Podcasts about kremlin

European countries say tests show Russia's Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a substance developed from a toxin found in Ecuadorian dart frogs. But the Kremlin denies killing the opposition leader. Also: Marco Rubio delivers a softer line to America's European allies at the Munich Security Conference; there are more global protests against the Iranian government; families of Venezuelan political prisoners go on hunger strike; the "Trump slump" affects US tourism; Cuba's cigar festival is snuffed out; palaeontologists discover giant sloth and elephant-like mastodon fossils; and we visit the British inmates learning how to garden. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Several European countries, including the UK, have blamed the Kremlin for the killing of the Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny. They say his murder was likely carried out, using a poison developed from a toxin in a rare frog. We get reaction to these updates from a friend of Navalny's, alongside on Oscar-winning director who produced a documentary on him.Also in the programme: Mass rape survivor Gisele Pelicot speaks to the BBC about trauma and healing ahead of her memoir being published; and an an exciting paleontological discovery has been made in Costa Rica.(Photo: Flowers lay near a portrait of Russian late opposition leader Alexei Navalny in front of the Russian embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, February 2024. Credit: David Mdzinarishvili, EPA-EFE, REX, Shutterstock).

The United States prepares for possible weeks‑long operations against Iran as President Donald Trump sends a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushes unity at the Munich Security Conference, while renewing sharp U.S. critiques of Europe. European allies blame Russia for killing Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, saying tests found a rare toxin from dart frogs in his body. Plus, Rio bursts into Carnival as early blocos pack the streets. Listen to the On Assignment podcast What the world can learn from Aussie kids and the social media ban Listen to the Morning Bid podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.  Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices.  You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

durée : 00:58:28 - Affaires étrangères - par : Christine Ockrent - Alors que le Kremlin annonce l'ouverture d'un nouveau cycle de négociations les 17 et 18 février à Genève, quelles sont les capacités réelles de l'armée russe à poursuivre la guerre ? Comment se porte l'économie russe sous sanctions ? Et quelles alliances sur la scène internationale ? - réalisation : Luc-Jean Reynaud - invités : Tatiana Kastouéva-Jean Directrice du Centre Russie/Eurasie de l'Ifri; Céline Marangé Chercheuse sur la Russie, l'Ukraine et le Belarus à l'Institut de recherche stratégique de l'École militaire (IRSEM); Julien Vercueil Économiste, professeur des universités en économie et vice-président de l'Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales (INALCO), spécialiste de la Russie, des économies post-soviétiques et analyste des BRICS; Maxime Audinet Chercheur à l'Institut de recherche stratégique de l'Ecole militaire (IRSEM) et cofondateur du collectif de recherche CORUSCANT, qui vise à repenser les études sur la Russie après l'invasion à grande-échelle de l'Ukraine

In this episode, Chris speaks with German investigative journalist Manuel Bewarder about the Jan Marsalek spy network and the landmark UK trial that exposed it. They unpack how the former Wirecard executive allegedly directed a Bulgarian spy ring from Moscow, targeting journalists, dissidents, and even U.S. military facilities in Germany. Drawing on thousands of Telegram messages revealed in court, Manuel explains how the network operated, how close it came to violence, and what the case reveals about modern Russian espionage—from freelance-style proxy networks to sabotage plots and battlefield intelligence collection. They also explore ongoing investigations in Austria and Germany, and what Marsalek's continued presence in Russia tells us about his ties to the Kremlin. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs.Find more about Manuel and his reporting on his website: https://manuelbewarder.com/Support Secrets and SpiesBecome a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpiesBuy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspiesSubscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dgFor more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.comConnect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.socialInstagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspiesFacebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspiesSpoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpiesFollow Chris and Matt on Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.netSecrets and Spies is produced by F & P LTD.Music by Andrew R. BirdPhoto by Nibor/Zuma PressSecrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists.

Five European countries say they know how Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in prison two years ago. AP correspondent Donna Warder reports.

Reino Unido y sus aliados culparon al Kremlin tras el análisis de muestras de material halladas en el cuerpo del político.

2026-02-13 | UPDATES #129 | Rumoured Oreshnik launch – Russia's ‘Wonder Weapon' – triggers Panic Button. Russian strikes this winter have got everyone on edge. And no wonder – the weather is bitterly cold, heat and light are in short supply, and electricity supplies are hanging by a thread. It's in this fragile environment that Russia threatened a performative launch of the Oreshnik. The expected kinetic strike morphed into an informational terror operation today. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv this week, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in January 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Reuters (Feb 12, 2026) — Russian air attack knocks out power, heat to thousands of Ukrainianshttps://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-capital-kyiv-under-massive-attack-russian-missiles-officials-say-2026-02-12/UNN (Feb 12, 2026) — Ukrainian Air Force warns of a probable enemy launch of a medium-range ballistic missile - https://unn.ua/en/news/the-ukrainian-air-force-warns-of-a-possible-enemy-launch-of-a-medium-range-ballistic-missileUNN (Feb 12, 2026) — Air Force reported the all-clear; Kovalenko: “simulated the launch of a wonder weapon” - https://unn.ua/en/news/air-force-reported-the-all-clear-for-ballistic-threat-after-the-oreshnik-threatRBC-Ukraine (Feb 12, 2026) — Nationwide alert over “Oreshnik” threat; missile not recorded; likely imitation - https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/buv-oreshnik-chi-ni-shcho-vidomo-masshtabnu-1770895650.htmlRFE/RL (Feb 11, 2026) — Satellite imagery points to possible Oreshnik missile site in Belarushttps://www.rferl.org/amp/belarus-russian-missile-deployment-satellite-imagery/33675391.htmlReuters (Feb 5, 2026) — Ukraine hits infrastructure at Russian missile launch site (Kapustin Yar), military says - https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-hits-infrastructure-russian-missile-launch-site-military-says-2026-02-05/----------

Les journalistes et experts de RFI répondent également à vos questions sur les recrues africaines enrôlées dans l'armée russe. RDC : pourquoi la Monusco va se redéployer au Sud-Kivu ?    Deux ans après son retrait du Sud-Kivu dans l'est de la RDC, la mission de l'ONU pour le maintien de la paix a annoncé son retour progressif dans la province, en commençant par la ville d'Uvira. Comment expliquer le redéploiement des Casques bleus dans cette zone ? Quelle sera leur mission ? Avec Paulina Zidi, correspondante permanente de RFI à Kinshasa.     Guerre en Ukraine : comment les ressortissants africains sont-ils recrutés par l'armée russe ?   Une enquête du collectif All Eyes on Wagner révèle l'identité de 1 417 Africains enrôlés par la Russie depuis 2023 pour combattre en Ukraine. Originaires d'une trentaine de pays, plusieurs centaines ont été tués au front. Comment les réseaux russes parviennent-ils à recruter autant de jeunes Africains ? Ces derniers sont-ils initialement informés des projets du Kremlin ou découvrent-ils, une fois en Russie, qu'ils seront envoyés en Ukraine ?   Guerre en Ukraine : plus de 1 400 Africains enrôlés, que font les États concernés ?   Après la mort d'au moins 45 Kenyans mobilisés de force par l'armée russe pour combattre en Ukraine, Musalia Mudavadi, le ministre des Affaires étrangères du Kenya, a dénoncé le « piège inacceptable tendu à ses ressortissants ». Pour tenter d'enrayer ce phénomène, le ministre a annoncé une visite imminente à Moscou. Quelle est la marge de manœuvre des dirigeants africains pour lutter contre les enrôlements ? Ces révélations ne risquent-elles pas de fragiliser les relations entre la Russie et les pays concernés ?  Guerre en Ukraine : des familles détruites par les enrôlements russes   Derrière les milliers d'Africains enrôlés dans l'armée russe et les centaines de morts, des familles plongées dans le deuil et l'incompréhension se retrouvent sans soutien. Concrètement, que peuvent-elles faire pour avoir des réponses ?  Avec Lou Osborn, membre du collectif All Eyes on Wagner. Co-autrice de l'ouvrage « Wagner, enquête au cœur du système Prigojine » (éditions du Faubourg).   Et en fin d'émission, la chronique « Un oeil sur les réseaux » de Jessica Taieb. Aujourd'hui, elle revient sur les réactions des internautes au mouvement #FreeUcad au Sénégal.

In our weekly round up of the latest news from Ukraine, Roger Moorhouse and Patrick Bishop examine a week of "salient moments" that may signal a turning point in the war. They discuss the Kremlin's risky move to throttle Telegram, the deepening recession across 21 sectors of the Russian economy, and the high-profile assassination attempt on Lieutenant-general Vladimir Alexeyev. The duo also breaks down the latest friction in the Abu Dhabi peace talks and the mounting pressure on President Zelensky to hold wartime elections. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Poetin grijpt in bij de Nationale Garde | Twijfel over de NAVO | EU versterkt interne marktSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Son nom veut dire « vérité » en russe, ce qui est assez ironique. « Pravda » est un réseau de sites web, un relais de la propagande pro-Kremlin qui a publié 6 millions 300 000 articles en 2025. Derrière cette nébuleuse, se trouve Yevgeny Shevchenko, le désinformateur de l'année 2025, un titre décerné par Newsguard, entreprise américaine qui lutte contre les fausses informations.  Comment ce réseau d'infox est parvenu à polluer des dizaines de pays, en 49 langues, qui est son fondateur, comment les modèles d'intelligence artificielle se font parfois piéger et comment lutter contre Pravda ? Éléments de réponse avec notre invité, Chine Labbé, rédactrice en chef Europe chez Newsguard. La chronique d'Olivier Fourt de la cellule Info vérif de RFI : Non, des missiles Javelin ukrainiens n'ont pas fini entre les mains de jihadistes nigérians   La chronique de Emilie Béraud de l'AFP Factuel : Attention, cette vidéo d'un prétendu «quartier rouge» à Accra a été générée par IA.

¿Debe Europa rearmarse? Así es la confrontación entre grandes potencias que cambia el mundoAnalizamos las claves geopolíticas de la Conferencia de Seguridad de Múnich junto a Ángel Gómez de Ágreda, Coronel del Ejército del Aire y del Espacio en la reserva, en un contexto marcado por el fin del tratado New START y el regreso de la confrontación entre grandes potencias.¿Estamos ante una nueva carrera armamentística global? ¿Tiene Europa capacidad real de disuasión sin depender de Estados Unidos? El debate sobre la autonomía estratégica de la Unión Europea cobra protagonismo en un escenario donde potencias como Rusia, Estados Unidos y China redefinen el equilibrio de poder internacional.Abordamos además el papel del Kremlin, las aspiraciones estratégicas de Donald Trump y el futuro de los acuerdos de control nuclear tras la expiración de los principales tratados internacionales.#europa #armamento #eeuu #ia #inteligenciaartificial #ai #powell #tecnologia #economia #entrevista #negociostv Si quieres entrar en la Academia de Negocios TV, este es el enlace:   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwd8Byi93KbnsYmCcKLExvQ/join Síguenos en directo ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Ts9V3pSuscríbete a nuestro canal: https://bit.ly/3jsMzp2Suscríbete a nuestro segundo canal, másnegocios: https://n9.cl/4dca4Visita Negocios TV https://bit.ly/2Ts9V3pMás vídeos de Negocios TV: https://youtube.com/@NegociosTVSíguenos en Telegram: https://t.me/negociostvSíguenos en Instagram: https://bit.ly/3oytWndTwitter: https://bit.ly/3jz6LptFacebook: https://bit.ly/3e3kIuy

Au sommaire : La préparation d'un repas 3 étoiles pour la Station Spatiale Internationale par la cheffe Anne-Sophie Pic, avec les contraintes liées à la cuisine dans l'espace.Débat sur l'érosion de l'Alliance Transatlantique un an après le discours anti-Europe de J. D. Vance, à l'ouverture de la Conférence sur la sécurité et la défense à Munich.Blocage de WhatsApp et Telegram en Russie, au profit de l'application nationale Max, dans le cadre de la volonté du Kremlin de reprendre le contrôle de l'Internet russe.Révélations sur une vaste escroquerie touchant le Louvre, avec le démantèlement d'un réseau de fraude à la billetterie ayant causé plus de 10 millions d'euros de préjudice.Annonce de la candidature de Bruno Retailleau à l'élection présidentielle, avec ses propositions sur l'immigration et l'état de droit.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Son nom veut dire « vérité » en russe, ce qui est assez ironique. « Pravda » est un réseau de sites web, un relais de la propagande pro-Kremlin qui a publié 6 millions 300 000 articles en 2025. Derrière cette nébuleuse, se trouve Yevgeny Shevchenko, le désinformateur de l'année 2025, un titre décerné par Newsguard, entreprise américaine qui lutte contre les fausses informations.  Comment ce réseau d'infox est parvenu à polluer des dizaines de pays, en 49 langues, qui est son fondateur, comment les modèles d'intelligence artificielle se font parfois piéger et comment lutter contre Pravda ? Éléments de réponse avec notre invité, Chine Labbé, rédactrice en chef Europe chez Newsguard. La chronique d'Olivier Fourt de la cellule Info vérif de RFI : Non, des missiles Javelin ukrainiens n'ont pas fini entre les mains de jihadistes nigérians   La chronique de Emilie Béraud de l'AFP Factuel : Attention, cette vidéo d'un prétendu «quartier rouge» à Accra a été générée par IA.

