation by the Soviet Union in 1940. It was almost impossible to legally leave the Soviet Union, however, in 1971 the first opportunities for "Jewish" emigration appeared, and Svetlana, then aged 12 and her family left legally. At the age of 16, she is staying with her Uncle in London when she comes across Bush House, the home of the BBC Russian Service. Svetlana manages to get a job there and begins to get promoted. She meets Georgi Markov who is assassinated by Bulgarian Security Services on Waterloo Bridge in London and later she is introduced to Oleg, the Chief Editor of the Russian Service of Radio Liberty, a CIA-financed station beaming Western propaganda into the Soviet Union. This meeting has a profound effect on her life… The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to keep this podcast on the air. You'll become part of our community and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.  Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Details and extra video content on this link https://coldwarconversations.com/episode288/ St Petersburg (Leningrad) aircraft hijack episode https://coldwarconversations.com/episode258/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Putin expected Ukraine to roll over in days when he launched the full-scale war in February 2022. But this was a tragic misreading of the Ukraine people and their relationship with their leaders and system of government – which they were prepared to fight for and lay down their lives for. Instead of a small victorious war, Putin has become entangles in a quagmire that has now claimed more Russian lives than 10 years of war in Afghanistan. That war helped to accelerate the collapse of the Soviet Union – so what awaits Russia now it is in a much less stable situation under sanctions and potential defeat. ---------- SPEAKER: Konstantin von Eggert MBE is a freelance journalist, commentator, and communications consultant. He is well known as an analyst and writer on Russian and International Affairs and is a commentator at Deutsche Welle. Konstantin has fulfilled many roles in a long and distinguished career, including anchor at TV Rain and Moscow Bureau Editor at the BBC Russian Service. Konstantin was educated at Moscow University Institute of Asian and African Studies in Arabic Language and studied History at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU). ---------- GUEST: Konstantin von Eggert MBE (Hon), Historian, Freelance Journalist, Commentator, and Communications Consultant.

The Ukrainecast team looks back at 2022 and assesses what 2023 might bring. The BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, security correspondent Frank Gardner, Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse and Olga Ivshina from the BBC Russian Service reflect on the invasion, nuclear threats, war crimes investigations and the situation in Russia. We also look ahead to 2023 to discuss how long the war could continue, what it would take for Russia and Ukraine to negotiate and the role other countries are playing. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Ivana Davidovic. Alison Gee is the assistant editor. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 0330 1239480.

The deal between Ukraine and Russia should help alleviate the global food crisis. BBC Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse joins Vic and Vitaliy to discuss the deal and whether it's a promising sign for negotiations in the wider war. We hear from Ukrainian lorry drivers who are stuck beyond the border in Russia with no means of coming back without abandoning their vehicles and, therefore, their livelihoods. And Nina Nazarova from the BBC Russian Service tells us all about six Ukrainian children reunited with their parents after five months apart. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Clare Williamson with Arsenii Sokolov, Phil Marzouk, Ivana Davidovic and planning producer Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

Once the richest man in Russia under 35, mobile phone tycoon Evgeny Chichvarkin, explains why he needed to sell his company and escape Putin's Russia in 2008. Settled in London, he's now personally delivering aid to Ukraine. Organised crime expert Misha Glenny and the BBC Russian Service's Anastasia Stognei explore the deep connections between Russia's president, its wealthiest oligarchs, and the Western countries which readily accepted their money. Plus, treason in the Ukraine camp? Why has President Zelensky suspended Ukraine's security chief and his top prosecutor? This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Daniel Wittenberg, with Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and planning producer Louise Hidalgo. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The assistant editor was Alison Gee. And the editor is Jonathan Aspinwall. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram to +44 330 1239480.

The Kremlin defends the death sentences for three captured soldiers. Fergal and Vitaliy are joined by BBC Russian Service's Olga Ivshina to understand more about what is happening in Ukraine. They speak to former US Army medic, Brennan Phillips, and the Mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, who was kidnapped and imprisoned by Russian soldiers. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Alix Pickles and Natalie Ktena. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.

