Microsoft's Brad Smith summoned by Homeland Security committee over 'cascade' of infosec failures

theregister.com The US government wants to make Microsoft's vice chair and president, Brad Smith, the latest tech figurehead to field questions from a House committee on its recent…

Exiled Russian Opposition Leader Launches Blockchain-Based Referendum on Vladimir Putin’s Election Win

coindesk.com The results of this effort would, of course, have no legal weight in Russia and would not end Putin's presidency per se, but the referendum could, in theory, give a public…

Zelensky fires security chief after thwarted assassination plot revealed

newsweek.com Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday fired the head of his country's State Security Administration (UDO), days after Kyiv officials announced a foiled Russian…

West Fueling Global Conflicts, Trying To Topple Moscow, Putin Says On WW2 Victory Day

zerohedge.com West Fueling Global Conflicts, Trying To Topple Moscow, Putin Says On WW2 Victory Day As fully expected, Russian President Vladimir Putin struck a defiant tone in his speech…

‘For All Mankind,’ ‘Outlander,’ and ‘Justified’ Showrunners Discuss Building Expansive TV Universes at Variety’s Sony FYC Showcase

variety.com How do Hollywood creators forge massive universes for their characters? For Ronald D. Moore, executive producer of “For All Mankind” and “Outlander,” it all began with the…

Russia's jamming of American weapons in Ukraine is showing the US what it needs to be ready for in a future fight

businessinsider.com Ukrainian troops fire with surface-to-surface rockets MLRS towards Russian positions at a front line in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas on June 7, 2022. ARIS…

Russia’s ferocious glide-bomb campaign

economist.com FOR THE past year, Russia has been stepping up its use of glide bombs. In recent months both the size of the bombs and the rate at which they are launched have increased…

Will war snuff out the Gulf’s global business ambitions?

economist.com It was supposed to be the new Middle East: a quieter, neutral entrepot where Arabs and Jews, Shia Iranians and Sunni Arabs, Americans, Chinese and even Russians could all…

Ukraine Warns Nationwide Power Outages Coming Amid 'Massive' Russian Strikes

zerohedge.com Ukraine Warns Nationwide Power Outages Coming Amid 'Massive' Russian Strikes Large-scale Russian aerial strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure has become an almost daily…

The shadow fleet of oil tankers enabling Russia's war and undermining global sanctions

cbc.ca Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for his fifth term in office this week, even as his country is beset by sanctions, bogged down in a years long war in Ukraine…

Mom of captured U.S. soldier Gordon Black says girlfriend ‘lured’ him to Russia

nbcnews.com Create your free profile or log in to save this article Create your free profile or log in to save this article The worried mother of a U.S. soldier in Russian custody said…

Putin Doesn't Bluff

zerohedge.com Putin Doesn't Bluff Authored by James Rickards via DailyReckoning.com, Two weeks ago, the Congress passed (and President Biden signed) four key pieces of legislation related…

As Ukraine gets F-16s, Russian forces plead for shotguns

newsweek.com Different eras of warfare are colliding in war-torn Ukraine, highlighting a dramatic contrast between Russia and Ukraine's arsenals as Kyiv desperately awaits a new influx…

Russia fails to collect to billions in oil profits from Asian ally

newsweek.com Russia has stopped pushing for the repatriation of stranded profits from its oil sales to India, and instead will use the money to invest in stocks and infrastructure in its…

The Most Important Events of WWII: A Timeline

247wallst.com World War II stands as one of the most important events in human history. It shaped much of the current geopolitical landscape and altered the balance of power for the…

Vladimir Putin blames an Islamist attack on Ukraine and America

economist.com Few Russian leaders apart from Stalin have been as obsessed with their own security, while failing so spectacularly to provide it for their people, as Vladimir Putin. From…

BBC World Service risks being overtaken by Russia and China, warns outgoing director

pressgazette.co.uk Outgoing BBC World Service director Liliane Landor has warned the organisation “cannot be overtaken by better-resourced competitors” in a speech urging proper resourcing for…

China’s exporters in a bind as banks put Russia deals under microscope

scmp.com Banks still handling payments from Russia – mostly large institutions like Bank of China – are taking extra time to review each transaction, stoking dread among exporters as…

Russians are so desperate to see Western pop stars, they are paying to go on 'concert vacations' abroad

aol.com None Russian fans can pay to see pop stars like Ed Sheeran and James Blunt in Europe. • None The company has sold 150 concert vacations since last year, according to The…

Putin Sworn In for New Term Amid Growing Conflict With West

youtube.com Vladimir Putin, who’s ruled Russia for the whole of the 21st century so far, was sworn in for a fifth term as president, amid renewed nuclear saber-rattling with the West…

