Tim Mak

Compelling reporting on human stories to illustrate the news. Fmr US Army medic.

Ukraine: https://www.counteroffensive.news/
Iran: https://www.iranwar.news

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Last Notes

2026-05-04 13:58:29 UTC

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#TANKER STRUCK AFTER #TRUMP ‘OPERATION FREEDOM’ ANNOUNCEMENT: A tanker was hit by “unknown projectiles” in the Strait of #Hormuz shortly after President Donald #Trump announced a U.S. operation to escort stranded ships through the waterway, according to The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/may/04/iran-war-live-updates-trump-hormuz-us-operation-tanker-strikes?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with:block-69f8295e8f0850071ff5c55b#block-69f8295e8f0850071ff5c55b

2026-05-04 13:55:07 UTC

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The latest news at this hour:
#TRUMP, U.S. ‘OPERATION #FREEDOM’ TO RESCUE STRANDED SHIPS IN HORMUZ: President Donald #Trump announced ‘Project Freedom’, a U.S. mission to escort ships stuck in the #Persian Gulf through the Strait of #Hormuz, calling it a “humanitarian gesture,” Bloomberg reported. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-04/trump-announces-humanitarian-plan-to-get-ships-through-hormuz

2026-05-04 13:54:07 UTC

#Trump, U.S. ‘Operation Freedom’ to rescue stranded ships in #Hormuz; Tanker struck after Trump’s ‘Operation #Freedom’ announcement; U.S. Central Command, U.S. warships crossed Hormuz Strait. https://www.iranwar.news/p/trump-us-operation-freedom-to-rescue

2026-03-29 14:43:41 UTC

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3,500 U.S. #MARINES AND #SAILORS ARRIVE IN MIDDLE EAST: The USS Tripoli arrived in the Middle East, carrying the U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which is capable of seizing territory and intercepting vessels. https://aje.news/zgevw1?update=4443575

2026-03-29 14:42:56 UTC

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#IRAN WARNS OF RETALIATION AGAINST U.S. #UNIVERSITIES IN REGION: Iran has threatened U.S. universities in the region after the IRGC warned employees, #professors, and students to stay away from #schools, according to the Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-middle-east-news-updates/card/iran-threatens-strikes-on-american-universities-in-mideast-vyiej0vGmGUaYwYxWnyL

2026-03-29 14:42:13 UTC

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The latest #news this hour:
700+ U.S.-ISRAELI STRIKES ON IRAN MARK ONE OF THE WAR’S DEADLIEST DAYS: March 28 was one of the deadliest days of the war so far — at least 24 civilian deaths were recorded, as well as 701 attacks recorded within a 24-hour period before 5pm ET. https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-middle-east-news-updates/card/iran-suffers-one-of-war-s-deadliest-days-for-civilians-activists-say-0Tew0zz2yIVHrhDHZNjR
#Iran #war

2026-03-29 14:41:01 UTC

700+ U.S.-#Israeli strikes on #Iran mark one of war’s deadliest days; #Iran warns of retaliation against U.S. #universities in region; 3,500 #Marines and sailors arrive in Middle East. https://www.iranwar.news/p/700-us-israeli-strikes-on-iran-mark

2026-03-25 15:37:04 UTC

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#PENTAGON ORDERS THOUSANDS MORE #TROOPS TO MIDDLE EAST: Between 2,000 and 3,000 paratroopers from the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division have received written orders to deploy to the Middle East. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/25/nx-s1-5760675/iran-war-military-deployment

2026-03-25 15:36:07 UTC

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NON-HOSTILE VESSELS ALLOWED TO PASS THROUGH #HORMUZ STRAIT: #Iran announced that non-hostile vessels may pass through the Strait of Hormuz again, provided they do not attack Iran. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-tanker-safely-transits-strait-hormuz-after-talks-with-iran-2026-03-25/

2026-03-25 15:31:07 UTC

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THE LATEST #NEWS AT THIS HOUR:
#IRAN RECEIVES A 15-POINT #CEASEFIRE PLAN FROM THE U.S.: The Trump administration has presented Iran with a detailed 15-point proposal for a ceasefire, according to Pakistan, which is reportedly acting as an intermediary between the two countries. https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-us-israel-news-updates/card/u-s-sends-iran-15-point-plan-to-end-war-jwZEspQxJx6ckJ0SNdaS