The BBC Russian Service's Svyatoslav Khomenko tells us what's he observed at the court of the first war crimes trial of the Ukraine conflict. Also, Victoria and Vitaly speak with Olga Ivshina from the BBC Russian Service, who has been investigating forced mobilisation in the Eastern Ukraine region of Donbas. People living there told her men had been grabbed in the streets, whilst out shopping or on public transport. Many haven't been seen since. And leading international lawyer Philippe Sands weighs in on whether Biden and Zelensky are right to describe what is happening in Ukraine as a genocide. Today's Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Osman Iqbal and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham. Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk with your questions and comments. You can also send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 0330 1234 220.

Russian soldiers have been seen shooting dead unarmed civilians. Victoria and Vitaly are joined by Newsnight's Lewis Goodall. They hear from a soldier, Volodomyr Demchenko who explains why he is fighting, his worries for his country, and his causes for optimism. We also hear why Finland is intending to join Nato, with Oksana Antonenko, a correspondent from the BBC Russian Service. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Phil Marzouk with Alix Pickles and Osman Iqbal. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham. Get in touch! Email Ukrainecast@bbc.co.uk or send us a message or voice note on WhatsApp, our number is +44 0330 1234 220.

The Russian President orders troops to seal off the port city. Victoria speaks to defence expert, Justin Crump, about the situation in the city of Mariupol. She also talks to a woman who had an emergency C-section in the basement of a hospital as the fighting was intensifying outside. Anastasia Platonova from the BBC Russian Service – currently based in the Latvian capital, Riga – has been speaking to the mothers of Russian sailors who've gone missing. And the BBC's Lewis Goodall returns to Poland to see how Ukrainian refugees are faring since his last visit. Today's Ukrainecast was made by Estelle Doyle with Osman Iqbal and Ben Cooper. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.

As scenes of civilian corpses strewn on the streets are repeated across Ukraine, Victoria, Vitaly and Lewis take stock of a watershed in how we are seeing the war. Kay Devlin from BBC Monitoring's anti-disinformation unit talks us through the clues and sources they look for when verifying whether what we're viewing is valid. We hear the first-hand account of Halyna Tovkach, who was shot, and her husband and neighbours killed, while they tried to flee the town of Bucha by car. And the BBC Russian Service's legendary presenter, Seva Novgorodsev, who played a key role promoting democracy in Russia, tells us how much of his work he feels has been undone by Vladimir Putin's rhetoric. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Osman Iqbal, Phil Marzouk and Miranda Slade. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

More Russian strikes have hit residential buildings in Kyiv. As tower blocks burn, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko has announced a 35-hour curfew, warning of “a difficult and dangerous moment”. Victoria, Gabriel and Vitaly get the latest on the ground and hear from surgeon Dr Andrey Vysotskyi, who has hardly stopped working since we last spoke to him. Meanwhile, with a Russian journalist facing a fine for interrupting a live TV news bulletin to protest against the war, the BBC Russian Service's Liza Fokht tells us about her decision to leave Moscow for Latvia. And we hear from the BBC's Eastern Europe Correspondent, Sarah Rainsford, on what she's learned from sheltering with residents in eastern Ukraine while covering the conflict. Today's Ukrainecast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Phil Marzouk, Alix Pickles and Emma Forde. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Russian forces have taken control of the key port city of Kherson. And at another port, Mariupol, people are now trapped by intense bombardments. Victoria speaks to a Kherson resident about what it's like suddenly living under Russian rule. Jonah Fisher, who until recently was the BBC's Kyiv correspondent, charts the rise of Volodymyr Zelensky from Paddington Bear actor to wartime president, and we hear from his former spokeswoman, Julia Mendel. And what's the mood like in Moscow? Liza Fokht from the BBC Russian Service is back to explain the information gap between social media and state TV, and how the closure of IKEA and H&M is hitting home. This episode of Ukrainecast was made by Daniel Wittenberg with Natalie Ktena, Phil Marzouk and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Emma Crowe. The editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Nathan Eckersley is joined by the former Editor-in-Chief of the BBC Russian Service Moscow Bureau Konstantin Eggert to discuss the Russia-Ukraine tension, NATO's response, potential conflict and what Putin gains from invading. Follow Konstantin Eggert here: https://twitter.com/kvoneggert DISCLAIMER: Any facts, statistics and news stories mentioned in this episode are true and relevant as of the time it was recorded. All opinions stated on this podcast are representative only of the people they are credited to and are not a representation of any sponsors, advertisers or partners involved in The Nathan Eckersley Podcast, including W!ZARD Studios and Nathan Eckersley. Please do not try to send in a message or opinion whilst listening to this podcast as your message won't be read but you might still be charged. For our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions, please visit: www.wizardradio.co.uk Spotted a mistake on this podcast? Let us know and we'll try to fix it. Message us using the Contact Form on: www.wizardradio.co.uk/about Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast host Alexander Gabuev is joined by Elizaveta Fokht, a reporter with the BBC Russian Service, and Andrew Roth, Moscow correspondent for The Guardian, to discuss the outcome of the recent elections for the State Duma. Will the entrance of new parties into the Duma make life difficult for the Kremlin? Why have we seen no real protest movement this time around, despite considerable evidence of electoral fraud? Were there any new voting trends in terms of demographics? And will the pressure on civil society be dialed down now that the elections are over?

