On this episode of Brigadoon Radio, Gerald Ashley and Marc Ross discuss Ukraine + Russia, Germany, Boris Johnson + Sue Gray, Joe Biden + SCOTUS, and what they are reading and watching.
Here are the show notes and support materials for this episode of Brigadoon Radio:
2022 brings the Year of the Tiger. Are we in for a passionate, tumultuous year?
LAT
Dave Ryding makes British skiing history with first Alpine World Cup win
Guardian
Russia’s military, once creaky, is modern and lethal: A significantly upgraded military has emerged as a key tool of Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy, as he flexes his might around the globe and, most ominously, on the Ukraine border.
NYT
History reveals what Putin really wants to do in Ukraine: At the root of the escalating Russian-Ukrainian conflict lies a contested past.
WP
Oil prices climb back to their highest levels in over 7 years as Russia-Ukraine tensions continue: Brent oil taps highs above $90 a barrel for the first time since 2014.
MW
The Suwalki Corridor: Moscow’s invasion route to Europe: A strip of territory 60 miles wide is all that separates the Baltic states from Europe, Hannah Lucinda Smith writes in Suwalki.
The Times
The world awaits Putin’s word on Ukraine, but on that, He is silent: The Russian president appears on camera almost daily, talking about things like cryptocurrency, green energy, and the World’s Fair. But not about Ukraine.
NYT
Putin has the US right where he wants it
Fiona Hill
Germany has little maneuvering room in Ukraine conflict: The US wants to impose harsh sanctions on Russia invades Ukraine. But the German government is putting on the brakes out of fears over the economic consequences and what punitive measures could mean for energy supplies for a country that gets much of its gas from Moscow.
Der Spiegel
Far from dying, the coal industry is actually booming
WP
The return of superpower conflict: What’s different about this diplomatic drama with Russia.
NYT
Biden may catch Putin in his own Ukraine trap: The West’s warnings about a Russian invasion of Ukraine have acquired a life of their own.
Leonid Bershidsky
The tragicomedy of Boris Johnson enters its final act: The British prime minister’s tale features plot twists worthy of the Bard.
Bloomberg
When is Sue Gray’s report due and why is it delayed? The much anticipated release of the Downing Street parties inquiry has been pushed back again. Oliver Wright, Henry Zeffman, and George Grylls explore why.
The Times
How Boris Johnson could fall, or hang on, as UK prime minister: Parties at Mr. Johnson’s office during a COVID lockdown have prompted a civil service inquiry and a police investigation. Here’s a guide to the risks the British prime minister now faces.
NYT
Downflood: The good ship Boris is sinking: We are past the tipping point.
Sam Leith
They were fined for breaking UK lockdown rules. They say Boris Johnson should be punished, too.
WP
Breyer’s retirement gives Biden a fresh opportunity for a badly needed victory: Besieged with problems, from Russia to the pandemic to a stalled domestic agenda, Biden could get a win at a crucial time by filling a Supreme Court vacancy.
WP
Justice Stephen Breyer to retire from Supreme Court, paving way for Biden appointment: The liberal justice’s decision to step down after more than 27 years on the court allows the president to appoint a successor who could serve for decades.
NBC News
Analysis: If Xi secures just 5 more years, he loses: The leader can only maintain grip if subordinates feel he'll stay.
Nikkei
Tommy Emmanuel
Web
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
Peter Frankopan
Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream: Simon Sebag Montefiore tells the story of the magical capital of Austria: Vienna.
BBC Select
Algorithms to Live By
Brian Christian + Tom Griffiths
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