2026-03-25 15:30:19 UTC

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Find out more about Walid's story and the escalating crisis in southern
#Lebanon via the link!
https://www.iranwar.news/p/everyones-feeling-israeli-attacks

2026-03-25 15:27:19 UTC

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“I was born here,” he said. “This is my house, my life, my everything.”
#Lebanon

2026-03-25 15:24:30 UTC

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Many of Tyre’s residents have fled, and downtown streets are shuttered and empty, but Walid, 61, has no intention of leaving the city he loves, so as #war closes in, he opens the #hotel to neighbors in need of #shelter.

2026-03-25 15:22:15 UTC

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The jets have been circling constantly since fighting between #Israel and #Hezbollah intensified at the beginning of the month, trailing corkscrewed contrails across the skies and launching regular #airstrikes.

2026-03-25 15:21:28 UTC

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An angler cast his line into the gentle #Mediterranean swell, and both he and Walid ignored the rumble of Israeli warplanes overhead.

2026-03-25 15:20:21 UTC

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Walid Salha walked through the arched doorway of the beachfront hotel he owns in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and blinked in the sunshine that bore down on its ochre walls and the narrow alleys of the surrounding Christian quarter.
#Lebanon #war

2026-03-25 15:12:58 UTC

Good morning to readers; #Oil prices have rebounded to above $107 per barrel (+53% compared to pre-war).
A 61-year-old man in southern Lebanon refuses to flee as #Israeli warplanes circle his city. Hotel owner Walid Salha opens his doors for neighbors in need of #shelter. https://www.iranwar.news/p/everyones-feeling-israeli-attacks

2026-03-24 14:41:01 UTC

Good morning to readers; #Oil prices have rebounded to above $104 per barrel (+52% compared to pre-war).
#Schools in Iran are unsafe for open discussion.
Maryam, a #teacher in southwest Iran, risks her job to help students understand the truth in these times.
https://www.iranwar.news/p/i-cant-tell-my-students-whats-happening

2026-03-12 17:49:36 UTC

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MORE THAN 3 MILLION IRANIANS DISPLACED: According to the UN Refugee Agency, about 3.2 million people have fled #Tehran and other major Iranian cities for safer rural areas. https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/iran-war-us-israel-trump-03-12-26?post-id=cmmmxzb2m00003b6rlpc0xmsd&t=1773314906646

2026-03-12 17:48:55 UTC

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#ELEVEN #BILLION U.S. #DOLLARS: That’s an underestimate for how much the #Pentagon thinks the first six days of the war in Iran cost the U.S.
Some congressional aides think the White House will soon request more from Congress — $50 billion or more, Reuters reports. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-estimates-iran-war-cost-over-11-billion-six-days-source-2026-03-11/

2026-03-12 17:47:05 UTC

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#RAN REGIME HOLDING STRONG: After almost two weeks of #war in the Middle East, the Iranian regime is safe from collapse, U.S. intelligence says. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-intelligence-says-iran-government-is-not-risk-collapse-say-sources-2026-03-11/

2026-03-12 17:46:29 UTC

THE LATEST #NEWS AT THIS HOUR:
IRAN THREATENS #OIL PRICES COULD DOUBLE: As oil prices top $100 per barrel, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran’s military command, said the world has to be prepared for $200. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/combatants-mideast-war-trade-more-air-strikes-iran-clamps-down-dissent-2026-03-11/

2026-03-11 16:40:16 UTC

Good morning to readers. #Oil prices have surpassed $90 per barrel (+25% compared to pre-war).
U.S. attacks have exacerbated the water scarcity problem in #Iran. Fereshte rings the alarm as frogs leave her favorite pond and black rain falls in #Tehran. https://www.iranwar.news/p/irans-farmers-confront-a-new-threat

2026-03-08 19:18:32 UTC

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INITIAL STRIKES KILLED MEN WHO WANTED TO NEGOTIATE WITH: The #strike that killed Ayatollah Ali #Khamenei also killed a separate group of Iranian officials elsewhere in the compound. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/us/politics/iran-war-first-week.html

2026-03-08 19:17:05 UTC

THE LATEST #NEWS AT THIS HOUR:
#EXPLOSION AT U.S. #EMBASSY OSLO POSSIBLY LINKED TO #TERRORISM: An explosion occurred at the U.S. embassy in Norway early Sunday morning. Local police are investigating the incident, which officials are calling a “targeted attack.”https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/no-injuries-reported-explosion-us-embassy-oslo-police-say-rcna262282

2026-03-07 15:06:35 UTC

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Due to the division of territory by #European powers after the #Ottoman #Empire collapsed in 1922 – the #Kurdish people have never had their own internationally recognised state.

