The author of “Slaughterhouse-Five,” a World War Two combat veteran, saw Nazis up close as a German POW. Retrospective review by Peter Eisner for SpyTalk.

One time, Yuri was given the mission of finding out everything he could about an electronics factory in Kyiv, a secretive place that produced equipment for the Soviet military. First, he called in at the recruitment department saying he wanted a job, but was swiftly told there were no vacancies. So he waited outside the gates looking for women who might work as secretaries in the plant and, when he spotted one, followed her home on the tram. Having located her address, the next day he returned and waited in the building’s courtyard. When she appeared, he struck up a conversation with her, pretending he was looking for an apartment in the area. After some small talk, he invited her to the cinema. They had a pleasant date, and he invited her out again, to the theater. Each time, they chatted for hours. She opened up to him about her difficult home life and her dreams of getting married, and they started to bond. Yuri managed to slip plenty of apparently casual questions about her work at the factory into their conversation. After the fourth date, he told her he had to go on a trip to another city and would contact her on his return. He wrote up his report, largely based on her information about the inner workings of the factory. She never heard from him again.

Yuri also learned to write personality reports on potential targets. The goal was not recruitment, but to engage in seemingly innocent friendly chatter, sounding out the subject’s political views, personal circumstances, and quirks. This could then be used in a recruitment pitch by a different agent. Was the person having marital problems? Did they feel overlooked or undervalued at the workplace? Were they vain and susceptible to flattery, or perhaps lonely and looking for love? Yuri spent long hours painting psychological portraits of different kinds of people for the trainers, who taught him how to spot vulnerabilities in a target

Edouard Threatens Texas Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Edouard formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall Tuesday near the Texas-Louisiana border, potentially approaching hurricane strength beforehand.

• Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings, Hurricane Watches, and Storm Surge Warnings are in effect.
• Storm surge up to 1.5 m (5 ft) is possible between High Island and the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line.
• Rainfall of 75–150 mm (3–6 in), with localized totals above 200 mm (8 in), could cause flooding across Southeast Texas.
• Texas activated emergency resources, several Houston-area school districts closed schools, and utilities positioned crews for potential outages.

Russia’s G20 Return Divides Allies

Russia’s in-person return to a U.S.-hosted G20 finance meeting exposed renewed friction between Washington and European allies over Ukraine policy.

• Several European finance leaders objected to Moscow being treated as a normal participant.
• Germany warned the optics could complicate sanctions coordination.
• Tensions increased after the U.S. Treasury restricted access for several reporters whose press privileges had been revoked.
• The controversy risks overshadowing U.S. priorities on debt, economic growth, AI investment, and trade imbalances with China.

Russian Strikes Hit Kyiv Infrastructure

Russian strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 12 people and damaged railway, residential, and other civilian infrastructure.

• Six rail workers were killed at a Ukrzaliznytsia depot.
• Russia said it targeted military-industrial and energy sites, while Ukraine reported civilian damage and fires across Kyiv.
• The deaths of rail workers point to continued pressure on transport networks supporting civilian movement and national logistics.
• The attack followed another deadly depot strike days earlier, suggesting sustained risk to critical infrastructure around the capital.

Cartel Bombings Escalate in Mexico

Cartel-linked explosive attacks are increasing in Mexico following a suspected vehicle bombing outside police headquarters in Zacatecas.

• At least 11 people were injured and dozens of buildings were damaged.
• State officials said the attack may have been retaliation for an arrest.
• Authorities cited a broader shift toward vehicle bombs, drone-borne explosives, and landmines.
• The trend raises risks to police sites, nearby communities, and business operations in areas with significant cartel activity.

Arson Targets European Drone Factories

Polish prosecutors opened a sabotage and terrorism probe after a fire was deliberately set at a WB Electronics drone factory.

• The suspected attack came six days after Slovak police disrupted an alleged arson plot against Ukrainian drone maker Skyeton.
• Both incidents targeted defense firms linked to unmanned systems.
• The cases come as European states continue supporting Ukraine and expanding military drone capacity.
• Available evidence remains limited, but the timing and use of incendiary attacks could increase pressure for tighter site security and counterintelligence coordination.

Bipartisan authorship improves near-term prospects for discrete fixes like Section 702 reauthorization, but the report's own finding that Congress ignored the original Commission's structural reforms for two decades undercuts confidence the harder recommendations will advance.

It looks like the public version of this has been stripped from the internet, which is kind of crazy. Anyone know where I can find it? https://archive.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/National_Intelligence_Strategy_2023.pdf

Following that link takes me to a "not found" page. Also, like I know there have been a lot of changes at ODNI, but why can't I find this info on it's page anymore.

Richmond supervisors shielding staff from internal findings until an external review forced terminations exposes a structural accountability gap that likely persists in other field offices under continuing scrutiny.

Pentagon secretly installs military influencers in civilian roles

Grand Canyon Flooding Leaves People Missing and Disrupts Park Operations

One person died and about 15 remain unaccounted for after flash flooding Saturday in Grand Canyon National Park.

• More than 60 people were airlifted from the canyon after flooding along Bright Angel Creek washed out footbridges, moved boulders, and damaged the park’s sole water pipeline.
• Overnight lodging will be suspended starting Monday because of limited potable water, while Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail, and Phantom Ranch remain closed.
• Additional rain and thunderstorms are possible Monday, with the WPC maintaining a Level 2 of 4 risk for excessive rainfall.

Russia Warns NATO Over Expanding Arctic Military Presence

Russia described NATO’s expanding Arctic presence as a direct security threat, warning that allied exercises could raise the risk of confrontation.

• NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission comes alongside expanded Nordic defense activity, including Norway’s brigade expansion.
• Moscow views the region as critical to its nuclear posture, Northern Fleet access, and Asia-facing shipping ambitions.
• NATO officials have also cited rising Russian hybrid activity in Europe, increasing incident risks around military movements, infrastructure, and strategic sea routes.

U.S.-Iran Escalation Intensifies Around the Strait of Hormuz

U.S. strikes targeted Iranian launchers on Larak Island as Iran reportedly launched missiles toward U.S. forces in Jordan.

• The strikes near the Strait of Hormuz suggest Washington is prioritizing the disruption of Iranian mining activity that could further restrict global oil flows.
• Iran’s response demonstrates its continued willingness to target U.S. regional positions despite interceptions.
• Tensions also spread to the UAE, where authorities intercepted an Iranian drone over territorial waters and condemned the incident.

Failed Niger Mutiny Highlights Strains Within Military Government

A failed mutiny in Niger’s capital exposed internal pressure on the military government amid worsening security conditions.

• Soldiers challenged loyalist forces at Niamey’s airport and near the presidential district before the uprising was suppressed with Russian Africa Corps support.
• The unrest appears linked to jihadist violence, battlefield losses, and troop welfare grievances.
• Russia’s role highlights the government’s reliance on foreign support, while Algeria, Turkey, and Sahel allies have also backed regime stability.

Pacific Islands Forum Faces Geopolitical Pressure

The Pacific Islands Forum opened in Palau as external powers compete for influence across strategically important Pacific island states.

• China-Taiwan tensions, expanding U.S. security ties, and increased engagement from Australia and New Zealand are shaping discussions.
• Leaders are also focused on climate, energy, and economic resilience across the region.
• The forum’s consensus model faces strain following disagreement over criticism of Chinese missile activity, while geopolitical competition could weaken regional unity amid existing fuel, weather, and supply-chain risks.

Suppression of Mohammad's confessions strips the prosecution's strongest evidence, and Rugh's office will likely file an appeal by late October, extending pretrial litigation past the June 2028 trial date.

Got unexpectedly terminated from a career. I was truly truly hoping to give back to family and friends with it but I made an incredibly stupid mistake which cost me everything. It wasn’t malicious but it was so fucking dumb

During my job search I saw some CIA careers. But… I dunno. I have a degree but not much work experience beyond retail, barring the career I was ousted out of. It’s high aptitude, involves large amounts of functional knowledge learned on the job, and I passed a few aptitude/personality tests on prior to being accepted into initial training.

I feel I can transfer some of those skills to the Air Force as well but again… I dunno. I’m just some fucking bum off the street without experience or many marketable skills. I know the process takes a while, but I need hope at least now.

I don’t do drugs, I have no criminal record.

Would the CIA genuinely consider me or is this a waste of time?

Just added another 30 books on intelligence and espionage.

https://pangobooks.com/bookstore/greg871249

Ratcliffe's direct approach to Russian security chiefs signals Washington is bypassing its own envoy track, but a trilateral Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit remains unlikely by end of October 2026 absent any shift in Moscow's public rejection of the format.

FBI and CIA involvement signals a criminal leak probe beyond routine internal discipline, though criminal charges against any of the three officials by year's end remain unlikely given the evidentiary demands of prosecution.