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☆ Ukraine wants to fire Western long-range weapons into Russia. But the battlefield gain is not clear-cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-22 | by ( Clare Sebastian | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Next week, an already very public debate over whether Ukraine should be allowed to use long-range Western-supplied missiles on Russian soil will come under an even brighter international spotlight. It was almost exactly a year ago, also during an in-person meeting with Zelensky in the United States, that Biden made the decision to supply the ATACMS to Ukraine. In both cases, Ukraine promised not to use them on Russian territory. Russia recently relocated planes from two bases near the border further east, according to one US official. To really bring mass (equipment), to get 10 to one artillery ratios on Ukraine at the frontline,” he told CNN.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Biden, ”, Ben Wallace, Zelensky, “ Zelensky, Matthew Savill, “ He’s, Savill, it’s, George Barros, John Hamilton, “ You’ve, …, Barros ’, Barros, ATACMS, “, There’s, outlast Organizations: CNN, UN, Assembly, Franco, Shadow, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Zelensky, British Storm, NATO, Royal United Services Institute, Washington DC, Army Tactical Missile, White, Russia’s, Military, US ’ Ramstein Air Force Base Locations: Ukraine, New York, United States, Luhansk, Berdiansk, Russia, Poltava, “, Kharkiv, London, Russian, Ukrainian, Washington, New Mexico, Rostov, Iranian FATH, Kursk, Germany

☆ Ukraine war analyst says Russia keeps surprising him with just how bad its soldiers are: 'The bar is very, very low'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewA Ukraine war analyst told Business Insider that while watching this conflict, Russia has continually surprised him with how poorly trained its soldiers are. AdvertisementCaptured Russian soldiers, war experts, Ukrainian troops, and Western intelligence have all pointed to Russian troops being poorly trained and treated as disposable throughout the war. Related storiesRussia's losses have risen recently as Russian troops continue to suffer from deficiencies in training. The UK Ministry of Defence said in July that more than 70,000 Russian troops were likely killed or wounded between May and June. It blamed "an effective Ukrainian defense and a lack of Russian training" as Russia fought in multiple sectors.

Persons: —, George Barros, it's, Barros, Vladimir Putin, Matthew Savill Organizations: Service, Business, Russia, Russian Army, Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, AP, UK Ministry of Defence, Royal United Services Institute Locations: Russia, Russian, US, Ukraine, Soviet, Soviet Union, Cuba, Kursk

☆ Meta is banning Russian outlets including RT just weeks ahead of the US election
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewMeta is banning RT, Rossiya Segodnya, and other Russian state media networks from its platforms, claiming the outlets had used deceptive tactics to carry out interference activity. AdvertisementMeta's decision comes as Russian media faces increased scrutiny from the Biden administration. On Friday, the Biden administration hit Russian state media outlets with new sanctions, accusing RT of acting as an arm of Moscow's spy agencies by engaging in covert information warfare operations around the world. Representatives for RT and Rossiya Segodnya did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI, sent outside normal working hours. AdvertisementMeta, along with YouTube and TikTok, has already banned some Russian state media, including RT, in the EU, following requests from national governments after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Persons: —, Segodnya, Biden, James Rubin, Merrick Garland, Donald Trump, Meta Organizations: Service, Business, Meta, RT, State, Global, NBC, Department of Justice, Reuters, YouTube Locations: Ukraine, Tennessee, Russia, Russian

☆ Analysis: Ryan Routh’s support for Ukraine is a propaganda win for Moscow, at a very tricky time for Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Nick Paton Walsh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Someone like Routh was quite easy to meet in Ukraine in the opening months of Russia’s full-scale war in 2022. But already, Moscow’s prolific echo chambers have begun to fashion a narrative in which US support for Ukraine is somehow extremist. People stand near the sports complex of a university after Russian missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, on September 2. The clamor of support for Ukraine to receive US permission to fire longer-range US-supplied missiles at targets deeper inside Russian territory had been growing. The sudden insertion of a wayward extremist like Routh is a loud, confusing wild card, at a time when support for Ukraine urgently needed a calm and balanced voice.