An alleged plot to assassinate Zelenskyy gives an alarming look into how deeply Russia can penetrate his inner circle

businessinsider.com Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inspects Ukrainian positions near Kharkiv in April, 2024. AP Ukraine said it foiled a Russian plot to assassinate President Volodymyr…

Russian army deserter detained in NATO country

newsweek.com Border guards report capturing a 41-year-old Russian army deserter believed to have been fighting in Ukraine before crossing illegally into NATO country Poland, from…

MQ-9 Reaper Drone, At $30 Million A Pop, Top's Zelensky's Wish List

zerohedge.com MQ-9 Reaper Drone, At $30 Million A Pop, Top's Zelensky's Wish List Because it's never enough... Ukraine is now eyeing the US-made MQ-9 Reaper even while Kiev awaits F-16…

Journalist sounds alarm on dangers of propaganda, calling it ‘one of the worst crises for American democracy this century’

aol.com Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here. The…

Fact Check: Are French Foreign Legion troops already in Ukraine?

newsweek.com French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion that NATO and European countries will have to consider committing troops to Ukraine under certain circumstances has added a new…

The cyberwar in Ukraine is as crucial as the battle in the trenches

economist.com There is nothing to identify who is inside the office building in Kyiv, but the Russians do not need a nameplate to tell them. Windows on its higher floors are still smashed…

After two years of war, Ukrainians are becoming pessimistic

economist.com IT HAS BEEN a long two years for Ukrainians, but for some the clock stopped the moment Russian tanks crossed the border. Residents of Hlibivka, a village 40km north of Kyiv,…

Putin Takes Oath of Office at Presidential Swearing-In Ceremony

youtube.com Vladimir Putin was sworn in for a fifth term as president at the Kremlin’s St. Andrew’s Hall in Moscow on Tuesday. Placing his hand on a copy of Russia’s constitution, Putin…

Putin begins new six-year term as president, with more power over Russia than ever

pbs.org President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term at a glittering Kremlin inauguration Tuesday, embarking on another six years as leader of Russia after destroying his political…

A Russian helicopter fought an unusual Ukrainian drone armed with heat-seeking missiles, war watchers say

businessinsider.com Russian Air Force Mil Mi-8 and Kamov Ka-52 "Alligator" attack helicopter Leonid Faerberg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Ukraine used exploding drone boats to…

Putin sworn in for another term as Russian president in glittering Kremlin ceremony

nbcnews.com Vladimir Putin was sworn-in for his fifth term as Russian leader Tuesday, renewing his dominance over the country in a glittering Kremlin ceremony as his army advances in…

Putin sworn in for fifth term as president, tightening his grip over Russia

semafor.com Semafor Signals Supported by Insights from The Washington Post, Politico, and Bloomberg The News Vladimir Putin was sworn-in for a fifth term as Russia’s president on…

Russia's military is so hard up for manpower that it now pays more than the oil and gas sector

aol.com None Russia has a manpower crunch because of its war with Ukraine. • None Russia's military is paying more in sign-on bonuses and salaries than the oil and gas sector. •…

TTP

techtransparencyproject.org Facebook is allowing users to buy and sell Facebook accounts that can run political ads in India, raising concerns they could be used for election interference in that…

Watch an exploding Ukrainian drone boat dodge fire from the air to kill one of the small, high-speed Russian ships still fighting in the Black Sea

businessinsider.com A Ukrainian Magura V5 naval drone approaches a Russian boat in the occupied Crimean peninsula. Ministry of Defense of Ukraine/Screengrab via X Ukraine used an exploding…

No, Putin Will Not Invade Another NATO Ally If We Stop Funding Ukraine

newsweek.com The primary reason for continuing to flow billions of dollars in cash and weaponry to Ukraine for what is clearly becoming another Afghanistan, is that if we don't, Putin…

Crimea, Kherson videos show destruction of Russian landing boats

newsweek.com Ukraine has released videos showing its military destroying Russian landing boats in annexed Crimea and in the southern region of Kherson. Ukrainian forces destroyed a…

Remembering A Day the West Wants to Forget

nakedcapitalism.com In a few days Russians will celebrate Victory Day, one of the most important dates (May 9) on its calendar, which marks the triumph over Nazi Germany. While the USSR played…

Ukraine will have to wait till 2025 to mount a counteroffensive against Russia, US national security advisor says

businessinsider.com A Ukrainian soldier operating a drone during training. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images A Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russia isn't on the cards until…

Pentagon races to prop up Ukraine's hard-fighting 47th Mechanized Brigade that's exhausted, report says

businessinsider.com Ukrainian soldiers of 47th Mechanized Brigade on M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle on Avdiivka direction on February 23, 2024 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. Global Images…

