I’ve already printed out my copy. Watch the show he co-hosted this week with China Writers’ Group member Billy Bob (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003511545399),

Blowback: Exposing Imperial Decline

https://www.youtube.com/@BlowbackExposingImperial-hh8ig

Outline

TOPICAL

MOSCOW TROPHY EXHIBIT – On Poklonnaya Gora – ‘bow-down hill’ where Napoleon waited in vain for the keys to the Kremlin.

UKRAINE IS IN FREEFALL – Frontline collapses as Elensky asks for everything, incl.10-year ( 2-president ) cooperation with US.

UTTER PANIC IN EUROPE – And Ukraine, Moldova, looking for Patriots and meat, while the US signals: you’re on your own.

TIT FOR TAT ON ASSETS BEGINS – JPMorgan, Bosch, and Ariston caught up in ‘Sava Stealing’ scheme launched by the US.

SURPRISE SURPRISE – Blinken’s Riyadh WEF summit is all about Israeli-Arab normalization, AND alliance against Iran.

BEAUTIFUL SYMMETRY – UK plans to dump asylum seekers in Rwanda, while Africa dumps dollars to repatriate gold.

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BATTLEGROUND 404

STATEMENTS

‘It’s about justice in the relationship between Ukrainian men abroad and Ukrainian men inside of Ukraine’

‘They owe everything they have now in these countries to their Ukrainian citizenship’ 

‘What we do need is our partners to believe firmly that Ukraine’s victory is attainable’ 

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister

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‘We must remind everyone that Russia in its current form – Putin’s Russia – is a constant, existential threat to civilization’

‘And this threat must be removed – in order to preserve the future of humanity’

Petro Zhyzhyian, Kyiv Post Senior Editor

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‘NATO countries did not deliver what they promised’

‘The US spent months approving the aid package, and European allies did not deliver the promised number of shells’

‘And all this had serious consequences at the front’

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Gen-Sec, unannounced visit to Kiev

——————————————————

‘We are ready to share assessments of the weaknesses of Western technology’ – Sergei Shoigu

‘They are getting better and better every day, their weapons too. And we lack everything’ – ‘Phoenix, 47th

‘Someone has to fight. The front line is getting closer, and there are fewer guys on the front’ – ‘Oleg‘

‘The usefulness of the Leopard on the front line is now nil, they don’t last’ – Sgt ‘Magura‘, 47th

‘You don’t like it? Give up your citizenship and go to hell’ – Alina Mykhailova, military medic

BEGGINSKY – GEAR & MEAT

– 404: Elensky says Kiev negotiating with Washington its support for next 10 years – ‘strongest‘ among similar deals ( Tass RU )

– 404: Chernobyl Tragedy – even after 38 years world tolerates the USSR’s reincarnation – Putin’s Russia ( Kyiv Post Opinion )

– 404: Ukraine Air Force spox. said Poland could ‘defend skies‘ over West Ukraine – ‘political will‘ needed ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Ukraine energy chief – Oleksiy Chernyshov of Naftogaz – calls on EU to help protect gas storage from Russia ( FT UK )

– 404: Elensky asked US HML Hakeem Jeffries for Patriots ‘as soon as possible’ – pushed EU, NATO membership ( Euractiv )

– 404: ‘Blatantly illegal’ – Elensky admin. under fire by opposition for denying services to Ukrainian men abroad ( Politico EU )

– 404: Elensky said Ukraine has fulfilled all conditions for EU accession, and demanded  EU fulfill its obligations ( Kyiv Post )

– 404: Elensky requested ‘more than 800’ Vector reconnaissance drones from the German Quantum-Systems( Spiegel DE )

– 404: Elensky said the ‘global majority’ must ‘force Russia into peace‘ at June ‘truly global’ Peace Summit ( Ukro Pravda )

– 404: Elensky gave Speaker Johnson a ‘March or April’ deadline for US aid during a December meeting ( Politico US )

– 404: Elensky calls for air defense systems as allies meet – Ramstein ‘Ukraine contact group’ meeting ( Euractiv )

– 404: Elensky calls for faster arms supplies as NATO chief visits – Russia taking advantage of delays  ( Reuters )

– 404: Ukraine notified the Council of Europe about ‘limiting‘ citizens’ human rights under martial law ( Euronews )

– 404: Elensky warned of ‘Russian nuclear risks‘ on the 38th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster ( Euronews )

– 404: Elensky said that Russia targeted Ukraine‘s gas storage facilities that ‘secure the EU’s supply‘ ( Euractiv )

– 404: A Ukrainian ‘Grandpa’ leads over-60s mobile artillery unit fighting Russian forces for free ( Reuters )

——————————————————

– USC: Ukraine is denying consular services to men outside the country – US officials pressed Kiev to ‘address problems‘ ( NYT )

– USC: US DefSec Austin announces $6 billion military aid package for Ukraine – including Patriot missiles – ( VOA / CIA )

– USC: Pentagon announces additional $6 billion in Military Aid for Ukraine – directly from US companies ( NYT )

– USC: Why does the US arm Ukraine with fanfare and Israel in secret? – Nicholas Kristof ( NYT Opinion )

– USC: All eyes on – Moscow Marjorie Taylor – Greene threat to oust Speaker Johnson ( The Hill )

