Notes and Essays -- John Brown

President Trump on Wednesday confused Iceland — a Nordic nation of around 400,000 people known for volcanoes and glaciers — and Greenland, the semiautonomous Danish territory on which he has set his sights for  reasons that  he and his advisers say include U.S. security, access to minerals and “psychological” necessity. From The New York Times

Opinion Editorial Board , The Washington Post January 20, 2026 at 2:19 p.m. EST   Attacks on  plants make a cold winter in Kyiv even harsher. A woman looks through the window of her apartment in Kyiv after the building was hit by a Russian drone on Dec. 23. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) January 20, 2026 at 2:19 p.m. EST 3 min     As European leaders fret over President Donald Trump’s bluster about Greenland, Ukrainians continue to endure one of the toughest stretches since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Spare a thought for a country that has been fighting a brutal war of national survival for nearly four years — and remains uncowed. The Kremlin is weaponizing winter, trying to freeze its smaller neighbor into submission. Early Tuesday, Russia launched a fresh onslaught of more than 300 drones, as well as significant numbers of cruise and ballistic missiles, with most targeting the capital of Kyiv. Its mayor says more than 5,600 high-rise buildings are now without heat and abo...

Reporter Kate Tsurkan, The Kyiv Independent Tuesday, Jan. 20 5 minutes read What English translations miss about Bulgakov — and why it matters in Ukraine Twentieth-century author Mikhail Bulgakov is seen in 1928. (Wikimedia) Twentieth-century author Mikhail Bulgakov is celebrated worldwide for his satirical genius and his defiance of Soviet power, most famously through works like "The Master and Margarita" and "White Guard." In Ukraine, his legacy is far more complicated. Rather than being remembered solely as a critic of totalitarianism, Bulgakov is seen by many as a symbol of Russian imperial culture for his hostility toward Ukrainian cultural identity. Born in Kyiv in 1891, Bulgakov grew up speaking Russian and studied medicine at Kyiv University. His upbringing in the city coincided with a period of intense national awakening in Ukraine, but Bulgakov himself expressed disdain for Ukrainian culture and language. In his 1925 novel "White Guard," the prot...

From Quora 1/20 Knowledge Engine 🚂  ·  Follow Posted by  DRP   1y ⚡️Zelenskyy Confirms Russian Counteroffensive in Kursk, Says It Aligns with Ukraine’s Plan Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed Russia’s counteroffensive in the Kursk region, stating that it "goes according to our, Ukrainian, plan." He reassured that Ukraine has long been aware of the accumulation of Russian troops in Belarus, adding, "We control this process." *** AI Overview "Kursk Ukraine" refers to the  2024 Ukrainian incursion  into Russia's  Kursk Oblast , a significant cross-border military operation where Ukrainian forces briefly captured territory, aiming to disrupt Russian offensives, though Russia has since clawed back most of it, leading to ongoing conflict and debate over its strategic success. The term also evokes historical events, particularly the  WWII Battle of Kursk , a massive tank battle, and the  2000 Kursk submarine disaster , highl...

Excerpt from CNN   January 20, 2026 Analysis by  Tom Foreman  Photo Illustration: Ian Berry/CNN/Getty Images/Adobe Stock Although Trump is loath to say the war there [ in Ukraine ] was triggered by Russia’s invasion in 2022, he boasted again and again in his campaign that he had the solution ready if only he were put back into office.  “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians,” he said in a  2023 CNN town hall . “I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours.” Instead,  after a year of dealmaking, pleas, bluster, promises and insults — mostly aimed at Ukraine — Trump has virtually nothing to show for his bravado. None of that has kept him from endlessly bragging that he has solved or ended more than half a dozen  wars  since retaking the White House. ...

Makhtar Diop Makhtar Diop • Following Influencer • Following Managing Director at IFC - International Finance Corporation Managing Director at IFC - International Finance Corporation 16m • 16 minutes ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn In times of crisis, speed is as critical as capital. At Ukraine House in Davos , I reflected on how our support to Ukraine has required us to evolve—not just in scale, but in how we work. By signing the Mutual Reliance Agreement with the EBRD , we have streamlined our processes so financing can reach the ground faster, when it matters most. To date, IFC - International Finance Corporation has delivered close to $3 billion in financing to Ukraine. Our immediate priority is clear: energy. It is the backbone of recovery—and one of the few sectors where reconstruction can be driven predominantly by the private sector, with up to 75% of investment potential coming from private capital. We are leaning into this opportunity by: • Deploying risk-...