Persons: Ryan Wesley Routh, Donald Trump, Routh, Oleksandr Shaguri, “, ” Routh, Dmitri Peskov, ”, Marjorie Taylor Greene, ’, Putin, –, Maxym, Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, Joe Biden Organizations: London CNN, Kyiv, Russia, Ukraine, New York Times, Foreigners, Department, Land Forces Command, CNN, Global Citizen –, Reuters, Russian, Republican Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Pakistan, Iran, Global Citizen – Taiwan, Afghanistan, North Korea, Florida, America, United States, Russian

☆ Microsoft says Russian operatives are ramping up attacks on Harris campaign with fake videos
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Microsoft said Tuesday that Russian operatives have in recent weeks intensified their online attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign by producing and disseminating videos promoting “outlandish conspiracy theories” aimed at stoking US racial and political divisions. One of the inauthentic videos, which Microsoft said had been viewed millions of times, claimed to show Harris supporters attacking an attendee of a Donald Trump rally. Russian operatives promoted the latter story through a website pretending to be a local San Francisco media outlet, Microsoft researchers said. CNN has requested comment on the Microsoft report from the Harris-Walz campaign and from the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC. Tehran has conducted a covert social media activity in an effort to undercut Trump’s candidacy, US officials have said.

Persons: Kamala Harris ’, Harris, Donald Trump, denigrate, ”, haven’t, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Walz, ‘, Biden, “, ” Clint Watts Organizations: CNN, Microsoft, Russian, Ukraine, National Intelligence, Russian Embassy, Democratic, The, Department, Justice Department, Tenet Media, Monday, Trump, FBI Locations: San Francisco, Russia, Moscow, Russian, Washington , DC, Iran, Tehran

☆ Biden administration expected to unveil new evidence of RT’s key role in Russian intelligence operations globally
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Biden administration is expected on Friday to announce a major effort to blunt the global influence of RT and expose what it says is the Russian state media network’s key role in the Kremlin’s global intelligence and influence operations, according to a senior administration official and three other sources familiar with the matter. A key finding from the new US intelligence is that, for more than a year, the Russian government has quietly embedded an intelligence-gathering unit within RT that is focused on influence operations globally, one of the sources familiar said. That activity has been part of US officials described as a big expansion of RT’s role as an arm and mouthpiece of the Kremlin abroad. The activity goes beyond propaganda and covert influence operations to even include military procurement, the source said. The US believes RT propaganda and disinformation has been key to generating pro-Russia reactions to the Ukraine war globally, the senior administration official said.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, “, –, RT, Trump, Joe Biden Organizations: CNN, State Department, Kremlin, of Justice, UN, Assembly, US Department of Justice, US, European Union, Saharan Africa RT, Huawei Locations: Russian, Russia, America, Ukraine

☆ Russia will be ‘at war’ with NATO if Ukraine long-range missile restrictions lifted, Putin warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Avery Schmitz | Michael Conte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“This will mean that NATO countries – the United States and European countries – are at war with Russia,” Putin told reporters on Thursday. US officials have expressed concerns that allowing Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia could escalate the conflict and cause Russia to further accuse the US of being part of the war. Blinken said he discussed the restrictions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and would report back to President Biden. On Tuesday, the bipartisan congressional Ukraine caucus called on Biden to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with the long-range weapons. The United States already does provide intelligence to Ukraine, and has previously assisted in the targeting, although not with the long-range systems currently being considered.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Joe Biden’s, Antony Blinken, we’ll, ” Blinken, Andrii Sybiha, David Lammy, Blinken, Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, Putin, Stacie Pettyjohn, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Rustem Umerov, William Courtney, ”, Michael Callahan, Natasha Bertrand, Oren Liebermann, Lex Harvey Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Britain’s, Biden, Republicans, West, United, Center, New American Security, Belbek Airbase, Tactical Missile, Ukrainian Defense, RAND Corporation Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, United States, Russia, Kyiv, Blinken’s Ukraine, Russian, Belbek, Crimea, Ukrainian, Iran, US

CNN —Pressure is building on President Joe Biden, including from within his own party, to loosen the restrictions on Ukraine’s use of US-provided weapons to strike deep inside Russia. On Tuesday, the bipartisan congressional Ukraine caucus called on Biden to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with the long-range weapons. A group of key House Republican also urged Biden to ease the restrictions in a letter on Monday. On Tuesday, asked if the US will lift the restrictions, Biden answered, “we’re working that out right now.”Two US officials later told CNN that the Biden administration is not anticipating any policy changes when it comes to lifting restrictions. Asked about Trump’s comments, Sybiha, the Ukrainian foreign minister, also downplayed them.

Persons: Joe Biden, Democratic Sen, Jeanne Shaheen, Biden, Ben Cardin, Vladimir Putin’s, ”, Cardin, Antony Blinken, Volodymyr Zelensky, David Lammy, Leon Neal, Zelensky, Blinken, “, we’ll, ” Blinken, Andrii Sybiha, it’s, We’ve, Putin, Donald Trump, we’re Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Wednesday, Biden Administration, Ukrainian Armed Forces, New Hampshire Democrat, Foreign Relations, Committee, Armed Services Committee, Republicans, ” Democratic, Maryland Democrat, British, Getty, Kyiv Wednesday, Ukrainian, Biden, Republican, Ukraine Locations: Russia, Ukraine, ”, U.S, United States, Maryland, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Eastern Poland, Iranian, Iran, Washington, American, United States of America

☆ A Russian politician says the country needs a 'special demographic operation' to boost its birth rate, which has crashed to a 25-year-low
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-11 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

However, Russia's birth rate remains dismal, prompting a politician to suggest that the country launch a "special demographic operation." Russia's birth rate was 8.3 per 1,000 people for the first half of this year — down from 10 per 1,000 people in 2019. The latest data from the US showed the country's birth rate was 11 per 1,000 people in 2022. Advertisement"Just like a special military operation — a special demographic operation," Ostanina added, referencing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, over 300,000 Russian troops died or were injured in the Ukraine war by the end of 2023, US intelligence officials estimated.

Persons: —, It's, Putin, Nina Ostanina, Ostanina, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, Business, RIA, HSE University, Moscow Times, TASS, An Atlantic Council Locations: Russia, Soviet, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, Japan

☆ Senior Republicans urge Biden to lift restrictions on Ukraine hitting targets deep inside Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A group of key House Republicans have written to President Joe Biden urging him to lift the restrictions on the use of US-provided long-range weapons systems and allow Kyiv to strike targets deep inside Russia. The UK is also considering whether to allow Ukraine to strike deeper inside Russia with its own long-range system, the Storm Shadow. “No change to policy,” one senior administration official said, adding that there is currently no openness to lifting restrictions. Last month, senior Ukrainians presented US officials with targets they would like to strike in Russia during a visit to Washington. But the Ukrainians say there are weapons productions facilities that would be within reach of the ATACMS inside Russia that are worthy military targets, a source familiar with the Ukrainians position told CNN.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Antony Blinken’s, Biden, Blinken, David Lammy, Keir Starmer, “, Michael McCaul, Michael Turner, Mike Rogers, Ken Calvert, Thomas Kean, Richard Hudson, “ Biden, Harris, Donald Trump, Defense Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, ”, ” Blinken, “ It’s, Zelensky, ” John Kirby, It’s, CNN’s MJ Lee Organizations: CNN, Republicans, British, UK, House Foreign, House Intelligence, House Armed Services, House, Helsinki, Republican, Defense, Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Ukraine “, Ukraine, Russian, US National Security Council Locations: Kyiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Washington, London, U.S, Germany, Russia’s Kursk, Iranian, Crimea

☆ How Saudi Arabia's ruler used chaos in the Middle East to get what he wants from the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-10 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewPresident Joe Biden came to power having pledged to make Saudi Arabia's maverick new ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, a global pariah. Analysts say that MBS has navigated increasing regional and global chaos to emphasize Saudi Arabia's importance to Washington. Related storiesUS President Joe Biden gives a fist bump to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2022. AdvertisementSaudi Arabia's importanceBut global instability, economic change, and the war in Gaza have made clear to the White House Saudi Arabia's indispensability. Crown Prince Mohammed has condemned Israel's attack on Gaza but has not ruled out a normalization deal with Israel.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Mohammed bin Salman, Biden, Kamala Harris, Prince Mohammed, Crown Prince, Jamal Khashoggi, Giorgio Cafiero, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Mohammed bin Salman's, Saad Hariri, Khashoggi, He's, Mohammed Hamoud, Trump, Abraham, Israel, Jon Alterman Organizations: Service, Business, Crown, Democratic, MBS, Saudi, Gulf, Analytics, Saudi Arabia's, Royal, Anadolu Agency, White, White House Saudi, Abraham Accords, Israel, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Saudi, November's, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Istanbul, Washington, Gaza, Israel, Iran, West, Riyadh, Lebanese, Russia, China, Beijing, Ukraine, UAE, Bahrain, Palestinian, United States, Red, Jeddah

☆ How some of the biggest right-wing media stars ended up as unwitting puppets of Russian propaganda
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-07 | by ( Hadas Gold | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Now, the Justice Department is alleging that some of the biggest stars in right-wing social media were, unwittingly, part of a sinister Russian operation to influence the 2024 US election. What is Tenet Media? “Overt shilling”The Russians also pushed Tenet to promote videos that were going viral on social media, according to the indictment. Tenet Media has not responded to requests for comment and stopped posting content on Wednesday. After the 2016 US presidential election, congressional and federal investigations showed Moscow had successfully co-opted unwitting Americans to stage protests, run social media accounts and host events at its behest.

Persons: CNN — They’re, weren’t, Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen, Dave Rubin, Johnson, MAGA influencers, Rubin, Glenn Beck’s, Enrique Tarrio, Jack Posobiec, Pool, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Christiansen, Lauren Chen, Liam Donovan, Chen, Donovan, ”, Donald Trump’s, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, Evgenia Novozhenina, “, Trump, Q, Justin Trudeau, Putin, Trudeau, Israel, ” Rubin, Eduard Grigoriann, “ Grigoriann, Tenet, Tucker Carlson, Carlson fawned, I’ll, Nina Jankowicz, ’, unvarnished ’, Renee DiResta, Donie O’Sullivan Organizations: CNN, Justice, Justice Department, Tenet Media, Kremlin, Vice Media, Independent, Young Turks, YouTube, Tenet, Google, Proud Boys, Blaze Media, Ukraine, The Justice Department, Republican Party, Trump, Democrats, ”, United, ISIS, Hungary's, Reuters “, Canadian, Hamas, FBI, Fox News, American Sunlight, Media, DOJ, Soviet, Stanford Internet Observatory Locations: Tennessee, Russia, Ukraine, ”, “ Ukraine, United States, Moscow, Russian, Colorado, American

☆ Iranian hackers target WhatsApp accounts of Biden and Trump administration associates, Meta says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Jalen Beckford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —An Iranian hacker group targeted the WhatsApp accounts of individuals associated with the administrations of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Meta announced Friday. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Meta said its investigation linked the efforts to a group called “APT42,” known for using phishing tactics to steal credentials to people’s online accounts. Meta’s security team blocked a cluster of accounts posing as support agents for various tech companies, an activity it linked to APT42. CNN has reached out to both the White House and the Trump campaign for comment.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Trump, Kamala Harris, Roger Stone’s, Meta Organizations: CNN, Meta, Google, Biden, Democratic, Republican, Trump, Getty, FBI, White Locations: Iranian, Iran, Israel, Palestine, United States

☆ Suspected Iranian hackers breached personal email account of someone associated with Trump campaign, investigators believe
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The FBI and other investigators probing the apparent hack-and-leak of Trump campaign documents, which Donald Trump has blamed on Iran, suspect that the hackers were able to compromise the personal email account of someone associated with the campaign, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The hackers used access to the breached personal email account to try to break into the account of a senior Trump campaign official as part of a persistent effort to access campaign networks, one of the sources said. The FBI also briefed the Biden-Harris campaign in June about Iranian hackers targeting that campaign, one of the sources said. The FBI said in a statement Monday that it was investigating the reported cyberattack on the Trump campaign but declined to comment further. But the techniques used by the hackers to target the Trump campaign match those associated with Iranian hackers, according to one source familiar with the matter.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Harris, “, Avril Haines, CNN’s Zachary Cohen Organizations: CNN, FBI, Trump, Microsoft, Biden, stoke Locations: Iran, Israel

☆ Iran steps up influence campaign aimed at US voters with fake news sites, Microsoft says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Iranian operatives have ramped up their attempts to influence and monitor the US presidential election by creating fake news outlets targeting liberal and conservative voters and by trying to hack an unnamed presidential campaign, Microsoft said in research published late Thursday. Microsoft said it notified the campaign of the hacking attempt, but declined to say publicly which campaign it was. CNN has requested comment from the Trump campaign. The Iranian, Russian and Chinese governments routinely deny allegations of election influence operations. As president, Trump ordered the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, and he withdrew from a multilateral deal aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program.

Persons: Donald Trump, ” Clint Watts, ”, Kamala Harris ’, Trump, Joe Biden’s, Russia “, China “, “, Qasem Soleimani Organizations: CNN, Iranian, Microsoft, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, CIA, FBI, National Intelligence, Russian, Ukraine, Service, Department Locations: MAGA, Iran, Savannah , Georgia, Russian, Ukrainian, Trump, Russia, U.S, China

Officials are relying on multiple streams of intelligence, and there are divisions among national security officials on how and when Iran’s response might unfold. The relative uncertainty has left the Biden administration in a defensive crouch as it tries to rally allies and pressure Iran not to escalate tensions. The extent of the United States’ further involvement in the war largely depends on how exactly Iran responds to Haniyeh’s death. US destroyers helped shoot down ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran at Israel in April. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris also met with the administration’s national security team in the White House Situation Room later Monday afternoon.

Persons: Ismail Haniyeh’s, crouch, Haniyeh –, Fu’ad Shukr, Israel, Majdal Shams, United States ’, Cole, Biden, “, Kamala Harris, Matthew Miller, Miller, Jomana Karadsheh, Michael Conte, Alex Marquardt, Zahid Mahmood Organizations: Washington CNN, Washington, CNN, Biden, United, US Central Command, State Department, US, Command Locations: Tehran, Iran, Washington, Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, Hezbollah, United States, Majdal, Golan, Gulf, Oman, Jordanian, Syria

☆ Russia pulled back weapons shipment to Houthis amid US and Saudi pressure
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

For the Houthis to engage in that kind of weapons transaction, moreover, “would demonstrate to us a lack of commitment” by the Houthis to peace talks, the official said. Currently, the Houthis “appear to be drifting further away from a commitment to a negotiated peace in Yemen,” the official said. And while the imminent weapons transfer was pulled back, Russia did deploy military personnel to Yemen to help advise the Houthis over a three-day period in late July, the sources said. The Russians carried bags with them, but nothing that appeared large enough to carry weapons or weapons components, the sources said. It is not clear whether the Russian ships were carrying the equipment that Russia had been preparing to transfer to the Houthis before the Kremlin abandoned the plan.

Persons: “, Saudi Arabia’s pushback, Vladimir Putin, Biden, Oman — Organizations: CNN, US, Saudi Embassy, Kremlin, US Central Command Locations: Russia, Yemen, United States, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Moscow, Saudi, Russian, Ukraine, Somali, Shabaab, China, Oman

☆ 2 renowned strategists say the US should defend Taiwan with nuclear strikes. Experts say such talk is just a taste of what's to come.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

The US once floated nuclear retaliation in 1958 if China invaded Taiwan, and stationed nuclear weapons on the island until 1974. It would essentially tell Beijing that an invasion of the island risks nuclear war, he said. "What's the benefit of reassuring Xi that our nuclear weapons are not relevant?" "So relatively low-yield nuclear weapons could destroy that amphibious force and do little to no collateral damage onshore in Taiwan." He added that threatening war — much less nuclear war — over Taiwan would be deeply unpopular at home.

Persons: —, David Kearn, Kearn, — he'd, Greg Weaver, Weaver, Obama, Matthew Kroenig, James Acton, Greg, Matt, Kroenig, Lyle Goldstein, Goldstein, we're, Acton, Francesca Giovannini, Giovannini, Xi Jinping, Xi, It's, Marshall Billingslea, Billingslea, Rebeccah Heinrichs, Jake Werner Organizations: Service, John's, Atlantic Council, Pentagon, Business, RAND, US Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Defense Department, Nuclear, Carnegie Endowment, International, China Initiative, Brown University, International Peace, Harvard University's Kennedy, Georgetown University, US State Department, Hudson, Keystone Defense Initiative, Kroenig, East Asia, Quincy Institute, Responsible, Johns University Locations: St, Taiwan, China, Beijing, Washington, Korea, Japan, Taiwan Strait, Washington , DC, Guam, South China, Russia, United States, Bejing, South Korea

The Russian officials took the proposal back to Moscow. It was a remarkably swift conclusion to years of painstaking negotiations between the US and more than half a dozen countries. Key to the deal was President Biden’s ability to persuade German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to release Krasikov, the Russian prisoner most keenly sought by Putin. Officials worked quietly throughout this year to get the German government to agree to release Krasikov — including entreaties from both Biden and Harris. President Biden sent a letter to Scholz in April, and the Germans at last agreed to release Krasikov in early June.

Persons: CNN —, Vadim Krasikov, who’d, who’s, Vladimir Putin, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Bill Burns, Gershkovich, Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Kurmasheva, Joe Biden, Biden, Kamala Harris, Serdar Ozsoy, Biden’s, Olaf Scholz, Putin, Krasikov, Brittney Griner, Burns, –, Viktor Bout, Alexey Navalny, Brendan Smialowski, Antony Blinken, James Rubin, Blinken, Annalena Baerbock, Jake Sullivan, Harris, Scholz, “ Chancellor Scholz, “, Jake, ‘, ’, Sullivan, Navalny, Paul, Evan, ”, Ronald Wittek, Kara, Robert Golob, Kurmasheva’s, Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Carstens, Jeff Flake, ” Flake, Flake, ” Sullivan Organizations: CNN, CIA, Wall Street, White, Base Andrews, Aircraft, Ankara Esenboga Airport, US Marine, WNBA, State Department, National Security Council, Krasikov, Getty, German, National, Biden, Munich, Conference, US, Munich Security, Aspen Security, Street, Hostage Affairs Locations: Eastern, Russia, Russian, Berlin, Moscow, American, Turkey, Ankara, Chechen, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Washington , DC, AFP, Germany, ”, Munich, Washington, Slovenian, Mordovia, “

☆ Iran using covert influence campaign to undermine Trump candidacy, US intelligence says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Iran is using covert social media activity and related influence operations in an effort to undercut the candidacy of former President Donald Trump, a US intelligence official said Monday in an updated assessment of threats to the November election. Iran’s preference for a US presidential candidate has not changed since 2020, the ODNI official said. In the 2020 election campaign, Iran “carried out a multi-pronged covert influence campaign intended to undercut former President Trump’s reelection prospects,” according to a declassified US intelligence report. The Russian government regularly denies US allegations of election influence. China “probably does not plan to influence the outcome” of the US presidential election, but US intelligence is monitoring the possibility that China-linked propagandists and influence actors could “denigrate down-ballot candidates,” the updated assessment says.

Persons: Donald Trump, ODNI, Iran “, Trump’s, haven’t, Joe Biden, “, Trump, Qasem Soleimani, Thomas Matthew Crooks, of National Intelligence Avril Haines, ” ODNI, China “, Xi Jinping, Biden Organizations: CNN, National Intelligence, Trump, United Nations, Service, stoke, of National Intelligence, Russian Embassy Locations: Iran, Tehran, United States, Moscow, U.S, Iranian, Pennsylvania, Israel, Gaza, Russia, Russian, Washington ,, China

☆ Russia is offering Moscow residents a record $22,000 to fight in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Mariya Knight | Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Authorities in the city of Moscow are offering a record signing-on bonus for new recruits to fight in Ukraine, in the latest sign of a scramble to boost Russian troop numbers. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin introduced the one-time signing bonus of 1.9 million rubles (about $22,000) for city residents who join the military, according to a statement on Tuesday. Putin initially ordered an immediate “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens in September 2022 following a string of defeats that caused recriminations in Moscow. Russia has recruited as many as 15,000 Nepalis to fight its war in Ukraine, with many of them left traumatized, while an unknown number remain missing or possibly dead. A Nepali soldier who spoke to CNN said Afghan, Indian, Congolese and Egyptian recruits were among those being trained in Russia’s military academies for foreign fighters.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Sergey Sobyanin, Putin, recriminations Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Moscow, Congress, Ukrainian, Kremlin Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Kharkiv, Russia, Indian

☆ Fact-checking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Zeena Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —In his speech to Congress on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone, pledging to carry on with the war in Gaza until Israeli hostages are released and Hamas is eliminated. He defended Israel’s actions, pushing back against criticism that the war has gone on for too long and resulted in too many civilian casualties. The incident Netanyahu appeared to refer to occurred in May and killed at least 45 people at a camp for displaced Palestinians. Israeli officials have been making the claim that Hamas was stealing aid since October. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lynn Hastings told CNN then that Hamas wasn’t stealing aid because aid wasn’t coming in.

Persons: CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel, ”, Jonathan Conricus, Seth Moulton, ” Conricus, “, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Haines, Yoav Gallant, Samantha Power, it’s, Lynn Hastings, wasn’t, David Satterfield, Biden, Matthew Miller Organizations: CNN, Gaza, Gaza Health Ministry, UN, House Armed Services Committee, Gaza’s Ministry, Health, Palestinian Ministry, National Intelligence, stoke, USAID, Rights Watch, Israeli, US State Department Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Palestinian, Israel, Iraq, Iran, America, Tehran, Gazans, Jordan

☆ One of the biggest 'House of the Dragon' book changes may have introduced a major plot hole to the show
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Caralynn Matassa | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewWarning: Spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode six. "House of the Dragon" hasn't been shy about taking some liberties with its source material. The HBO hit, based on the fictional House Targaryen history book "Fire and Blood" by "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin, made its biggest departure from the book so far back in season one when it changed the fate of Laenor Velaryon. This is a much happier ending for Laenor, but it leaves one major loose thread: his dragon, Seasmoke.

Persons: —, hasn't, George R.R, Martin, Laenor, Rhaenyra Targaryen's, Ser Qarl Correy, Rhaenyra, Daemon Targaryen, Daemon, Qarl, Seasmoke, Jacaerys, Steffon, Addam, Alyn, they'd, it's, Daenerys, Velaryon, 🐉, ince, ike Organizations: Service, HBO, Business, Aegon, Greens, ust Locations: Essos, Hull

☆ Russia may arm Houthi rebels with advanced anti-ship missiles, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Russia is debating arming Yemen's Houthi rebels with anti-ship missiles, US intelligence has said. It likely comes in response to Biden approving Ukraine's use of US weapons on Russian soil. AdvertisementRussia is weighing arming Yemen's Houthi rebels with advanced anti-ship missiles, US intelligence agencies have warned, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move is likely in response to Biden quietly green-lighting Ukraine's use of US-supplied weapons on Russian territory, per the report. Last month, Middle East Eye reported that Saudi Arabia had already talked Russia out of providing anti-ship cruise missiles to the Houthis.

Persons: Yemen's, Biden, — Organizations: Service, Wall Street, Eye, Business Locations: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Moscow

☆ CIA Director Bill Burns says Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is facing growing pressure from his own commanders to end Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The CIA has assessed that the leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, is coming under increased pressure from his own military commanders to accept a ceasefire deal and end the war with Israel, CIA Director Bill Burns told a closed-door conference on Saturday, according to a source who attended. The increased pressure on Sinwar comes as Hamas and Israel have agreed to a framework deal that that President Joe Biden laid out at the end of May. That’s what US officials have said is being used as the basis to an agreement to end the fighting. Of the three most senior Hamas leaders in Gaza, Israel is believed to have found and killed just one: Marwan Issa, the second in command of the military wing. There are still “tough issues to resolve,” a source familiar with the talks told CNN after Burns’ meetings in Doha.

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