– USC: Conservative critics vow no more US aid for Ukraine – Vance, van Hollen ( The Hill )

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– RUC: Russian military experts dismiss notion of ATACMS as ‘wonder weapons‘ amid Crimean Bridge threat ( Izvestia RU )

– RUC: Preparations for the presidential inauguration are underway at the Grand Kremlin Palace ( Izvestia RU )

– RUC: Russia seizes Abrams tank for the very first time – to display at Moscow exhibition ( Eurasian Times )

– RUC: Russian Spokesperson Peskov said ‘panic was growing‘ on the frontline’s Ukrainian side ( Reuters )

– RUC: German-made Leopard tank joins NATO trophy display in Moscow ( RT RU )

– RUC: Russia bringing wrecked Abrams tank to trophy show – videos ( RT RU )

– RUC: NATO captured equipment was presented in Patriot Park ( Ria RU )

——————————————————

– EUK: NATO‘s Stoltenberg makes surprise visit to Kiev – delays in support > ‘serious consequences‘ on  battlefield ( RFE / CIA )

– EUK: Captured British and American tanks put on display in Moscow – claims Russian victory inevitable ( Daily Mail UK )

– EUK: Stoltenberg called the display of Western military trophies in Moscow ‘hybrid aggression by Russia‘ ( Pravda RU )

– EUK: Duchess Sophie visits Ukraine in first trip by British royal since start of war – and talks to Elensky ( Reuters )

– EUK: Putin sends horror warning to West as Russian exhibit shows off captured NATO equipment ( Express UK )

– EUK: Moscow shows off seized Western military equipment – Russia ready to share weaknesses ( France24 )

– EUK: Barbaric Putin displays captured UK and US tanks as trophies in Moscow ( Express UK )

– EUK: EU needs ‘Marshall Plan’ for Moldova and Ukraine – PM Maia Sandu says ( Euractiv )

——————————————————

– EUK: EU should help Ukraine’s manpower shortage – repatriate military-age men – Lithuanian PM Ingrida Simonyte ( RT RU )

– EUK: Elon Musk and David Sacks slam Washington’s ‘forever war’ Ukraine plan – Elensky’s 10 year defense idea ( RT RU )

– EUK: Ukraine to receive expedited delivery of F-16s – Belgium ‘working on‘ supplying them before end of year ( Newsweek )

– EUK: Europeans won’t ‘die for Donbass‘ – we enable Ukraine‘s resistance for longer –  EU gardener Borrell ( RT RU )

– EUK: Some of Ukraine’s neighbors – Poland, Latvia, Lithuania – say they will help ‘bring Ukrainian men home‘ ( AP )

– EUK: ‘Lviv is Ukraine‘ – Warsaw assures it has no territorial claims to Ukraine – FM Radosław Sikorski ( Kyiv Post )

– EUK: Spain and Greece refuse to send Patriot systems to Ukraine, but Spain will send ‘some missiles’ ( BBC )

– EUK: German Justice Minister says he will not force Ukrainian refugees to return and fight ( RFE / CIA )

– EUK: The ninth EU–Ukraine Human Rights Dialogue takes place in Kiev ( EEAS Press Release )

– EUK: ‘Why should I return to fight?’ – Ukrainian men living abroad say ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: EU disappoints Ukraine by failing to agree to Air Defense deliveries ( Kyiv Post )

——————————————————

– ASO: North Korea criticizes US for supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, KCNA says ( Reuters )

THE FIELD – STRATEGIC RETREAT

– 404: Ukraine attacked Ilsky and Slavyansk refineries and Kuschovskaya military airfield in Krasnodar ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Russia hit at least four Ukrainian thermal plants in Dnipro, Ivanovo and Lvov – EM Gluschenko ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Russia is making daily tactical gains in eastern Ukraine, as concerns swirl around Ukrainian military reporting ( CNN )

– 404: Ukraine official says frontline situation is ‘very difficult’ but ‘not catastrophic‘ in Ocheretny direction ( Guardian UK )

– 404: Parliamentary delegation of Polish lawmakers arrives in Ukraine – discuss aid, sanctions ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Ukraine‘s star brigade in dire straits due to lack of weapons and its own mistakes – 47th Brigade ( El Pais ES )

– 404: Ukraine‘s army is said to have ‘repulsed 55 attacks’ in Donetsk region, then retreated to new lines ( AFP FR )

– 404: No sign Ukraine will stop strikes on Russian Oil Facilities – experts say necessary risk ( Business Insider )

– 404: Ukraine‘s army chief – Syrski – reports ‘tactical retreat‘ in the East, and warns of increasing pressure ( AP )

– 404: What the new aid really means for Ukraine and Putin – ‘must husband new resources carefully’ ( FT UK )

– 404: Ukrainian forces retreat from 3 villages as Russia gains foothold on eastern front ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Russia damaged a hotel in Nikolaev where ‘english-speaking mercenaries’ were gathering ( Reuters )

– 404: Ukraine army chief – Syrski – warns of front line pressure ‘worsening‘ as US aid ‘lags’ ( Euronews )

– 404: Ukraine faces a chronic shortage of air defenses, despite the ‘breakthrough’ in US aid ( Reuters )

– 404: Russian tactical advances in Avdeyevka fall short of breakthrough, ISW reports ( NVo Ukraine )

– 404: Ukraine‘s forces fall back west of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka ( Ukro Pravda )

– 404: After Russian breakthroughs, Ukrainian troops face fatal domino effect ( Focus DE )

– 404: Half a dozen Ukrainian commanders warn – Donbass falls in October ( Blick DE )

——————————————————

– USC: With US aid resumed, Ukraine will try to dig itself out of trouble – manpower shortages, ‘major offensive’ in future ( WaPo )

context: Troops trained in West slowed to almost zero, suggesting a depletion of the personnel pipeline.