2026-03-07 15:05:30 UTC

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Now, as the war weakens the #Iranian state and reports of the U.S supporting the Kurdish groups #militarily are circulating – the #Kurdish story is at a critical moment: the fall of the regime could be fatal or their making.

2026-03-07 15:02:59 UTC

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Kako has been a member of the Komala Party of #Iranian #Kurdistan since he was 18, a group that has spent decades fighting for #Kurdish self-determination. For the last ten years, he has worked there full-time and currently he is a member of the party’s leadership.

2026-03-07 15:02:29 UTC

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Kako Alyar is living through the busiest time of his life.
He has been travelling constantly, sleeping in airports and often only getting 3 hours of sleep a night. His phone is constantly ringing – the recent record is 120 calls in one day.
#Iran #war #kurds

2026-03-07 15:01:47 UTC

Good morning to readers; #Iran wakes up to another day of #war.
As a teenager, Kako wondered why #Kurdish people were treated like second-class citizens in Iran.
Now a top-ranking official in the Kurdish Komala party, Kako is hopeful about the next chapter of the Kurdish story. https://www.iranwar.news/p/inside-a-kurdish-movement

2026-03-07 09:02:18 UTC

THE LATEST #NEWS AT THIS HOUR:
#RUBIO SIDESTEPS #CONGRESS ON $151 MILLION ARMS SALE: On Friday, the U.S. State Department approved a $151.8 million munitions sale to Israel without submitting it for congressional review. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-state-department-approves-possible-military-sale-israel-1518-million-2026-03-07/

2026-03-05 03:00:06 UTC

Deep dive, geeky take on the missile/interceptor technology that is being used by the Iranians, Israelis and the United States.
Meanwhile, why are Iranian drones getting through American defenses?
https://www.iranwar.news/p/iran-missile-launches-slowing-drone

2026-03-02 19:12:32 UTC

Trying to spend more time on Mastadon. Who do I need to follow to better track US politics, Ukraine and The Middle East/Iran?
Repost for better signal boost?
I’m Tim, I run The Counteroffensive, on Ukraine, and Iran War Dispatches, which launched on Saturday!
www.iranwar.news

2026-03-02 19:02:22 UTC

Anyone have friends in Yerevan, Armenia? Asking for a story.
If not, will you repost for signal boost?

2026-03-02 16:44:27 UTC

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The U.S. and #Israel are launching strikes on #Iran that have killed Supreme Leader Khamenei and other top government officials. President Trump is encouraging Iranians to take over their country in an attempt at regime change.

2026-03-02 16:31:40 UTC

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Flags with a lion and sun, the flag of #Iran before the 1979 Islamic #Revolution, waved alongside depictions of the former Shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi. Arman held one straight above his head.
Long live Reza Pahlavi.

2026-03-02 16:29:12 UTC

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A 40-year-old former animal rights activist from Tehran, Arman had joined thousands calling for the end of the Islamic Republic.
They chanted:
Death to the dictator.
Death to Khamenei.
#Iran

2026-03-02 16:27:49 UTC

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Security forces had taken positions on rooftops. Protesters scattered as gunshots rang out.
“Whoever was in the front of the protests was instantly dead,” said Arman.
#iran

2026-03-02 16:26:14 UTC

In Tehran’s Sadeghieh Square in early January, Arman Ketabchi raised a photograph of Reza Pahlavi above his head as gunfire cracked across the crowd.
Pahlavi is an emblem of Iran before the Supreme Leader, when his father, Shah Mohammad Reza #Pahlavi, ruled #Iran. https://www.iranwar.news/p/after-the-ayatollahs-who-leads-iran