From the BBC World Service: Russia has ordered a block on WhatsApp, the Kremlin confirmed. The app has more than 100 million users in Russia, who have now been cut off from the platform, and the Russian government is pushing users to download Max, Russia's state-owned messaging platform. Then, China's carbon dioxide emissions fell by 0.3% in 2025, the first full year to show a decline. And, as summers get hotter, Europeans are looking to "coolcation" in colder climes.

From the BBC World Service: Russia has ordered a block on WhatsApp, the Kremlin confirmed. The app has more than 100 million users in Russia, who have now been cut off from the platform, and the Russian government is pushing users to download Max, Russia's state-owned messaging platform. Then, China's carbon dioxide emissions fell by 0.3% in 2025, the first full year to show a decline. And, as summers get hotter, Europeans are looking to "coolcation" in colder climes.

As the full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year, resistance to Russian occupation has undergone a radical transformation. The public displays of defiance that defined the war's early days — with civilians blocking tanks and holding street protests — have long been crushed by the Kremlin's ruthless occupation regime. By blending systematic brutality, bureaucracy, and pervasive surveillance, Russia has sought to extinguish dissent and erase Ukrainian identity in occupied regions. But this has only forced the resistance deeper underground. In this episode of The Naked Pravda, deputy editor Eilish Hart sits down with Dr. Jade McGlynn, the head of the Ukraine and Russia program at the Center for Statecraft and National Security at King's College London, to discuss this shift. Drawing on her extensive field research and recent report for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Dr. McGlynn analyzes how resistance efforts have adapted to survive life behind the front lines. Time stamps for this episode: (2:36) Early resistance and public defiance in occupied Ukraine(10:43) Organized resistance and intelligence(14:23) Differences across Ukraine's occupied territories(24:20) The challenges of researching Ukrainian resistance(30:08) Diplomatic efforts and perceptions in UkraineКак поддержать нашу редакцию — даже если вы в России и вам очень страшно

Russia has ordered a block on WhatsApp, as the Kremlin continues to tighten restrictions on foreign messaging platforms and digital communications. Also, China is heading into the Lunar New Year holiday after a turbulent period in its trade relationship with the United States. Despite tensions, Beijing says it's striking deals across Europe, India, Africa and South America. We hear from Rutie Zhang, Chief Strategy Officer at China Minmetal Futures in Shanghai, on what's really driving the numbers.And Irish artists could soon receive a weekly payment worth about three hundred and eighty dollars, under a new government scheme designed to support creative work.Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: David Cann Editor: Stephen Ryan

Ce mercredi, The Cinema Show était en direct, de 19h à 20h30, pour vous parler des dernières sorties ciné.

Eh bien, « c'est le moment », s'exclame le Guardian à Londres. « Emmanuel Macron l'a dit simplement – ​​et sans détour (en début de semaine). Face à un "monde en désarroi" et à un double défi potentiellement existentiel posé par les États-Unis et la Chine, il a déclaré : "L'Europe doit devenir une puissance". » Et le quotidien britannique de relever que « deux événements clés pourraient donner un aperçu de la manière dont cette priorité pourrait se traduire en actes. Ce jeudi, dans un château du XVIe siècle situé dans la campagne belge, les dirigeants européens discuteront de mesures urgentes pour relancer l'économie européenne et la rendre plus compétitive. Et demain vendredi et durant le week-end, lors de la Conférence de Munich sur la sécurité, les mêmes dirigeants européens se joindront à d'autres leaders mondiaux, des responsables militaires et des experts pour débattre de la sécurité et de la défense européennes, ainsi que de l'avenir de la relation transatlantique. » Un moment Alden Biesen ? « C'est un moment pivot, dans un monde de titans », s'exclame Le Soir à Bruxelles. « Le 2 février dernier à Louvain, Mario Draghi, ex-président de la Banque centrale européenne, appelait à nouveau l'Europe à se prendre en main, invoquant à titre de recette le moment "Groenland"(…). » Alors, s'interroge le quotidien belge : « Y aura-t-il ce jeudi un moment “Alden Biesen“, du nom de ce château limbourgeois qui accueille le conseil informel de l'Union européenne ? La menace directe à laquelle l'Europe doit cette fois répondre n'est pas territoriale façon Groenland, mais économique et industrielle, et donc aussi, c'est vrai, existentielle. Avec d'un côté les États-Unis et de l'autre la Chine, se profile un avenir où l'Europe risque d'être subordonnée, divisée et désindustrialisée, et dès lors incapable de préserver ses valeurs. Ces mises en garde ont pour but, conclut Le Soir, de secouer les Européens : la défaite n'est pas une fatalité, à condition d'agir. » Protection et investissements Pour Le Monde à Paris, « si l'Europe veut survivre à la fois économiquement et politiquement, c'est bien conjointement dans deux directions – protection et investissement – qu'elle doit urgemment innover. La révolution technologique chinoise est issue du plan "Made in China 2025", adopté en 2015, qui visait explicitement le développement de secteurs prioritaires. Il est temps pour l'UE de surmonter ses divisions, martèle également Le Monde, afin de définir à son tour des mesures de protection de ses secteurs stratégiques et une politique industrielle s'appuyant sur un plan d'investissement commun et un renforcement de son système scolaire et universitaire. Ces impératifs ne sont pas nouveaux. La situation géopolitique et l'évolution des rapports de force économiques les rendent vitaux. » Soutenir l'Ukraine ! Demain, vendredi, la conférence de Munich, donc, sur la sécurité… « Les Européens au défi de riposter à Donald Trump et Vladimir Poutine », titre Le Temps à Genève. (…) Objectif principal : apporter une réponse commune au lâchage des Etats-Unis face à la menace persistante de la Russie (en Ukraine). » Alors, est-ce la solution ? « Pour contrer Donald Trump, les Européens sont tentés de reparler à Vladimir Poutine », constate Le Figaro à Paris. Mais « qui pour discuter avec le maître du Kremlin ? », s'interroge le journal. « Le choix des émissaires anime les discussions dans les coulisses des capitales européennes, sur fond de rivalité pour le leadership européen. » Et puis, prévient Le Figaro, « si la question d'une reprise des pourparlers avec le président russe est légitime, a fortiori en cas de lâchage de l'Europe par Trump, elle gagnerait à être adossée à certaines conditions. Que Poutine, par exemple, soit prêt à un cessez-le-feu. Mais elle gagnerait surtout à être menée en position de force, c'est-à-dire par une Europe unie, prête à déployer ses muscles et à offrir de fortes garanties de sécurité à l'Ukraine. » Le prêt de 90 milliards d'euros à l'Ukraine entériné hier par le parlement européen pourrait être un premier pas en ce sens. Il y aura ensuite une négociation finale avec le Conseil, au plus tard début mars. Ces étapes franchies, la Commission pourra effectuer le premier versement début avril. Objectif pour l'Ukraine : acheter des armes, et de préférence en Europe.

Day 1,448.Today, we assess where things stand after mixed messaging has left Kyiv, Moscow and Western capitals confused over whether President Zelensky will use the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion to announce presidential elections or a referendum on a possible peace deal. We report on Russia's fury over the reported Starlink switch-off, a communications crisis compounded by the Kremlin's tightening restrictions on Telegram, and continue to follow the Olympic controversy surrounding Ukraine's so-called “Helmet of Memory”. Later, we hear the latest analysis from our Russia-watcher.ContributorsDominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.James Kilner (Foreign Analyst). @jkjourno on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Zelensky plans presidential elections and peace deal referendum (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/11/zelensky-presidential-elections-peace-deal-referendum/ Ukrainian athletes defy IOC and double down in helmet protest against Russia (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/winter-olympics/2026/02/09/ukrainian-athlete-vladyslav-heraskevych-anti-russian-helmet/Behind the Guns: Western Tools, Russian Firepower (Front Intelligence):https://frontelligence.substack.com/p/behind-the-guns-western-tools-russianChris O Starlink thread on X:https://x.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/2021280155713294590?s=20Zelensky won't announce elections on war anniversary amid talks of US-driven timeline, source says (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-wont-announce-elections-on-invasion-anniversary/Zelenskyy planning elections in Ukraine and vote on peace deal (Financial Times):https://www.ft.com/content/50d3d86b-2d2a-4d06-845e-a4e089382cadElections in Ukraine — a guide for beginners (and US Presidents) (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/a-beginners-guide-to-elections-in-ukraine-also-suitable-for-us-presidents/The Belarusian woman at the center of Epstein's final days (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/the-belarusian-woman-at-the-center-of-epsteins-final-days/?mc_cid=a5562b6d52&mc_eid=4a5b852913LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gilbert Doctorow : Does the Kremlin Trust Washington?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

//The Wire//2300Z February 10, 2026////ROUTINE////BLUF: POLITICAL CANDIDATE IN MINNESOTA DROPS OUT OF RACE AFTER FAMILY TRAGEDY. POLITICAL CANDIDATE IN FLORIDA TARGETED IN ARSON ATTACK. TWO ARRESTS MADE FOLLOWING CASH VAN HEIST IN ITALY. SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE RELEASED REGARDING HIGH PROFILE KIDNAPPING CASE IN ARIZONA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events-Italy: Two arrests have been made in conjunction with Monday's cash van heist on State Road 613. Details of the arrests have not been made public, as four other thieves are being sought as the investigation continues.Analyst Comment: Otherwise the investigation into the explosive devices planted on Italian rail lines has continued, with an anarchist group claiming credit for the devices, and posting about the targeting efforts on their blog.Russia: Several arrests have been made in conjunction with the recent assassination attempt of a Kremlin intel chief, which resulted in LTG Vladimir Alexeyev being shot multiple times at his apartment last week. So far, two suspects (a father and son team) have been arrested, along with another suspect who was detained in the UAE over the weekend.-HomeFront-Minnesota: Jeff Johnson, a candidate in the race for Governor of the state, has suspended his campaign after a personal family tragedy took place over the weekend. Johnson's daughter (Hallie Tobler) was murdered by her husband on Saturday night at their apartment in St. Cloud. Due to this extremely brutal murder, her father has suspended his campaign.Analyst Comment: Right now it's not clear as to if this brutal murder had anything to do with targeting Johnson's campaign. After all this could be a horrific example of domestic incidents that are far too common throughout the United States. However, this is still a sensitive political issue to be aware of, considering the overall tensions throughout the state.Florida: Over the weekend, a separate gubernatorial candidate was targeted more directly, as the lawn outside James Fishback's home was set on fire by an arsonist. The fire was allegedly set when Fishback was not at his residence, and was discovered as he returned home. So far no suspects have been identified regarding this case.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: In Arizona, the FBI has released surveillance footage regarding the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, who was reported missing after being dropped off at her home on the evening of January 31st. The FBI has released video footage and still images of the suspected abductor, and are requesting the public's help in identifying the suspect. This footage was recovered from the Nest security camera at the residence, which was allegedly unavailable during the initial phases of the investigation due to the Guthrie family not buying a subscription plan for this particular device. However, due to Nest (and other similar WiFi camera companies) partnering with Law Enforcement to provide federal access to all cameras, this imagery was recoverable since this footage is being stored in a database somewhere, regardless of whether or not a customer is paying (or even knowledgeable of this storage).Concerning other surveillance footage which might have captured the suspect, the Catalina Foothills community is a spiderweb of surface roads, which appear at first to offer unlimited avenues for insertion/extraction to the target residence. However, following the roads in an outward spoke search pattern, originating at the site of the kidnapping, reveals that nearly all of these roads intersect with a main highway, which at some point intersects a traffic camera, or storefront security cameras. Of course, a malign actor only needs one route to pull off a crime, so "nearly all" is not good enough for investigative purposes. But, this does help narrow down the potential escape routes for the criminal, if it is