– USC: Another US precision-guided weapon falls prey to Russian electronic warfare, US says – Boeing GLSDB ( Defense One )

– USC: Russian Air Defenses ‘one of the most robust and integrated’ in the world – Ex-USAF officer John Baum ( Sputnik RU )

– USC: Ukraine maps show Russian gains amid fears US aid too late – hope to curb Russian ‘momentum’ ( Newsweek )

– USC: Blinken claims that NATO has not had and will not have ’plans’ against the Russia – at WEF Riyadh ( Tass RU )

– USC: 100-mile US glide bombs fail in Ukraine – GLSDB ‘didn’t work‘ due to ‘mud and signal jamming‘ ( Telegraph UK )

– USC: F-16s headed to Ukraine this summer will face their most dangerous battlefield ever ( Business Insider )

– USC: Ukraine can keep on fighting Russia – but the ‘victory’ it wants might be out of reach ( CNBC CA )

– USC: If this Ukrainian city falls, four others could fall too – Chasov Yar ( CBC CA )

ENDLESS COPIUM

– 404: Military intelligence ( HUR ) – over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have deserted ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Kiev’s Ambassador to US said Ukraine was ‘in talks to set up joint Patriot production in Ukraine‘ ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Ukraine can launch limited counteroffensive in late 2024 or early 2025 the new ISW report claims ( NVo Ukraine )

– 404: Ukraine‘s General Staff says that Russia ‘lost’ 466,150 troops so far in the SMO ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ )

– 404: Ukraine‘s General Staff ‘estimates’ Russia ‘lost’ 38 artillery systems, 14 APVs in a day ( Newsweek )

– 404: UK estimates Russia‘s losses in killed and wounded in Ukraine at 450,000 ( Ukro Pravda )  

——————————————————

– USC: UN experts say North Korean missile landed in Ukraine‘s Kharkov – report says Hwasong-11 ( Reuters Exclusive )

– USC: Putin‘s ‘designs’ on Ukraine have ‘failed’, said US secretary of state Blinken at WEF Riyadh ( Guardian UK )

– USC: Putin is a ‘small pathetic man‘ who needs more wars to survive – Bill Browder ( Kyiv Post Opinion )

– USC: Ukraine bets on long-range drones, raising costs of war for Russia – ‘doubling down’ ( WSJ )

– USC: Rivalry for leadership – US split into capitulation party and the victory party – Andrei Piontkovsky ( Kyiv Post Opinion )

context: Andrei is a Russian 2015 ‘expat’ ( traitor ) in Washington, working for VOA, BBC, Hudson Institute

——————————————————

– EUK: Trump is Putin‘s only hope now – ‘riding to the rescue’ | ‘savior from Mar-a-Lago’ – Carl Bildt ( Kyiv ‘Independent’ Opinion )

– EUK: Lithuania blazes trail Ukraine can follow –  ‘building vibrant capitalist democracy in Putin’s shadow’ ( Bloomberg Opinion )

– EUK: Ramstein meeting gives birth to global ‘contact group’ to support Ukraine – ISR, AUS, S.K, JAP, KEN, TUN ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Ramzan Kadyrov’s demise could plunge Putin into a new war – said to be ‘terminally ill‘ – Mark Galeotti ( Times UK )

– EUK: ‘It’s not too late for Ukraine to prevail’ said NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in Kiev ( Guardian UK )

– EUK: Behind enemy lines, Ukraine is busy setting Russia ablaze – railway line attacks to hurt Putin ( Times UK )

– EUK: Stoltenberg said Ukraine is on an “irreversible path“ to NATO membership ( Tass RU )

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BATTLEGROUND WEST ASIA

‘If unchallenged by the Biden administration, the ICC could create and assume unprecedented power to issue arrest warrants against American political leaders, American diplomats, and American military personnel’ – Mike Johnson

——————————————————

‘We expect the court to prevent the issuance of arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials’ – Israeli FM Israel Katz

THE GENOCIDE CONTINUES

– PAL: In Gaza, authorities lose count of the dead – no hospitals or rescue services – many now die in obscurity ( WSJ )

– PAL: Premature baby girl rescued from her dead mother’s womb dies in Gaza after 5 days in an incubator ( AP )

– PAL: Israeli strikes kill at least 40 Palestinians in Gaza, as ceasefire talks begin ( Reuters )

– PAL: At least 20 Palestinians reported killed by Israeli strikes on Rafah overnight ( Guardian UK )

– PAL: World Central Kitchen announces resuming its operations in Gaza ( Guardian UK )

LEGAL BATTLES HEAT UP

– UN: UN suspends investigations of several UNRWA workers accused of Hamas links – insufficient evidence ( WaPo )