2026-03-02 08:21:17 UTC

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#US CLAIMS DESTRUCTION OF #IRGC #HEADQUARTERS: “The #Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed more than 1,000 Americans over the past 47 years,” U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said in a social media post. https://x.com/centcom/status/2028178743504564241?s=48

2026-03-02 08:20:06 UTC

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#IRAN CONFLICT WIDENS TO #LEBANON: Israel launched new airstrikes it said was targeted at #Hezbollah militants, following Hezbollah launches of missiles and drones towards Israel.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/116/158/601/023/560/738/original/5b131292e9e1d925.png

2026-03-02 08:16:43 UTC

The latest news at this hour:
#US FIGHTER #JET #CRASHES: CNN has geolocated video of a military plane crashing in Kuwait. Video here. https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/iran-israel-us-attack-03-02-26-intl-hnk?post-id=cmm8qxqkd000d3b6qbij74h0d“The fighter pilot appears to have ejected and landed safely, later being assisted by locals,” The Telegraph reports. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/02/us-iran-war-latest-news-israel-strikes-lebanon/

2026-03-01 22:03:02 UTC

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… #TANKER HIT IN STRAIT OF #HORMUZ: Chemicals and oil products tanker was hit near the Strait of Hormuz, illustrating the risks to #shipping, Argus reports. https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2794562-tanker-hit-near-hormuz-strait-as-iran-conflict-widens

2026-03-01 22:00:46 UTC

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AND… EXPLOSIONS IN #IRAN, via Open Source Intel:
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/116/156/165/462/940/797/original/1f27bfdd37b88246.mp4

2026-03-01 21:58:31 UTC

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…SAYS WILL TALK TO NEW #IRANIAN LEADERSHIP: “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them. They should have done it sooner,” he told The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/03/trump-iran-attack-negotiations/686201/

2026-03-01 21:57:38 UTC

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…TRUMP CLAIMS 48 #iranian OFFICIALS KILLED as a result of the strikes in Iran, via an interview on Fox News. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-48-leaders-killed-strikes-iran-fox-news-interview-2026-03-01/

2026-03-01 21:56:45 UTC

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#NETANYAHU: CAMPAIGN WILL CONTINUE WITH “INCREASING INTENSITY” The Israeli Prime Minister said in a statement that “dozens” of Iranian officials were killed along with the Supreme Leader of #Iran, and that the air campaign will “increase further in the days to come.” https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/defense/artc-netanyahu-our-forces-are-striking-the-heart-of-tehran-with-increasing-strength

2026-03-01 21:56:12 UTC

LATEST #NEWS:
#RUSSIA OFFERS THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offered Iran’s top diplomat his verbal support, but the gesture was merely symbolic, #Politico writes today. https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-friendship-limits-iran-leader-khamenei-found-out/

2026-03-01 15:00:09 UTC

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To find out more about how Rose's Bar has become a vital anchor for those fleeing the crisis in #Iran, read this story via the link! https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/the-iranian-exiles-bar-where-revolution

2026-03-01 14:58:12 UTC

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As the situation in Iran reaches a crisis point, the number of those fleeing Iran and seeking refuge in neighbouring countries like #Armenia rises — bringing #Iranians to places like Rose’s.

2026-03-01 14:57:39 UTC

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But that may well be a source of comfort for its clientele – many of whom are paranoid after fleeing an #authoritarian surveillance #state.
#Iran

2026-03-01 14:57:00 UTC

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Despite being one of the world’s few #Iranian bars – alcohol is banned in #Iran – the small, underground drinking hole rarely has enough customers to outnumber the staff.

2026-03-01 14:56:28 UTC

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YEREVAN, #Armenia —A handful of #Iranian businesses cluster together at the end of Firdawsi alleyway, a sidestreet named after the famous Persian poet.
Sandwiched between an Iranian barbershop and the end of the alleyway is an establishment called Rose’s Bar.