In January, Russian authorities officially labeled the anti-Kremlin activist art group Pussy Riot an "extremist organization," a move that makes even sharing their music or images a potential crime. The group's co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova joins Piya Chattopadhyay to discuss what that designation means for dissidents both inside and outside Russia, the message she's sending with her latest work, Police State, and how art can confront authoritarian power at a moment when repression is spreading far beyond Russia.

Day 1,476.Today, amid growing rumours that Ukraine may be preparing a new counteroffensive, we discuss how the Kremlin is attempting to play down expectations and undermine confidence in the ongoing peace talks. We then report on Japan's move to join the PURL initiative, examine a diplomatic row that has erupted at the Winter Olympics, and sit down with Romania's Foreign Minister, Oana Țoiu, to hear how the war in Ukraine is being viewed from Bucharest, on NATO and the EU's eastern flank.ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to Oana Țoiu, Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs. @oana_toiu on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Zelensky backs athlete banned from wearing helmet bearing faces of war victims (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/winter-olympics/2026/02/09/ukrainian-athlete-vladyslav-heraskevych-anti-russian-helmet/ Russia bombs Ukrainian pet shelter (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/06/russia-bombs-ukrainian-pet-shelter/ How to keep an elephant and a gorilla warm during Kyiv's coldest winter of the full-scale war (Kyiv Independent):https://kyivindependent.com/animals-some-first-how-kyiv-zoo-protects-life-through-the-darkest-winter-of-war/?mc_cid=9ff030f3ca&mc_eid=08d0680a95 Kenya to confront Russia over 'unacceptable' use of its nationals in combat (BBC):https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0k1jzvrykro?xtor=AL-71- LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Les journalistes et experts de RFI répondent également à vos questions sur la réactivation de l'Agoa, la condamnation de Jimmy Lai à Hong Kong et les nouvelles sanctions européennes contre la Russie. Royaume-Uni : l'affaire Epstein va-t-elle faire tomber le Premier ministre ?   Au Royaume-Uni, l'affaire Epstein fragilise le chef du gouvernement, Keir Starmer. Les documents publiés récemment par le ministère américain de la justice ont contraint le chef de cabinet du Premier ministre, Morgan McSweeney, à démissionner. Pourquoi cette affaire a-t-elle autant de répercussions ? Cette situation peut-elle pousser Keir Starmer à démissionner, comme l'exige l'opposition ?    Avec Guillaume Naudin, présente la chronique « La fabrique du monde » sur RFI.      Agoa : comment expliquer le rétropédalage des États-Unis ?   L'Administration américaine a réactivé pour un an l'Agoa, l'accord qui permet à une trentaine de pays d'Afrique subsaharienne d'exporter vers le marché américain sans droits de douane. Alors que ce traitement commercial préférentiel n'avait pas été renouvelé avant son expiration le 30 septembre 2025, comment expliquer cette décision ? L'Agoa bénéficie-t-il autant aux Américains qu'aux Africains ? La réactivation de l'Agoa étant provisoire, comment les pays africains se préparent-ills à son arrêt total ? Avec Arthur Ponchelet, journaliste au service économie de RFI.       Hong Kong : que reproche-t-on à l'ancien magnat de la presse Jimmy Lai ?   Fondateur du journal Apple Daily et figure centrale de camp prodémocratie à Hong Kong, Jimmy Lai a été condamné à 20 ans de prison ferme notamment pour collusion avec l'étranger. Sur quels faits s'est appuyée la justice hongkongaise ? Pourquoi ce procès a-t-il eu un tel retentissement en Chine ?   Avec Clea Broadhurst, correspondante permanente de RFI à Pékin.       Russie : les nouvelles sanctions européennes seront-elles efficaces ?   La présidente de la Commission européenne propose aux États membres d'adopter un vingtième train de sanctions contre la Russie. Cette fois, Bruxelles vise plus directement les secteurs de l'énergie et du système bancaire, piliers de l'économie russe. Alors que les sanctions n'ont jamais découragé le Kremlin, ces nouvelles mesures seront-elles plus efficaces que les précédentes ? Avec Ulrich Bounat, analyste géopolitique, chercheur-associé chez Euro Créative.