– UN: More children killed in Gaza over 6 months than in all world conflicts in 4 years – UNRWA ( Tass RU )

– UN: UN calls for investigation into mass graves uncovered at two Gaza hospitals raided by Israel ( AP )

– UN: Gaza hospital staff questioned by ICC war crimes prosecutors, sources say ( Reuters Exclusive )

– UN: Taliban‘s treatment of women under scrutiny – by the US – at UN rights meeting ( Reuters )

– UN: Israel makes progress on aid, but risk of famine persists in Gaza – UN official says ( NYT )  

– UN: China calls for UN-led international probe of Nord Stream blasts ( Xinhua CN )

——————————————————

– USC: US State Department accuses 5 IDF units of ‘gross violations of human rights’ – after holding off sanctions ( TO Israel )

– USC: White House says ICC has no jurisdiction in Israel–Hamas war – spokeswoman Karene Jean-Pierre ( TO Israel )

– USC: International Criminal Court’s vicious smear tactics against America’s allies – Douglass Murray ( NYP Opinion )

– USC: Some US officials say in internal memo Israel may be violating international law in Gaza ( Reuters Exclusive )

– USC: US postpones decision on aid to Israeli army battalion accused of abuses against Palestinians ( AP )

– USC: US holding off on penalties for IDF’s Netzah Yehuda unit over West Bank rights abuses ( TO Israel )

– USC: US Congress threatens ICC over Israeli arrest warrants – both parties including Johnson ( Axios )

– USC: US, allies said worried ICC arrest warrants for Israelis could sink Gaza truce deal ( TO Israel )

– USC: US warns ICC action on Israel would hurt cease-fire chances ( Bloomberg )

– USC: Biden refuses to sanction Israeli units behind ‘gross’ war crimes ( Cradle )

——————————————————

– ISR: Israeli ( anonymous ) official: ICC warrants against Israelis will not proceed without US support ( Israel National News )

– ISR: Netanyahu fears international arrest warrant from ICC – army chief Gallant, chief of staff Herzl Halevi ( LE Monde FR )

– ISR: Netanyahu warns ICC rulings would set ‘dangerous precedent’ – for ‘soldiers and public officials’ ( Telegraph UK )

– ISR: National Security Council said leading push to thwart ICC arrest warrants – focused on Joe Biden ( TO ISrael )

– ISR: US, Netzach Yehuda, ICC train wreck: When America tried to walk a tightrope and missed ( Jerusalem Post )

– ISR: Israel rebukes US calls for investigation into mass graves in Gaza – ‘investigate what?’ – IDF ( Politico EU )

– ISR: Israeli military rejects allegations of burying Palestinians in mass graves at Gaza hospital ( Arab News )

REGIONAL POWER MOVES

– WEA: Belarus ready to broaden ties with Iran in defiance of sanctions – Defense Minister – SCO meeting Astana ( Tasnim IR )

– WEA: ‘Saudi Arabia attempting to form coalition to support Israel’ – Ansarullah official Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti ( Irna IR )

– WEA: Persian Gulf security to be ensured with participation of littoral states only – Iran FM Abdollahian ( PressTV IR )

– WEA: Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim downing US Reaper drone, release footage showing wreckage of aircraft ( AP )

– WEA: Iran, Cuba mull over building ships for South American states – talks of construction ongoing ( Mehr IR )

– WEA: Iran’s ‘True Promise’ punctured several ‘air defense’ systems as 10 countries aided Israel ( PressTV IR )

– WEA: US military said to engage five unmanned drones over the Red Sea – ‘imminent threats‘ ( Guardian UK )

– WEA: Hamas willing to lay down arms if two-state solution implemented – Khalil al-Hayya ( Al Jazeera QT )

– WEA: Yemeni armed forces preparing to intensify attacks if Israel assaults Rafah ( Izvestia RU )

– WEA: Yemeni armed forces strike British oil tanker, shoot down US MQ-9 drone ( PressTV IR )

– WEA: Hamas releases video of 2 hostages as Blinken set to travel to region ( WaPo )

SAUDI WEF SUMMIT

– USC: Israel has a choice to make: Rafah or Riyadh – US-led Arab alliance against Iran – Thomas L. Friedman ( NYT Opinion )

– USC: Arriving in Riyadh, Blinken said Iran was the greatest threat to stability in region – and Yemeni attacks ( Guardian UK )

– USC: US–Saudi security pact for Israel normalization ‘close to completion‘ – Sec State Antony Blinken ( VOA / CIA )

– USC: US, Britain urge Hamas to accept Israeli truce proposal – ‘they have to decide quickly’ – Blinken ( Reuters )

– USC: US military’s pier in Gaza to cost $320 million – involves about 1,000 service members ( Reuters Exclusive )

– USC: Blinken continues Middle East tour with stops in Jordan and Israel ( WAPo )

– USC: Senior US, French officials arrive in Ryadh to discuss Gaza – Sejournet, Blinken ( Reuters )

– USC: Blinken, on seventh Mideast trip since Oct. 7, says focus is on improving Gaza aid ( WaPo )

– USC: Blinken hopes Hamas takes Israel’s ‘extraordinarily generous’ truce offer ( TO Israel )

– USC: West urges Hamas to accept ‘extraordinarily generous’ ceasefire offer  ( Times UK )