2026-03-01 14:55:11 UTC

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Today we’re launching a sister #publication, #Iran #War Dispatches. For the foreseeable future, we’ll be launching daily reporting and updates on the war there.
Sign up — it’s free! https://www.iranwar.news

2026-03-01 14:44:37 UTC

Good morning to readers; the #Iranian regime has not fallen – yet.
We join you from bordering #Armenia, from inside Rose’s Bar, a cafe for #Iranian exiles who know just a few hours away they could be executed for drinking or talking about #politics. https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/the-iranian-exiles-bar-where-revolution

2026-02-01 14:46:13 UTC

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#RUSSIA STRIKES MATERNITY #HOSPITAL: Russia attacked a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia on February 1, injuring at least six – two of whom were patients.
https://kyivindependent.com/russia-attacks-maternity-hospital-in-zaporizhzhia-injures-at-least-6/

2026-02-01 14:45:38 UTC

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#SPACEX BLOCK #STARLINK USAGE FOR RUSSIAN #MILITARY: At the request of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken steps to block Russian forces from using Starlink.
https://www.facebook.com/Serhii.Flash/posts/pfbid05XbWfz9CopQRqnBPdSMLJD5mKCVHLGpnL9UVJ3L7X4BjWdGAR6VHikWdmJ5q4VCBl?rdid=VK6uC85Pyi5TkEZY#

2026-02-01 14:44:50 UTC

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#NEWS OF THE DAY:
#UKRAINE AND #NATO OUTLINE COOPERATION PRIORITIES: Ukraine and NATO have agreed to collaborate on strengthening air defense systems including the use of Patriot, F16, and HIMARS systems, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced.
https://mod.gov.ua/news/ukrayina-ta-nato-uzgodili-prioriteti-spivpraczi-ppo-f-16-himars-i-tehnologichna-perevaga-2

2026-02-01 14:44:02 UTC

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To find out more about the way war affects #homeless people, check out the article via the link https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-ukraines-homeless-are-faring

2026-02-01 14:43:32 UTC

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"I haven't eaten for almost two days," Ivan says after the tasty meal.
We had asked him for the secret to his good mood.

2026-02-01 14:42:28 UTC

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The last time he was at #home in #Crimea was in 2011. Today mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets, and salad are on the menu. After a prayer over the meal, people line up for food, served by Spanish and Peruvian volunteers who came to Ukraine to help.

2026-02-01 14:41:43 UTC

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A quick gait, charismatic demeanor, and questions for the volunteers set him apart from the others. While still in line, he chats cheerfully with the elderly women who also came here for lunch.
#ukraine #kyiv

2026-02-01 14:40:52 UTC

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Ivan* is 37; by the look of it, he is one of the youngest and most active people here.

2026-02-01 14:39:48 UTC

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Standing in line for free lunches from a Christian #charity organization, the cold bites relentlessly at fingers and faces. Windburn sucks the moisture from the skin of people waiting, leaving their hands chapped and raw.
#ukraine #war

2026-02-01 14:38:59 UTC

Good morning readers; #Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
During #war, even the most resilient are not safe.
Ivan, from Crimea, is 37, can do 70 push-ups and dreams of work in Kyiv — but today he's homeless and freezing in a food line, as Russia turns winter into a weapon of war.
https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-ukraines-homeless-are-faring

2026-01-29 14:46:34 UTC

In 2019, #Taiwan legalized gay marriage.
From #China, Light only saw this freedom on TV. But in 2025, he moved to Taiwan and made it his own when he married his partner.
As tension between the two countries grows, Light worries he may be forced to abandon his new found freedom. https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/same-sex-couples-find-a-haven-in

2026-01-24 14:25:41 UTC

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To find out more about Iran’s internet shutdown and how #Iran exports this technology, check out the link.
https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-irans-internet-blackouts-work

2026-01-24 14:25:11 UTC

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At the time, he insists, it wasn’t bravery. It was instinct, shaped by years of moving between activist circles and writing code, by an understanding of how information traveled and how quickly it could disappear.

2026-01-24 14:24:59 UTC

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Amir did not make that call. When asked why, he answered without thinking.
“I’m an internet guy,” he said.

2026-01-24 14:24:43 UTC

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Amir Rashidi was arrested in #Tehran on New Year’s Day in 2009, swept into a security van with fourteen others.
Inside, other detainees scrambled to call friends, asking them to scrub their names from any public writing, anything that might be considered criminal to the regime.