Podcast host Alexander Gabuev is joined by Elizaveta Fokht, a reporter with the BBC Russian Service, and Andrew Roth, Moscow correspondent for The Guardian, to discuss the outcome of the recent elections for the State Duma. Will the entrance of new parties into the Duma make life difficult for the Kremlin? Why have we seen no real protest movement this time around, despite considerable evidence of electoral fraud? Were there any new voting trends in terms of demographics? And will the pressure on civil society be dialed down now that the elections are over?

Siliconpolitik: Ab Dilli Door Nahin— Pranay KotasthaneReaders would've noticed that this newsletter bats for a Quad partnership on semiconductor supply chain security for geopolitical, geoeconomic, and technological reasons.In edition #5, we proposed what an 'announcement' on semiconductors as an outcome of the upcoming Quad leaders-level summit meeting, could look like. We wrote:One, announce a Quad Semiconductor Supply Chain Resilience Fund. Think of this as a multi-sovereign wealth fund but for semiconductor investments across the Quad countries. This fund could focus on two areas:create a roadmap for new manufacturing facilities across the Quad countries. One of the focus areas should be to secure supplies not just at the leading-edge nodes but also at key trailing-edge nodes, which will continue to remain workhorses for automotive, communications (5G), and AI.Sponsor new standard developments such as composite semiconductors and create one centre for excellence in each Quad country in an area of its immediate interest. For example, Australia could host the CoE for new materials in electronics, Japan could host the CoE for silicon manufacturing equipment, while the US and India could host CoEs on specific fabless design architectures.Two, and this one is an even more ambitious goal, facilitate strategic alliances between companies in the four quad states.So, we were glad to read Asia Nikkei's report claiming that a draft joint statement of the Quad summit seems to have identified semiconductors and 5G as two areas for technology collaboration.From an Indian national interest perspective, this collaboration should be used to get a semiconductor fab up and running, although at a matured node such as 65 nm. This move would minimise the risk of failures while ensuring India's core defence and strategic interests are secured.The AUKUS defence alliance has shown that the US is willing to share sensitive technologies with key partners, something it wasn't amenable to in the past. This new technology alliance mindset should become the norm in the Quad as well. India should push for the US to lower investment barriers and reduce export controls so that companies such as a rejuvenated Intel can consider setting up mature-node fabs in India, Japan, or Australia. The geopolitical timing couldn't have been better.We're keeping an eye on the Quad Summit. There will be another edition discussing the specific announcements on technology collaboration.Meanwhile, for a detailed take on a Quad partnership on semiconductors, read my paper here.If you are looking for a primer on semiconductor geopolitics, here's a recording of a session I participated in, for Ahmedabad University.Antriksh Matters #1: Where’s India’s Space Doctrine?- Aditya RamanathanIn the last few years, India has set up a tri-services Defence Space Agency to manage its military space capabilities. It has greenlighted the setting up of a Defence Space Research Agency that is to be “entrusted with the task of creating space warfare weapon systems and technologies". It has also engaged in dialogue with the US, Japan, and France on space security and has sought to increase its space situational awareness (SSA) capabilities, which are crucial to ensuring the safety of space-based assets. While these efforts are modest, they are likely to expand in the near future. What remains to be developed (at least in the public domain) is a doctrine that lays down the rationale for military space capabilities, and provides signposts for those crafting strategy or planning acquisitions. We at Takshashila took inspiration from India’s 1999 Draft Nuclear Doctrine, and put together a succinct, five-page  “A Space Doctrine for India”, following many hours of debate and discussion. The doctrine, as we envisaged it, would be anchored in deterrence but would be flexible enough to keep India’s options open. The key objective would be to preserve India’s use of space. India’s space forces, which are meant to protect its use of space would be:Versatile, encompassing a range of Earth and space-based non-kinetic and kinetic capabilities. Vigilant, providing early warning of imminent attacks or identifying and attributing attacks already underway, whether during peacetime, crisis or conflict.Effective at taking defensive and offensive countermeasures against imminent or ongoing attacks on Indian space assets or forces.India’s terrestrial forces would also form a key component of the space doctrine since they would need to be capable of functioning in a space-degraded environment. They would also have to train to perform in such conditions and develop terrestrial back-ups for space-based capabilities that are vulnerable to enemy attack. Our doctrine also laid out the role of command and control, and India’s objectives in pursuing arms control agreements or restraint regimes. In a separate document, Space as a Geopolitical Environment, we sought to make explicit the assumptions that had gone into the making of the doctrine. Drawing on our discussions, as well as the works of scholars such as Bleddyn Bowen and John J. Klein, we brought it down to ten points:1. The geography of space is determined primarily by gravitational forces and radiation. 