– USC: Blinken says US yet to see Rafah invasion plan that protects civilians ( Memo UK )

– USC: Blinken says Israel must still do more to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza ( AP )

——————————————————

– EUK: Blinken also spoke to Armenian, Azeri leaders and pushed for peace talks ( Reuters )

——————————————————

– PAL: Palestinian Authority ‘president’ Mahmoud Abbas said only US can halt Israel‘s attack on Rafah ( Reuters )

– PAL: Abbas reportedly called on the US to stop Israel‘s assault as Blinken flew to WEF in Ryadh ( Times UK )

PROTESTS, SPEECH

– USC: Congress to vote on bill – would criminalize questioning events surrounding 9/11 – strong AIPAC and ADL support ( NYP )

– USC: Clear encampment or face suspension – Columbia tells Israel–Hamas war protesters – arrests approach 1,000! ( AP )

– USC: Protesters hang Palestinian flag from venue Before Joe Biden‘s Correespondent’s speech – WHCA ( Newsweek )

– USC: Crackdowns at 4 college protests lead to more than 200 arrests – St. Louis, Evanston, Arizona, Indiana ( NYT )

– USC: Why Gaza protests on US college campuses became so ‘contagious’ – ‘ovation model’ group psychology ( NYT )

– USC: Columbia University protesters defy order to disperse or face suspension – campus ‘antisemitism’ ( Times UK )

– USC: US university Gaza protests ‘infiltrated by professional organizers’ – no affiliation to campus ( Times UK )

– USC: Hatred of Israel is the great moral disorder of our time – Rex Murphy ( National Post CA Opinion )

– USC: US blasts Cuban gov’t sentencing of protesters as ‘unconscionable’ and ‘outrageous’ ( Reuters )

– USC: Bernie Sanders says Netanyahu is attacking campus protests to deflect war criticism ( NPR )

– USC: Hamas and Iran celebrate anti-Gaza war protests taking US colleges by storm ( USA Today )

– USC: Columbia threatens to suspend pro-Palestinian protesters after talks stall ( Reuters )

– USC: Bipartisan bill would create “antisemitism monitors“ at colleges ( Axios )

——————————————————

– EUK: European countries prepared to recognize Palestinian state amid ongoing Saudi pressure ( Asharq al-Awsat SA )

– EUK: Holocaust Memorial in Hyde Park hidden as precaution while pro-Palestine protesters march ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: The Israel Defence Forces are the most moral soldiers in the world – Zoe Strimpel ( Telegraph UK Opinion )  

– EUK: Campaign Against Antisemitism cancels London march amid security concerns ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: Pelosi address disrupted by pro-Palestinian protestors at Oxford Union ( The Hill )

– EUK: UK forces may be deployed on the ground in Gaza to ‘help deliver aid’ ( BBC )

——————————————————

– WEA: Iran slams crackdown on US student protesters – ignoring human rights obligations – FM spox. Nasser Kanani ( AFP FR )

– WEA: As anger grows over Gaza, Arab leaders push back protests – fearful of outrage turning on them ( NYT )

– WEA: Iran condemns US violence, says anti-war student protests proof of world awakening ( PressTV IR )

– WEA: Solidarity with Gaza – US, EU students at Iran‘s universities ( Mehr IR )

——————————————————

– ASO: KFC shutters over 100 restaurants in Malaysia amid pro-Palestine boycott ( Straits Times SG )

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BATTLEGROUND EURASIA

‘This is alarming for NATO, our borders are beginning to look very vulnerable’ – Hamish de Bretton-Gordon about Abrams

DIVERGING SECURITY?

– USC: Is the sun slowly setting on US power? That depends on us – David Ignatius – unpublished Rand report ( WaPo Opinion )

context: slow growth, slow on technology, political crisis, misinformation, ossified bureaucracy, loss of authority in world

– USC: Reckless Putin is deadly serious about ‘confronting’ West – nukes can’t be ruled out – fmr. amb. Frank Wisner ( Sun UK )

– USC: Putin didn’t ‘directly order’ Alexei Navalny’s February death, US spy agencies find – still ‘ultimately’ responsible ( WSJ )

– USC: Europe and the UK need to be on a full war footing – relying on US defense short-sighted ( Bloomberg Opinion )

——————————————————

– EUK: Donald Trump has saved NATO and the West – defense spending over fear of pull out – Richard Kemp ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: Russia has found the critical vulnerability in NATO’s US tanks – five destroyed – Hamish DBG ( Telegraph UK Opinion )

– EUK: Macron offered to ‘share nuclear weapons‘ as part of EU defense deal – Stoltenberg warned against it ( Guardian UK )

– EUK: Close ties with US, and – Polish–Anglo–German – Weimar Triangle is key amid Russia threat – Sikorski ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Macron is under fire for proposing an ‘open debate’ on nuclear deterrence – Le Pen, Melenchon, Fico ( Euractiv )

– EUK: France, Germany sign deal on ‘tank of the future’ – AI, laser, billed as ‘game changer’ starting in 2040 ( AFP FR )

– EUK: Britain to deploy homegrown hypersonic missile by 2030 – want to catch up with China Russia ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: The secret document that could have ended the Ukraine war – details of Istanbul agreement ( Welt DE )

– EUK: Riga mayor Vilnis Kirsis asked Latvians to turn their basements into air-raid shelters ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Macron ready to ‘open debate’ on French nuclear European defense umbrella ( Euractiv )

– EUK: UK to develop hypersonic missiles to catch up with China and Russia by 2030 ( Sky UK )

– EUK: Russian GPS jamming threatens air disaster, warn Baltic ministers ( FT UK )

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– RUC: EU leaders ‘fooling’ people with horror stories about Russia – Dmitry Peskov ( RT RU )

ASSET SEIZURE

– USC: Ukraine‘s $61 billion lifeline not enough – need to ‘mobilize‘ Moscow‘s frozen assets + ‘multi-year‘ funding 2028 ( Reuters )

– USC: Putin beating Ukraine threatens global chaos, economic disaster – JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon ( Business Insider )

– USC: US takes big step toward making Russia pay for Ukraine invasion – US unlikely to act unilaterally ( Atlantic Council )

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– EUK: World War II history haunts attempts to seize Russian assets – Germany to hold as ‘leverage’ in negotiations  ( WSJ )

– EUK: EU criticizes Russia over control of German, Italian firms’ units in Russia – Bosch, Ariston ( Reuters )

– EUK: The EU called on Russia to reverse the decision on Ariston and Bosch assets ( Izvestia RU )

– EUK: Italy summons Russian envoy over Ariston subsidiary takeover ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Ukraine – How is Belgium allowed to get away with this? – refusing asset seizure – Timothy Ash ( Kyiv Post Opinion )

context: Timothy is a British ‘strategist’ for Bluebay Asset Management company

——————————————————

– RUC: Russian officials threatened with severe consequences and endless legal challenges if Russian assets stolen ( Reuters )

– RUC: Putin transferred the ‘daughters ‘ of Ariston and Bosch Hausgerate to temporary management  ( Pravda RU )

– RUC: Russian court orders seizure of $440M JPMorgan funds in lawsuit over US–Russia sanctions ( NYP )

– RUC: Moscow may seize private US assets in Russia if US seizes frozen reserves – Peskov ( Reuters )

– RUC: Putin transferred the assets of Ariston and Bosch in Russia to Gazprom ( DW DE )

RWANDA BILL AND AFRICA

– EUK: Rwanda Bill has caused migrants to pour into Ireland, says deputy PM Michaál Martin – 80% from UK ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: Lampedusa ( Italy ) aid workers condemn UK‘s Rwanda plan after James Cleverly visited ( Guardian UK )

– EUK: Rwanda critics ‘wilfully ignore’ progress made by African state, says James Cleverly ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: Ireland seeks emergency law to return asylum seekers back to UK – seeking proposals ( Euronews )

– EUK: Rishi Sunak claims rise in asylum seekers to Ireland proves Rwanda policy is working ( FT UK )

– EUK: Britain ‘not interested’ in taking back migrants from Ireland, Sunak warns ( Times UK )

——————————————————

– AFR: US troops to depart Chad and Niger, leaving way clear for Russia – jeopardizing US ‘counterterrorism‘ ( Telegraph UK )

– AFR: Tory MP Tim Loughton detained and deported by African country with close links to China – Djibouti ( Telegraph UK )

– AFR: Ghana‘s strategic Gold repatriation from US – Safeguarding against economic volatility ( Vanguard News )

– AFR: Russian ‘mercenaries’ hunt African warlord that US couldn’t catch – Joseph Kony ( Rolling Stone )

– AFR: Nigeria repatriates Gold reserves amid concerns over US economy ( Street Journal )

– AFR: Cameroon repatriates Gold reserves amid US recession concerns ( Sene News )

CHYNA MADNESS

– USC: US State Department creates team to counter China’s trade ‘coercion’ tactics – advise countries ‘targeted’ ( Bloomberg )

– USC: Xi is on a mission to drive a wedge between Europe and the US – visiting France, Serbia, Hungary ( Bloomberg )

– USC: China’s hypersonic rocket drone could threaten US Navy carriers defending Taiwan – David Axe ( Telegraph UK )

– USC: China’s ‘high-speed nuclear sub’ is a challenge to US military might – laser propulsion system? ( Telegraph UK )

– USC: China firms go ‘underground’ on Russia payments as banks pull back – currency brokers ( Reuters Exclusive )

– USC: US Pacific commander says China is pursuing ‘boiling frog’ strategy – John Aquillino – that’s rich! ( FT UK )

– USC: Blinken tells CNN the US has seen evidence of China attempting to influence US elections ( CNN )

– USC: US wants allies to cut chip-related China exports amid Huawei alarm ( FT UK )

——————————————————

– USC: Tesla CEO Elon Musk kicks off surprise trip to Beijing, sources say ( Reuters Exclusive )

– USC: Tesla shares surge after Elon Musk secures deal with China’s Baidu ( FT UK )

– USC: Tesla to lay off 693 employees in Nevada, government notice says ( Reuters )

– USC: Musk wins China‘s backing for Tesla‘s driver-assistance service ( WSJ )

– USC: Tesla chief Musk meets China’s premier Li Qiang  in Beijing ( FT UK )

——————————————————

– EUK: ‘Honeypots’ and influence operations: China’s spies turn to Europe – arrests point to growing scale, ambition ( FT UK )

