First, links to two explainers. In the first, a Berkshire Eagle columnist who reported for other news organizations for a dozen or so years while domiciled in Moscow and Kyiv elaborates on worldwide energy repercussions of the war. In about a thousand words, James Brooke summarizes realities that include perilous nuclear brinkmanship. (It appears not to be paywalled against non-subscribers to the Eagle.) The other is a National Public Radio report on another, not quite as major, economic consequence of the war. Then, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and Tass; other stories are accessible by clicking on their names below. — MCM

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Putin throws Europe into energy crisis, by James Brooke | The Berkshire Eagle If firewood prices rise this autumn in the Berkshires, blame Vladimir Putin. . . . [And] in the world’s increasingly integrated energy economy, Europe’s ballooning oil and gas prices will drag up prices in the U.S. With British and German home electricity bills expected to double this winter watch your National Grid and Berkshire Gas bills. READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s war in Ukraine pushes Ukrainian steel production to the brink. Reported by Jason Beaubien | NPR  Iron and steel production remains Ukraine’s second-leading industry after agriculture. And prior to the Russian invasion this year, it was a major supplier of iron ore to Turkey, China and parts of the European Union. While the war with Russia has raised serious international concern about getting Ukraine’s vast production of wheat, corn and sunflower oil . . .to global markets, the invasion has been even more devastating to the country’s metalworks. Exports of bulk iron ore, for instance . . . have stopped entirely from Ukrainian ports. Click HERE to listen or read.

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Russian shelling, Ukrainian airstrike reflect broadening war, by Paul Byrne and Joanna Kozlowska | AP  KYIV — Russian forces stepped up their battle to seize one of the dwindling number of cities in embattled eastern Ukraine not already under their control while continuing to fire on towns and villages in the country’s north and south, Ukrainian officials said today. Russian shelling collapsed balconies and blew out windows in the southern region of Mykolayiv, injuring at least nine civilians, authorities said.  . . . Reflecting the broadening frontlines of the nearly 6-month war in Ukraine, a Ukrainian airstrike hit targets in the largest Russian-occupied city in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

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Blasts, fresh drone attacks rock Russian-held areas far from Ukraine war front, by Tom Balmforth and Max Hunder | Reuters * Half of Russia’s Black Sea aviation wiped out – Western official * Kyiv coy over incidents in Crimea and Russia * Ukraine fears Russia will decouple nuclear plant from grid * Washington prepares more military aid for Kyiv | KYIV — Russia reported fresh Ukrainian drone attacks on Friday evening, a day after explosions erupted near military bases in Russian-held areas of Ukraine and Russia itself, apparent displays of Kyiv’s growing ability to pummel Moscow’s assets far from front lines. The latest incidents followed huge blasts last week at an air base in Russian-annexed Crimea. In a new assessment, a Western official said that incident had rendered half of Russia’s Black Sea naval aviation force useless in a stroke. Russia’s RIA and Tass news agencies, citing a . . . READ MORE . . .

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European gas prices soar on planned Nord Stream closure. From AFP. European gas prices soared to a new record high at the close of trading on Friday after Russia’s Gazprom announced that the Nord Stream pipeline would be closed for maintenance at the end of the month. The Dutch TTF Gas Futures contract jumped to a closing high of 257.40 euros ($258.30) amid fears of winter energy shortages after Gazprom said deliveries via the Nord Stream pipeline would be halted from August 31 to September 2 due to maintenance work.

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UN working to overcome obstacles to exports of Russian food, fertilizers – Guterres. From Tass. ANKARA — It is crucial for global markets to ensure unimpeded exports of agricultural products from Ukraine and Russia, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a news conference with Turkish Defense Ministry Hulusi Akar today. . . . In addition, he said that the United Nations is working with the United States and European Union to overcome “a certain number of obstacles” to Russian food and fertilizers, “which are not subject to sanctions,” reaching global . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, Tass, Reuters, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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High-level talks in Ukraine yield little reported progress, by Derek Gatopoulos and Suzan Fraser | AP  LVIV, Ukraine — Turkey’s leader and the U.N. chief met in Ukraine with President Volodymr Zelenskyy on Thursday in a high-powered bid to ratchet down a war raging for nearly six months. But little immediate progress was reported. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would follow up with Russian President Vladimir Putin, given that most of the matters discussed would require the Kremlin’s agreement. READ MORE . . .

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The United Nations wants to avoid a nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Reported by Leila and Frank Langfitt | NPR  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is in Ukraine where he is calling for the Russian and Ukrainian armies to back away from a nuclear power plant over fears of a nuclear catastrophe. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Zelensky rules out any ‘peace’ without Russian troop withdrawal. From AFP. LVIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday ruled out peace with Russia unless it withdraws its troops from Ukraine, speaking after talks with his Turkish counterpart, and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Zelensky told reporters he was “very surprised” to hear from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Russia was “ready for some kind of peace“, adding: “First they should leave our territory and then we’ll see”.

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Russia deploys hypersonic missiles to its Baltic exclave, by Vladimir Isachenkov | AP  MOSCOW — The Russian military said Thursday that it has deployed warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to the country’s westernmost Baltic region, a move that comes amid soaring tensions with the West over Moscow’s action in Ukraine. Russia’s Defense Ministry said three MiG-31 fighters with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles arrived . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. dooming EU to hunger, cold, isolation in bid to cling to power, says Duma Speaker. From Tass. MOSCOW — The United States seeks to maintain its “power over the world” by damaging European countries and actually dooming them to isolation, Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said toiday. . . .”Washington has condemned Europe to hunger, cold and isolation. . . . Washington is ready to do everything to maintain its power over the world, sacrificing . . . READ MORE . . .

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How a journalist and an aspiring writer in Ukraine grew while working on a news site. Reported by Gregory Warner | NPR  A local journalist in small town New York and an aspiring writer in Eastern Ukraine discovered they had a lot more to learn from each other than either expected. Click HERE to listen and read.

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From bomb shelter to dorm room: Ukrainian students find refuge at U.S. colleges, by Rose Horowitch | Reuters On March 31, about a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, Hlib Burtsev won a spot at Brown University for this fall. The Ivy League school extended an offer for him to join its summer session and paid for his food, flights and housing because of the war in his country. . . . More than 120 U.S. universities have efforts to help Ukrainian students, according to a survey of 559 schools by . . . READ MORE . . .

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Pro-Kremlin Rapper Unveils Starbucks’ Russian Successor. From the Moscow Times. Stars Coffee, the renamed former Starbucks chain, opened its first coffee shop in central Moscow on Thursday. Co-owners Timur Yunusov, a famous pro-Kremlin rapper known as Timati, and restaurateur Anton Pinskiy, presented the new brand with a logo that closely resembles the iconic Starbucks siren. The siren has been replaced by a woman wearing a Russian headdress called a kokoshnik instead of a crown. READ MORE . . .

Please Listen to These Two

By Mark Channing Miller

A salubrious interview took place last October (2021) between James Corbett of The Corbett Report and his guest Mark Crispin Miller of News From Underground.

I discovered it while deleting old email messages. One not deleted is labeled “Excellent conversation about the power of Propaganda.” It reads as follows.

“Hello Friends, This is one of the best discussions I have yet heard  on the whole issue of propaganda, culminating in our current topsy-turvy world, between James Corbett and Mark Crispin Miller (who has taught propaganda courses for many years at NYU). In my opinion, an extremely intelligent & in-depth analysis, and highly worth your watch (about 50 minutes). Blessings, Jane.” 

She provided the link.

Jane is right. After listening, I unexpectedly recalled a sketch the great stand-up comic Shelley Berman did on vinyl. It could be titled, “Man In Office Calls Woman and Gets Her Two-Year-Old Daughter.”

He asks in a standard way for Mrs. ____. Kid hangs up. Redialing, he tries something like, “Hello, I’d like to speak with your mother. Is she . . .?” Kid hands up. Next call, he softens his voice and says (perhaps), “Hi, it’s me again. Is your mother there by any chance?” Click. Finally: “Is your mah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-my there?” Kid hangs up.

Trying for an adult conversation in person on some subjects, including Covid-19, can elicit a similar response. Kid hangs up, no matter how old. At one point, Corbett and Miller lament the passing of an age before skilled propagandists became so adept at shaping minds — before so many started slavishly believing government and media authorities.

Case in point: I offered a physician friend my copy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s The Real Anthony Fauci. A week or so later I asked how he liked it. He didn’t start it, he said, noting an enthusiastic blurb on the cover by Tucker Carlson of Fox News.**

At any rate, HERE is the interview. It’s titled “How to Disarm Propaganda – Mark Crispin Miller on #SolutionsWatch.” Readers who find it intriguing are likely to like other content on The Corbett Report and click in. Perchance to chip in. 

A few quotes:

From Miller, “The media system is concentrated to an unprecedented degree. There are very few, corporate owners of the media. They are all dominated by the same commercial interests, which bribe in the form of advertising revenues. And as the media has become more concentrated, and more unipolar, it has also become closer to government.”

From Corbett: “Be ever willing to move out of your comfort zone.”

From Miller, on the Covid-19 phenomenon: “The most successful psy-op in human history.”

From Miller: “Oh absolutely, humor is essential, especially because the topics we grapple with are so dark.”

Miller: “What sources do you trust, and why? The sources one trusts tend not to be too doctrinaire.”

Miller or Corbett: “You don’t hector people with counter-arguments.”

Miller: “Scripture tells us it’s a waste of time to argue with a fool.”

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* This entry was edited for minor errors on Aug. 20.

** Carlson’s plug: “Bobby Kennedy is one of the bravest and most uncompromisingly honest people I’ve ever met. Someday he’ll get credit for it. In the meantime, read this book.” It is several lines above one by Mark Crispin Miller, which reads: “The story of Fauci’s rise and reign is really all about the absolute corruption of our major institutions — government, medicine, academia, and (above all) the press — by Big Pharma (and the Gates Foundation). Those of us who really do believe in science now have this book to help rid the world of that corruption.”

First, links to reports by Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Tass, the Moscow Times, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, a link to and essay — overlooked last March, when it was first posted.*  — MCM

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Ukraine says fighting ‘deadlocked’ ahead of visit by U.N. chief, by Natalia Zinets | Reuters * U.N. chief to meet Zelenskiy in Lviv today * Seven die in Russia attack on Kharkiv – emergency service * Ukrainian forces rout Russian attack in Kherson | KYIV — Ukrainian forces said today they had beaten back a Russian attack in the southern region of Kherson, while the death toll from Russian shelling of Kharkiv city in Ukraine’s northeast climbed as the nearly six-month war grinds on without let-up. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan later today in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. They will discuss . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia strikes Kharkiv ahead of Erdogan, UN chief meeting with Zelenskyy. From AFP. KYIV — Russian strikes battered the northeast Ukraine region of Kharkiv today, killing at least five people, hours ahead of the first face-to-face meeting between the Turkish and Ukrainian leaders since the start of the war. Moscow meanwhile denied it had deployed any heavy weapons at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine where a recent escalation in fighting has increased fears of a nuclear disaster. The head of the Kharkiv region . . . READ MORE . . .