Bruno Cardoso Reis afirma que a Europa não deve dar atenção às ameaças do Kremlin, mas que a política de armamento tem de ser reforçada. E eleições na Ucrânia? “EUA tendem a favorecer a Rússia”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last time we spoke about The Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang-Shatow. Following the brutal 1938 capture of Wuhan, Japanese forces aimed to solidify their hold by launching an offensive against Chinese troops in the 5th War Zone, a rugged natural fortress in northern Hubei and southern Henan. Under General Yasuji Okamura, the 11th Army deployed three divisions and cavalry in a pincer assault starting May 1, 1939, targeting Suixian and Zaoyang to crush Nationalist resistance and secure flanks. Chinese commander Li Zongren, leveraging terrain like the Dabie and Tongbai Mountains, orchestrated defenses with over 200,000 troops, including Tang Enbo's 31st Army Group. By May 23, they recaptured Suixian and Zaoyang, forcing a Japanese withdrawal with heavy losses, over 13,000 Japanese casualties versus 25,000 Chinese, restoring pre-battle lines. Shifting south, Japan targeted Shantou in Guangdong to sever supply lines from Hong Kong. In a massive June 21 amphibious assault, the 21st Army overwhelmed thin Chinese defenses, capturing the port and Chao'an despite guerrilla resistance led by Zhang Fakui. Though losses mounted, Japan tightened its blockade, straining China's war effort amid ongoing attrition.   #188 From Changkufeng to Nomonhan Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Well hello again, and yes you all have probably guessed we are taking another detour. Do not worry I hope to shorten this one a bit more so than what became a sort of mini series on the battle of Changkufeng or Battle of Lake Khasan. What we are about to jump into is known in the west as the battle of khalkin Gol, by the Japanese the Nomohan incident. But first I need to sort of set the table up so to say. So back on August 10th, 1938 the Litvinov-Shigemitsu agreement established a joint border commission tasked with redemarcating the disputed boundary between the Soviet Union and Japanese-controlled Manchukuo. However, this commission never achieved a mutually agreeable definition of the border in the contested area. In reality, the outcome was decided well before the group's inaugural meeting. Mere hours after the cease-fire took effect on the afternoon of August 11, General Grigory Shtern convened with a regimental commander from Japan's 19th Division to coordinate the disengagement of forces. With the conflict deemed "honorably" concluded, Japan's Imperial General Headquarters mandated the swift withdrawal of all Japanese troops to the west bank of the Tumen River. By the night of August 13, as the final Japanese soldier crossed the river, it effectively became the de facto border. Soviet forces promptly reoccupied Changkufeng Hill and the adjacent heights—a move that would carry unexpected and profound repercussions. Authoritative Japanese military analyses suggest that if negotiations in Moscow had dragged on for just one more day, the 19th Division would likely have been dislodged from Changkufeng and its surrounding elevations. Undoubtedly, General Shtern's infantry breathed a sigh of relief as the bloodshed ceased. Yet, one can't help but question why Moscow opted for a cease-fire at a juncture when Soviet troops were on the cusp of total battlefield triumph. Perhaps Kremlin leaders deemed it wiser to settle for a substantial gain, roughly three-quarters of their objectives, rather than risk everything. After all, Japan had mobilized threatening forces in eastern Manchuria, and the Imperial Army had a history of impulsive, unpredictable aggression. Moreover, amid the escalating crisis over Czechoslovakia, Moscow may have been wary of provoking a broader Asian conflict. Another theory posits that Soviet high command was misinformed about the ground situation. Reports of capturing a small segment of Changkufeng's crest might have been misinterpreted as control over the entire ridge, or an imminent full takeover before midnight on August 10. The unexpected phone call from Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov to the Japanese embassy that night—proposing a one-kilometer Japanese retreat in exchange for a cease-fire along existing lines—hints at communication breakdowns between Shtern's headquarters and the Kremlin. Ironically, such lapses may have preserved Japanese military honor, allowing the 19th Division's evacuation through diplomacy rather than defeat. Both sides endured severe losses. Initial Japanese press reports claimed 158 killed and 740 wounded. However, the 19th Division's medical logs reveal a grimmer toll: 526 dead and 914 injured, totaling 1,440 casualties. The true figure may have climbed higher, possibly to 1,500–2,000. Following the armistice, the Soviet news agency TASS reported 236 Red Army fatalities and 611 wounded. Given Shtern's uphill assaults across open terrain against entrenched positions, these numbers seem understated. Attackers in such scenarios typically suffered two to three times the defenders' losses, suggesting Soviet casualties ranged from 3,000 to 5,000. This aligns with a Soviet Military Council investigation on August 31, 1938, which documented 408 killed and 2,807 wounded. Japanese estimates placed Soviet losses even higher, at 4,500–7,000. Not all victims perished in combat. Marshal Vasily Blyukher, a decorated Soviet commander, former warlord of the Far East, and Central Committee candidate, was summoned to Moscow in August 1938. Relieved of duty in September and arrested with his family in October, he faced charges of inadequate preparation against Japanese aggression and harboring "enemies of the people" within his ranks. On November 9, 1938, Blyukher died during interrogation a euphemism for torture-induced death.Other innocents suffered as well. In the wake of the fighting, Soviet authorities deported hundreds of thousands of Korean rice farmers from the Ussuri region to Kazakhstan, aiming to eradicate Korean settlements that Japanese spies had allegedly exploited. The Changkufeng clash indirectly hampered Japan's Wuhan offensive, a massive push to subdue China. The influx of troops and supplies for this campaign was briefly disrupted by the border flare-up. Notably, Kwantung Army's 2nd Air Group, slated for Wuhan, was retained due to the Soviet threat. Chiang Kai-shek's drastic measure, breaching the Yellow River dikes to flood Japanese advance routes—further delayed the assault. By October 25, 1938, when Japanese forces captured Hankow, Chiang had relocated his capital to distant Chungking. Paradoxically, Wuhan's fall cut rail links from Canton inland, heightening Chiang's reliance on Soviet aid routed overland and by air from Central Asia. Japan secured a tactical win but missed the decisive blow; Chinese resistance persisted, pinning down a million Japanese troops in occupation duties. What was the true significance of Changkufeng? For General Koiso Suetaka and the 19th Division, it evoked a mix of bitterness and pride. Those eager for combat got their share, though not on their terms. To veterans mourning fallen comrades on those desolate slopes, it might have felt like senseless tragedy. Yet, they fought valiantly under dire conditions, holding firm until a retreat that blended humiliation with imperial praise, a bittersweet inheritance. For the Red Army, it marked a crucial trial of resolve amid Stalin's purges. While Shtern's forces didn't shine brilliantly, they acquitted themselves well in adversity. The U.S. military attaché in Moscow observed that any purge-related inefficiencies had been surmounted, praising the Red Army's valor, reliability, and equipment. His counterpart in China, Colonel Joseph Stilwell, put it bluntly: the Soviets "appeared to advantage," urging skeptics to rethink notions of a weakened Red Army. Yet, by World War II's eve, many British, French, German, and Japanese leaders still dismissed it as a "paper tiger." Soviet leaders appeared content, promoting Shtern to command the Transbaikal Military District and colonel general by 1940, while honoring "Heroes of Lake Khasan" with medals. In a fiery November 7, 1938, speech, Marshal Kliment Voroshilov warned that future incursions would prompt strikes deep into enemy territory. Tokyo's views diverged sharply. Many in the military and government saw it as a stain on Imperial Army prestige, especially Kwantung Army, humiliated on Manchukuo soil it swore to protect. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji Inada, however, framed it as a successful reconnaissance, confirming Soviet border defense without broader aggression, allowing the Wuhan push to proceed safely. Critics, including Major General Gun Hashimoto and historians, questioned this. They argued IGHQ lacked contingency plans for a massive Soviet response, especially with Wuhan preparations underway since June. One expert warned Japan had "played with fire," risking Manchuria and Korea if escalation occurred. Yet, Japanese commanders gleaned few lessons, downplaying Soviet materiel superiority and maintaining disdain for Red Army prowess. The 19th Division's stand against outnumbered odds reinforced this hubris, as did tolerance for local insubordination—attitudes that would prove costly. The Kremlin, conversely, learned Japan remained unpredictable despite its China quagmire. But for Emperor Hirohito's intervention, the conflict might have ballooned. Amid purges and the Czech crisis, Stalin likely viewed it as a reminder of eastern vulnerabilities, especially with Munich advancing German threats westward. Both sides toyed with peril. Moderation won in Tokyo, but Kwantung Army seethed. On August 11, Premier Fumimaro Konoye noted the need for caution. Kwantung, however, pushed for and secured control of the disputed salient from Chosen Army by October 8, 1938. Even winter's chill couldn't quench their vengeful fire, setting the stage for future confrontations. A quick look at the regional map reveals how Manchukuo and the Mongolian People's Republic each jut into the other's territory like protruding salients. These bulges could be seen as aggressive thrusts into enemy land, yet they also risked encirclement and absorption by the opposing empire. A northward push from western Manchuria through Mongolia could sever the MPR and Soviet Far East from the USSR's heartland. Conversely, a pincer movement from Mongolia and the Soviet Maritime Province might envelop and isolate Manchukuo. This dynamic highlights the frontier's strategic volatility in the 1930s. One particularly tense sector was the broad Mongolian salient extending about 150 miles eastward into west-central Manchukuo. There, in mid-1939, Soviet-Japanese tensions erupted into major combat. Known to the Japanese as the Nomonhan Incident and to the Soviets and Mongolians as the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, this clash dwarfed the earlier Changkufeng affair in scale, duration, and impact. Spanning four months and claiming 30,000 to 50,000 casualties, it amounted to a small undeclared war, the modern era's first limited conflict between great powers. The Mongolian salient features vast, semiarid plains of sandy grassland, gently rolling terrain dotted with sparse scrub pines and low shrubs. The climate is unforgivingly continental: May brings hot days and freezing nights, while July and August see daytime highs exceeding 38°C (100°F in American units), with cool evenings. Swarms of mosquitoes and massive horseflies necessitate netting in summer. Rainfall is scarce, but dense morning fogs are common in August. Come September, temperatures plummet, with heavy snows by October and midwinter lows dipping to –34°C. This blend of North African aridity and North Dakotan winters supports only sparse populations, mainly two related but distinct Mongol tribes. The Buriat (or Barga) Mongols migrated into the Nomonhan area from the northwest in the late 17th to early 18th centuries, likely fleeing Russian expansion after the 1689 Treaty of Nerchinsk. Organized by Manchu emperors between 1732 and 1735, they settled east of the river they called Khalkhin Gol (Mongolian for "river"), in lands that would later become Manchukuo. The Khalkha Mongols, named for the word meaning "barrier" or "shield," traditionally guarded the Mongol Empire's northern frontiers. Their territories lay west of the Buriats, in what would become the MPR. For centuries, these tribes herded livestock across sands, river crossings, and desert paths, largely oblivious to any formal borders. For hundreds of years, the line dividing the Mongolian salient from western Manchuria was a hazy administrative divide within the Qing Empire. In the 20th century, Russia's detachment of Outer Mongolia and Japan's seizure of Manchuria transformed this vague boundary into a frontline between rival powers. The Nomonhan Incident ignited over this contested border. Near the salient's northeastern edge, the river, called Khalkhin Gol by Mongols and Soviets, and Halha by Manchurians and Japanese, flows northwest into Lake Buir Nor. The core dispute: Was the river, as Japan asserted, the historic boundary between Manchukuo and the MPR? Soviet and MPR officials insisted the line ran parallel to and 10–12 miles east of the river, claiming the intervening strip. Japan cited no fewer than 18 maps, from Chinese and Japanese sources, to support the river as the border, a logical choice in such barren terrain, where it served as the sole natural divider. Yet, Soviets and Mongolians countered with evidence like a 1919 Chinese postal atlas and maps from Japanese and Manchukuoan agencies (1919–1934). Unbeknownst to combatants, in July 1939, China's military attaché in Moscow shared a 1934 General Staff map with his American counterpart, showing the border east of the river. Postwar Japanese studies of 18th-century Chinese records confirm that in 1734, the Qing emperor set a boundary between Buriat and Khalkha Mongols east of the river, passing through the hamlet of Nomonhan—as the Soviets claimed. However, Kwantung Army Headquarters dismissed this as non-binding, viewing it as an internal Qing affair without Russian involvement. Two former Kwantung Army officers offer a pragmatic explanation: From 1931 to 1935, when Soviet forces in the Far East were weak, Japanese and Manchukuoan authorities imposed the river as the de facto border, with MPR acquiescence. By the mid- to late 1930s, as Soviet strength grew, Japan refused to yield, while Mongolians and Soviets rejected the river line, sparking clashes. In 1935, Kwantung Army revised its maps to align with the river claim. From late that year, the Lake Buir Nor–Halha sector saw frequent skirmishes between Manchukuoan and MPR patrols. Until mid-1938, frontier defense in northwestern Manchukuo fell to the 8th Border Garrison Unit , based near Hailar. This 7,000-man force, spread thin, lacked mobility, training, and, in Kwantung Army's eyes, combat readiness. That summer, the newly formed 23rd Division, under Kwantung Army, took station at Hailar, absorbing the 8th BGU under its command, led by Lieutenant General Michitaro Komatsubara. At 52, Komatsubara was a premier Russian specialist in the Imperial Army, with stints as military attaché in the USSR and head of Kwantung's Special Services Agency in Harbin. Standing 5'7" with a sturdy build, glasses, and a small mustache, he was detail-oriented, keeping meticulous diaries, writing lengthy letters, and composing poetry, though he lacked combat experience. Before departing Tokyo in July 1938, Komatsubara received briefings from Colonel Masazumi Inada, AGS Operations Section chief. Amid planning for Changkufeng, Inada urged calm on the Manchukuo-MPR border given China's ongoing campaigns. Guidelines: Ignore minor incidents, prioritize intelligence on Soviet forces east of Lake Baikal, and study operations against the Soviet Far East's western sector. Familiar with the region from his Harbin days, Komatsubara adopted a low-key approach. Neither impulsive nor aggressive, he kept the green 23rd Division near Hailar, delegating patrols to the 8th BGU. An autumn incident underscores his restraint. On November 1, 1938, an 8th BGU patrol was ambushed by MPR forces. Per Japanese accounts, the three-man team, led by a lieutenant, strayed too close to the border and was attacked 50 meters inside Manchukuo. The lieutenant escaped, but his men died. Komatsubara sent an infantry company to secure the site but forbade retaliation. He pursued body recovery diplomatically, protested to MPR and Soviet officials, and disciplined his officers: garrison leaders got five days' confinement for poor troop training, the lieutenant thirty days. Despite this caution, pressures at AGS and KwAHQ were mounting, poised to thrust the 23rd Division into fierce battle. Modern militaries routinely develop contingency plans against potential adversaries, and the mere existence of such strategies doesn't inherently signal aggressive intentions. That said, shifts in Japan's operational planning vis-à-vis the Soviet Union may have inadvertently fueled the Nomonhan Incident. From 1934 to 1938, Japanese war scenarios emphasized a massive surprise assault in the Ussuri River region, paired with defensive holding actions in northwestern Manchuria. However, between mid-1938 and early 1939, a clandestine joint task force from the Army General Staff  and Kwantung Army's Operations Departments crafted a bold new blueprint. This revised strategy proposed containing Soviet forces in the east and north while unleashing a full-scale offensive from Hailar, advancing west-northwest toward Chita and ultimately Lake Baikal. The goal: sever the Transbaikal Soviet Far East from the USSR's core. Dubbed Plan Eight-B, it gained Kwantung Army's endorsement in March 1939. Key architects—Colonels Takushiro Hattori and Masao Terada, along with Major Takeharu Shimanuki—were reassigned from AGS to Kwantung Army Headquarters to oversee implementation. The plan anticipated a five-year buildup before execution, with Hattori assuming the role of chief operations staff officer.  A map review exposes a glaring vulnerability in Plan Eight-B: the Japanese advance would leave its southern flank exposed to Soviet counterstrikes from the Mongolian salient. By spring 1939, KwAHQ likely began perceiving this protrusion as a strategic liability. Notably, at the outbreak of Nomonhan hostilities, no detailed operational contingencies for the area had been formalized. Concurrently, Japan initiated plans for a vital railroad linking Harlun Arshan to Hailar. While its direct tie to Plan Eight-B remains unclear, the route skirted perilously close to the Halha River, potentially heightening KwAHQ's focus on the disputed Mongolian salient. In early 1939, the 23rd Division intensified reconnaissance patrols near the river. Around this time, General Grigory Shtern, freshly appointed commander of Soviet Far Eastern forces, issued a public warning that Japan was gearing up for an assault on the Mongolian People's Republic. As Plan Eight-B took shape and railroad proposals advanced, KwAHQ issued a strikingly confrontational set of guidelines for frontier troops. These directives are often cited as a catalyst for the Nomonhan clash, forging a chain linking the 1937 Amur River incident, the 1938 Changkufeng debacle, and the 1939 conflict.Resentment had festered at KwAHQ over perceived AGS meddling during the Amur affair, which curtailed their command autonomy. This frustration intensified at Changkufeng, where General Kamezo Suetaka's 19th Division endured heavy losses, only for the contested Manchukuoan territory to be effectively ceded. Kwantung Army lobbied successfully to wrest oversight of the Changkufeng salient from Chosen Army. In November 1938, Major Masanobu Tsuji of KwAHQ's Operations Section was sent to survey the site. The audacious officer was dismayed: Soviet forces dominated the land from the disputed ridge to the Tumen River. Tsuji undertook several winter reconnaissance missions. His final outing in March 1939 involved leading 40 men to Changkufeng's base. With rifles slung non-threateningly, they ascended to within 200 yards of Soviet lines, formed a line, and urinated in unison, eliciting amused reactions from the enemy. They then picnicked with obentos and sake, sang army tunes, and left gifts of canned meat, chocolates, and whiskey. This theatrical stunt concealed Tsuji's real aim: covert photography proving Soviet fortifications encroached on Manchukuoan soil. Tsuji was a singular figure. Born of modest means, he embodied a modern samurai ethos, channeling a sharp intellect into a frail, often ailing body through feats of extraordinary daring. A creative tactician, he thrived in intelligence ops, political scheming, aerial scouting, planning, and frontline command—excelling across a tumultuous career. Yet, flaws marred his brilliance: narrow bigotry, virulent racism, and capacity for cruelty. Ever the ambitious outsider, Tsuji wielded outsized influence via gekokujo—Japan's tradition of subordinates steering policy from below. In 1939, he was a major, but his pivotal role at Nomonhan stemmed from this dynamic. Back in Hsinking after his Changkufeng escapade, Tsuji drafted a response plan: negotiate border "rectification" with the Soviets; if talks failed, launch an attack to expel intruders. Kwantung Army adopted it. Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Otozaburo Yano flew to Tokyo with Tsuji's photos, seeking AGS approval. There, he was rebuffed—Changkufeng was deemed settled, and minor violations should be overlooked amid Tokyo's aversion to Soviet conflict. Yano's plea that leniency would invite aggression was countered by notes on Europe's tensions restraining Moscow. Yano's return sparked outrage at KwAHQ, seen as AGS thwarting their imperial duty to safeguard Manchukuo. Fury peaked in the Operations Section, setting the stage for Tsuji's drafting of stringent new frontier guidelines: "Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes." The core tenet: "If Soviet troops transgress the Manchukuoan frontiers, Kwantung Army will nip their ambitions in the bud by completely destroying them." Specific directives for local commanders included: "If the enemy crosses the frontiers … annihilate him without delay, employing strength carefully built up beforehand. To accomplish our mission, it is permissible to enter Soviet territory, or to trap or lure Soviet troops into Manchukuoan territory and allow them to remain there for some time… . Where boundary lines are not clearly defined, area defense commanders will, upon their own initiative, establish boundaries and indicate them to the forward elements… . In the event of an armed clash, fight until victory is won, regardless of relative strengths or of the location of the boundaries. If the enemy violates the borders, friendly units must challenge him courageously and endeavor to triumph in their zone of action without concerning themselves about the consequences, which will be the responsibility of higher headquarters." Major Tsuji Masanobu later justified the new guidelines by pointing to the "contradictory orders" that had hamstrung frontier commanders under the old rules. They were tasked with upholding Manchukuo's territorial integrity yet forbidden from actions that might spark conflict. This, Tsuji argued, bred hesitation, as officers feared repercussions for decisive responses to incursions. The updated directives aimed to alleviate this "anxiety," empowering local leaders to act boldly without personal liability. In truth, Tsuji's "Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes" were more incendiary than conciliatory. They introduced provocative measures: authorizing commanders to unilaterally define unclear boundaries, enforce them with immediate force "shoot first, ask questions later", permit pursuits into enemy territory, and even encourage luring adversaries across the line. Such tactics flouted both government policy and official army doctrine, prioritizing escalation over restraint. The proposals sparked intense debate within Kwantung Army's Operations Section. Section chief Colonel Takushiro Hattori and Colonel Masao Terada outranked Tsuji, as did Major Takeharu Shimanuki, all recent transfers from the Army General Staff. Tsuji, however, boasted longer tenure at Kwantung Army Headquarters since April 1936 and in Operations since November 1937, making him the de facto veteran. Hattori and Terada hesitated to challenge the assertive major, whose reputation for intellect, persuasion, and deep knowledge of Manchuria commanded respect. In a 1960 interview, Shimanuki recalled Tsuji's dominance in discussions, where his proactive ideas often swayed the group. Unified, the section forwarded Tsuji's plan to Kwantung Army Command. Commander Lieutenant General Kenkichi Ueda consulted Chief of Staff General Rensuke Isogai and Vice Chief General Otozaburo Yano, seasoned leaders who should have spotted the guidelines' volatility. Yet, lingering grudges from AGS "interference" in past incidents like the Amur River and Changkufeng clouded their judgment. Ueda, Isogai, and Tsuji shared history from the 1932 Shanghai Incident: Tsuji, then a captain, led a company in the 7th Regiment under Colonel Isogai, with Yano as staff officer and Ueda commanding the 9th Division. Tsuji was wounded there, forging bonds of camaraderie. This "clique," which grew to include Hattori, Terada, and Shimanuki, amplified Tsuji's influence. Despite Isogai's initial reservations as the group's moderate voice, the guidelines won approval. Ueda issued them as Kwantung Army Operations Order 1488 on April 25, 1939, during a division commanders' conference at KwAHQ. A routine copy reached AGS in Tokyo, but no formal reply came. Preoccupied with the China War and alliance talks with Germany, AGS may have overlooked border matters. Colonel Masazumi Inada, AGS Operations head, later noted basic acceptance of Order 1488, with an informal expectation—relayed to Hattori and Terada—of prior consultation on violations. KwAHQ dismissed this as another Tokyo intrusion on their autonomy. Some Japanese analysts contend a stern AGS rejection might have prevented Nomonhan's catastrophe, though quelling Kwantung's defiance could have required mass staff reassignments, a disruptive step AGS avoided. Tsuji countered that permitting forceful action at Changkufeng would have deterred Nomonhan altogether, underscoring the interconnectedness of these clashes while implicitly critiquing the 1939 battle's location. Undeniably, Order 1488's issuance on April 25 paved the way for conflict three weeks later. Japanese records confirm that Khalkha Mongols and MPR patrols routinely crossed the Halha River—viewed by them as internal territory, 10 miles from the true border. Such crossings passed uneventfully in March and April 1939. Post-Order 1488, however, 23rd Division commander General Michitaro Komatsubara responded aggressively, setting the stage for escalation. The Nomonhan Incident ignited with a border clash on May 11–12, 1939, that rapidly spiraled into a major conflict. Over a dozen "authoritative" accounts exist, varying in viewpoint, focus, and specifics. After cross-referencing these sources, a coherent timeline emerges. On the night of May 10–11, a 20-man Mongolian People's Republic border patrol crossed eastward over the Halha River (known as Khalkhin Gol to Mongols and Soviets). About 10 miles east, atop a 150-foot sandy hill, lay the tiny hamlet of Nomonhan, a cluster of crude huts housing a few Mongol families. Just south flowed the Holsten River, merging westward into the broader Halha. By morning on May 11, Manchukuoan forces spotted the MPR patrol north of the Holsten and west of Nomonhan. In the MPR/Soviet perspective, Nomonhan Hill marked the Mongolia-Manchuria border. To Manchukuoans and Japanese, it sat 10 miles inside Manchukuo, well east of the Halha. A 40-man Manchukuoan cavalry unit repelled the Mongolians back across the river, inflicting initial casualties on both sides—the Manchukuoans drawing first blood. The MPR patrol leader exaggerated the attackers as 200 strong. The next day, May 12, a 60-man MPR force under Major P. Chogdan evicted the Manchukuoans from the disputed zone, reestablishing positions between the Halha and Nomonhan. The Manchukuoans, in turn, reported facing 700 enemies. Sporadic skirmishes and maneuvering persisted through the week. On May 13, two days post-clash, the local Manchukuoan commander alerted General Michitaro Komatsubara's 23rd Division headquarters in Hailar. Simultaneously, Major Chogdan reported to Soviet military command in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital. What began as a Mongolian-Manchukuoan spat was poised to draw in Soviet and Japanese patrons. Attributing the May 10–11 violation hinges on border interpretations: both sides claimed the Halha-Nomonhan strip. Yet, most accounts concur that Manchukuoan forces initiated the fighting. Post-May 13 notifications to Moscow and Tokyo clarify the record thereafter. Midday on May 13, Komatsubara was leading a staff conference on the newly issued Kwantung Army Operations Order 1488—Major Tsuji Masanobu's aggressive border guidelines. Ironically, the first Nomonhan combat report arrived mid-discussion. Officers present recall Komatsubara deciding instantly to "destroy the invading Outer Mongolian forces" per Order 1488. That afternoon, he informed Kwantung Army Headquarters of the incident and his intent to eradicate the intruders, requesting air support and trucks. General Kenkichi Ueda, Kwantung commander, approved Komatsubara's "positive attitude," dispatching six scout planes, 40 fighters, 10 light bombers, two anti-aircraft batteries, and two motorized transport companies. Ueda added a caveat: exercise "extreme caution" to prevent escalation—a paradoxical blend of destruction and restraint, reflective of KwAHQ's fervent mood. Ueda relayed the details to Tokyo's Army General Staff, which responded that Kwantung should handle it "appropriately." Despite Kwantung's impulsive reputation, Tokyo deferred, perhaps trusting the northern strategic imbalance, eight Japanese divisions versus 30 Soviet ones from Lake Baikal to Vladivostok, would enforce prudence. This faith proved misguided. On May 14, Major Tsuji flew from KwAHQ for aerial reconnaissance over Nomonhan, spotting 20 horses but no troops. Upon landing, a fresh bullet hole in his plane confirmed lingering MPR presence east of the Halha. Tsuji briefed 23rd Division staff and reported to Ueda that the incident seemed minor. Aligning with Order 1488's spirit, Komatsubara deployed a force under Lieutenant Colonel Yaozo Azuma: an armored car company, two infantry companies, and a cavalry troop. Arriving at Nomonhan on May 15, Azuma learned most MPR forces had retreated westward across the Halha the prior night, with only token elements remaining, and those withdrawing. Undeterred, he pursued. The advance met scant resistance, as foes had crossed the river. However, Japanese light bombers struck a small MPR concentration on the west bank, Outpost Number 7, killing two and wounding 15 per MPR reports; Japanese claimed 30–40 kills. All agree: the raid targeted undisputed MPR territory. Hearing of May 15's events, Komatsubara deemed the Mongolians sufficiently rebuked and recalled Azuma to Hailar on May 16. KwAHQ concurred, closing the matter. Soviet leaders, however, saw it differently. Mid-May prompted Soviet support for the MPR under their 1936 Mutual Defense Pact. The Red Army's 57th Corps, stationed in Mongolia, faced initial disarray: Commander Nikolai Feklenko was hunting, Chief of Staff A. M. Kushchev in Ulan Ude with his ill wife. Moscow learned of clashes via international press from Japanese sources, sparking Chief of Staff Boris Shaposhnikov's furious inquiry. Feklenko and Kushchev rushed back to Ulaanbaatar, dispatching a mixed force—a battalion from the 149th Infantry Regiment (36th Division), plus light armor and artillery from the 11th Tank Brigade—to Tamsag Bulak, 80 miles west of the Halha. Led by Major A. E. Bykov, it bolstered the MPR's 6th Cavalry Division. Bykov and Cavalry Commander Colonel Shoaaiibuu inspected the site on May 15, post-Azum's departure. The cavalry arrived two days later, backed by Bykov (ordered to remain west of the river and avoid combat if possible). Some MPR troops recrossed, occupying the disputed zone. Clashes with Manchukuoan cavalry resumed and intensified. Notified of renewed hostilities, Komatsubara viewed it as defiance, a personal affront. Emboldened by Order 1488, he aimed not just to repel but to encircle and annihilate. The incident was on the verge of major expansion. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The ghosts of the Changufeng incident have come back to haunt both the USSR and Japan. Those like Tsuji Masanobu instigated yet another border clash that would erupt into a full blown battle that would set a precedent for both nations until the very end of WW2. 

//The Wire//2300Z February 6, 2026////ROUTINE////BLUF: IRANIAN FORCES HIJACK TWO VESSELS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ. GRENADE ATTACK REPORTED IN FRANCE. RUSSIAN GENERAL TARGET OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN MOSCOW. DETAILS EMERGE REGARDING TERROR ATTACK IN GURNEE, ILLINOIS.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events-Middle East: Yesterday Iranian forces seized two tanker vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. These vessels have not officially been named yet, however the footage provided by the IRGC-N indicates these were smaller, more-regional tankers carrying fuel to other locations around the region. Otherwise, on the diplomatic front, the talks between Iranian and American officials concluded today without much note, other than mainstream media sources claiming that the Iranians have refused to halt the enrichment of Uranium.Analyst Comment: The Iranians say this quite literally every time, and today was only the first day of negotiations. The positive news is that neither side flipped the table and walked away; all parties have further talks planned after today's meetings in Oman.Russia: Overnight, a high-ranking General was the victim of an attempted assassination in Moscow. The Kremlin states that Vladimir Alekseyev was shot several times by an unidentified assailant, at his apartment near a pizza restaurant in northwest Moscow. LTG Alekseyev is serving as the deputy chief of Military Intelligence for the Kremlin.France: This morning an attack involving explosives was carried out in Grenoble, after two assailants threw a hand grenade into a beauty salon near the downtown area. The suspects recorded a video of the attack, and provided a video confession as well, which linked the attack to Fenec38, an Algerian gang/criminal group.Analyst Comment: Details on this exact criminal group are hard to come by, at least in English-speaking publications, so it's possible that this is a smaller group trying to improve their standing in the web of criminal groups that now completely dominate the city of Grenoble.This attack also bears striking resemblance to another attack, carried out in the same manner, on a similar target, in the same city, using the same weapon. Back in February of last year, a hand grenade was tossed into a bar/lounge in Grenoble, near the old Olympic village. Concerning today's target (the beauty salon), it's not entirely clear as to why this target was chosen. However, as per the Google Maps listing for the site, some sort of home health company is also registered at this address.While no direct causal link can be established between the two incidents beyond the similarities already observed, it must be noted that these individuals are ruthless killers. In both cases, soft targets were chosen to inflict as much violence on innocent people as possible, with the attacker today throwing the hand grenade quite literally at the feet of a child in the salon. It is only by sheer miracle that the six people inside the salon only suffered minor wounds, and were not immediately killed outright. Instead, the shrapnel from the grenade missed every person in the salon, and none of the victims even required hospitalization, at least according to local media reports. Nevertheless, the attackers attempted to carry out the mass murder of innocent people, continuing what has become a trend throughout France, as ordinary street gangs and organized crime groups alike continue to wage war on the nation.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: In Illinois, more details have come to light regarding a vehicle ramming attack and stabbing incident that took place in Gurnee on Monday. At the time, local media initially reported that the incident was an accident involving two people struck by a car in the parking lot of Gurnee Mills Mall. However, after the details of the arrest that was made became public, t

