Ben Tóth’s talking point outline this week is “BATTLEFIELD EARTH”! Print it out for great discussions.

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

BATTLEGROUND EURASIA

404 AT HOME

– 404: Ukraine‘s top general Zaluzhny at center of rumors after alleged removal request ( NV Ukraine )

– 404: Contradicting reports point at dismissal of Zaluzhny as top commander; Elensky‘s office denies it ( Kyiv Ind )

– 404: Ukrainians worry after plane crash that POW exchanges with Russia will end ( ABC )

– 404: Exclusive : Ukraine to start building 4 new nuclear reactors this year ( Reuters )

– 404: ‘The enemy is amassing’: Ukrainian army officials give unvarnished account of the battlefield ( CNN )

– 404: The struggle to save the minds of traumatized troops – before sending them back out ( Times )

– 404: Danish Foreign Minister arrives in Ukraine, goes down to shelter in the middle of the night ( Ukro Pravda )

– 404: US war plans for Ukraine don’t foresee retaking lost territory ( WaPo )

– 404: After two years of bloody fighting, Ukraine wrestles with conscription ( NYT )

– 404: Ukraine‘s hopes for victory over Russia are slipping away ( WaPo )

– 404: Danger of escalation grows as Ukraine grows bolder – Dominick Sansone ( American Conservative )

– 404: Local authorities confirm attack on Kremenchug oil refinery ( Kyiv Independent )

– 404: Ukraine would be happy get UK‘s retired ships – navy chief ( RT )

THE THIEVING

– 404: Ukraine says corrupt officials stole $40 million meant to buy arms for the war with Russia ( El País )

– 404: Elensky: Europe cannot support Ukraine alone without US ( ARD interview > Kyiv Ind )

– 404: European aid for Ukrainian refugees should be distributed by Ukraine govt – Elensky ( Ukro pravda )

– 404: Ukrainians took $18 billion abroad last year – NBU data ( RT )

– 404: Yermak: Kyiv, Budapest take ‘powerful step’ toward meeting between Zelensky, Orban ( Kyiv Independent )

– USC: US ambassador David Pressman makes threat to Hungary ( RT )

– EUK: Brussels threatens to hit Hungary’s economy if Viktor Orbán vetoes Ukraine aid ( FT )

– EUK: Orbán reveals condition for backing new EU Ukraine aid – annual vote ( FT )

– EUK: The EU does not see the light at the end of the Ukraine tunnel – Borrell ( EEAS )

Context : Central Asia investment targets Russia sanctions circumvention

– USC: US Inspectors General visit Kyiv to strengthen oversight of aid ( NV Ukraine )

– USC: Biden willing to shut southern border to help secure funding for Ukraine ( WaPo )

– USC: US Senate panel backs ‘big hammer’ plan to seize Russian assets to help Ukraine ( Reuters )

Context : Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity (REPO) for Ukrainians Act introduced in Senate

THE WAR MAD

– USC: ‘Everything Ukraine has achieved is at risk’ – Blinken at joint presser w Stoltenberg ( video )

– USC: Ex-NATO commander: Ukraine war could end just like the Korean War – Stavridis ( Business Insider )

– USC: For Europe and NATO, a Russian invasion is no longer unthinkable ( NYT )

– USC: US to station nuclear weapons in UK to counter threat from Russia ( Telegraph )

– USC: How to kill Russia‘s Oil Economy – Anders Aslund ( The National Interest )

– USC: US may provide military aid to Ukraine through Greece ( Kathimerini > Ukro Pravda )

– USC: US to Sell 40 F-35 fighter jets to Greece, gift other Aircraft ( Bloomberg )

– USC: A turning point – Czech Republic & US ink historic deal for 24 F-35A Lightning II aircraft ( Defense One )

– EUK: Whole UK ‘must prepare for conscription within 6 years’ unless Putin defeated – Expert ( Mirror )

– EUK: What war could mean for life in modern Britain – It’s 2036 and Britain is at war with Russia ( Telegraph )

– EUK: Why it may be too late for the West to avoid war – Europe must rearm, prevail over dictators ( Telegraph )

– EUK: NATO should ‘prepare for Russian missile strikes in Europe’ – two years until attacks on Germany ( Times )

– EUK: Rheinmetall to build ammunition plant to supply Ukraine ( Bild > Ukro Pravda )

– EUK: Head of German intelligence : Putin will not be afraid to attack NATO ( DW )

– EUK: Every second German fears Putin attack – 40% are stockpiling ( Bild )

– ASO: Australia must bring back conscription as ‘all-out-war’ with Russia looms – expert ( News AU )

BATTLEGROUND WEST ASIA

THE HOLY LAND

– ISR: Israel struggles to destroy Hamas‘s Gaza tunnel network – weeks of bombing, 80% still intact ( WSJ )

– ISR: Israel agrees to Paris ceasefire, hostage deal Hamas not yet – report ( JPost, Globes, TO Israel, Monday )

– ISR: Hamas ‘studying’ Gaza hostage deal, Haniyeh says after rejection reports ( Jpost )

– ISR: Israel‘s Knesset hears arguments for expulsion of lawmaker over support for ICJ case ( Haaretz )

– ISR: Expansion amid genocide : Hamas raps Israeli conference on illegal settlements in Gaza ( PressTV )

THE DRONE ATTACK

– WEA: Three US troops killed in drone attack in Jordan, at least two dozen injured ( CNN )

– WEA: The attacks didn’t take place in Jordan, but in Al-Tanf, Syria – Jordan DM ( Andalou )

– WEA: US failed to stop drone attack because of identification mixup ( WSJ )

– USC: White House drawing up plans for revenge strike on Iranian militia ( Telegraph )

– USC: US vows ‘all necessary actions’ after drone strike, Qatar fears impact on Gaza hostage talks ( Reuters )

– USC: Situation in Middle East as dangerous as 1973 – Blinken ( presser )

THE RED SEA

– WEA: US, UK jets bomb Yemen‘s main oil export terminal ( Al-Masirah TV > Cradle )

– WEA: Pentagon contradicts White House about US troop presence in Yemen ( Intercept )

– USC: Lawmakers warn that Biden must seek authorization before further strikes on Yemen ( AP )

– EUK: British warships lack firepower to attack Houthi land targets ( Telegraph )

– EUK: Spoilage alert: Red Sea crisis hits Europe‘s fresh food trade ( Politico )

DIPLOMACY

– WEA: Iran, Pakistan agree on joint action to ‘fight terrorism’ ( Cradle )

– WEA: Iran, Turkiye agree to develop free trade zone on joint border ( PressTV )

– WEA: Iran‘s IRGC seizes foreign vessel for transporting smuggled fuel ( PressTV )

– WEA: Iran launches three satellites in to 450km orbit aboard Simorgh carrier ( IRNA )

DIPLOMATIC FAILURE

– USC: US ready to welcome Turkiye ‘back into F-35 family’ if S-400 issue is resolved – Nuland ( Ekathimerini )

– EUK: German intelligence failed to persuade Hezbollah to stop operations against Israel – report ( Cradle )

– EUK: Why do America‘s liberal hawks attack Russia while giving Israel a free pass? ( Guardian )

– USC: A flood of antisemitic hate is going unchecked on Chinese social media ( CNN )

– USC: China is trying to have it both ways in the Middle East ( NYT )

BATTLE FOR THE UN – ICJ

– USC: The UN‘s war on Israel ( WSJ )

– UN: UNSC to meet, discuss ICJ ruling on Israeli genocide in Gaza ( PressTV )

– UN: Uganda distances itself from Ugandan judge’s ICJ vote on Gaza ( UN > Press TV )

– UN: UK says it has ‘considerable concerns’ about ICJ ruling, rejects genocide accusation ( TO Israel )

– UN: Trudeau says Canada supports the UN court but not necessarily genocide claim against Israel ( CBC )

BATTLE FOR THE UN – UNRWA

– UN: UN agency fires staff members allegedly involved in 10-7 attacks ( CNN )

– UN: UN chief calls on countries to resume funding Gaza aid agency after allegations of militant ties ( AP )

– UN: Palestinians slam suspension of UNRWA funding by some Western nations ( Al Jazeera )

– UN: European Commission suspends funding to UNRWA until end of February ( Quds )

