Easy-to-use talking points to be the star of any discussion, thanks to Ben Tóth and his amazing outlines. Hot off the press!
![](https://seektruthfromfacts.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Talking-Points-sized.webp)
I’ve already printed out my copy. Watch the show he co-hosted this week,
Blowback: Exposing Imperial Decline
https://www.youtube.com/@BlowbackExposingImperial-hh8ig
Outline/Talking Points
BATTLEGROUND EURASIA
RECOGNITION OF LOSS
– 404: DPRK appears to be more effective partner for Russia than West for Ukraine – Kuleba ( NV Ukraine )
– 404: Ukraine says West must halt supply of weapons parts to Russia – “get serious” ( AFP )
– 404: Can Ukraine‘s economy survive without foreign aid? Experts aren’t sure ( Kyiv Ind )
– 404: Ukraine wants EU’s next migration rules to encourage returns ( Politico )
– 404: Ukraine looks to be losing the ‘battle for ammunition’ outshot by Russians ( Business Insider )
– 404: The counteroffensive has failed and Elensky is already being questioned ( El Mundo )
– USC: Schumer warns ‘Ukraine will fall’ if Senate doesn’t pass new aid bill – Americans will feel the impact ( NYP )
– USC: The pentagon has no more money for Ukraine – Austin ( AP )
– EUK: Sad birthday balance – Actor Comedian Elensky‘s birthday ( Mysl Polska )
Context : Argues, silences opp., corrupt, economic crisis, no soldiers, loss of territory, depopulation, fall from grace.
404 DIPLOMACY
– EUK: There’s no war in Kyiv scoffs Slovakia’s Fico – just go there, life is normal ( Politico )
– EUK: Serbia won’t sign EU+47 statement calling Russia to stop Ukraine aggression, withdraw troops ( DTT )
– 404: Forgetting how Nazis carved up eCzechoslovakia, Slovak MP advocates same for Ukraine ( NV Ukraine )
– 404: Ukraine to Slovakia‘s Fico: No, we won’t give up land to Russia ( Politico )
– 404: Ukraine disses HBO for hiring pro-Putin Serb to star in The White Lotus ( Politico )
– 404: Ukrainian first lady considers Hunka matter ‘resolved’ ( CBC )
THE ILYUSHIN AFFAIR
– 404: Kiev deliberately shot down plane with its POWs – 74 people, 65 Ukrainians ( RT )
– 404: Il-76 crashed, Ukrainian Armed Forces say ‘it’s their job’ ( Ukro Pravda, instantly )
– 404: Il-76 crashed in Belgorod region of Russia ( Ukro Pravda 2 hours later )
– 404: Elensky says lacking details, calls for international investigation ( official X )
– 404: Ukraine vows to continue prisoner swaps, Human Rights Commissioner ( Ukro Pravda )
– 404: Military intelligence: Senior Russian officials were supposed to be on II- 76 flight but did not board ( Kyiv Ind )
– EUK: France says it could have been shot down by US patriot ( France Info TV )
– EUK: France delays emergency UNSC meeting to Thursday, midnight Kyiv time ( Ru MFA )
– RUC: Russia announces destruction of French SAMP-T AD system 3 hours after incident ( Ru MOD )
– USC: Another mysterious and deadly Russian plane crash ( CNN )
– USC: Military plane crashes in Russia, killing all Onboard, officials Say ( NYT )
– USC: The US was in no way involved in the crash of the Il-76 – Vedant Patel ( State.gov briefing )
HOUSE SLAVES
NATO HORSETRADING
– 404: Ukrainian PM Denis Shmygal proposes to exclude Slovakia and Hungary from NATO ( RT )
– EUK: Türkiye approves Sweden‘s NATO entry leaving Hungary as holdout ( Bloomberg )
– EUK: EU threatens to silence Hungary if it blocks Ukrainian funds ( Politico )
– EUK: Hungary drops opposition on new EU weapons fund for Ukraine – ‘people familiar’ said ( Bloomberg )
– EUK: 99% of Hungarian respondents do not support Ukraine’s EU membership – consultation ( Közlöny )
– USC: Biden urges US Congress to approve $50b F-16 sale to Türkiye ‘without delay’ ( Reuters )
– USC: Türkiye links Sweden’s NATO bid to US approving F-16 jet sales and Canada lifting arms embargo ( AP )
– USC: Last man standing: Orbán faces calls from US, Europe to unblock Sweden’s NATO bid ( Politico )
– USC: US attacks Hungary’s Orbán for ‘fantasy foreign policy’ that helps Putin ( FT )
– USC: Putin‘s NATO ally has overplayed his hand – Orbán ( Newsweek )
THE WAR MAD
– EUK: Russia‘s defense industry strips fridges for “spare parts”: UK official ( Newsweek )
– EUK: Britain should ‘train and equip’ a ‘citizen army’ to prepare for war – head of the Army ( Mail Online )
– EUK: Army chief says people of UK are ‘pre-war generation’ who must be ready to fight Russia ( Guardian )
– EUK: Rishi Sunak warns Houthis of more attacks – unless they stop theirs ( AFP )
– EUK: Ban Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Lord Polak tells Rishi Sunak ( Telegraph )
