The East Is Rising – Or Is It? Plus “Obituary Pirates,” Russian Information Warfare “Strategy Without Design,” The New Climate Denial, and How Libraries Arm the Elderly Against Disinformation

Natto Thoughts for the Week – February 1, 2024

Last Sunday’s newspapers landed with a heavy thump on the driveway, threatening to overwhelm the reader with the sheer weight of wrenching world events, deep analyses and passionate opinions. Several items from the past weekend’s news point to complex realities that no single headline can fully capture. Plus, we highlight some recent news about disinformation.

The East Is Rising – Or Is It?

 “Russia Projects Confidence as it Pursues Alliances to Undermine West”: This headline appeared above the fold on the front page of the January 28 Washington Post. The article highlights Russia’s ongoing efforts to win the soul of the Global South, but the “confidence” the author found in Putin may instead be aspirational bluster.

The author, Catherine Belton, has had a distinguished career with the Financial Times and the Washington Post, and her 2020 book Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back…