First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and Tass. Then a link to an opinion piece in the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. NOTE: items are scarcer lately, owing to summer vacations and other factors. — MCM

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UN demands end to military activity at Ukraine nuke plant, by Edith M. Lederer | The Associated Press UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. nuclear chief warned Thursday that “very alarming” military activity at Europe’s largest nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine could lead to dangerous consequences for the region and called for an end to attacks at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia facility. Rafael Grossi urged Russia and Ukraine . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine, Russia trade blame for risk of nuclear disaster at frontline plant, by Natalia Zinets | Reuters * Sides trade blame for blasts at Russian-held nuclear plant * U.N. calls for demilitarised zone * Zelenskiy demands Russia return plant to Ukraine * Ukrainian towns on opposite bank under Russian bombardment * Satellite images show damage at Russian air base in Crimea | KYIV — Ukraine and Russia accused each other today of risking nuclear disaster by shelling Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, occupied by Russian forces in a region expected to become one of the next big front lines of the war. Western countries have called for Moscow to withdraw its troops from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the United Nations called on Thursday for it to be declared a demilitarized zone. But there has been no sign so far of Russia agreeing to move its troops out of the facility they seized in March. The plant . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian public’s confidence in Putin surpasses 81%, poll reveals. From Tass. MOSCOW — The level of Russian citizens’ confidence in President Vladimir Putin has increased by 0.5 percentage points to 81.3% over the week, according to a poll by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center published today. . . . Positive assessment figures for the activities of the Prime Minister and the Russian government over the past week dropped to 52.6% (-0.2 p.p.) and 52.2% (-0.6 p.p.), respectively. “[PM] Mikhail Mishustin is trusted by 63.1% of respondents (-0.5 p.p. over the week),” the report said. READ MORE . . .

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War in Ukraine Has Sparked a New Race to Succeed Putin, by Andrei Pertsev | The Moscow Times The war in Ukraine and ensuing sanctions have failed to cement Russia’s power vertical or unify the country’s influential business and political groups. Had President Vladimir Putin gotten the swift victory he was clearly counting on when he launched his “special operation,” he would have solidified his position as ruler, but as the conflict drags on, the elites are being forced to think of their future and to try to find their place within it. Putin himself demonstrates . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Below please find links below to a day-old Reuters news story and five recent opinion pieces. — MCM

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China withdraws promise not to send troops to Taiwan if it takes control of island, by Yew Lun Tian | Reuters BEIJING — China has withdrawn a promise not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if it takes control of the island, an official document showed on Wednesday, signalling a decision by President Xi Jinping to grant less autonomy than previously offered. China’s white paper on its position on self-ruled Taiwan follows days of unprecedented Chinese military exercises near the island, which Beijing claims as its territory, in protest against U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit last week. China had said in two previous . . . READ MORE. . .

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The Pelosi fallout, by Patrick Lawrence | Consortium News We witnessed a major breach in trans­–Pacific relations last week in consequence of Nancy Pelosi’s self-indulgent, utterly failed maunder through East Asia. We also watched a turn of great magnitude in global geopolitics, given China’s inevitable rise as a world power and America’s inevitable decline. It may be . . . that last week’s events will prove to be enduringly momentous, warranting their own chapter in the history texts of the future. I see good and bad in this, and in my view the former will outweigh the latter in the medium and long . . .  READ MORE . . .

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China poses a threat to the whole world, by Jay Ambrose | Tribune News Service Chinese It might not work as an alternative to war at this point, but what seems to me essential in a future without China in charge of everything is that the United States and the best of the rest  . . . READ MORE . . .

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Lady Gaga & ‘Everything China Fears,‘ by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com The Times of London has published an article titled “Lady Gaga embodies everything China fears,” subtitled “The singer’s uncompromising individuality makes her a serious threat to the mass imposition of cultural conformity through censorship,” and its contents are exactly as . . . READ MORE . . .

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What in the World Are Washington and Beijing Doing? By Michael D. Swaine | Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft / Tribune News Service Let’s be clear: Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan was not a great opportunity to show America’s support for the island; it did not chasten Beijing to exert greater restraint toward Taipei. To the contrary—countless China and foreign policy specialists predicted it would produce a major, likely sustained, coercive Chinese reaction that will deepen our current slide toward conflict in the Sino-U.S. relationship. And guess what? That is exactly what is now happening. Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan . . . READ MORE . . .