Trump Develops 'Detailed' Plan On Achieving Ukraine Peace: Telegraph

zerohedge.com Trump Develops 'Detailed' Plan On Achieving Ukraine Peace: Telegraph Trump has long touted on the campaign trail that he can stop the Ukraine war in 24 hours while taking…

The Russian Army may have defeated Ukraine

businessinsider.com Russia's military has a a body of sound doctrine to govern its operations, but it hasn't adhered to them in Ukraine. Musa Sadulayev/AP Photo Russia's huge cost in invading…

How this next phase of Russia's Ukraine war looks

newsweek.com The first four months of 2024 have proven some of the most difficult in Ukraine's two years of full-scale war with Russia, and perhaps the most straining in a decade-long…

The House of Representatives gives Ukraine its best news in a year

economist.com JUST ONE week ago, hope looked fanciful. President Joe Biden’s pitch to spend $100bn on aid for America’s allies under threat—Israel, Taiwan and especially Ukraine—had…

Saturday links: academic courage

abnormalreturns.com EVs What is going to become of Tesla's ($TSLA) charging network? (washingtonpost.com) Do EVs need artificial noises? (axios.com) Autos Automatic braking will soon be a…

A Ukrainian war reporter's story: Why I refused to make a 'deal with the devil'

businessinsider.com Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing Illia Ponomarenko is one of Ukraine's best known war reporters. He has covered the Russia-Ukraine…

Boeing faces critical launch Monday ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station

latimes.com Ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station has almost become routine — but not for Boeing and not on Monday, when after years of delay it’s finally set to launch…

9 of Ukraine's deadliest strikes that killed scores of Russians with a single blow

businessinsider.com A destroyed Russian tank in Bucha, Ukraine, in 2022. Nils Petter Nilsson/Getty Images Russia is believed to have lost more than 450,000 soldiers during the war in Ukraine.…

US doesn't support Ukraine using American weapons in Russia: Ambassador

newsweek.com The U.S. does not "enable or encourage" Ukraine to use American-made weapons in targets within Russia, according to U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink. President Joe…

Kaspersky hits back at claims it helped Russia with drones

theregister.com If volunteer intelligence gatherers are correct, the US may have a good reason to impose sanctions on Russian infosec firm Kaspersky, which has been accused of helping…

Top Ukraine official warns Russia could capture "Baltics in 7 days"

newsweek.com A senior Ukrainian intelligence official warned about the threat Moscow poses on other nations in Europe, saying "the Russians will take the Baltics in seven days" if allies…

Researchers say Kaspersky helped Russia build drones

theregister.com If volunteer intelligence gatherers are correct, the US might have a good reason to impose sanctions on Russian infosec firm Kaspersky, which has been accused of helping…

"The Whole Rotten Train Is Going Off The Rails"

zerohedge.com "The Whole Rotten Train Is Going Off The Rails" Authored by James Howard Kunstler via Kunstler.com, Nostalgia For The Mind “Resentful childless harpies unconsciously longing…

Russian Troops Enter Air Base Hosting US Soldiers In Post-Coup Niger

zerohedge.com Russian Troops Enter Air Base Hosting US Soldiers In Post-Coup Niger US diplomats and the Pentagon have been in retreat from the West African nation of Niger, while also…

Macron Says He'd Send Troops To Ukraine If Russians Advance & If Zelensky Asks

zerohedge.com Macron Says He'd Send Troops To Ukraine If Russians Advance & If Zelensky Asks French President Emmanuel Macron has once again brought the possibility of Western 'boots on…

A fresh Russian push will test Ukraine severely, says a senior general

economist.com The scruffy headquarters of HUR, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, stands on a jagged piece of land in central Kyiv known as Fisherman’s Island. Strictly speaking, it…

A NATO country said it could join Ukraine's war with Russia if 2 conditions are met

businessinsider.com French President Emmanuel Macron (R) speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) in Berlin, Germany. Emmanuele Contini via Getty Images French President Emmanuel Macron…

Germany says it found evidence that Russian state-backed hacker Fancy Bear was behind a cyberattack in 2023 that took down several German government websites

theguardian.com Germany has said it has evidence that Russian state-sponsored hackers were behind an “intolerable” cyber-attack last year in which several websites were knocked offline in…

Send us Patriots: Ukraine's battered energy plants seek air defenses against Russian attacks

abcnews.go.com Ukrainian energy workers are struggling to repair the damage from intensifying airstrikes aimed at pulverizing Ukraine’s energy grid KYIV, Ukraine -- At a Ukrainian power…