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Les journalistes et experts de RFI répondent également à vos questions sur la question de la réintégration des Russes dans le football, l'arrivée de Starlink au Sénégal et des attaques chimiques israéliennes au Sud-Liban. Foot : dans les coulisses du transfert de N'Golo Kanté   Après plus de deux saisons à l'Al-Ittihad, l'international français N'Golo Kanté a quitté le championnat saoudien pour rejoindre Fenerbahçe, le club d'Istanbul. Un transfert qui dépasse largement le cadre sportif.  Le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan s'est personnellement investi dans ce dossier. Quel a été son rôle ? Pourquoi s'est-il impliqué dans ce transfert ? Comment a-t-il convaincu le prince héritier Mohammed ben Salman ? Avec Anne Andlauer, correspondante de RFI à Ankara.       Fifa : vers une réintégration de la Russie ?   Le président de la Fifa, Gianni Infantino, plaide pour le retour de la Russie dans le football international, suspendue de toute compétition sportive depuis son invasion en Ukraine en 2022. Comment expliquer cette prise de position maintenant ? Cette suspension du Kremlin a-t-elle eu des conséquences sur le pays ?    Avec Lukas Aubin, directeur de recherche de l'Iris, spécialiste de la géopolitique de la Russie et du sport. Auteur de l'ouvrage « La guerre du sport: Une nouvelle géopolitique » (éditions Tallandier).       Sénégal : avec l'arrivée de Starlink, à quels changements faut-il s'attendre ?   Le service Internet par satellite Starlink, développé par Elon Musk, est désormais disponible au Sénégal. Une arrivée présentée comme un levier majeur pour réduire la fracture numérique, notamment dans les zones rurales. Concrètement, qu'est-ce que cela va changer pour les Sénégalais ? Qui pourra réellement y accéder ? Avec Juliette Dubois, correspondante de RFI à Dakar.       Sud-Liban :  pourquoi les avions israéliens ont aspergé des substances chimiques sur certains villages ?   Le Liban a porté plainte devant les Nations unies contre Israël, accusé d'avoir pulvérisé du glyphosate sur plusieurs villages situés à la frontière sud du pays. Selon les ministères de l'Agriculture et de l'Environnement, la concentration de certains échantillons prélevés varie entre 20 et 30 fois les niveaux habituellement admis par les normes internationales. Comment les autorités israéliennes justifient-elles cette opération ? Quelle suite sera donnée à la plainte devant l'ONU ? Avec Karim Emile Bitar, enseignant à Sciences Po Paris.

Après quelques épisodes spéciaux, voici venu le grand retour des revues de la semaine ! Au programme :Le Mage du Kremlin d'Olivier Assayas, plongée dans les coulisses du pouvoir russe, à travers le regard d'un homme qui a contribué à l'ascension de Poutine.Hamnet de Chloé Zhao, un film très intime sur l'histoire qui aurait inspiré à Shakespeare son chef d'oeuvre (presque) homonyme.Father Mother Sister Brother de Jim Jarmusch, trois récits autour des liens familiaux et surtout de la lourdeur des non-dits.Et comme toujours, on termine avec les coups de cœur/gueule de l'équipe pour vous donner d'autres idées de films !Présentation : JulietteChroniqueur.euses : Juliette, Julien, Aris

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  The Kremlin said US and Russian officials agreed that talks to establish a new nuclear arms control agreement must begin as soon as possible. Last week, the New START Treaty, the last remaining bilateral nuclear agreement, expired.  “There is an understanding, and they talked about it in Abu Dhabi, that both parties will take responsible positions and both parties realize the need to start talks on the issue as soon as possible,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday. The issue was discussed by US and Russian officials last week in the UAE. The US is currently mediating talks between Russia and Ukraine in the Emirates.  A new bilateral agreement is needed, as there are no longer any treaties restricting the strategic weapons programs of the two nuclear superpowers. Both Washington and Moscow are upgrading their strategic arsenals.  Before the New Start Treaty expired last week, Russia proposed a one-year extension of the pact to give the two sides more time to negotiate a new agreement. However, the US failed to respond to the Russian proposal. Additionally, President Donald Trump claimed the New START Treaty was a bad deal for the US.  “Rather than extend ‘NEW START' (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future,” Trump posted Thursday on  Truth Social.  Axios reported last week that Washington and Moscow had agreed informally to continue complying with the New START restrictions for six months. Peskov dismissed the idea that an informal agreement could work.  “Obviously, its provisions can only be extended in a formal way,” Peskov said. “It’s hard to imagine any informal extension in this sphere.”

The United States is intensifying its focus on Cuba, after removing its ally Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela. Can Havana withstand the pressure?  Bianna Golodryga speaks to Cuba's deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio in a rare interview from Havana. And, the Brazilian film dazzling critics: "The Secret Agent." Oscar-nominated Wagner Moura and director Kleber Mendonca Filho join the program from New York. Then, a troubling report on the African men Russia is funneling to the frontlines in Ukraine. Plus, "Mr. Nobody Against Putin"...the Oscar-nominated documentary about a Russian teacher who caught on video the Kremlin propaganda aimed at children. And from the archives, Christiane's 1988 trip to meet the singers vying to perform at the Calgary Opening Ceremonies.   Air date: February 7, 2026   Guests: Carlos Fernández de Cossío David Borenstein Wagner Moura & Kleber Mendonça Filho Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On connaissait le « male gaze » dans le cinéma, ce regard masculin prégnant dans les représentations et les films, et sexualisant, notamment les corps féminins. Mais connaissez-vous le « bourgeois gaze » ? Le « bourgeois gaze », au départ lancé comme une boutade dans un article, est conceptualisé et explicité dans un livre qui vient de paraître aux éditions Les liens qui libèrent. Rob Grams, le rédacteur en chef adjoint de Frustration Magazine, est l'auteur de cet essai vivifiant. Personnages de films français majoritairement caractérisés par leur capital économique et culturel, cinéastes issus des catégories les plus aisées de la population, ouvriers et paysans peu représentés ou, quand ils le sont, filmés sous le registre de la tragédie et du misérabilisme, système de production et de distribution aux mains d'une élite bourgeoise... L'essai « Bourgeois gaze » détaille comment le 7ème art occidental est imprégné d'un « regard bourgeois ». Le documentariste Gilles Perret (« J'veux du soleil » et « Au boulot », co-réalisés avec François Ruffin, il a décroché le César du meilleur documentaire l'an dernier (2025) pour « La ferme des Bertrand ») est l'exception qui confirme la règle. À l'affiche de notre cinéma également ce samedi, le journal d'Elisabeth Lequeret et un reportage de notre correspondante dans les pays baltes, Marielle Vitureau sur la sortie en Lettonie du film d'Olivier Assayas « Le mage du Kremlin ». Musiques : - D'ici, de là-bas, Souad Massi et Gaël Faye sur la playlist de RFI- Opening night, d'Arctic Monkeys. 

Anatol Lieven discusses Estonia's call for dialogue with Moscow and the need for Europe to develop realistic defense and negotiation strategies regarding Russia rather than relying solely on American protection.1917 KREMLIN

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:  First—Behind the Kremlin's battlefield posture, Russia's economic foundation is quietly deteriorating. New data shows Moscow's budget deficit on pace to nearly triple this year, as oil and gas revenues — the lifeblood of the Russian state — plunge to their lowest levels of the Putin era. Later in the show—A top Russian military intelligence officer was shot and seriously wounded in Moscow on Friday, marking the latest attack on Russia's top brass inside the capital. I'll break down what happened, who Moscow is blaming, and how this could impact peace efforts. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief CBDistillery: Visit https://CBDistillery.com and use promo code PDB for 25% off your entire order! PDS Debt: You're 30 seconds away from being debt free with PDS Debt. Get your free assessment and find the best option for you at https://PDSDebt.com/PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

durée : 00:05:35 - La Revue de presse internationale - par : Catherine Duthu - Des satellites espions russes ont intercepté les communications d'une douzaine de satellites clés pour l'Europe. La guerre hybride que mène le Kremlin se déplace jusque dans l'espace.

This week Patrick Bishop and Saul David examine a the latest news in week of deadly limbo in Ukraine as Donald Trump's promised "energy truce" is shattered by a record-breaking Russian bombardment in -20°C temperatures. We analyse why Moscow's advances are now slower than the Battle of the Somme and discuss Elon Musk's latest move to block Starlink from Russian drones. Later in the episode, we are joined by friend of the pod Julius Strauss, who discusses the crumbling of the post-imperial space in the South Caucasus's. Fresh from a recent trip to Azerbaijan, we explore the waning Russian influence in the region, and how the Kremlin is losing its grip on a key strategic partner. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The US Labor market was destroyed by Biden, Trump is reversing everything he has done. US housing market has more sellers than there are buyers, lower rates and 50 year mortgages will fix this. Gold,Silver and Bitcoin are on sale, the masses tend to panic during this period. Bessent breaks the [CB] independence narrative. The [DS] is losing every step of the way. The people are now longer with the D’s. They are now panicking over the midterms and they are messaging that they have plan to do something during this period. Schiff says the quiet part out loud. Trump is setting the stage for their plan for the insurrection. Trump has let the country know that we will find out who actually won the 2020 election. When it is revealed that Trump won, does he get another term?   Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/GlobalMktObserv/status/2019218921950175742?s=20  since the Financial Crisis. The gap suggests workers are taking 2nd and 3rd jobs not by choice but out of necessity, as hours are cut and primary employment fails to provide sufficient income. The job market is WEAK. https://twitter.com/Barchart/status/2019252512013054316?s=20     Bessent Says the President Can Interfere With the Fed  Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers on Wednesday that the president has the right to interfere with the decision-making of the Federal Reserve. Source: barrons.com  the president has the right to verbally and politically interfere with the Federal Reserve’s decision-making. He made this comment in response to questioning from Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), saying, “It is his right…It is the right of everyone in here,” referring to members of Congress present at the hearing. Political/Rights  https://twitter.com/alexbruesewitz/status/2019226238720831674?s=20 whately https://twitter.com/PoliticalStacy/status/2019217700841726146?s=20 Human Trafficking Crackdown Nets More than 600 Suspects in Sex Trade Authorities in Los Angeles announced Tuesday the results of a statewide crackdown on human trafficking that resulted in the arrests of more than 600 suspects and the rescue of 170 victims, predominantly in the sex trade. The weeklong “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild” campaign was part of a yearly effort by the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force and 80 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna laid out the exact numbers at a news conference, later posted on X. A total of 611 criminal arrests were made and 156 adults rescued as part of the operations, Luna told reporters. In addition, 14 children were rescued from sex trafficking. Officials said 71 suspected traffickers were arrested, and an additional 328 sex buyers were arrested. “This is a multibillion-dollar industry,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. “It is nothing less than modern slavery.” According to the Los Angeles Times' reporting of the announcement: Source: breitbart.com Geopolitical Spain Amnesty: Gov't to Take Illegals' Word That They Don't Have Criminal Record The socialist Spanish government's amnesty scheme will allow illegal migrants to simply declare that they have no criminal record, rather than providing documentation from their native countries, sparking concern over criminals gaming the system. Last month, the left-wing coalition government of Socialist PM Pedro Sánchez agreed to allow upwards of half a million illegals seek amnesty and obtain residence permits to remain in Spain. While the scheme stipulates that amnesty will not apply to migrants with criminal records — other than the crime of entering Spain illegally — the regularisation decree published by the government this week revealed that Madrid will essentially be willing to take the word of illegal migrants about their past. Source: breitbart.com https://twitter.com/MarioBojic/status/2019341799148409099?s=20   this is just another step toward killing our freedoms. The EU is an open-air prison and Ursula von der Leyen is the warden. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2019395593345393136?s=20   https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2019390275924230638?s=20   Kremlin to purchase Russian weapons. In the 2010s, Russia’s largest oil company, Rosneft, became a key lender to Venezuela in exchange for receiving stakes in the country's oil projects. According to Reuters, between 2006 and 2017, the Kremlin provided a total of $17 billion to the Venezuelan government and the state oil company PDVSA. https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2019331875572183318?s=20 https://twitter.com/GlobalDiss/status/2019133827453776172?s=20 https://twitter.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2019397051612647711?s=20  Brusselian censorship, Orwellian in nature.  3 US Warships Dispatched to Haiti as Part of Campaign Against Drug Traffickers   Three U.S. warships have been sent to Haiti as part of Operation Southern Spear, a military operation in the Caribbean to counter narcotics trafficking. “At the direction of [Secretary of War Pete Hegseth], the ships USS Stockdale, USCGC Stone, and USCGC Diligence have arrived in the Bay of Port-au-Prince as part of Operation Southern Spear,” the U.S. Embassy in Haiti posted on X on Feb. 3. The embassy said the presence of the warships reflects the United States' “unwavering commitment to Haiti's security, stability, and brighter future.” Source: theepochtimes.com https://twitter.com/TheSCIF/status/2018867826459562070?s=20   This is the beginning of the global operation to install these manipulative, backdoor implemented electronic voting machines worldwide to steal elections and install the candidate of their choice. This is the election fraud cartel and its inception. 866 Q !UW.yye1fxo ID: 2362f9 No.568863 Mar 6 2018 13:06:24 (EST) https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/629 So much is open source. So much left to be connected. Why are the children in Haiti in high demand? How are they smuggled out? ‘Adoption' process. Local ‘staging' ports friendly to CF? Track donations. Cross against location relative to Haiti. Think logically. The choice, to KNOW, will be yours. Q 1233 Q !xowAT4Z3VQ ID: 30e575 No.1133862 Apr 21 2018 14:40:05 (EST) Anonymous ID: 03b5fb No.1133796 Apr 21 2018 14:35:58 (EST) america-has-spoken.png >>1133772 THIS IS WHAT THE NEXT 6 YEARS IS ABOUT – THIS QUESTION >>1133796 They will lose black vote once Haiti revealed. Lost now (awakening). They keep them enslaved. What did Hussein do for the black community? vs POTUS? Q War/Peace Medical/False Flags https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2019149006744490427?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/2019110609145459184?s=20     [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2019443234728989029?s=20   https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2019241676490051624?s=20 https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/2019394858767798349?s=20   Control the narrative and turn defense into offense: In a private session, it’s all about dry facts, sworn statements, and transcripts that could be dissected later without my real-time spin. Publicly, it could be framed  as a partisan witch hunt, rally my base, and pivot to attacking the Republicans (like Comer) for hypocrisy or distractions. It’s theater—I’d get soundbites on TV, memes on social media, and maybe even sympathetic coverage from friendly outlets, diluting any real scrutiny.   Closed depositions often drag on for hours with nitpicky details, no time limits, and less grandstanding. In public, time is constrained, questions are performative, and I could filibuster or redirect more easily.  Anything of National Security cannot be discussed and Clinton could hide behind it.  https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2019169898799259770?s=20   out the part where the Democrats/Hamas initiated the violence. 3. Children are brought to “protests” as human shields. If a child is harmed as his/her parents are engaged in violence, such child is the focus of social media efforts. 4. Rank and file members (useful idiots) are actively encouraged to illegally engage with armed authorities. These are martyrdom operations, and to the extent martyrs are created out of useful idiots, that was always the unstated intent. (But nobody tells the useful idiots that.) 5. Illegal, violent operations are funded by US tax dollars, money laundered through multiple NGOs and non-profits. 6. Laws are irrelevant when they are inconvenient. Laws are ironclad rules when they are convenient. 7. Opponents are dehumanized such that any atrocity that is inflicted on them is justified. 8. A major goal is to sway public opinion on the international stage and create the story that the aggressors are actually the victims. 9. Neither Hamas nor the Democrats can meme effectively. 10. The ultimate goal of both Democrats and Hamas is to create elaborate deception operations as a path to absolute power. President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/2019235176363212952?s=20 https://twitter.com/RedLineReportt/status/2019175100386267570?s=20   to get TORCHED. For once, the IRS is being deployed FOR AMERICANS FIRST — not against working families. Follow the money. Audit everything. Prosecute whoever broke the law. Thank you, Sec. Bessent.   Do you firmly support Scott on this? A. Huge Yes B. No IF Yes, Give me a THUMBS-UP !! DHS Secretary Noem Identifies Another Leaker and Refers to DOJ for Prosecution  The good news is the process to identify the subversive agents inside the various offices of the administration continues to yield results.   there's a lot of them to identify and remove. Dept of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shares another leaker has been identified and removed.  Additionally, she is referring their conduct to the Dept of Justice for criminal prosecution. [SOURCE]  The reason for that removal now seems to come to light with the release of letter former Agent Paul Brown sent to Elections Director Nadine Williams giving her a head's-up on the material the FBI was going to seize. FBI Agent Brown asks Ms Williams to voluntarily hand over the material, which has the result of giving Fulton County a heads-up about the specifics of the material the FBI were going to gather and review in their search warrant. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2019203189221065004?s=20 Trump is now setting it all up, the people are going to demand he come into the cities and states when the insurrection is happening. optics are important 4360 May 30, 2020 6:11:47 PM EDT Q !!Hs1Jq13jV6 ID: 63d310 No. 9383164  INSURRECTION Act of 1807. [Determination that the various state and local authorities are not up to the task of responding to the growing unrest] Call the ball. Q  https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2019378085913653512?s=20   https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2019394557428019374?s=20 https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/1755562105678266707?s=20 https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2019257661657633016?s=20   has to happen.” https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/2019184398831100056?s=20 https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/2019452836153581799?s=20   they need to figure out other ways to cheat now that their primary cheating techniques have been blocked. Oh, and Democrats are now threatening a government shutdown in order to prevent ICE from being at polling places. Could it be any more obvious what's going on here? They need illegals to vote or they're screwed. These people are in a full-blown panic over the Trump Administration securing our elections. Enjoy watching them squirm!   https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2019236736203911681?s=20   Intelligence identified “extremely concerning cybersecurity and operational deployment practices that pose a significant risk to U.S. elections.” ODNI said some vulnerabilities in Puerto Rico's voting machines stemmed from the use of insecure cellular technology, along with software flaws that could allow hackers deep access into critical election systems. “Given ODNI’s broad statutory authority to coordinate, integrate, and analyze intelligence related to election security and our known work on understanding vulnerabilities to foreign and other malign interference, ODNI conducted an examination of electronic voting systems used in Puerto Rico's elections,” an ODNI spokesperson said. In April 2025, Gabbard told a Cabinet meeting that her office had obtained evidence showing U.S. electronic voting systems have long been vulnerable to hacking. “We have evidence of how these electronic voting systems have been vulnerable to hackers and vulnerable to exploitation to manipulate the results of the votes being cast,” she said, adding that this supports the push for nationwide paper ballots so voters can trust the integrity of U.S. elections. https://twitter.com/canncon/status/2019054407954956637?s=20  Bureau of Investigation Vic Reynolds told Senator Perdue, “I’m a team player. If the Governor doesn’t want to investigate, we’re not going to investigate.” “You said that although Mr. Reynolds had received evidence that he felt was compelling enough to open an investigation that he was not going to investigate because the governor had told him not to?” “That’s one of the things he said, yeah.” – Senator Perdue One month before the special grand jury testimony, Vic Reynolds was appointed a Superior Court Judge by……..Governor Brian Kemp. And Reynolds wasn’t the only person who ignored election fraud evidence or maladministration and got appointed to a Superior Court judgeship. He wasn’t even the second one. Reynolds was presented with video evidence, cell phone data, bank records, and testimony of a ballot harvester. Reynolds claimed that the GBI made “repeated requests” to True The Vote for their witness. True The Vote denies this saying that THEY actually reached out to GBI after their one and only meeting and were ignored. From TTV’s Catherine Engelbrecht: “After that meeting, we made repeated attempts to re-engage with the GBI and never received a response.” Why did Brian Kemp order GBI not to investigate an alleged crime, with evidence, that would ultimately lead to a UNPRECEDENTED RICO case against a former President and HIS party’s front-running candidate?? Read my story in the link below. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2019409257137918096?s=20 https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/2019211072755151237?s=20 https://twitter.com/TheStormRedux/status/2019416872727278048?s=20  about Russia interfering in the 2016 election, but now all of a sudden they want nothing to do with that. A solid point. Trump added, “So now they're saying Russia had nothing to do with it, because if I say Russia, it's perfectly fine. But you could add China and about 5 other countries to it.” Is Trump implying they believe there was foreign interference or is he just trolling the deep state? Time will tell. https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2019198733167260134?s=20 https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/2019068648917217511?s=20     https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2019166626260627780?s=20 John Cornyn who are opposed to the bill by not allowing debate. https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2019131769665274030?s=20   Any Republican allowing our elections to be filled with fraud needs to be primaried. https://twitter.com/Lancegooden/status/2019126883192049803?s=20 https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2019414831074271739?s=20   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); 

C dans l'air l'invité du 4 février 2026 avec Régis Genté, journaliste, spécialiste des questions internationales, correspondant notamment pour RFI et Le Figaro. Il est l'auteur de "Notre homme à Washington, Trump dans la main des Russes", aux éditions Grasset.Emmanuel Macron a affirmé hier que la reprise du dialogue avec le président russe Vladimir Poutine était "en train de se préparer", tout en affirmant que Moscou ne montre pas de "vraie volonté" de négocier la paix en Ukraine. Questionné à ce sujet lors d'un déplacement en Haute-Saône, le président français a répondu: "Cela se prépare et donc il y a des discussions qui se font au niveau technique".Il a précisé que cela se faisait "en transparence et en concertation" avec le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky, dont le pays subit l'invasion russe depuis bientôt quatre ans. "Il est important que les Européens, en effet, restaurent leurs propres canaux de discussion", a dit Emmanuel Macron. Emmanuel Macron et Vladimir Poutine se sont parlé la dernière fois début juillet dernier, en priorité au sujet des efforts diplomatiques pour encadrer le programme nucléaire iranien. Ils avaient à cette occasion affiché leurs divergences sur l'Ukraine.Des déclarations qui surviennent alors qu'un cycle de négociations en présence des Américains démarre à Abou Dhabi pour tenter de trouver une issue à quatre ans de guerre. La Russie a menacé mercredi de poursuivre les hostilités en Ukraine si Kiev n'acceptait pas ses conditions, au moment où un nouveau cycle de négociations en présence des Américains démarrait à Abou Dhabi pour tenter de trouver une issue à quatre ans de guerre. Les discussions entre les représentants ukrainiens et russes, arrivés mardi soir aux Emirats arabes unis, ont commencé, a annoncé dans la matinée sur les réseaux sociaux le négociateur en chef de Kiev, Roustem Oumerov.L'invasion de l'Ukraine par la Russie, lancée en février 2022, le pire conflit armé sur le continent européen depuis la Deuxième guerre mondiale, a fait des dizaines voire des centaines de milliers de morts des deux côtés, ainsi que des millions de réfugiés ukrainiens. Peu après l'ouverture des négociations, le Kremlin a insisté de nouveau pour que l'Ukraine accepte ses demandes, renforçant les doutes sur les chances de succès de ces efforts diplomatiques, menés depuis des mois sous l'impulsion du président américain Donald Trump. "Tant que le régime de Kiev n'aura pas pris la décision appropriée, l'opération militaire spéciale se poursuivra", a déclaré le porte-parole du Kremlin Dmitri Peskov, utilisant l'euphémisme en vigueur en Russie pour qualifier l'invasion de l'Ukraine.

Conversations on Groong - February 5, 2026Topics:Defining the “Canceling Russia” phenomenonThe “cancel Russia” lobbyContainment shifts to coercive transformationRussian Orthodox Church as battlegroundKremlin “towers” and civilizational logicBooks by Tsygankov:“Canceling” Russia (2026): https://a.co/d/0izauT7TRussia's Foreign Policy (2025): https://a.co/d/07NNNT6dGuest: Andrei TsygankovHosts:Hovik ManucharyanAsbed BedrossianEpisode 514 | Recorded: February 4, 2026SHOW NOTES: https://podcasts.groong.org/514VIDEO: https://youtu.be/WOLR5AuizEQ#CancelingRussia #RussianForeignPolicy #UkraineWar #StateCivilization #TowersOfTheKremlin #RussianOrthodoxChurchSubscribe and follow us everywhere you are: linktr.ee/groong

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin: First up—a Russian cargo aircraft tied to Moscow's defense industry lands at a Cuban military base, raising fresh questions about renewed military coordination between Havana and the Kremlin. The flight is drawing comparisons to the secretive aircraft movements seen just weeks before Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was taken into custody. I'll walk through what we know and why it matters. Later in the show—despite the shootdown of an Iranian drone just one day earlier, new reporting suggests Washington and Tehran are quietly preparing to resume nuclear talks in Oman. Iran is signaling it may be open to limited compromises, even as tensions remain high across the region. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.  YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Goldbelly: Discover iconic meals from legendary restaurants delivered nationwide with Goldbelly—get 20% off your first order at https://Goldbelly.com with promo code PDB. American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB  Ridge Wallet: Upgrade your wallet today! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code PDB at https://www.Ridge.com/PDB #Ridgepod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iouri Dmitriev, prisonnier de l'Histoire Quand Courchevel choque la Russie en guerre À Davos, Trump humilie, Macron encaisse Le Mage du Kremlin, tsar du box-office

The Director of National Intelligence showed up to an FBI raid on a Georgia elections office. Then she put the President on speakerphone with the agents. Then we found out she's been sitting on a whistleblower complaint about herself for eight months. This week, we're talking about Tulsi Gabbard, the woman who went from Bernie Sanders endorser to Democratic presidential candidate to Fox News guest host to Trump's spy chief in one of the most cynical political transformations in modern American history. We're talking about the Fulton County raid, the classified complaint locked in a safe, her documented history of consuming Russian state media, her secret meeting with Assad, and why Russian state TV calls her "Russia's girlfriend." I'm not going to dance around it: I think Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset. And I'm going to tell you exactly why.  Buckle up.KEY POINTSOn January 28, 2026, FBI agents seized 700 boxes of 2020 election materials from Fulton County, Georgia. DNI Tulsi Gabbard was physically present, at Trump's specific direction.The day after the raid, Gabbard visited the FBI's Atlanta field office and put Trump on speakerphone with the agents. He gave them a "pep talk" for investigating the election he lost.Former FBI officials called this "unprecedented" and said there is "unanimous disgust" across current and former agents.A whistleblower complaint about Gabbard has been locked in a safe for eight months. Federal law requires transmission to Congress within three weeks.Three former aides told ABC News that Gabbard regularly read and shared articles from RT, the Kremlin's principal propaganda outlet.In 2017, Gabbard took a secret trip to Damascus and met with Assad for nearly three hours. Congressional staffers later worried she might leak information about a Syrian defector.A former U.S. ambassador to NATO called Gabbard's 2017 foreign policy memo "basically the Russian playbook."At her confirmation hearing, Gabbard refused to call Edward Snowden a traitor. Senator Bennet responded: "Apparently, you don't understand how critical our national security is."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-saw-the-devil-crime-political-analysis--4433638/support.Website: http://www.wesawthedevil.comPatreon: http://www.patreon.com/wesawthedevilDiscord: https://discord.gg/X2qYXdB4Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WeSawtheDevilInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/wesawthedevilpodcast.

2026-02-02 | UPDATES #124 | “‘Come to Moscow,' the Kremlin says — let's all make peace in Moscow. Another offer, or rather ultimatum has been made to Zelenskyy – come to the Kremlin and hammer out peace. But this is not an offer designed for Ukraine – it's 100% for the Americans, for the Vatniks and for the propagandists, to try to make Ukraine look like the party that is obstructing a settlement. “Come to the Kremlin”, says the spider to the fly, like it's a neutral venue, like it's a normal invitation, like Moscow isn't the command centre of a war of annihilation, like this isn't a trap. But this isn't diplomacy. It's a stage-prop — built to stall, to smear, and to set up Ukraine as the ‘obstacle' to peace. Let's break down the playbook — and the history that makes it toxic, especially from Soviet times.----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv this week, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in January 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Kyiv Post — Kremlin Rules Out Zelensky-Putin Talks Outside Moscow (Feb 2, 2026). Associated Press — Kremlin official confirms U.S.-brokered talks resuming in Abu Dhabi (Feb 2, 2026). Reuters — Zelenskiy says new trilateral talks set for Feb 4–5 in Abu Dhabi (Feb 1, 2026). Anadolu Agency — Peskov confirms Abu Dhabi talks; reiterates Moscow line (Feb 2, 2026).TASS — Russia considers Moscow sole venue for talks with Zelensky — Peskov (Jan 29, 2026; cited for direct quote). Kyiv Independent — coverage of Ushakov/Peskov venue pressure and Kyiv's refusal (Jan 28–30, 2026). The Guardian / AP — ongoing strikes context alongside diplomacy (Feb 2, 2026). ----------

2026-02-03 | UPDATES #125 | Russia's internal information front has never been more divided. You could go so far as to say it's eating itself alive. On one side: the regime's studio fanatics—smiling through war crimes, promising apocalypse, selling “victory” like they're flogging a soda brand. On the other: Z-Patriots, milbloggers, and turbo-nationalists — some angry, some exhausted, some quietly terrified that the Kremlin is steering toward yet another illusory “deal” that looks like defeat in slow motion. They can see Russia bleeding out but do nothing to stop it. As of February 3, 2026, this war has run about 1,440 days — longer than the USSR's war against Nazi Germany, commonly cited as 1,418 days. The “Great Patriotic War” myth was supposed to be the Kremlin's sacred measuring stick, the propagandist touchstone to justify every act of aggression, make sense of every horror and sacrifice. As well as being a universal vanishing point for all propaganda narratives. Now it's a timer counting down the credibility of the entire project and putting the architecture of the Russian empire in doubt. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv this week, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in January 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Kyiv Post — ISW assessment summary noting milbloggers highlighting inconsistencies (published Jan 25, 2026). RussiaPost — Ivan Filippov on Z-community split over talks/ceasefire logic (Apr 1, 2025) (background framing). The Guardian — reporting including Solovyov quote about pushing Ukraine “into the stone age” (Feb 3, 2026).Reuters — Girkin sentencing context; crackdown on nationalist critic (Jan 25, 2024) (background). The Moscow Times — appeal upheld / prison status context (May 29, 2024) (background). ----------

Day 1,439.Today, as Vladimir Putin's so-called “energy ceasefire” is reportedly broken once again, we report on another weekend of devastating Russian strikes on Ukraine – including an attack that killed 15 miners when drones hit their bus during a near Dnipro, and a strike on a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhya that injured at least six. We then examine mounting claims that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was not only close to the Kremlin, but may have acted as a foreign agent on Russia's behalf.ContributorsFrancis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.Poppy Wood (Education Editor). @poppyeh on X.SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Epstein's links to Putin and Kremlin spies raise fears he was Russian agent (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/01/epstein-links-to-putin-and-fsb-raise-fears-he-was-a-russian/ Putin targets migrant smuggling networks to boost his ranks (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/putin-targets-migrant-smuggling-networks-to-boost-his-ranks/ Putin ‘will send thousands of criminals to wreak havoc across Europe' (The Telegraph):https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/01/putin-send-thousands-criminals-wreak-havoc-across-europe/ International law meant to limit effects of war at breaking point, study finds (The Telegraph):https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/feb/02/more-than-100000-civilians-killed-war-crimes-out-of-control-study Slovakia PM's national security adviser resigns over Epstein links (BBC):https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnvgljj1dygo?xtor Epstein Library Database (DoJ):https://www.justice.gov/epstein LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatestSubscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up—nearly four years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a new report finds Moscow's battlefield losses now exceed the combined casualties from all of its conflicts since World War Two, offering a stark picture of the war's true cost to the Kremlin. Later in the show—the United States moves to ease sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry, part of Washington's effort to reopen and stabilize the economy following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. Plus—President Trump ramps up warnings to Iran, threatening severe consequences if Tehran refuses to reach a new deal amid rising regional tensions. And in today's Back of the Brief—a public clash erupts between Poland's foreign minister and Elon Musk after reports suggest Russia may be exploiting Starlink on the battlefield in Ukraine. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Cardiff: Get fast business funding without bank delays—apply in minutes with Cardiff and access up to $500,000 in same‑day funding at https://Cardiff.co/PDB  DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promocode PDB at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices