Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at background briefing. I'm Ian Masters,

and today we'll look into a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with the extent to which the war in Gaza has been detrimental to Ukraine

as it tries to repel the Russian invader, while Israel turns a tiny strip of land into rubble.

Joining us to discuss the U.S. priority of helping Israel over Ukraine as artillery shells are diverted

to Israel while Ukraine's stockpile is dangerously low is Simon Schuster. He was with President

Zelensky when Hamas first attacked Israel and when Netanyahu told Ukraine's Jewish leader

not to visit Israel.

A report for Time magazine based in New York City by way of Moscow, Kiev and Berlin,

Simon has previously covered Russia and the former Soviet Union for Reuters,

the Associated Press, the Moscow Times and Foreign Policy.

His forthcoming book is The Showman,

Inside the Invasion that shook the world and made a leader of Lottomir Zelensky. We will discuss his latest article of Time magazine, Lottomir Zelensky's struggle to keep Ukraine in the fight. Then, having dodged two attempts to expel him from Congress, it now appears that George Santos may finally be shown the door following a damning report from the House Ethics Committee.

Joining us is Mark Chisano, who has covered George Santos as a columnist and editorial writer

at New York Newsday, Long Island's Paper of Record. He is the youngest editorial writer in the paper's history

and a New York City native and fiction writer whose story collection Marine Park

received a Penn Hemingway Award honorable mention. His new book Just Out is

The Fabulous, The Lying, Hustling, Grifting, stealing, and very American legend of George Santos.

Then finally, with increasing concerns expressed about growing inequality,

which most people oppose except the billionaire class,

we will examine equality, which everyone agrees is a good thing,

but few have explored what equality means.

...