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Former UN chief Ban urges world to remember Bucha victims, by Derek Gatopoulos and Evgeniy Maloletka | AP  BUCHA, Ukraine — Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the world Tuesday to honor civilians who were killed when Russian ground forces tried to invade Ukraine’s capital and eventually retreated from the area surrounding Kyiv. Ban . . . visited Bucha, a city northwest of the Ukrainian capital where hundreds of civilians were found dead after the Russian withdrawal in late March. “It’s hard to express my feelings. It’s a horrendous atrocity. It’s a crime against humanity and (those responsible) should . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia not deploying heavy firepower at or near Zaporozhye plant, says top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — No heavy Russian weapons are being deployed at or near the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov reported today. . . . Konashenkov said the nuclear plant was guarded only by security patrols. “The Russian armed forces are taking all the necessary measures to guarantee the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia appoints new Black Sea Fleet commander — state media. From the Moscow Times. A new commander has been appointed to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, state news agency RIA Novosti reported Wednesday citing military sources. If confirmed, the removal of Igor Osipov and the elevation of Viktor Sokolov would be one of the most major Russian military reshuffles since the invasion of Ukraine began . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s ambulance crews, many of them volunteers, put their lives on the line. Reported by Brian Mann | NPR  The crews are working on the front lines to save soldiers wounded by Russian forces. For medics who are volunteers with little training, the danger and emotional costs are high. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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How billionaires picked Putin as ‘Russia’s Pinochet,’ by Greg Palast | BuzzFlash / gregpalast.com Vladimir Putin did not arrive from outer space on an abalone shell. Putin went from the virtually unknown Deputy Mayor of Saint Petersburg to Russia’s President and potentate by winning a weird competition organized by Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky who sought a . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

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* Investigative journalist Greg Palast is often shown in a hat, but not one to be confused with the “funny” headwear of Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox prelates, which he has discussed along with other causative factors of the war. 

First, links to reports from Agence France-Presse, Reuters, the Associated Press, Tass, National Public Radio, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. — MCM

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Zelensky, Erdogan, Guterres To Meet Thursday In Ukraine. From AFP. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN chief Antonio Guterres will meet in Ukraine on Thursday, the United Nations announced. “At the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelensky, the secretary-general will be in Lviv on Thursday to attend a trilateral meeting . . . READ MORE . . .

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Action wanes at U.N. to isolate Russia almost six months into Ukraine war, by Michelle Nichols and Emma Farge | Reuters UNITED NATIONS/GENEVA — On a June night under the chandeliers of Russia’s United Nations mission in New York, dozens of U.N. ambassadors from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia attended a reception to mark the country’s national day — less than four months after its forces invaded neighboring Ukraine. The crowd of ambassadors illustrated the difficulties facing Western diplomats in trying to sustain international resolve to isolate Russia diplomatically . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainians flee grim life in Russian-occupied Kherson, by Hanna Arhirova, by Hanna Arhirova | AP  KYIV —Kherson, located north of the Crimean Peninsula that was annexed by Moscow in 2014, was the first city to fall after Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24. The port remains at the heart of the conflict and Ukraine’s efforts to preserve its vital access to the sea. For Russia, Kherson is a key point along the land corridor from its border to the peninsula. Volodymyr Zhdanov and others who made the hazardous journey to escape from the region . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian Foreign Ministry slams media allegations of Russia stealing power from Zaporozhye NPP. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Wall Street Journal’s allegations of Russia stealing electricity from the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant expose its failure to see the cause-effect relationships, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry pointed to a Wall Street Journal article, which alleged, citing analysts, that Moscow was trying “to reroute power to occupied territories, Russia and even export markets, where the price of electricity is surging.” “The wild conclusion is that such ‘expropriation’ on the part of Russia . . . READ MORE . . .

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What it was like as family of Ukrainian prisoners of war waited for news after blast. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | NPR The families of Ukrainian soldiers imprisoned by Russian forces have embarked on a desperate search for information after a deadly explosion at the prison where the soldiers are kept. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russians scramble for visas as EU mulls travel restrictions, by Anastasia Tenisheva | The Moscow Times Russians are racing to try and obtain European visas as some countries impose travel restrictions and fears grow that the European Union could ban Russian tourists from the bloc in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The number of applications for  . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Tass, Agence France-Press, and National Public Radio; to access others, click on their names or initials  below. — MCM

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Explosions shake Russian-held Crimea, Ukraine hints at role, by Natalia Zinets | Reuters  * Ammunition store explodes in latest Crimea blasts * Ukraine and Russia trade blame for shelling near nuclear site * Food aid leaves Ukrainian port for Africa | KYIV — Explosions rocked an ammunition depot and disrupted trains in Russian-annexed Crimea today, the latest such incident in a region Moscow uses as a supply line for its . . . READ MORE . . .

