Elvira Bary: What the Wild 1990s Taught Me about Love and Glamour in Soviet Russia

Nov 16, 2024 | Have you ever fallen for the perfect illusion of someone? See how it happened to me!

Who hasn't fallen for the perfect illusion of someone? This is the story of how I fell in love with the editor of Men's Health, only to find out years later that the real genius behind my favorite articles wasn't who I thought.

It's a tale of youthful romance, shattered illusions, and an unexpected mentor who changed my life.

Russian Views on Morality Will Shock You

Jan 28, 2025 | Discover why Putin is untouchable and how he inspires Samurai-like loyalty among his subjects.

"Why are Russians often seen as amoral, brutal, or ruthless?" In this video, I tackle this intriguing question from a subscriber's perspective as a writer born in the USSR. Join me as I uncover the deep social and historical forces that shape Russian behavior, exploring the layers of the social pyramid, the influence of state power, and its impact on morality and actions. From loyalty to authority to the importance of personal connections, I dive into the unique dynamics of Russian culture and social structures. Get ready for an eye-opening journey into the complexities behind the perceptions.

Anti-American & Pro-Russian? The Uncertain Course of Germany's Parties ahead of the Federal Election

Jan 29, 2025 | Pro-Russian, anti-American parties are expected to win a quarter of the votes, if not more, in Germany’s upcoming elections. The far-right Alternative for Germany and the left-wing conservative Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance want Germany to drop sanctions on Russia and start importing gas again. The success of US and Nato sceptic parties could present a major challenge to the transatlantic relationship particularly on security and trade.

Thom Hartmann Program: What You Can Do to Stop Fascism w/ Heidi Siegmund Cuda

Dec 29, 2024 | Fascism is here, and there are concrete steps we can all take to stop it. Thom Hartmann is joined by Heidi Siegmund Cuda to discuss what we should all be doing to stop fascism. Can it be stopped? What do you think?

Russia Bans 'Childfree Propaganda' in Attempt to Boost Birth Rate

Dec 28, 2024 | Authorities in Russia are trying to boost the country's birth rate by banning so-called "childfree propaganda".

Fewer than 600,000 births were registered in the first half of the year, the lowest rate for a quarter of a century.

Dmitry Medvedev Says Editors of The Times Are ‘Legitimate Military Targets’

THE GUARDIAN: Former Russian president’s Telegram post follows paper’s editorial about assassination of a Russian general

The Russian security council deputy head, Dmitry Medvedev, has described the editors of the Times newspaper in Britain as “legitimate military targets” in response to the newspaper’s coverage of the assassination of a Russian general.

Medvedev’s vitriolic comments on Wednesday followed a Times editorial in which the newspaper described the assassination of Lt Gen Igor Kirillov as “a legitimate act of defence” by Ukraine, which has claimed responsibility for the killing. » | Pjotr Sauer | Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Putin’s Generals Terrified after Russian General Assassinated in Broad Daylight

Dec 17, 2024 | “If somebody like Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov is vulnerable, then who else is at risk?”

The top echelons of Russia’s military will be uneasy after Kirillov’s assassination joins similar hits by the Ukrainian military in the last few weeks, says The Sun’s Jerome Starkey.


Related article here.

Ukraine Kills Russian Nuclear General in Moscow Scooter Bomb Attack

THE TELEGRAPH: Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant were killed in the blast outside an apartment building

A senior Russian general in charge of the military’s nuclear and chemical weapons division has been killed in a scooter bomb attack claimed by Ukraine.

Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov was killed along with his assistant when the bomb was detonated remotely as they left an apartment building a few miles south east of the Kremlin early on Tuesday morning.

He’s the most senior Russian officer to be assassinated during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Security Service of Ukraine has taken responsibility for the assassination, according to a Ukrainian security source quoted by both Reuters and AFP news agency. » | Samuel Montgomery | Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Assad Says He Left Hmeimim Base in Syria on 8 December for Moscow

THE GUARDIAN: Syria’s Bashar al-Assad said on Monday he was evacuated to Russia from the Hmeimim base in Syria on the evening of 8 December as it came under drone attacks, after leaving Damascus that morning with opposition fighters closing in. [Read more here.]

Obscurity Awaits Bashar al-Assad in Moscow after Putin Offered Personal Escape Route

THE GUARDIAN: Deposed Syrian president and his family are unlikely to live an extravagant lifestyle in Russia. Instead, they will probably be hidden away in a secluded estate, shielded from public view

He was whisked away without a last message to his people, the aircraft’s transponder deliberately switched off to avoid detection as it departed from an airbase in Syria.