– EUK: America should unleash its armored flying Hogs in Ukraine – David Axe ( Telegraph )
– EUK: Sorry Russia, the Baltic Sea is NATO’s lake now – big problems for Moscow ( Politico )
– EUK: One in four chance Russia will attack another UK ally by 2025 ( Telegraph )
– EUK: London gives Scholz a way out of Taurus-Dilemma ( Handelsblatt )
Context : Will buy Taurus from Germany, to send more Storm Shadows to Ukraine
THE WORRIED
– EUK: EU must be ready for war without US, EPP chief Manfred Weber warns ( Politico )
– EUK: Is Europe ready to fight Vladimir Putin alone? contemplates end of Pax Americana ( Politico )
– EUK: Germany is not ready for military emergency, defense minister Pistorious warns ( Telegraph )
– EUK: Public face call-up if we go to war, military chief warns – army is too small ( Telegraph )
– EUK: Sunak forced to rule out conscription as Russia war threat rises ( Telegraph )
– EUK: Putin sparks fears of war with Nato with visit to Kaliningrad ( Telegraph )
– EUK: German defense minister doesn’t ‘know anything’ about missile swap with UK ( Politico )
THE GREEDY
– EUK: EU readies more Russia sanctions ahead of Ukraine war anniversary ( FT )
– EUK: Europe must not weaponize Euro, ECB policymaker warns ( Reuters )
– EUK: ECB asks some lenders to monitor social media for early signs of BANK RUNS – sources ( Reuters )
– EUK: EU unlikely to confiscate Russian central bank assets – officials – too many legal risks ( Reuters )
– EUK: Belgium agrees €611 million in military aid for Ukraine – from income on Russian assets ( Brussels Times )
– EUK: The absolute record of bankruptcy of Polish companies has been broken ( Wprost PL )
– EUK: Anti-EU populists poised to dominate European elections – 10+ of 27 ( Times )
– EUK: Brussels struggles to placate farmers as far right stokes protests ( FT )
– EUK: Germany isn’t sick man of Europe but tired man who needs coffee – Lindner ( Reuters )
– EUK: German car parts suppliers plan job cuts amid costly EV transition ( FT )
– EUK: Signa group’s flagship German project – Elbtower – falls into bankruptcy ( FT )
– EUK: Ursula von der Leyen launches “Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture” ( her official X )
THE INFIGHTING
– EUK: French top court nixes cushy visa deal for rich Brits ( Politico )
– EUK: French government presses the UK to help fill multi billion-pound hole in nuclear projects ( FT )
– EUK: British Hedge funds built $1 billion short bet against Big German Stocks ( Bloomberg )
context : Volkswagen, Deutsche Bank, Siemens, Rheinmetall
BATTLEGROUND WEST ASIA
ISRAEL
– ISR: Israeli soldiers ‘clearing buffer zone’ in Gaza die in Blast – preparing explosives to level buildings ( NYT )
– ISR: Netanyahu tells troops there’s ‘no substitute for complete victory over our enemies’ ( TO Israel )
– ISR: Hamas toll thus far falls short of Israel’s war aims, US says – 20% to 30% ( WSJ )
– ISR: ‘Mass casualties’ as UN shelter struck amid intense fighting in Khan Younis ( CNN )
– ISR: The army checked and found that the Gaza Ministry of Health’s fatalities were reliable ( Mekomit )
– ISR: Iran is now a ‘legitimate target’ for Israeli missile strikes – Economy Minister ( Telegraph )
– ISR: Insurance companies refuse coverage for Israeli ships in Red Sea ( Globes )
ICJ INTERIM RULING
– UN: Government expects ICJ judgement in genocide case against Israel on Friday ( SA News24 )
– UN: UN Court demands Israel Prevent genocide but doesn’t call for cease-fire ( NYT )
– UN: ICJ orders Israel to limit harm to Palestinians in Gaza ( FT )
– UN: Top UN court stops short of ordering Gaza ceasefire ( CNN )
Context: Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel must take all measures to prevent genocide
Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel must ensure none of it’s military commit genocide
Court rules ( 16:1 ) Israel must prevent & punish incitement to genocide
Court rules ( 16:1 ) Israel must take measures to provide humanitarian aid
Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel should preserve evidence of alleged genocide
Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel shall submit a report on these measures to court in 1 month
– ISR: Ben Gvir slams ICJ as antisemitic, says Israel should ignore ruling on provisional measures ( TO Israel )
– ISR: Israeli leaders vow Gaza war to go on; Hamas: ICJ ruling ‘contributes to isolating Israel’ ( TO Israel )
– ISR: Netanyahu: Israel to defend itself from Hamas, genocide claim outrageous ( Jpost )
– USC: US probes UNRWA for October 7 involvement, halts US funding ( WaPo )
WHAT THE US DOING?