2. Space is a distinct environment. The character of orbital space fundamentally differs from that of Earth’s stratosphere, troposphere, and so-called ‘near space’. Therefore, space power cannot be extrapolated from the military term ‘air power’.3. Human activity in orbital space is shaped by the interaction between activities on Earth and the physical character of the celestial littoral, as defined by such phenomena as orbital mechanics and solar weather patterns.4. Human activity in orbital space is heavily Earth-centric, with most orbital craft tasked with providing remote-sensing, communications, and navigation services on Earth.5. Space power is the ability of a state to leverage its space-related activities to wield influence in international politics. It encompasses commercial, military and scientific activity in space, as well as all Earth-based activities connected to the use of space.6. Celestial lines of communication (CLOCs) are the routes used for space-related activities, including orbital paths and communications links between satellites and Earth.7. The command of space is the ability to use space, deny it to others, or to do both.8. Space warfare is waged for the command of space. It can be waged both in space and on Earth.9.  Orbital space has always been militarised, but new technologies and the diffusion of existing technologies will make it easier to contest the use of space in the near future.10. The battlefield of space is characterised by vast distances, the lack of natural cover and concealment, the absence of atmospheric attenuation, the presence of radiation, and the mechanics of gravitation.If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider taking our special credit courses in Ethical Reasoning in Public Policy and Evidence-based policy-making for responding to COVID-19Cyberpolitik:(un)Safe Harbour - Sapni G KThe past couple of days have seen a lot of high-profile media coverage of Facebook. A few of them stand out for their arbitrariness in decision-making. The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook favoured profitability over a finding that Instagram causes body dysmorphia in one out of five teenage girls who are users of the app. Another report suggests that Facebook followed a differential treatment for select users, not taking down content that was otherwise in violation of its community standards. Such reports of devious practices add to the bid against safe harbour protection given to social media platforms that host user-generated content. Governments across the globe use these incidents to justify restrictive and harmful mandates on speech on these platforms. The Brazilian Supreme Court and Congress acted steadfastly against a recent ban on the removal of election-related disinformation promulgated by the Bolsonaro Government. The US state of Texas also passed a law preventing content-takedown to “protect the freedoms of conservative users." China’s recent recommendation algorithm regulations, which we covered in the previous edition, also undermine safe harbour protections in the interest of toeing the line drawn by those in power. Safe harbour provisions have been the backbone of the development of social media platforms. They protect social media platforms from liability for user-generated content. They catalysed a new wave of ideas around the governance of these particularly positioned privately-owned public spaces. The provisions opened up new avenues for governance such as large-scale pre-legislative policy consultations.Cyberspace - particularly the internet public sphere created by social media platforms - acted as soft power tools for countries. Russian content farms arguably meddled with the elections in the USA. However, social media popularised K-Pop culture, as it was exported across the globe giving South Korea a niche area of cultural dominance. More broadly, social media platforms also contributed to the rise of new identities.Barlow’s Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace might be an unachievable utopia today, but social media contributed massively to a stronger sense of community in people located wide and far. Politically motivated actors maliciously meddling with safe harbour protections will not augur well for the future of cyberspace that is already inching closer to a splinternet. The shifting narratives can cause changes in the undercurrents of power in the frontier of cyberspace. Techpolitik: After-effects of Nokia Suspending O-RAN Alliance Participation- Arjun GargeyasIn 2018, a group of telecommunication firms and network operators came together to improve the coverage of radio access networks (RANs) across the globe. A proposal to transition into virtualized network elements and open interfaces to the RAN was the idea behind improving global connectivity systems through radio communications. The O-RAN Alliance was conceived in the hope of providing a better platform and enhancing