The operation was carried out with such secrecy that even the dictator’s brother reportedly was not informed.

A decade earlier, it was Russian military power that saved Bashar al-Assad’s rule by intervening on his side during what appeared to be a losing civil war he violently attempted to suppress. Now, as rebel troops closed in on Damascus, Moscow provided Assad with a personal escape route.

According to Bloomberg, Assad required some persuading from Russia to leave the country, with Russian intelligence agents orchestrating his escape to Moscow.

Assad’s travel options were always going to be limited. As a pariah on the global stage, his two major allies, Russia and Iran, were the obvious places for refuge.

By choosing Moscow, observers suggest, Assad opted for a familiar place that aligned with his lavish habits, while also selecting a refuge with relative geopolitical stability.

“Bashar and his family are avowedly secular, even though they identify with the Alawite sect, so Russia always had more appeal than Iran in that sense,” said David Lesch, a Syria expert at Trinity University in Texas who has met with Assad on multiple occasions. » | Guardian international staff | Friday, December 13, 2024

Syria: Bashar al Assad Is in Moscow, Says Russian State Media

Dec 8, 2024 | Russian state media says fallen Syrian president Bashar al Assad is in Moscow with his family.

Quoting a source in the Kremlin, Russian state media outlet TASS said Mr Assad and his family members have been provided with asylum in the Russian capital.

There had been much speculation over Mr Assad’s whereabouts after reports he fled Damascus before the rebels arrived there this morning.

Russia, one of Assad's closest allies, confirmed earlier today that he had left Syria, but did not say where he was, or whether Moscow had given him refuge.

Who Are the Syrian Rebels and Where Is Bashar al-Assad? | BBC News

Dec 8, 2024 | Syrian rebel forces in Damascus have declared the capital city "free" of Bashar al-Assad after nearly 25 years of rule, as the former ruler is said to have left by plane for an unknown destination.

The initial offensive to defeat Assad's regime was led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - which was set up in 2012 under a different name, al-Nusra Front, and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda the following year.

HTS publicly broke ranks with al-Qaeda in 2016 but is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, Turkey and other countries.

The US has named the group's leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, as a specially designated global terrorist and offered a $10m reward for information that leads to his capture.

Jawlani told CNN on Friday that "the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime" and that he planned to create a government based on institutions and a "council chosen by the people".


Frank Gardner’s distinction between Islam and Islamism is shockingly inaccurate. He says the difference between Islam and Islamism is that Islamists do not believe in the separation of politics and religion. This is NONSENSE! Islam itself doesn’t believe in the separation of politics and religion! In fact, no good Muslim should. It is basic to Islam that there be no separation between the spiritual and the temporal. Islam is one indivisible, coherent, organic whole.

These politically correct people working for organisations such as the BBC do their best to confuse people and to obfuscate the truth. But they lie! No good Muslim can believe, is allowed to believe, in the separation of mosque and state.

Christianity allows for a separation of the spiritual and the temporal, the separation of Church and state. Islam adheres to no such concept.

What an Islamist really is, is a person who adheres STRICTLY to the tenets of his faith. He is a fundamentalist Muslim – a Muslim who wishes to re-create an Islamic state that resembles the ideal that the Prophet Muhammad admonished his followers to do. They stray in no way from the tenets of their faith.

The myth of a moderate devout Muslim is just that: a myth! Yes, there are moderate Muslims. But moderate Muslims are Muslims that have strayed from, or are straying from, their faith. Never forget this: Prophet Muhammad is considered the ‘the perfect man’ (al-Insān al-Kāmil [الإنسان الكامل]). This is why many Muslim men try to emulate the Prophet’s behaviour, mannerisms, way of dressing, and facial hair, and so on and so forth. But this is not just for so-called ‘Islamists’. It is also for all Muslim men who revere their religion.

It is high time that Westerners learn the true nature of Islam, and the way of living its adherents are expected to follow. – © Mark Alexander

Assad Has Resigned and Left Syria, Russia Says

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Bashar al-Assad’s immediate location was not initially clear after rebels took control of Syria’s capital. Russia’s foreign ministry did not provide details on where he had gone, saying only that he had resigned and left the country.

