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US must counter Russian misinformation on Ukraine with ‘psyops,’ experts say

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US must counter Russian misinformation on Ukraine with ‘psyops,’ experts say

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The U.S. has supported Ukraine in its battle towards Russian invaders by supplying the nation with weapons and slapping harsh sanctions towards Russia. 

However regardless of U.S. help, the battle has solely descended into additional chaos. Russia continues to shell main cities, the civilian dying toll is rising, and hundreds of thousands of individuals have fled their houses, creating the worst refugee disaster since World Conflict II. 

Captured Russian air power officers whose jets had been shot down by Ukrainian forces communicate to reporters at a information convention in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, March 11, 2022. 
(Related Press)

Geopolitics consultants who spoke with Fox Information stated the U.S. ought to be devoting extra assets to bolstering psychological warfare, an strategy that might not ship American troops into hurt’s manner. 

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Shaping perceptions

Psychological operations, or “psyops,” broadly confer with techniques geared towards shaping how folks understand occasions and knowledge. The U.S. perfected the craft towards the Soviet Union through the Chilly Conflict however has lagged behind in current many years, preferring as an alternative to focus on laborious energy. 

Russia, in the meantime, has been perfecting the craft of peddling disinformation towards People to deepen racial and political divisions, all whereas distracting Washington and emboldening U.S. adversaries. 

People in Hong Kong stand by TV screens broadcasting the news that Russian troops have launched an attack on Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022.

Folks in Hong Kong stand by TV screens broadcasting the information that Russian troops have launched an assault on Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022.
(Related Press)

Pysops might be a “potential mitigating issue” within the battle, says Rebekah Koffler, a former Protection Intelligence Company officer who grew up within the Soviet Union. 

“We have to increase consciousness throughout the Russian inhabitants about what’s happening,” she stated, “as a result of proper now, the Russians and the People are limiting the knowledge flows into Russia – the Russians as a result of they’re afraid of Western propaganda, and the U.S. as a result of we wish to punish Russia.” 

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The online sum of those actions, she argued, has been an Iron Curtain dropped on Russia within the data area, a state of affairs that finally doesn’t serve U.S. pursuits as a result of Russians have to be favorably predisposed to Western views fairly than Russian views.

These “Western views,” Koffler stated, embrace telling the reality about how Russian President Vladimir Putin is “killing brethren Slavic folks” in Ukraine and the way the Russians shouldn’t be standing for this.  

Firefighters are seen at the site after airstrikes hit civil settlements as Russian attacks continue on Ukraine in Dnipro, Ukraine, March 11, 2022. 

Firefighters are seen on the website after airstrikes hit civil settlements as Russian assaults proceed on Ukraine in Dnipro, Ukraine, March 11, 2022. 
(Getty Pictures)

Kremlin’s crackdown

The Kremlin has cracked down on social media and impartial shops in Russia, successfully reshaping the narrative of its invasion of Ukraine by calling it a “particular navy operation” fairly than a warfare.  

Russia’s playbook harkens again to the Soviet-era tactic of “reflexive management,” whereby data is conveyed to an opponent — inflicting it to react in a manner that favors the initiator of the motion. 

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The U.S. might ship Russian folks extra details about digital proxy networks (VPNs) to assist them bypass authorities censorship, says Ivana Stradner, an adviser to the Basis for Protection of Democracies who has studied psyops.

The U.S. and its Western allies must work with disillusioned Russians who’ve left the nation to assist promote a distinct narrative to Russians again residence, Stradner advised Fox Information. This not does must entail “the everyday democracy promotion” that has been tried by the U.S. in different components of the world, she clarified. 

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Tackling corruption in Russia, for instance, would resonate with extra folks – particularly youthful generations – as a result of corruption impacts each aspect of day by day life, Stradner argued. 

“We now have to start out from the place we’re and proper now. And proper now the primary factor is to supply Russians different views of the warfare and discuss corruption within the nation,” Stradner stated. “Corruption definitely impacts each single younger Russian over there.” 

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“The primary factor is to supply Russians different views of the warfare and discuss corruption within the nation.”

— Ivana Stradner, adviser, Basis for Protection of Democracies

The Kremlin’s data warfare is not going to cease with the tip of the warfare in Ukraine, Stradner warned. She and known as for social media platforms to be extra proactive in combating disinformation. 

Proceed polarizing US?

“I’d actually not exclude additionally the potential of Russia to proceed polarizing American society,” she stated. “So we’d truly see new protests or totally different unrest previous to the 2022 elections.” 

Firefighters work to clear the rubble and extinguish a fire after a Russian rocket exploded in Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 14, 2022.

Firefighters work to clear the rubble and extinguish a hearth after a Russian rocket exploded in Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 14, 2022.
(Getty Pictures)

Koffler, in the meantime, stated psyop techniques should be deployed diligently towards Russia, lest the Kremlin overact. 

She evoked the time the Soviets mistakenly shot down a South Korean airliner in 1983 at a time when the U.S. was operating main psyop campaigns towards the Kremlin.     