opportunities for small and medium-scale firms in the communications domain. This includes networking software, hardware supply and cloud computing firms collaborating to create an open and programmable RAN solution that can be deployed. Other O-RAN Alliance initiatives have focused on incorporating artificial intelligence (AI), specifying interfaces and APIs to drive appropriate standardization, and establishing the supply chain infrastructure. The organisation is involved in defining and creating specifications for open interfaces and functions used in open radio access network architecture. Currently, the group has a total of 29 operators including telecommunication giants like AT&T and China Mobile. O-RAN specifications adhere to specific standards such as the ones created by global standard-setting bodies like 3GPP for 4G and 5G standards.Founding operator members include AT&T, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DoCoMo and Orange. The O-RAN ecosystem allows for newer and smaller entrants focused on specific interoperable solutions for 4G and 5G to be included in the system. This mainly allows for mixing and matching different hardware and software solutions created by multiple vendors. Nokia, one of the earliest champions of the O-RAN alliance, recently announced their temporary suspension of work on the O-RAN system. This was in response to the US government taking cognizance of Chinese firms’ activities and blacklisting them. A number of restrictions were placed on some of the Chinese vendors, part of the alliance, by the US authorities citing threats to national security.Nokia officials mentioned that the smooth functioning of the alliance needs the support of Chinese vendors, who form a fifth of all the members of the alliance. Some of these Chinese companies, which are part of the O-RAN alliance, were added to the Entity List of the US, which serves as the list of all blacklisted companies in the country. Nokia has categorically said that these firms hold considerable clout in the industry and cannot be ignored. This has put the objective of the O-RAN alliance becoming the next global standard for communications operations in a limbo. It is not known if Nokia will eventually pull out of the alliance or continue to work without the involvement of blacklisted Chinese firms. This can also mean that there might be parallel development of O-RAN technology both by the alliance and other Chinese firms, which goes against the tenet of the technology being an international standard facilitating interoperability between different vendors. Some operators and vendors are pushing ahead on Open RAN irrespective of the status of activities at the O-RAN Alliance.Heads of technology companies believe that if the O-RAN alliance is accorded the status of an international standards body, which has a considerable global reach, then the frictions between the members of the alliance and a single government will not result in the breakdown of the entire group. The whole point of the O-RAN alliance is to break the oligopolistic telecommunications market by providing opportunities for smaller firms to succeed in this space. Political nitpicking is going to derail that effort and ensure that dependencies still exist. Antriksh Matters #2: Russia Seeks a Favourable Anti-counter Space Future- Aditya PareekWeaponisation in space is a major concern that has become increasingly important to the global arms control discourse. The advantages of basing weapons systems in space are hardly lost on major world powers. The same also goes for their anxieties about similar capabilities wielded by adversaries.Russia has been curiously signing joint statements on the non-placement of first weapons in space (NPOK) with countries that don’t have any counter space capabilities. According to this BBC Russian Service report, which also has a nice rundown of the matter, Russia has signed such agreements with “Venezuela, Cambodia, Togo, Uruguay, Burundi and a dozen other countries”. While this Kommersant report mentions that Russia has “accumulated 25 such interstate joint statements. And there is also a multilateral one - within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)”According to this brief on the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, which makes it clear that, although closely related to similar multilateral initiatives introduced via the Conference on Disarmament, NPOK is a unilateral Russian initiative. As the Kommersant article argues, the pragmatic purpose of signing these agreements is to have leverage in multilateral fora where Russia can count on the signatory nations’ support on counter space and anti-counter space agreements that may address its concerns and keep its shared interests with these nations in mind.Our Reading Menu[Research Article] The capricious relationship between technology and democracy: Analyzing public policy discussions in the UK and US by Bridget Barrett, Katharine Dommett and Daniel Kreis[Facebook Files] An investigation by the Wall Street Journal [Book] The Routledge Companion to the Makers of Global Business[Commentary] Geopolitics and Technology – US‑China Competition: The Coming Decoupling?[Book] Undersea Geopolitics: Sealab, Science, and the Cold WarBook by Rachael Squire This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hightechir.substack.com