2026-01-24 14:24:24 UTC

For Amir Rashidi Iran’s previous internet blackouts felt like yelling for help with nobody to hear you.
But as an internet expert, Amir believes internet cutoffs like #Iran’s could become more common than we like to think.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/950/528/417/400/796/original/1531614c4e462e75.png

2026-01-19 15:24:10 UTC

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DOG OF WAR:
This adorable fox-like doggie met Nastia’s sister in Ivano-Frankivsk when she was travelling to the Ukrainian Carpathians. It went up to her group to say hello.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/922/451/974/260/771/original/635e70b8f671b003.png

2026-01-19 15:23:40 UTC

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Explore what human-centered war reporting looks like.
Stay tuned to The Counteroffensive.
Catch our newsletters through the link.
https://www.counteroffensive.news/

2026-01-19 15:23:15 UTC

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#RUSSIA IS AUSTRIA’S BIGGEST SPY THREAT: While some estimate that 20% of diplomats are working with special services, there are 13,000 diplomats working in Austria’s capital #Vienna, according to Austria’s intelligence director Sylvia Mayer.
https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-world/4081617-najbilsa-spigunska-zagroza-dla-avstrii-pohodit-vid-rosii-direktorka-specsluzbi.html

2026-01-19 15:22:44 UTC

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#RUSSIA WILL PRODUCE 1,000 SHAHED-TYPE DRONES PER DAY: As peace talks continue Russia continues to ramp up armament, increasing drone production to 1,000 units per day, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated in an interview with #Ukrainian media.
https://lb.ua/society/2026/01/18/717446_golovnokomanduvach_zsu_sirskiy.html

2026-01-19 15:22:12 UTC

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NEWS OF THE DAY:
DROUGHT FROM KAKHOVKA DAM FALLOUT IS REDUCING HARVEST: Amidst a drought caused by the #Russian attack and destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, #Ukrainian farmers in Ukraine’s south are warned by scientists to avoid planting sunflower and corn.
https://agronews.ua/en/news/scientists-advise-farmers-in-southern-ukraine-to-abandon-sunflower-and-corn/

2026-01-19 15:21:43 UTC

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Don't just watch it happen – be part of it.
Join the conversation with us - your voice matters!
Join us through the link and give us your opinion.
https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/what-irans-theocracy-doesnt-want

2026-01-19 15:21:24 UTC

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Khamenei’s regime stripped him and millions of other Iranians of the chance to live a normal life. When people like him demanded it be returned to them, the cost was devastating, with thousands killed in the crackdown.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/922/440/528/372/156/original/9366e1ed36e2d6b5.png

2026-01-19 15:20:30 UTC

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And even though his feelings for Samira were mutual, he could never take her out. Premarital relationships – even a couple appearing in public, or holding hands, was a crime punishable by law.
Later Samira moved and he never saw her again.

2026-01-19 15:20:00 UTC

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He had to leave kickboxing competitions and take up coaching, after he lost his eye in protests in the late 1990s.
Under Iran’s strict theocracy, he could be beaten up for playing instruments.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/922/435/340/775/625/original/bef46be2a6e4199c.png

2026-01-19 15:19:13 UTC

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For most people, these are beautiful, nostalgic experiences — memories that, in adulthood, bring a soft smile to the face and warmth to the heart.
But for Mohsen, they are tied to hatred.

2026-01-19 15:18:55 UTC

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Mohsen Abdolreza was once an ordinary child.
He loved playing the drums, took part in kickboxing championships, helped his parents at their family restaurant, and was in love with a girl named Samira.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/922/427/806/002/049/original/a7e40ff4e5e44479.png

2026-01-19 15:17:07 UTC

Both Mohammad and Mohsen lost their eyesight during protests in Iran.
Mohammad just saw a red laser before being shot in the head, while grenade shrapnel took Mohsen's eye.
But, miraculously, both survived, left Iran and are still protesting for Iran's freedom abroad.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/922/423/594/415/971/original/cf0e3d4b87243372.png

2026-01-16 14:33:17 UTC

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France has replaced the U.S. as the main intelligence provider, now supplying two-thirds of the data.
This shift allows Kyiv to reduce its reliance on U.S. intel. The U.S. has previously temporarily cut off intelligence to #Ukraine.
https://kyivindependent.com/france-replaces-us-as-main-intelligence-provider-to-kyiv-macron-says/
#us #france

