News

Kremlin confirms Putin’s interview with Tucker Carlson

Published

2 years ago

February 8, 2024

President Vladimir Putin of Russia granted an exclusive interview to U.S. television host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, as confirmed by the Kremlin.

This marks Putin’s first interview with an American journalist since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin agreed to the interview with Carlson due to the host’s perceived departure from the “one-sided” reporting on the Ukraine conflict prevalent in many Western news outlets.

“In terms of coverage, the large network media, TV channels, and newspapers of the collective West cannot be said to even attempt impartiality,” Peskov remarked during a regular news briefing on Wednesday.

“Pro-American”

Peskov highlighted Carlson’s approach as distinctively “pro-American” rather than specifically pro-Russian or pro-Ukrainian, offering a reason behind Putin’s decision to engage with the journalist.

The interview is anticipated to be broadcast on Thursday, as reported by Russia’s TASS news agency, citing sources from the Wall Street Journal.

Putin, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, last participated in a formal interview with a U.S. media outlet in October 2021, with CNBC’s Hadley Gamble. Since then, he has primarily communicated with media from Russia, China, and Kazakhstan.

Touch media

The departure of numerous Western media organisations from Moscow, coupled with stringent media laws enacted following the conflict, has limited international coverage from within Russia.

In March 2023, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, an American citizen, was detained on spying charges.

In anticipation of the interview, Carlson emphasised its significance for American audiences to comprehend Russia’s perspective on the war in Ukraine.

He clarified that the interview did not imply an endorsement of Putin’s viewpoints but aimed to provide viewers with comprehensive information.

Unprovoked act

While Putin maintains that the deployment of troops into Ukraine is essential for Russia’s national security, Kyiv and its Western allies denounce it as an unprovoked act of aggression and territorial expansionism.

Carlson, who has criticised Western media coverage favoring Kyiv’s narrative, disclosed that he had also requested an interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

News

Russia bans WhatsApp and promotes state-backed messaging app

Kremlin blocks WhatsApp, urging citizens to use state-backed MAX; critics warn of surveillance, prompting protests in Moscow.

Published

17 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Kremlin blocks WhatsApp, urging citizens to use state-backed MAX; critics warn of surveillance, prompting protests in Moscow.

The Kremlin has officially blocked WhatsApp, urging Russians to switch to MAX, a state-backed messaging app. This move comes after Meta refused to comply with local regulations, sparking debates over digital freedom in the country.

Critics warn that MAX could be used for government surveillance, though authorities deny these claims. The ban highlights Russia’s growing control over foreign tech platforms and its push for locally regulated alternatives.

Activists in Moscow have staged protests calling for an open and unregulated internet, while the public reacts with a mix of concern and resignation.

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News

U.S. secretly sent 6,000 Starlink terminals to Iran after protests

US covertly sent 6,000 Starlink terminals to Iran amid protests, aiding internet access despite government shutdowns and crackdown violence.

Published

17 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Harvey Vargas

US covertly sent 6,000 Starlink terminals to Iran amid protests, aiding internet access despite government shutdowns and crackdown violence.

U.S. officials report that the Trump administration covertly sent around 6,000 Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran following widespread protests. The move was designed to bypass strict internet blackouts imposed by authorities in Tehran.

The terminals reportedly enabled activists and dissidents to reconnect with the outside world during periods of severe digital restriction, raising fresh questions about foreign involvement and cyber strategy.

As geopolitical tensions simmer, the revelation underscores how connectivity has become a powerful tool in modern conflict.

#Iran #Starlink #DonaldTrump #MiddleEast #GlobalPolitics #TechNews #InternetFreedom #BreakingNews

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News

Anthropic secures 30 billion in fresh funding as valuation surges

Anthropic raises $30B, doubling valuation to $380B, boosting global AI race with support from GIC, Coatue, Microsoft, and Nvidia.

Published

17 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Anthropic raises $30B, doubling valuation to $380B, boosting global AI race with support from GIC, Coatue, Microsoft, and Nvidia.

Anthropic has secured a staggering $30 billion in fresh funding, catapulting its valuation to $380 billion and cementing its place among the most valuable AI companies in the world. The raise marks the second-largest private technology funding round ever, trailing only OpenAI’s $40 billion deal.

Major backers in this latest round include Singapore’s GIC and Coatue Management, alongside existing heavyweight partners Microsoft and Nvidia. The scale of the investment underscores intensifying global competition in artificial intelligence as capital continues to flood into the sector.

Anthropic’s valuation has more than doubled in just five months, fuelled by rapid enterprise growth. The company now works with eight of the Fortune 10 and boasts more than 500 customers spending over $1 million annually, highlighting surging demand for advanced AI tools across corporate America.

#ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Anthropic #TechNews #VentureCapital #BigTech #Innovation #Startups