– USC: Why an end to the war in Gaza is still far off – US diplomatic push unlikely this year ( Foreign Policy )
– USC: VIPS Memo to Biden – Avoiding a Third World War ( Consortium )
– USC: Biden to deploy CIA director Burns to help broker major Israel-Gaza deal to release hostages ( WaPo )
– USC: America is planning to withdraw from Syria – and create a disaster – Charles Lister ( Foreign Policy )
– USC: US, Iraq to kick off talks on future of unwelcome US occupation force ( Al Mayadeen )
– USC: US signals it is open to withdrawing SOME troops from Iraq ( WaPo )
– ISR: Israel clinches new US arms deal as Gaza atrocities mount ( N12 > Cradle )
Context: 25 F35, 25 F15 IA, 12 Apache, ‘many thousands’ of armaments in coming days
YEMEN / RED SEA
– USC: US Air Force bombs Yemen’s Sana’a – I counted 7s strikes so far ( WaPo )
– USC: A ragtag militia in Yemen worked to become a nimble US foe ( NYT )
– WEA: Yemen ordered American and British UN workers to leave the country immediately ( SABA )
– WEA: UAE has funded political assassinations in Yemen – training by US mercs ( BBC )
– WEA: Attacks off Yemen targeted 2 ships carrying cargo for US Defense, State Departments ( Maersk > Aawsat )
– USC: US urges China to help curb Red Sea attacks by Iran-backed Houthis – no results yet ( FT )
– USC: Jake Sullivan to meet China‘s Wang Yi in Thailand to discuss Houthi attacks ( WSJ )
– USC: The US and UK sanction Houthi military officials – Matthew Miller ( State.gov )
– EUK: The Houthis have survived worse than America’s and Britain’s strikes ( Economist )
– EUK: ‘Opportunistic’ Chinese lines send ships to serve Red Sea ports ( FT )
– EUK: Belgium sends warship to join European mission in Red Sea ( Politico )
– ASO: New Zealand to send ( six-member! ) defense team to support Red Sea security ( Reuters )
– ASO: New Zealand‘s maritime union opposes country’s Red Sea military involvement ( RNZ )
– RUC: Russia and Ansar Alla jointly condemn attacks on Yemen in Moscow ( Ru MFA )
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
– GLO: Algeria calls for international conference to end Israel‘s occupation of Palestinian lands ( Andalou )
– GLO: Leading humanitarian organizations call on states to halt arms transfers to Israel ( Press TV )
– UN: China’s United Nations human rights review puts global divide on display – Global South vs North ( SCMP )
– RUC: Russia, Iran, Türkiye issue joint statement calling for immediate truce in Gaza ( IRNA )
– WEA: Türkiye‘s Erdogan to take economic measures against Israel over Hamas War ( Jerusalem Post )
– WEA: Türkiye removes Israel from export target list ( Globes Israel )
– WEA: Egypt, Qatar turning cold shoulder to Netanyahu – because of remarks ( Cradle )
– WEA: US strikes on Iraqi military positions will lead to escalation – PM statement ( Al Mayadeen )
– WEA: Russia and Iran finalize 20-yr deal to change Middle East forever ( Oilprice )
– WEA: Secretaries of National Security Councils of Iran and Russia met in Moscow ( Ru MFA )
– WEA: Ebrahim Raeisi on official visit to Ankara, signs 10 cooperation agreements ( IRNA )
– WEA: Iran an Türkiye to deepen energy cooperation, especially gas ( Andalou )
INDIAN TENSIONS
– ISR: Israel turns to India to fill workforce void ( Cradle )
– WEA: OIC strongly condemned opening of Ram Temple on demolished Babri Mosque size in India ( MEE )
– WEA: Muslim shop fronts demolished in India as violence against Muslims increase ( PressTV )
– WEA: India tightens the screws on online dissent ( Economist )
– EUK: Emanuel Macron attends India’s Republic Day parade in Delhi ( France24 )
Context: Biden snubbed India, Macron snubbed China ( 70th anniversary of relations )
AFRICAN COLLABORATORS
– AFR: Nigeria‘s Adebayo Ogunlesi becomes billionaire after BlackRock buys his firm ( Bloomberg )
– AFR: Africa has shaped our past, is shaping our present, will shape our future ( State.gov )
– AFR: US is ready to do anything for Africa – Secretary of State Blinken ( State.gov )
– AFR: Blinken on four-nation Africa tour, commits to security, economic partnerships ( VOA / CIA )
Context : Angola, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria
FREE AFRICA
– AFR: The President of Chad came to Moscow for the first time in 56 years ( AN )
– AFR: Chadian President Mahamat Deby terms his official visit to Moscow as ‘historic’ milestone ( TASS )
– AFR: Russian Troops begin Burkina Faso deployment to bolster security, first 100 followed by 200 ( Bloomberg )
– AFR: Iran, Niger ink cooperation agreement in Tehran – trade / economy, political, culture, health ( IRNA )
– EUK: Africa trip : Baerbock slowed down again ( ZDF )
Context : on way to Djibouti, refused by Eritrea, forced to land in Jeddah after hours of circling over Red Sea.