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“The opposite facet of (psyops) is you can unintentionally trigger your adversary to overreact. So, it’s the sort of factor that you need to be tremendous correct. And that requires a deep understanding of your adversary,” she stated. 

“I hope that President Biden is aware of proper now that Ukraine isn’t Putin’s first or final step,” Koffler stated. “And so proper now could be the time to get up and put all of our devices collectively and synchronize them.” 

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Politics

Trump federal election interference case sent back to trial court after SCOTUS ruling

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Trump federal election interference case sent back to trial court after SCOTUS ruling

Following the Supreme Court’s historic decision on former President Trump’s immunity claim in the federal election interference case, the matter has been officially returned for a trial.

This is standard court procedure. A month after the Supreme Court’s July 1 decision, the case has been formally remanded to the appeals court, which will then return it to Judge Tanya Chutkan.

“ORDERED, on the court’s own motion, that this case be remanded to the District Court for further proceedings consistent with the Supreme Court’s opinion,” the Aug. 2 filing reads.

JUSTICE ALITO QUESTIONS WHETHER PRESIDENTS WILL HAVE TO FEAR ‘BITTER POLITICAL OPPONENT’ THROWING THEM IN JAIL

Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower, Thursday, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

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In the coming days, Judge Chutkan is expected to establish a schedule for the parties to discuss the application of the SCOTUS ruling in the ongoing prosecution. Open court hearings are anticipated, after which the judge will determine the extent to which the Special Counsel’s evidence can be used in the trial.

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. United States that a former president has substantial immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office, but not for unofficial acts.

SCOTUS WEIGHS MONUMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL FIGHT OVER TRUMP IMMUNITY CLAIM

photo illustration Trump superimposed on Supreme Court building in background

Former President Donald J. Trump is set to face a ruling over his immunity claim at the Supreme Court in Washington D.C. (Donald Trump: Photo by Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images | Supreme Court: Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In a 6-3 decision, the Court sent the matter back down to a lower court, as the justices did not apply the ruling to whether or not former President Trump is immune from prosecution regarding actions related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The ruling came shortly after a New York jury found Trump guilty on all counts of falsifying business records in the first degree stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation. 

Special Counsel Jack Smith charged the former president with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. Those charges stemmed from Smith’s investigation into whether Trump was involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and any alleged interference in the 2020 election result.

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Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges last summer.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment. 

This is a developing story.

Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report. 

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Unemployment rises again in July, reviving worries of a recession

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Unemployment rises again in July, reviving worries of a recession

U.S. job growth slowed sharply last month and the unemployment rate rose to a nearly three-year high of 4.3%, the latest sign of a cooling labor market, the government reported Friday.

Employers added 114,000 jobs in July, well below economists’ projections and down from an average monthly gain of 215,000 in payrolls over the previous 12 months, said the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The jump in the unemployment rate, from 4.1% in June and 3.5% in July 2023, came amid increasing concerns of a weakening economy as high interest rates meant to fight inflation continue to weigh on businesses and consumers. Investors were rattled by Friday’s jobs report, which comes on the heels of a big fall in stocks the day before.

The Federal Reserve signaled on Wednesday that it could cut interest rates at its next meeting in September, but some analysts have said policymakers are already behind the curve and that it’s possible they could even make a move before then.

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“The dark storm clouds threatening the economy have moved in from off shore suddenly and are very, very real,” said Christopher Rupkey, chief economist at Fwdbonds, an economic and markets research firm. He warned of an impending recession.

The labor market has been unusually resilient and the unemployment rate remains low by historical standards. But the rapid increase from earlier this year, when the jobless figure was 3.7%, has revived worries of a recession among economists.

The slowdown in hiring last month was broad-based. Job growth was led by hiring in the healthcare sector. There were solid gains in construction and at hotels and restaurants.

But the struggling information sector, including the film industry and publishing, continued to shed jobs. Employment was flat in business and professional services, which include high-paying computer software and engineering firms, and there was little change in finance, retail and manufacturing.

Average hourly earnings of all private-sector jobs were up 8 cents from June, to $35.07, which is 3.6% higher than a year ago — a tad above the rate of inflation.

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'F— the White women': Black activists tied to VP Harris could derail Dem 'unity' message with past rhetoric

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'F— the White women': Black activists tied to VP Harris could derail Dem 'unity' message with past rhetoric

A pair of Black female activists, who have met with Vice President Harris several times and previously vowed to get “real serious” about helping her become the next president, could alienate some of the “White women for Kamala” supporters with their past rhetoric as they mobilize ahead of November’s election.

Cora Masters Barry, an appointee of Democrat D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and longtime civil rights activist, and Melanie Campbell, who leads the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, have visited the White House more than 50 times combined during the Biden administration, including nearly a dozen visits with Harris or her staff, a Fox News Digital review found.

Weeks before President Biden and Harris were sworn into office in 2021, Barry and Campbell participated in a public Zoom call in which they made controversial statements about Trump supporters and attacked White voters, specifically White women, which could cause some internal clashes as different coalitions mobilize to try to get Harris into the White House.

‘WE JUST TELL THE TRUTH’: VP HARRIS’ LONGTIME MENTOR REPEATEDLY DEFENDED CONTROVERSIAL OBAMA PASTOR

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Harris privately met with Cora Masters Barry who said, “F— white women,” on a conference call. (Fox News Digital)

Approximately 164,000 White women hopped on a Zoom call last week, which was organized by Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts and other female celebrities. The call, titled “White Women: Answer the Call,” reportedly raised millions of dollars for Harris’ campaign and could be a major fundraising force over the next few months. 

However, the unearthed comments from the two activists could cause some internal tension for the Harris campaign as they look to mobilize different voting blocs and have called for “Unity.”

“If you claim to stand for unity, you need to do more than just use the word,” Harris recently said.

“We have to change our strategy. We got to get our people. We have to get our – they got their people. They got all the trailer parks all covered,” Barry said during the Zoom. “All them people up in West Virginia and the hills, they’re covered. They got them all the way there to Wall Street.”

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“[Trump] did that, and we’re sitting here talking about the White women. F— the white women– excuse me – forget the White women. They’re going to do what the White men tell them to do,” Barry continued, eliciting laughter and clapping from Campbell.

“What they tell themselves,” Campbell interjected.

“They be smiling in their faces, they want to stay in charge,” Barry continued, with Campbell reacting affirmatively in the background. “I don’t care nothing about them, we got to do what we got to do.”

Barry went on to say that the Black community has to “get real serious about organizing to elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States” and that she doesn’t “want no women’s parade.”

“If they have another Women’s March – I’ll go over there and blow it up,” Barry said.

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Barry also attacked supporters of then-President Trump, comparing them to the Ku Klux Klan by saying, “I’m not saying everyone who voted for Trump is wearing a white sheet, but they got one in their closet, and it comes out when we start messing with the economic value or the balance of power.”

FLASHBACK: HARRIS FUMED AT AMERICANS FOR SAYING ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ BEFORE ILLEGAL MIGRANTS GOT PROTECTIONS

Melanie Campbell

Melanie Campbell and Cora Masters Barry participate in a meeting with Vice President Harris in 2021. (Melanie Campbell X account)

Barry went on to say at the time that, should Biden win the 2020 election, her group has “got to start organizing to make sure that the next president of the United States is a Black woman.”

“And that’s not going to happen if we don’t reach all of our Black people, because they’re the ones who are going to put her in there,” Barry added. “Those White folks ain’t going to put her in there.”

During the same Zoom call, Campbell was also critical of White women who have cast their votes for Trump, saying “race” and “White privilege” were driving factors and that she didn’t understand how they could support someone who “disrespects you as a woman.”

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FLASHBACK: NEW HARRIS CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER MADE SEVERAL INSENSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT WOMEN, GAY PEOPLE

“Am I surprised? No. Am I frustrated? Yeah – determined that we have to still find a way to get up and deal with it,” Campbell said. “What I’m not interested in doing is what I did, Cora, in 2016 is have these fruitless conversations with my White girlfriends who want to tell me we need to sit down and have a conversation. No we don’t. You need to go talk to your sister. You need to go talk to your cousin.”

“I have no interest in understanding why White folks do what they do. They do what they do because they doing what they do if I was them. They’re fighting to stay in charge and in control. That’s what they’re doing. I ain’t mad at them. What I am is mad at us,” Barry added, referring to the Black community.

Near the end of the Zoom call, Barry said it is a “perfect time” to mobilize Black voters and push their agenda “because there’s a lot of White guilt money out there.”

“I’m gonna take it- put it in my community and radicalize my people so they can come for your job. I’m saying it’s time to act,” she continued.

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Cora Masters Barry

Fox News Digital previously reported on Cora Masters Barry praising antisemite religious leader Louis Farrakhan in 2022. (Getty Images/File)

In addition to Barry’s comments about White women, Fox News Digital previously reported on Barry lavishly praising notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan in 2022 at a private event honoring her late husband, former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry.

During Barry’s remarks at the private ceremony, she praised Farrakhan, who has espoused antisemitic rhetoric for decades, including calling Jews “wicked” and comparing them to termites. Barry referred to Farrakhan as a “friend” and “member of the family” while also telling him “I love you more than words will ever say.”

“Minister Farrakhan, we love you more than you love us. You just don’t know it,” she added.

Louis Farrakhan delivers a speech

The Anti-Defamation League labeled Louis Farrakhan the “most popular antisemite in America” in 2020. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Farrakhan in turn praised Barry, saying, “Praise God for this woman. She is a treasure. A real treasure.”

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A spokesperson for both Barry and Campbell defended the comment about White women, previously telling Fox News Digital that the comment was in reference to how White women are not as reliable Democrat voters and that the vice president was not part of the conversation.

Barry, Campbell and the Harris campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Fox News’ Houston Keene contributed to this report.

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