This week Samantha Knights QC is joined by Masha Karp and Owen Matthews to speak about curbs on free expression, protest, political opposition and together they look at what is happening right now in Russia. Masha is a London-based freelance journalist and writer, trustee of Rights in Russia and for many years she worked with the BBC Russian Service, Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. Owen Matthews is a writer, historian and journalist, and is the former Moscow and Istanbul bureau chief for Newsweek magazine.

Never Speak to Strangers: David Satter on Russia and the Soviet Union – Westminster Institute (westminster-institute.org) David Satter, a former Moscow correspondent, is a long time observer of Russia and the former Soviet Union. He is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a fellow of the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Satter was born in Chicago in 1947 and graduated from the University of Chicago and Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar and earned a B.Litt degree in political philosophy. He worked for four years as a police reporter for the Chicago Tribune and, in 1976, he was named Moscow correspondent of the London Financial Times. He worked in Moscow for six years, from 1976 to 1982, during which time he sought out Soviet citizens with the intention of preserving their accounts of the Soviet totalitarian system for posterity. After completing his term in Moscow, Satter became a special correspondent on Soviet affairs for The Wall Street Journal, contributing to the paper’s editorial page. In 1990, he was named a Thornton Hooper fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia and then a senior fellow at the Institute. From 2003 to 2008, he was a research fellow at the Hoover Institution. In 2008, he was also a visiting professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He teaches a course on contemporary Russian history at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced Academic Programs. Satter has written three books about Russia: Russia: It Was a Long Time Ago and It Never Happened Anyway: Russia and the Communist Past (Yale, 2011); Age of Delirium: the Decline and Fall of the Soviet Union (Knopf, 1996; paperback, Yale 2001); and Darkness at Dawn: the Rise of the Russian Criminal State (Yale 2003). His books have been translated into Russian, Estonian, Latvian, Czech, Portuguese and Vietnamese. His first book, Age of Delirium, has been made into a documentary film in a U.S. – Latvian – Russian joint production. Satter has testified frequently on Russian affairs before Congressional committees. He has written extensively for the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal. His articles and op-ed pieces have also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The National Interest, National Review, National Review Online, Forbes.com, The New Republic, The Weekly Standard, The New York Sun, The New York Review of Books, Reader’s Digest and The Washington Times. He is frequently interviewed in both Russian and English by Radio Liberty, the Voice of America and the BBC Russian Service and has appeared on CNN, CNN International, BBC World, the Charlie Rose Show, Al Jazeera, France 24, Fox News, C-Span and ORT and RTR, the state run Russian television networks.

Russia’s President Putin announced the registration of a vaccine for coronavirus. This was reported with widespread alarm amid concerns over safety, but as BBC Russian Service’s Sergei Goryashko, tells us the announcement was a political move to capture the headlines. Investigations by Alexandra Reynolds and Hooman Poor at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Centre have revealed why some Covid 19 patients have low oxygen levels, but don’t have breathing difficulties. The answer came when looking for signs of stroke in the brain. Nisreen Alwan, a specialist in public health at Southampton University is concerned about the quality of life of people who have had a Covid -19 infection. Being classed as recovered is not enough she says and we need to look more at recurring health problems associated with the disease. And Cardiff University’s Haley Gomez has news of a tantalising discovery. The detection of a neutron star hidden in a dust cloud for more than 30 years. Squelching into the science of slime, Chhavi Sachdev seeks to find out why it took so long for listener Helen Tyson to remove slime from her fingers, after she picked up a tiny slug while gardening. This unfortunate and hugely repulsive experience set Helen to wonder what it is about the structure of slug slime that makes it gloopy, so she sent Chhavi to meet with slug slime expert Professor Andrew Smith who reveals how the complex molecular structure of this pervasive fluid makes it so difficult to scrub off. Slime is used by all sorts of creatures including the Giant African Land snail, which invaded India by hitching a ride on imported timber. But invasive species biologist Dr TV Sajeev reveals that these snails are themselves giving a lift to another meningitis-causing parasite that can infect people. Chhavi looks for these massive molluscs in her own garden in Mumbai. Marine biologist Helen Scales describes how animals can use slime for catching food, mating, defence, or even transportation, and Chhavi speaks with Dr Adam Celiz who has been inspired by this slimy adaptability to create a tool that can provide new cells to replace damaged heart cells after a cardiac arrest. Slugs, snails and even fish keep a variety of useful chemicals in their slime. Some make them taste bitter, and others numb the mouth of predators, but they may also prevent the animals from contracting infections. Dr Sarah Pitt has investigated these compounds in the slimy mucus of a garden snail and discovered an antibiotic that is brand new to science. Slime is pretty disgusting, but it’s also completely fascinating. (Image:President Putin. Credit: Reuters)

Russia’s President Putin announced the registration of a vaccine for coronavirus. This was reported with widespread alarm amid concerns over safety, but as BBC Russian Service’s Sergei Goryashko, tells us the announcement was a political move to capture the headlines. Investigations by Alexandra Reynolds and Hooman Poor at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Centre have revealed why some Covid 19 patients have low oxygen levels, but don’t have breathing difficulties. The answer came when looking for signs of stroke in the brain. Nisreen Alwan, a specialist in public health at Southampton University is concerned about the quality of life of people who have had a Covid -19 infection. Being classed as recovered is not enough she says and we need to look more at recurring health problems associated with the disease. And Cardiff University’s Haley Gomez has news of a tantalising discovery. The detection of a neutron star hidden in a dust cloud for more than 30 years. (Image:President Putin. Credit: Reuters) Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Julian Siddle

Andrew thinks that changes in the way bread is produced have compromised its integrity. He's going to tell us why – and what we might do to make it better. He will reveal what goes into a factory loaf (and what doesn't) and how fast-made bread may be enough to turn your stomach.Andrew left a career as a producer in the BBC Russian Service in 1976 to found 'The Village Bakery Melmerby', which became one of the country's leading organic bakeries. He stepped down from The Village Bakery in 2002 to concentrate on teaching, writing and campaigning on food and health.He is chair of the Soil Association's Processing Standards Committee. His book ‘Bread Matters' won the André Simon 2006 Food Book Award.—Recorded live at the global event in Cardigan, west Wales in 2008.Watch Andrew's full talk here: www.thedolectures.com/talks/andrew-whitley-why-bread-needs-time

For more information on Seva Novgorodsev (DJ with the BBC Russian Service), visit his website www.seva.ru. Watch the interview on our YouTube channel with English subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ7t-TDkR-M&t=650s CREDITS Co-Producer: Matthew Orr (Connect: facebook.com/orrmatthew) Co-Producer: Tom Rehnquist (Connect: facebook.com/thomas.rehnquist) Music/Sound Design: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic www.charlieharpermusic.com) Associate Producer: Sergey Pantsirev Exec Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci Instagram: @michelledaniel86) Follow The Slavic Connexion on Instagram: @slavxradio and on Facebook: facebook.com/slavxradio . Thanks for listening and please don't forget to subscribe!! Special Guest: Seva Novgorodsev (Сева Новгородцев).