President Bashar al-Assad has resigned and left Syria, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Sunday, a stunning fall for the longtime dictator after rebels opposed to his rule stormed across the country and seized control of the capital in less than two weeks.

The foreign ministry’s statement did not offer details on Mr. al-Assad’s exact whereabouts, saying only that he had held talks with “several parties of the armed conflict.”

There was no immediate comment from the Syrian presidency about Mr. al-Assad.

Mr. al-Assad’s departure was an earthshaking moment in the history of Syria, which has been ruled by his family with an iron fist since the early 1970s. It marked a dramatic breakthrough for rebel factions in Syria that have been trying to unseat Mr. al-Assad for more than a decade, much of which was marked by a devastating civil war.

For many in Syria, Mr. Assad’s fall was a moment filled with hope as they no longer feared the regime that has used oppressive tactics to quash their freedoms. But it was also rife with uncertainty over who will rule Syria nextand raised fears of a power vacuum in a country that has been riven with competing factions vying for control of different areas of territory.

“Our hearts are dancing with joy,” Walaa Salameh, 35, a resident of the Damascus area, said in a phone interview. “We can’t predict the future and anything is possible, but the most important thing is we got rid of this oppressive regime.” » | Raja Abdulrahim, Hwaida Saad and Farnaz Fassihi | Sunday, December 8, 2024

THE TELEGRAPH:

Assad has fled country says Russia as plane disappears from radar: Syrian president is said to have fled the country as Damascus fell. US officials believe he was heading for refuge in Moscow »

Assad the tyrant has fallen – some fear what comes next will be worse: The 13-year rebellion against Bashar al-Assad’s regime may be over, but Syria’s civil war may not be »

BBC:

Where is Bashar al-Assad?: Bashar al-Assad has "stepped down" as president and "left Syria", his ally Russia says, hours after rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus. »

'No-one slept in Syria last night' - how news of Assad's toppling spread: Residents in Damascus have told of an anxious wait for news on what was happening in Syria's capital city overnight. »

ZEIT ONLINE:

"Das Ende der Assad-Herrschaft ist eine gute Nachricht": International begrüßen zahlreiche Politikerinnen und Politiker den Sturz des syrischen Diktators Assad. Viele von ihnen mahnen jedoch auch – mit Blick auf die Zukunft. »

LE MONDE :

La chute de Bachar Al-Assad en Syrie : les groupes rebelles promettent une « nouvelle ère » et organisent la transition du pouvoir : Le président syrien a fui, dans la nuit de samedi à dimanche, après l’entrée dans la capitale de la coalition menée par les islamistes du Hayat Tahrir Al-Cham (HTC). « Les institutions publiques resteront sous la supervision de l’ancien premier ministre jusqu’à leur remise officielle », a assuré le chef du HTC. »

Putin's Major Strategic Loss as Assad Teeters on Collapse

Dec 7, 2024 | Russians are leaving Syria en-masse as the Assad regime continues to lose key cities on the road to Damascus. Journalist and author Diane Francis explains the impact on the Putin regime, on Frontline.

Russia’s Sabotage of Western Targets ‘Could Trigger Nato Defence Clause’

THE GUARDIAN: German intelligence chief warns continued hybrid warfare by Moscow increases risk of alliance invoking Article 5

Russia’s acts of sabotage against western targets may eventually prompt Nato to consider invoking the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defence clause, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service has warned.

Speaking at an event of the German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP) think tank in Berlin on Wednesday, BND chief Bruno Kahl said he expected Moscow to further step up its hybrid warfare.

“The extensive use of hybrid measures by Russia increases the risk that Nato will eventually consider invoking its Article 5 mutual defence clause,” he noted.

“At the same time, the increasing ramp up of the Russian military potential means a direct military confrontation with Nato becomes one possible option for the Kremlin.”

Under Article 5, if a Nato member comes under attack, the other members of the alliance are obliged to help it respond. » | Reuters in Berlin | Wednesday, November 27, 2024

What is hybrid warfare, which some fear Russia will use after Ukraine’s strike?: Strike with US-made missiles has prompted fears of Russian reprisal that would broaden the scope of a frontline »

Putin Signs Law Banning Adoption of Russian Kids by Parents in Countries with Gender-affirming Care

LGBTQ NATION: The law will apply to at least 15 countries, mainly in Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that outlaws adoption by people from countries where gender-affirming care is legal.