– UN: Collection of countries suspend UNRWA funding amid 10-7 allegations ( various )

Context : US, Canada, Australia, UK, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Estonia, France, Japan

Won’t suspend: Ireland, Spain, Scotland, Norway, Slovenia

THE HEGEMON

THE HEGEMON

– USC: Inside Biden’s anti-Trump battle plan – and where Taylor Swift fits In ( NYT )

– USC: Nancy Pelosi wants the FBI to investigate pro-Palestinian protesters – suggesting ties to Russia ( NYT )

– USC: Supreme Court is urged to rule Trump is ineligible to be president again because of the Jan. 6 riot ( AP )

– USC: US weapons exports up 50 percent in 2023 as Washington challenges Russia, China ( Politico )

– USC: Western nations need to plan for when China floods the chip market ( FT )

– USC: Thousands of ‘Forrest Gumps’ to join US Navy as it struggles to recruit – dropouts ( Eurasian Times )

– USC: Western EV makers underestimated the threat from Chinese rivals like Tesla-slayer BYD ( Fortune )

– USC: Jamie Dimon says lower-income people need help, and he’d tax the wealthy a little bit more ( Fortune )

– USC: Jamie Dimon warns US economy heading towards ‘the cliff’ predicts debt ‘rebellion’ ( Fox )

– USC: Nearly 25,000 tech workers were laid off in the first weeks of 2024. Why is that? ( NPR )

THE TESTICLES

– EUK: Your pay is still going up too fast – last part of inflation fight the hardest ( Economist )

– EUK: French farmers aim to put Paris ‘under siege’ ain tractor protest ( ABC )

– EUK: EU‘s lost influence in Sahel a ‘disaster’ – experts tell MEPs ( EUObserver )

– EUK: ‘What the Hell?’ Europe chafes at America’s protectionist tilt – honeymoon over ( WSJ )

– EUK: Biden stops new LNG exports: where does Germany get liquefied natural gas from?? ( Berliner Zeitung )

– EUK: Gas-addicted Europe trades one energy risk for another ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: Germany‘s new ‘far-left’ party calls for an end to Ukraine war ( FT )

– EUK: Carbon footprint of homegrown food five times greater than those grown conventionally ( Telegraph )

BATTLEGROUND ASIA

– ASO: Japan and Germany sign military supply-sharing pact ( Japan Times )

– ASO: Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in jail days before elections ( Cradle )

– ASO: India pivots away from Russian arms, but will retain strong ties ( Reuters )

THE SOUTH

– LAT: Maduro plans to visit St Petersburg in near future ( TASS )

– LAT: US reviewing Venezuela sanctions after Machado blocked from vote ( Bloomberg ) 

THE HEARTLANDS

RUSSIA, CHINA

– RUC: Russia projects confidence as it pursues alliances to undermine West ( WaPo )

– RUC: Russia to do its utmost to completely wipe out Nazism – Putin ( TASS )

– RUC: Putin gives start to construction of nuclear icebreaker Leningrad ( TASS )

– RUC: First BRICS meeting of year kicks off in Moscow 10 deputy MFAs ( TASS )

– RUC: Putin and Lukashenko inaugurate Leningrad Memorial ( RT )

– RUC: Putin and Lukashenko hold teleconference with Vostok Antarctic station ( RT )

– RUC: Hong Kong court orders China Evergrande to liquidate with debts of $300 bln ( Reuters )

AFRICA

– AFR: US to challenge China‘s influence in Africa, US borrows from belt and road playbook ( SCMP )

– AFR: Canada pulls out remaining commandos from Niger ( Ottawa Sun )

– AFR: Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali withdrew from ECOWAS, citing coup sanctions ( AN )

– AFR: Burkina Faso thanks Russia for priceless gift of wheat ( TASS )

– AFR: After seizing $100m in gold heading to Dubai, Niger halts all gold exploration ( AN )

– AFR: Putin meets Chad junta leader as Russia competes with France in Africa ( Reuters )

– AFR: Niger rejects German ultimatum over Russian friendship ( AN )

APPENDIX : Legend

USC = United States + Canada

EUK = Europe + United Kingdom | 404 = Ukraine

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

ASO = Asia + Oceania

AFR = Africa

LAT = Latin America