– EUK: Suddenly, Chinese spies seem to be popping up all over Europe – newly toughened response to ‘meddling‘ ( NYT )

– EUK: Bob Diamond sets sights on rivaling TikTok with social media start-up – Former Barclays Boss ( FT UK )

– EUK: Vestager – ‘competition chief’ –  says probes into Chinese firms are not a message to Beijing ( Euractiv )

– EUK: It’s vital to watch China in the Taiwan Strait – Japan, Germany join RIMPAC exercise ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: Shein added to EU digital rulebook’s ‘systemic risk’ list – on DSA – Digital Services Act ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Germany considers watering down plan to scrutinize Chinese investments ( WSJ Exclusive )

– EUK: Chinese companies fuelling theft of luxury cars with cheap GPS-jammers ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: TikTok ban in EU is ‘not excluded’ von der Leyen says ( Politico EU )

——————————————————

– RUC: US military aid to Taiwan sends ‘seriously wrong signal to independence forces’ – China FM spox Lin Jian ( Andalou TR )

– RUC: Kremlin, commenting on Blinken lobbying China on Russia, says Moscow and Beijing ties to continue ( Reuters )

– RUC: China rejects US election interference claims – ‘paranoia and shadow-chasing’ – FM spox Lin Jian ( RT RU )

– RUC: China warns of ‘resolute and forceful steps‘ if US clings to its negative course on Taiwan, Tiktok ( Reuters )

– RUC: China announces high-stakes mission to moon’s ‘hidden’ side this week, bring back samples ( Reuters )

– RUC: Chinese President to visit France, Serbia and Hungary in May to boost European ties ( Reuters )

– RUC: Russian President Putin announces plans to visit China in May ( AP )

——————————————————

– ASO: Philippines denies deal with China over disputed South China shoal – DM Teodoro ‘Chinese propaganda’ ( Reuters )

– ASO: Indonesia president-elect accuses West of double standards – Ukrainian vs Gazan lives – Subianto ( Economist UK )

– ASO: Japanese voters angry and LDP lawmakers funding scandal – ‘siphoned off unreported profits’ ( Guardian UK )

– ASO: US official says Kishida and Yoon deserve Nobel Peace Prize – Deputy Sec. State Kurt Campbell ( Nikkei )

– ASO: Japan‘s ruling LDP ( Liberal Democratic Party ) lost all three seats in by-elections on Sunday ( Times UK )

– ASO: South Korea’s president talks to opposition about cooperation after his party was routed in election ( AP )

– ASO: Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida denies he will step down over his party’s loss in special elections ( AP )

– ASO: Chinese PLA navy confronted former Japanese politicians on disputed East China Sea ( Reuters )

– ASO: Taiwan reports Chinese military activity after Blinken leaves Beijing – 12 aircraft ( Reuters )

——————————————————

– LAT: Biden adviser – Chris Dodd – backs bill to counter China in Latin America, could pass bill ‘this year’ ( FT UK )

– LAT: Political threat to Mexico trade deal poses risk to prices of US pick-ups, warns Chrysler boss ( FT UK )

ECONOMIC MATTERS

– USC: Biden strategy to tame gas prices is in peril as Iran sanctions pressure mounts – already up 18% at pump ( Bloomberg )

– USC: Moody’s to reassess EIB – European Investment Bank – credit rating in case of larger defense investment ( Euractiv )

– USC: Wall Street has spent billions buying homes. A crackdown looms – lawmakers want to stop high rent, prices ( WSJ )

– USC: White House eyes Russian Uranium import ban while house bill stalls – 25% of US nuclear fuel ( Bloomberg )

– USC: A strong US dollar weighs on the World – two-thirds 150 currencies weakened due to stubborn inflation ( NYT )

– USC: Federal Trade Commission ban on non-compete agreements sends shockwave across Wall Street ( FT UK )

– USC: TikTok ultimatum paints target on US leaders like Apple in China – ‘market access to retaliate’ ( Bloomberg )

– USC: Oil price could exceed $100 a barrel if Middle East conflict worsens, World Bank warns ( Guardian UK )

– USC: Inflation is stubborn. Is the federal budget deficit baking it worse? – economists are divided ( NYT )

– USC: Fitch downgrades Boeing‘s outlook to ‘negative’ on production, cash flow challenges ( Reuters )

– USC: Bird flu in US cows: Should Europe be worried? One in five samples positive ( Politico EU )

——————————————————

– EUK: Have Germans forgotten their famous work ethic? – ‘women and older people‘  must ‘work more‘ ( Bloomberg Opinion )

– EUK: ‘Springtime’ comes for Europe’s economy – grew by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. For ref: China grew 5.3% ( Politico EU )

– EUK: ‘Huge disruption’ anticipated from new Brexit border checks – flour, cheese and more starting Thursday ( Times UK )

– EUK: Western banks in Russia paid €800mn in taxes to Kremlin last year – four times more than before SMO ( FT UK )

– EUK: Rolls-Royce scales back plans to build nuclear SMR ( small modular reactor ) factories in UK ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: Eleven countries to breach EU deficit rules – huge borrowing, almost guaranteed to be sanctioned ( FT UK )

– EUK: German inflation ticks up again as energy support ends – withdrawal of energy aid EU wide ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: ‘Russian fertilizer is the new gas’ for Europe, top producer warns – US educated Norwegian ( FT UK )