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Explosions refocus war in Ukraine on Russian-annexed Crimea, by Paul Byrne | AP  KYIV  — The world’s attention on the war in Ukraine today turned anew to Russia-annexed Crimea, where two separate fires, including one with massive explosions, injured at least two people and forced the evacuation of around 2,000 residents. The second incident in a week in Crimea raised increasing questions about whether Ukrainian forces managed to hit the peninsula. Videos . . . READ MORE . . .

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Munitions depot fire in Crimea’s north continues, regional leader reports. From Tass. SIMFEROPOL  — A blaze that was triggered by an ammunition depot blast in the Dzhankoi district of Crimea continues, peninsula head Sergey Aksenov said on his Telegram channel today. “I am in the village of Azovsky, Dzhankoi district, where . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian Army says munitions explode at Crimea depot. From AFP. Russia said today that a fire had set off explosions at a munitions depot in Crimea, a week after a series of similar blasts at an airbase in the peninsula annexed from Ukraine. The defence ministry said in a statement that a fire erupted around 6:15 am local time (0315 GMT) at a temporary military storage site near the village of Mayskoye in the Dzhankoi district, causing . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainians express worries over conscription following Russia’s invasion. Reported by Ashley Westerman | NPR  After Russia’s invasion, Ukraine announced martial law in February and issued a travel ban, so most men couldn’t leave the country. Many have since felt trapped and worry they’ll be drafted to fight. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

 

With apologies for the late notice, I inform dear readers that there will be no entry for today. Perhaps there will be one tomorrow. Thank you for checking in. — MCM

First, links to Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, and Tass reports; for links to others, click on their initials or names below. (Another entry, just below this one, concerns China.) Finally, a link to the Wall Street Journal reporter’s interview with Henry Kissinger that Tass calls attention to, and Caitlin Johnstone commentary on that. — MCM

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Shelling kills 1 in Ukraine; Russia wants nuke plant pledges. From AP. KYIV — Russian forces today fired rockets on the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine, killing at least one person, and a Russian diplomat called on Ukraine to offer security assurances so that international inspectors could visit a nuclear power station that has come under fire. The Mykolaiv region is just to the north of the Russian-occupied city of Kherson, which Ukrainian forces have vowed to retake. . . . As fighting steps up in southern Ukraine . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zaporizhzhia plant risks are increasing every day. From AFP.  The risk of disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occupied by Russian troops is “increasing every day”, the mayor of the city where the facility is located said today. The power plant — Europe’s largest — was seized by Russian soldiers in the opening days of the invasion and has remained on the front line ever since. This week the facility . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine targets Russian soldiers accused of threatening nuclear plant, by Natalia Zinets and Andrea Shalal | Reuters * Russians threatening Zaporizhzhia are ‘targets’ -Zelenskiy * Humanitarian cargo due to set sail for Ethiopia | KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned Russian soldiers who shoot at Europe’s largest nuclear power station or use it as a base to shoot from that they will become a “special target” for Ukrainian forces. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the establishment of a demilitarised zone at the Zaporizhzhia plant in southern Ukraine amid fears of a nuclear catastrophe over renewed shelling . . . . Zelenskiy, who did not give any details . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kissinger believes U.S. at the edge of war with Russia and China. From Tass. NEW YORK — Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger believes Washington is currently on the brink of war with Moscow and Beijing, he said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. “We are at the edge of war with Russia and China on issues which we partly created, without any concept of how this is going to end or what it’s supposed to lead to,” he said. “You can’t just now say . . . READ MORE . . .

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Henry Kissinger is worried about ‘disequilibrium,’ by Laura Secor | The Wall Street Journal At 99 years old, Henry Kissinger has just published his 19th book, “Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy.” It is an analysis of the vision and historical achievements of an idiosyncratic pantheon of post-World War II leaders: Konrad Adenauer, Charles DeGaulle, Richard Nixon, Anwar Sadat, Lee Kuan-Yew and Margaret Thatcher. In the 1950s, “before I was involved in politics,” Mr. Kissinger tells me . . . READ MORE . . .

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Modern U.S. warmongering is scaring Henry Kissinger, by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com In a new interview with The Wall Street Journal, immortal Hague fugitive Henry Kissinger says the US is acting in a crazy and irrational way that has brought it to the edge of war with Russia and China. . . . I don’t know about you, but to me this warning is much, much more ominous coming from . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to Associated Press, Reuters, and Tass reports. Coverage of China and U.S. relations with it have overshadowed that of the war in Ukraine. This China entry continues last Thursday’s, HERE. It includes links to two pieces from Consortium News and a link to a longer “explainer” published in May on the website of a think tank that describes itself as “The Hub of Realism and Restraint.” Finally, a link to the Wall Street Journal reporter’s interview with Henry Kissinger that Tass calls attention to, and Caitlin Johnstone commentary on that. — MCM

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More US lawmakers visiting Taiwan 12 days after Pelosi trip. From the Associated Press. TAIPEI, Taiwan — A delegation of American lawmakers is visiting Taiwan just 12 days after a visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that angered China. The five-member delegation, led by Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, will meet senior leaders to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations, regional security, trade, investment and other issues, the American Institute in Taiwan said. The institute represents the U.S. government, which does not have official ties with Taiwan. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. lawmakers arrive in Taiwan with China tensions simmering, by Ben Blanchard and David Shepardson | Reuters TAIPEI / WASHINGTON — A delegation of U.S. lawmakers arrived in Taiwan today for a two-day trip during which they will meet President Tsai Ing-wen, the second high-level group to visit while there are military tensions between the self-ruled island and China. Beijing, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has conducted military drills around the island to express its anger over U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kissinger believes U.S. at the edge of war with Russia and China. From Tass. NEW YORK — Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger believes Washington is currently on the brink of war with Moscow and Beijing, he said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. “We are at the edge of war with Russia and China on issues which we partly created, without any concept of how this is going to end or what it’s supposed to lead to,” he said. “You can’t just now say . . . READ MORE . . .

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Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan elevates tensions, by David Crawshow and Lili Kuo | The Washington Post The visit lasted barely 19 hours. But Nancy Pelosi’s contentious trip was a defining moment in the increasingly bitter rivalry between China and the United States. A fuller picture of the Chinese response will emerge over the coming . .. READ MORE . . .

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A rational conversation about China, by Vijay Prashad | Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research / Consortium News The U.S. legislative leader Nancy Pelosi’s journey to Taipei was part of the ongoing U.S. provocation of China. This campaign includes former President Barack Obama’s “pivot to Asia,” former President Donald Trump’s “trade war,” the creation of security partnerships — the Quad and AUKUS—and the gradual transformation of NATO into an instrument against China. This agenda continues with President Joe Biden’s assessment that China must be weakened since it is the “only competitor potentially capable . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S.-China climate talks in tatters, by Marcy Winograd | Consortium News It was only last year, in 2021, that U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry and China Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua issued a joint statement  to strengthen the Paris Agreement by adopting  “long-term strategies aimed at net zero GHG emissions” to keep the world’s temperature below 2 degrees Celsius, with the goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. Such collaboration is urgently needed if the world is to thwart . . . READ MORE . . .

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Deterring a Chinese invasion of Taiwan: Upholding the status quo, by Peter Harris | Defense Priorities  FIVE KEY POINTS. 1. The U.S. has a goal to avoid a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, but the overriding U.S. interest is to avoid a ruinous war with China. The imperative to avoid a conflict with China should take priority for U.S. leaders. 2. Proposals to deter China by bolstering U.S. military deployments in the Western Pacific are unlikely to succeed and fraught with danger. China has . . . READ MORE . . .

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Henry Kissinger is worried about ‘disequilibrium,’ by Laura Secor | The Wall Street Journal At 99 years old, Henry Kissinger has just published his 19th book, “Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy.” It is an analysis of the vision and historical achievements of an idiosyncratic pantheon of post-World War II leaders: Konrad Adenauer, Charles DeGaulle, Richard Nixon, Anwar Sadat, Lee Kuan-Yew and Margaret Thatcher. In the 1950s, “before I was involved in politics,” Mr. Kissinger tells me . . . READ MORE . . .

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Modern U.S. warmongering is scaring Henry Kissinger, by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com In a new interview with The Wall Street Journal, immortal Hague fugitive Henry Kissinger says the US is acting in a crazy and irrational way that has brought it to the edge of war with Russia and China. . . . I don’t know about you, but to me this warning is much, much more ominous coming from . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from the Moscow Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, Tass, and teleSUR; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names or initials below. — MCM

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In Graphs: Russia hits 5,000 independently confirmed military deaths in Ukraine, by Yanina Sorokina | The Moscow Times More than 5,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since the start of the invasion, according to a tally of confirmed deaths updated this week by independent Russian media outlet iStories.  The figure is over three times higher than the official death toll of 1,351 which was last updated by the Russian Defense Ministry in March. While . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian minister says Russia blocking access to medicines, by Derek Gatopoulos and Hanna Arhirova | AP  KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s health minister has accused Russian authorities of committing a crime against humanity by blocking access to affordable medicines in areas its forces have occupied since invading the country 5 1/2 months ago. . . .“Throughout the entire six months of war, Russia has not (allowed) proper humanitarian corridors so we could provide our own medicines to the patients that need them,” said Health Minister Viktor Liashko said Friday. “We believe that these actions are being taken with intent by Russia, and we consider them to be . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. says India hid Russian origin of fuel shipped to U.S., India central banker says, by Nidhi Verma | Reuters NEW DELHI — The United States has expressed concern to India tha  it was being used to export fuel made from Russian crude, through high-seas transfers to hide its origin, to New York in violation of U.S. sanctions, a top Indian central banker said today. . . . U.S. sanctions on Moscow . . . prohibit the import to the United States of Russian-origin energy products including . . . READ MORE . . .

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The war in Ukraine is disrupting the world’s supply of neon. Reported by Jeff Guo | NPR  A growing shortage for neon is driving up its prices by 5000%. Neon production became highly concentrated in post-Soviet states, such as Ukraine and Russia. The world is paying for that concentration. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russian economy shrinks 4% in second quarter as sanctions weigh. From Reuters. * This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine | MOSCOW — Russia’s economy shrank 4.0% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2022, the first full quarter of what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, preliminary data from the federal statistics service Rosstat showed on Friday. The economy is plunging into recession after . . . READ MORE . . .

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S&P cuts Ukraine’s credit rating to ‘selective default.’ From AFP. Rating agencies S&P and Fitch again lowered Ukraine’s credit rating Friday, deeming that the war-torn country’s debt restructuring agreement placed it one notch from default. S&P cut Ukraine’s rating to “SD” for selective default from “CC/C,” noting that a majority of Eurobond holders agreed to defer debt service payments by 24 months. “Given the announced . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia says its allied forces fully liberate settlement of Peski in DPR. From Tass. MOSCOW — The allied forces of the Donbass republics and the Russian army completely liberated the settlement of Peski in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported today. “ As a result . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenski proposes extending martial law, general mobilization. From teleSUR. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday proposed to the parliament to prolong the current martial law and general mobilization in the country for another 90 days, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. The Ukrainian parliament imposed a martial law after the start of the conflict with Russia on Feb. 24 and extended it three times since . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED