To start, links to several reports from National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition.”* Then, links to two reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, both linked to others related to the war. Next, from The Guardian, the beginning of a portrait of Vladimir Putin. — MCM
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It’s been a wild few days for Twitter and Elon Musk. Where do things stand now? NPR’s A Martinez talks to Dan Ives, tech analyst with Wedbush Securities, about Elon Musk’s actions with Twitter and what it means for the company, the business of social media and investments. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, to read. (Somewhere in the segment, Ives says, “I don’t think anybody thought, in a million years, that Musk would become a corporate raider.” Well, Elizabeth Woodworth did, HERE.)
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Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer says he had tough talks with Putin. Reported by Esme Nicholson | NPR Chancellor Nehammer says he held “very direct, open and tough” talks on Monday in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin — and told him the war in Ukraine needs to end. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, to read.
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Many elderly residents in Kyiv stayed behind during Russia’s attacks. Reported by Elissa Nadworny | NPR Many residents of the Ukrainian capital couldn’t leave — even during the worst days of Russia’s bombardment. An old Soviet-style apartment building reveals who stayed behind and why. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, to read.
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President Biden held a virtual summit with India’s prime minister on Russia. Reported by A Martinez and Lauren Frayer | NPR Will the virtual summit between President Biden and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi push the country to condemn the war on Ukraine? We examine India’s relationship with Russia. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, to read.
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‘It’s not the End’: Children who survived Bucha’s horror, by Cara Anna | The Associated Press BUCHA, Ukraine — The coffin was made from pieces of a closet. In a darkened basement under a building shaking from the bombardment of war, there were few other options. Six-year-old Vlad watched as his mother was carried out of the shelter last month and to the yard of a nearby home. The burial was hurried and devastating. Now Russian forces have withdrawn from Bucha after a monthlong occupation, and Vlad’s father, Ivan Drahun, dropped to his knees at the foot of the grave. He reached out and touched the dirt near his wife Maryna’s feet. “Hi, how are you?” he said during the visit last week. “I miss you so much. You left so soon. You didn’t even say goodbye.” The boy also visits the grave, placing on it a juice box and two cans of baked beans. Amid the stress of war, his mother barely ate. The family still doesn’t . . . READ MORE . . .
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Ukraine checking reports of Russian use of chemical weapons, by Maria Starkova | Reuters * Ukraine and allies check reports of chemical weapons use * Battle for Mariupol reaches decisive stage * Russian troops mass for eastern offensive * U.N. official cites growing reports of rape LVIV, Ukraine, April 12 — Russian President Vladimir Putin today defended the war in Ukraine as a “noble” mission that would achieve its goals as his troops massed for a new offensive amid allegations of rape, brutality against civilians and possible use of chemical weapons. Ukrainian officials urged civilians to flee eastern areas ahead of the anticipated offensive, while the battle for the southern port city of Mariupol was reaching a decisive phase, with Ukrainian marines holed up in the Azovstal industrial district. Should the Russians seize Azovstal, they would be in full control of . . . READ MORE . . .
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Understanding Vladimir Putin, the man who fooled the world, by Gideon Rachman | The Guardian Vladimir Putin was annoyed – or maybe just bored. The Russian leader had been patiently fielding questions from a small group of international journalists in the restaurant of a modest hotel in Davos. Then one of the queries seemed to irritate him. He stared back at the questioner, an American, and said slowly, through an interpreter: “I’ll answer that question in a minute. But first let me ask you about the extraordinary ring you have on your finger.” All heads in the room swivelled. “Why is the stone so large?” Putin continued. . . . It was a masterclass in distraction and bullying. The year was 2009, and Putin . . . READ MORE . . .
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TO BE CONTINUED
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* Note: Apparently NPR makes transcripts of its “Morning Edition” reports available on its website the day after the audio versions are broadcast so listeners who want to can also read any of them. Particularly useful for people learning English.