As the Archers prepares for its Canterbury Tales Christmas special, Carole Boyd - who plays the doyenne of Ambridge theatricals Lynda Snell - is joined by Oxford Professor of Medieval Literature Laura Ashe to discuss Chaucer's tales of courtly love and boisterous sex.The new BBC and Netflix animated version of Watership Down will be broadcast on BBC ONE at 7pm on December 22 and 23. Critic Mark Ecclestone gives his view on how it compares with the book by Richard Adams, and whether the new version will traumatise children, as the first film version did in the seventies.Recently rappers in Russia have found their concerts cancelled by venues and local authorities and some musicians have been arrested. Over the weekend President Putin admitted he couldn't get rid of rap, but that he wanted to control it, saying, "If it's impossible to stop something, you have to take charge of it." But what is his objection and what does he intend to do? Alexander Kan, the BBC Russian Service's arts and culture correspondent, reads the runes.If you're in need of a break from all the sugar-coated seasonal fare, Front Row is offering some substitute Christmas treats for you to consider. The film critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh unwraps her alternative festive film, Gremlins, a tale of Christmas shopping gone wrong.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May

It's true: Facebook has experienced a number of security-related issues lately, including a breach disclosed in September that compromised at least 30 million accounts. But that incident doesn't explain why tens of thousands of private Facebook messages reportedly ended up for sale on an internet forum the same month, according to the BBC Russian Service.

In this bonus edition of ShadowTalk, Dr Richard Gold and Rafael Amado discuss the recent BBC Russian Service investigation into Facebook accounts being sold online. As reported on Friday, at least 81,000 accounts with private messages were being advertised online. Digital Shadows assisted the BBC with its investigation. Richard and Rafael outline what we know so far, as well as answering some of the key questions raised by this story. For more, see our recent blog available at https://www.digitalshadows.com/blog-and-research/81000-hacked-facebook-accounts-for-sale-5-things-to-know/.

Are we living in an Animal Farm like Orwellian present?Borimir Totev talks with ex-BBC Russian Service features editor Masha Karp about her new George Orwell biography and the parallels we can draw to our contemporary reality.This podcast episode was edited and produced for Pushkin House by Borimir Totev.

Russia's first radio DJ, Seva Novgorodsev, went on air on the BBC Russian Service in 1977, at the height of the Cold War. Over the years, his pop music shows gained millions of fans throughout the Soviet Union. As Dina Newman reports, for many Russians, his name became synonymous with the BBC. (Photo: Seva in 1990, courtesy of Seva Novgorodsev)

Vladimir is an Estonian Mystic and the Author of 7 best selling books in East Europe. He is a Friend of our very own host David Parry who is eager to have his works published for western eyes and minds. He has worked at the Scientific Methodist at the Estonian Ministry of High Education, was a correspondent of the BBC (Russian Service) in Berlin, Germany and a Director of BRIC Service (Consulting & Management) in London, UK,  As well as the Founder-member of European Russian Alliance (ERA, HQ in Brussels, Belgium). We indulge in Vladimirs endless research starting off with his path way through Eastern Mysticism and its comparison to the Western traditions. Also we touch on the use of mind altering substances within shamanism, to Hitler and his possible African roots!    Related Links: Vladimir Wiedemann on Facebook

Of the estimated 70 million deaths attributed to World War two, 30 million died on the Russian front. Of those, as many as 4 million Soviet soldiers are still "missing in action". These men - more than the entire population of Ireland or New Zealand - are still unaccounted for. Despite all the official rhetoric on Victory Day, many in power today would rather not contemplate the fate of these men. They lie forgotten and unrecognised by Russia's top brass and the state. But as Lucy Ash discovers, a growing number of volunteers, armed with spades and metal detectors, are now searching for the soldiers. Seventy years after World War II, they feel compelled to look for their remains. Olga Ivishina, a journalist with the BBC Russian Service from the city of Kazan, belongs to this Diggers Movement. While many young Russians professionals spend their holidays on beaches in Thailand, Olga gives up her free time to camp in the forest. Many days she has to wade waist-deep through mud, sometimes in pouring rain, to find the bodies of these fallen soldiers. Ilya Prokofiev, one of the most experienced diggers, is scathing about what he calls the 'cult' of the Unknown Soldier. "Officials pay tribute at the eternal flame monument every 9th May', and I tell them: 'You're the ones who made this soldier nameless, what are you proud of? Have you no conscience? This soldier had a family, he had children, he had a surname, a name and patronymic, he had a life, he had a love of his own. What are you proud of?".

For 65 years the BBC World Service has broadcast in Russian, this weekend it stops. The Russian Service came into its own during the attempted coup by communist hardliners in August 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev said he got his news from the BBC, while being held under house arrest in Crimea.