| | | | | | | Hello. We’ve been covering Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interview with US media figure Tucker Carlson, which started with a long soliloquy about European history. My colleague Ido Vock has called up historians to check Mr Putin's claims. We’re also following closely the uncertain results of Pakistan’s general elections, as the two leading parties claim victory. And as we’re heading into the weekend, give a listen to our Global Story podcast - I will catch up on the tube myself, once I clock out. |
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| | | | | | Fact Checking | | Historians contest Putin’s interview claims | | | | Researchers say Putin’s vision of Russian amounts to a selective abuse of history to justify the ongoing war in Ukraine. Credit: Reuters |
| | Russian President Vladimir Putin began his interview with US talk show host Tucker Carlson with a 30-minute lecture on Russian and Ukrainian history. But historians tell the BBC the Russian leader’s claims are nonsensical. | | | | On the establishment of Russia and Ukraine | | Mr Putin claimed that 862 - when Scandinavian prince Rurik was invited to rule over the city of Novgorod, the capital of the Rus - was the year of the "establishment of the Russian state". He contrasts this with Ukraine, which he insists was "created" as late as the 20th Century. But Sergey Radchenko, a historian at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, says the claim is "a complete falsehood". "You could equally say that Ukraine as a state began its development in the ninth Century, exactly with the same kind of evidence and documents," he said. | | On Poland's 'collaboration with Hitler' | | Mr Putin claimed Poland - which was invaded by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939 - "collaborated with Hitler". Anita Prazmowska, a professor emerita at the LSE, says while it's true the first treaty Hitler signed after coming to power was a non-aggression pact with Poland in 1934, Mr Putin is conflating diplomatic outreach to a threatening neighbour with collaboration. "The accusation that the Poles were collaborating is nonsense," she says. "It just so happened that the Soviet Union also signed treaties with Germany [at the same time].” | | | | • | Evan Gershkovich: In the interview, President Vladimir Putin also said he believed a deal could be reached to free the US reporter who has been detained in Russia for close to a year. | | • | War in Ukraine: An international team of investigators say they have tracked down eight Ukrainian children, believed to have been abducted during Russia's invasion. Anna Holligan reports from The Hague. |
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| AT THE SCENE | Islamabad, Pakistan | | Rival parties each claim advantage as count continues | | | | Supporters of Nawaz Sharif have celebrated the results, but things still look uncertain in Pakistan. Credit: EPA | | Votes are still being counted in Pakistan after Thursday’s general election. As we’re awaiting the final results, the two main rival parties are claiming victory - these are Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N and the PTI, led by imprisoned former PM Imran Khan and which is backing independent candidates because it’s been banned from running. The final outcome remains unclear amid what many analysts have called the least credible election in recent Pakistani history. | | | | Samira Hussain, South Asia correspondent |
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| An eruption of cheers and fireworks as Nawaz Sharif stepped on to a balcony to address supporters who had gathered in Lahore to hear from the former prime minister.
In a moment of political posturing, Sharif declared victory. While technically true that the PML-N is the largest party to have won the election, the reality is he needs the support of other parties and independents to be able to form a government and call himself prime minister once again.
Although there are still seats left to be announced, independent candidates backed by Imran Khan’s PTI party are the majority and therefore wield more political influence. So now the political horse-trading begins in earnest. Which means it could still be a while before anyone is able to claim outright victory. |
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| | Your weekend listening | | | | Could Taylor Swift shake it up? | | The superstar singer is driving her fans to the NFL. Could she push young voters to back Joe Biden? The Global Story investigates. | | Listen now > |
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| The big picture | | The fight of the bumblebee | | | | Invasive Asian hornets have been affecting native populations of bees Credit: Sandra Rojas-Nossa |
| | Biologists say Asian hornets are spreading far beyond their historic home range of South East Asia. The intensive predators are killing off native bees and other poliators as they spread. But, as science writer Katherine Latham reports, one of Europe's most common bumblebee species is adapting to fight back. | | | | |
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| | | For your downtime | | Ancient entertainment | | What does the Super Bowl have in common with the Roman Empire? | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | US Election Unspun newsletter | | Cut through the noise in the race for the White House, every Wednesday to your inbox. | | |
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| | | | More BBC newsletters | | • | Football Extra: Latest news, insights and gossip from the Premier League, weekdays. Subscribe. | | • | Royal Watch: The full story from royal correspondent Sean Coughlan, every Thursday. Subscribe. | | • | Tech Decoded: Timely, trusted tech news from global correspondents, twice-weekly. Subscribe. |
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– Sofia |
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