The law passed parliament earlier this month after the State Duma (the lower house) unanimously approved the legislation. Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said the bill was aimed at protecting children who can’t protect themselves, characterizing “the West’s policy towards children” as “destructive.”

“It is necessary to do everything so that new generations of our citizens grow up oriented toward traditional family values,” Volodin wrote in a Telegram post.

State Duma deputies noted that the bill is aimed at preventing members of the LGBTQ+ community from adopting Russian children and that it also effectively bans adoption by citizens of NATO member states.
The law will apply to at least 15 countries, mainly in Europe, according to CBS News (people from the United States have been banned from adopting Russian children since 2012). » | Molly Srayregen | Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Russian Ballistic Missile Attack a ‘Severe Escalation’, Says Zelenskyy

THE GUARDIAN: Ukrainian president appeals for tough global response, as Nato accuses Vladimir Putin of trying to intimidate Kyiv’s allies

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the use of an experimental ballistic missile by Russia amounted to “a clear and severe escalation” in the war and called for strong worldwide condemnation, as Nato accused Vladimir Putin of seeking to “terrorise” civilians and intimidate Ukraine’s allies.

Nato spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah said: “Deploying this capability will neither change the course of the conflict nor deter Nato allies from supporting Ukraine.”

In a statement after Vladimir Putin’s address about Thursday’s strike on a military site in the city of Dnipro, Zelenskyy said the attack was “yet more proof that Russia has no interest in peace”, adding that “pressure is needed. Russia must be forced into real peace, which can only be achieved through strength.”

The Russian president threatened further attacks, saying Moscow “had the right” to strike western countries that provided Kyiv with weapons used against Russian targets. » | Pjotr Sauer, Dan Sabbagh in Kyiv and agencies | Friday, November 22, 2024

Putin Declares Russia Could Launch Nuclear Strike In Response to Conventional Attack | BBC News

Nov 20, 2024 | Vladimir Putin has signed a decree lowering the threshold for Russia's use of nuclear weapons. It follows a US decision to allow Ukraine to carry out long-range missile strikes on Russia using American weapons. Ukraine has carried out its first such attack, with Russia confirming that US ATACMS missiles have hit its Bryansk region.

Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine states that a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack. An attack on Russia with conventional missiles, drones or aircraft could meet the criteria for a nuclear response.

The Kremlin urged other countries to study the changes. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the decree as “a very important text” and said "it should become a subject to a very deep analysis".

Recently Russia warned it would deliver “an appropriate and tangible” response to the US President's decision to let Ukraine use ATACMS missiles to strike the country. Russia's foreign ministry said that such an attack "would represent the direct involvement of the United States and its satellites in hostilities against Russia”.

Joe Biden’s change of policy comes two months before Donald Trump is sworn in as the new US President. Mr Trump has claimed that he will help bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Steve Rosenberg, Nick Eardley, Vicki Young and Lyse Doucet.

U.S. Closes Its Kyiv Embassy, Warning of ‘Significant Air Attack’

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The unusual alert came a day after Ukraine used American-made ballistic missiles to strike Russian territory for the first time.

The United States Embassy in Kyiv issued an urgent warning on Wednesday morning that Russia might launch “a significant air attack,” closing the embassy and telling employees to shelter in place.

Air-raid alerts are a daily fact of life in Ukraine and the capital often comes under drone and missile attacks, but the embassy rarely issues such a specific alert or shuts down.

The warning came one day after Ukraine’s military used American-made ballistic missiles to strike into Russian territory for the first time, after receiving long-sought authorization from President Biden to do so. The Kremlin had long warned that such strikes would be treated as an escalation, and on Tuesday vowed to respond.

“We will be taking this as a qualitatively new phase of the Western war against Russia,” Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei V. Lavrov, said at a news conference on Tuesday. “And we will react accordingly.” » | Marc Santora | Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine | Wednesday, November 20, 2024

THE NEW YORK TIMES: As Trump Pushes Peace, Russia Intensifies Assaults on Ukraine: Overextended and exhausted, Ukrainian forces lack manpower and artillery against Russian forces willing to absorb staggering casualties. »

Russia Does Not Want to See a Nuclear War, Lavrov Says

Nov 19, 2024 | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says "we are strongly in favor of doing everything not to allow nuclear war to happen." This after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a doctrine to lower the threshold for using atomic weapons. Lavrov says the updated doctrine doesn't add anything the West wouldn't know. He speaks in Brazil at the G-20.