2026-01-16 14:32:42 UTC

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Tymoshenko, Ukraine’s ex-Prime Minister and head of one of Ukraine’s biggest political parties, has been arrested, with bail has been set at around $760,000. She is banned from contacting 66 MPs and must surrender her passport.
It is believed she bribed lawmakers to sway votes.
https://www.dw.com/uk/vaks-priznaciv-ulii-timosenko-333-miljona-griven-zastavi/a-75538643
#ukraine #politics

2026-01-16 14:31:42 UTC

Here's what The Counteroffensive is reading today:
The EU is considering a two-tier EU membership for Kyiv, the first stage would allow Kyiv to gain access to the EU market, subsidies, and development funds.
This would go against any precedent set by past EU accession processes.
https://www.ft.com/content/a42ea7ba-af22-4133-b1d3-e2fdf561c7ba
#ukraine #eu #kyiv

2026-01-13 15:39:20 UTC

Good morning to readers; #Kyiv remains in #Ukrainian hands.
Before protests in Iran were about freedom, but these one are different. They're about food, Mehdi said.
Mehdi, an agriculture expert, knows what drought has done to #Iran and believes the country is at a tipping point.
https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-a-drought-drives-irans-protests

2026-01-12 14:17:46 UTC

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Here's what Oleksandra is listening to today:
Hagelslag feat. Leléka - Sonce U Serci.
https://youtu.be/Ixc-tPG4zPg

2026-01-12 14:17:12 UTC

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Read our latest story about #Venezuela's oil refineries via the link https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/inside-venezuelas-oil-refineries

2026-01-12 14:16:27 UTC

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#Russia has developed a new #drone, “Geran-2”, capable of simultaneous ground and aerial attacks, #Ukraine military intel said.
It can carry an air defence system alongside a warhead. It has components from the U.S., China, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Switzerland and the U.K. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/67880

2026-01-12 14:15:45 UTC

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The U.K. will develop 'Nightfall' for #Ukraine, a high precision ballistic #missile able to be launched in quick succession and which will not be subject to foreign export restrictions.
The first missiles are scheduled to be produced in a year. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-develop-new-deep-strike-ballistic-missile-for-ukraine

2026-01-12 14:14:57 UTC

Here’s what The Counteroffensive is reading today:
The UK now has confirmed a legal basis for the #UK military to forcibly board and detain shadow fleet vessels, #BBC reports.
This follows British troops assisting the U.S. in forcibly boarding a Russian shadow fleet tanker. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8pn7jgy3no

2026-01-09 13:52:33 UTC

NEWSFLASH: #Kyiv mayor calls on city residents to leave if possible as power/heating conditions worsen; water supply cut off to many due to last night's attack.
More than 1K settlements across #Ukraine remain without power; #Russia used nuke-capable missile to target energy.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/865/468/910/580/526/original/3b812f8c8351a998.png

2026-01-03 13:07:32 UTC

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Go to the link to find out how the night unfolded, and how people across Venezuela are living through this moment.
https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/what-i-saw-as-the-us-bombed-venezuela

2026-01-03 13:07:05 UTC

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The night was cloudy, with a full moon. He only heard the sound of planes and one loud explosion. He woke up his friend, warning that, maybe, a military strike was starting.
Everything else was silent: just the airplanes and the explosions.

2026-01-03 13:06:53 UTC

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He had to admit it took him off guard completely. It was a surprise for everyone. There were no alarms, no warnings at all.

2026-01-03 13:06:41 UTC

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CARACAS, #Venezuela – the reporter heard the first strike at 1:55 in the morning. He was near La Carlota, a military base in the southeast of #Caracas, visiting a friend of his.

2026-01-03 13:06:23 UTC

At 1:55 a.m. this morning, our reporter in #Caracas looked up with a start. Explosions were being heard all throughout the city.
Here’s what he saw, heard and felt as the U.S. captured #Maduro — and what he fears will happen next.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/115/831/313/567/744/738/original/f8f6e2b773222406.png

2025-12-24 21:34:50 UTC

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You can also find our latest story about Russia destroying the first place of the famous Christmas song, " Carol of the Bells," there. https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/russia-incinerates-birthplace-of

2025-12-24 21:34:13 UTC

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Want to learn more about the possible referendum and see the full proposal? Click the link https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/newsflash-unknown-object-in-ukrainian