– EUK: Von der Leyen promises Finland EU help to counter migrants from Russia – €230 million ( Reuters )

– EUK: Paris Olympics may face security contractor shortage – 22,000 Private security needed ( WaPo )

– EUK: European Union must enlarge or face ‘new Iron Curtain’ President Michel warns ( Euronews )

– EUK: Swedish economy posts fourth straight quarter of contraction – shrank by 0.1% ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: Putin’s shadow oil fleet has left G7 sanctions ‘unenforceable’ – ( Telegraph UK )

– EUK: German Green’s minister Robert Habeck under fire over 2022 nuclear shutdown ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Looking forward to a relaxing retirement? Then you’d better start saving now ( Euronews )

– EUK: Get benefits claimants back to work – cleaning our filthy streets ( Telegraph UK Opinion )

– EUK: Portugal‘s government rejects paying reparations for colonial, slavery legacy ( Reuters )

– EUK: ‘Washout winter’ spells food price rises with key crops down by a third ( Guardian UK )

– EUK: Brussels’ trillion-euro budget may need expanding, Commissioner says ( Euronews )

– EUK: Rail unions win concessions from Macron after Olympics strike threat ( Times UK )

– EUK: We’re wasting the over-50s – give them jobs – Jenni Russell ( Times UK Opinion )

– EUK: How I filmed the dark side of Marseilles, crime capital of Europe ( Times UK )

– EUK: Volkswagen earnings slump 20% on muted sales, high costs ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: Air France-KLM looks to cut costs as first quarter loss widens ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: Lufthansa to cut costs, stop projects as strikes hurt profit ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: Malaria mosquitoes return to Italy after 50 years ( Times UK )

ELECTIONS AND DISINFO

– USC: Joe Biden’s aides try to block him from cameras in fear of viral gaffe – accompany him to / from Marine One ( Times UK )

– USC: Biden can’t risk alienating the racist far left – ‘antisemitism’ comes from educated middle classes ( Times UK Opinion )

– USC: Don’t buy the MAGA meme about weak Biden – Donald is ‘Kaiser Wilhelm II’ – Andreas Kluth ( Bloomberg Opinion )

– USC: Chants of ‘shame on you’ greet guests at annual White House media dinner ( Telegraph UK )

– USC: Divest-or-ban law rattles TikTok influencers pushing pro-Biden content ( Bloomberg )

– USC: VP Harris seeks to energize Black voters with economic opportunity tour ( Reuters )

– USC: Steven Spielberg is reportedly ‘providing strategy for the Biden campaign’ ( NBC )

– USC: Amnesty International says Biden must halt arms transfers to Israel ( WaPo )

– USC: Biden says he’ll debate Trump in interview with Howard Stern ( Bloomberg )

– USC: Biden least popular president in 70 years, below Nixon, Carter ( NYP )

——————————————————

– EUK: Alleged far-right plotters on trial in Germany accused of plan to overthrow state – Reichsbürger movement ( Guardian UK )

– EUK: A hard-right tidal wave is about to hit Europe – will make economic crisis worse – Gordon Brown ( Guardian UK Opinion )

– EUK: Prince Reuss, judge and chef ‘part of far-right plot to install Fourth Reich’ – court case begins in Stuttgart ( Times UK )

– EUK: Scotland leader Humza Yousaf resigns – rather than face no confidence vote – as ruling coalition crumbles ( WaPo )

– EUK: Coca-Cola, L’Oréal, other brands told by MEPs to stop ads fueling Russian disinfo in Balkans ( Politico EU )

– EUK: Conspiracy theorists have turned from COVID to climate. How will it impact the EU elections? ( Euronews )

– EUK: Clean up your house and get rid of Putin‘s propaganda, EU chief tells far right – von der Leyen ( Reuters )

– EUK: Media freedom ‘perilously close to breaking point’ says German ‘Civil Liberties’ NGO ( Guardian UK )

– EUK: European Parliament “Protecting” von der Leyen in Pfizergate Scandal ( European Conservative )

– EUK: Europe ministers say more resources needed to combat Russian disinformation online ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Pfizergate: Belgian court to hold hearing amid competence row with EU prosecutor ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Facebook and Instagram hit with EU probes over Russian disinformation ( Politico EU )

– EUK: 20,000 Georgians ‘march for Europe’ to protest the ‘Russian bill’ on Sunday ( Euractiv )

– EUK: Von der Leyen criticizes European far right for being ‘Putin’s proxies’ ( Guardian UK )

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX : Videoclips

– ‘Mamala’ Harris, Drew: https://twitter.com/lib_crusher/status/1785074492315693266

– Blinken China Elections : https://twitter.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1784655044958396570

– Stoltenberg in Ukraine : https://twitter.com/CheburekiMan/status/1784957040697205121

– Blinken in Riyadh – Russia is weak : https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1784912039669805412

– Patel on Netanyahu : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQpQhnFaKBY

APPENDIX : Legend

USC = United States + Canada

RUC = Russia + China

EUK = Europe + United Kingdom | 404 = Ukraine

WEA = West Asia, formerly Middle East | ISR = Israel | PAL = Palestine

ASO = Australia + Oceania

AFR = Africa

LAT = Latin America