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China is better than the U.S.A. By Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com Biden is continuing Trump administration policies with China, Russia, Iran, Ukraine, Yemen, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, North Korea, etc. The war machine always moves the same regardless of elections. How long before foreign leaders . . . READ MORE . …

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

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Satellite pictures show devastation at Russian air base in Crimea, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters * Ukraine silent on how strike was carried out * Satellite images show three craters, eight destroyed planes * ‘It’s very good,’ says ex-head of CIA * Russian bombardment reported along frontline | KYIV — Satellite pictures released today showed devastation at a Russian air base in Crimea, hit in an attack that suggested Kyiv may have obtained new long-range strike capability with potential to change the course of the war. Pictures released by independent satellite firm Planet Labs showed three near-identical craters where buildings at Russia’s Saki air base had been struck with apparent precision. . . . Russia has denied aircraft were damaged and said explosions seen at the base . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. From the  AP. As Russia continues to suffer losses in its invasion of Ukraine, now nearing its sixth month, the Kremlin has refused to announce a full-blown mobilization — a move that could be very unpopular for President Vladimir Putin. That has led instead to a covert recruitment effort that includes using prisoners to make up the manpower shortage. This also is happening amid reports that hundreds of Russian soldiers are refusing to fight and trying to quit the military. “We’re seeing . . . READ MORE . . . 

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Six killed in Russian strikes on eastern Ukraine city of Bakhmut. From AFP. Russian strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut killed at least six people and left three others injured, the regional governor says. “The Russians bombed the city with a multiple rocket launcher, hitting a residential area. According to initial information, 12 residential buildings have been damaged and four are on . . . READ MORE . . .

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Over 20,500 Donbass residents cross Russian border in Rostov region in 24 hours. From Tass. ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia — More than 20,500 residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics crossed the Russian border in the Rostov region over the past day, the Federal Security Service’s border department told journalists today. . . . According to the report, almost 2.5 million citizens of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics have crossed the Russian border in the Rostov region since February. The situation . . . READ MORE . . .

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Latvian parliament declares Russia ‘state sponsor of terrorism.’ From AFP. RIGA — Latvian MPs today adopted a statement declaring Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism” and said its actions in Ukraine constituted “targeted genocide against the Ukrainian people.” The statement said the parliament [also] calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view.” MPs said they considered “Russia’s violence against civilians committed in pursuit of political aims as . . . READ MORE . . .

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Here’s just how close the war in Ukraine has come to Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Reported by Geoff Brumfiel, Julian Hayda and Daniel Wood | NPR Over the weekend, Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — the largest such plant in Europe — came under fire. Who was behind it remains unclear: Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the attacks. What is clear, is that the strikes are coming nearer to and have already damaged some critical parts of the sprawling nuclear complex. An NPR analysis of satellite imagery and posts to Twitter, Telegram and YouTube over the past month show how an escalating conflict at the plant is . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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Latvia is growing its military as Russia becomes increasingly aggressive. Reported by Rob Schmitz | NPR  Latvia is gearing up for the possibility they could be next after Ukraine. Officials say their military are drastically understaffed, so the country plans to bring back compulsory military service. Click HERE to listen and read.

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First Italian probed for enlisting in Ukraine. From ANSA ROME — The first Italian has been placed under investigation for enlisting to fight alongside Ukrainian combatants in Ukraine’s war against the Russian invasion. Kevin Chiappalone, 19, from Genoa, is a sympathizer of the far right group CasaPound.   Genoa’s anti-mafia and anti-terrorism prosecutor Marco Zocco has accused . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

A still-young professional engineer is neither confused nor afraid on the subject of the destruction of three skyscrapers at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, as this exchange on 9/11 Free Fall* shows. (As yet, there is no transcript.) – MCM

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‘Facts Will Always Defeat Fear’: Eric Francis-Wright on the post-9/11 world

A Conversation

Last week on 9/11 Free Fall, structural engineer Eric Francis-Wright joined host Andy Steele to talk about his experience as a young boy in Queens on September 11, 2001; about being an engineer who challenges the official story; and about the importance of staying true to oneself in a world of conformity. Though only 11 years old on 9/11, Francis-Wright questioned the idea of a pancake collapse of the Twin Towers from the very beginning. Today, he is confident that the official report issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology will be exposed as untrue in his lifetime. Click HERE to listen and watch.

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* 9/11 Free Fall is a weekly podcast hosted by Andrew Steele that airs every Thursday at 7 p.m. PST (7 p.m. EST) on No Lies Radio.

First, links to reports from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse (with Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata), and Tass on concerns about the Russian-held Zaporizhia nuclear power plant — Europe’s largest — and possible consequences of attacks; links to other reports from these organizations are accessible by clicking on their names below. Finally, via Consortium News, a firsthand retrospective on the horror of nuclear weaponry in warfare, related official propaganda, and current precariousness; author and filmmaker John Pilger filed it more than a week ago. — MCM

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Examining the security of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Leila Fadel of NPR talks with Mariana Budjeryn of Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center about concerns Russian forces are launching attacks from the plant knowing Ukrainians won’t risk returning fire. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Fighting in Ukraine endangers big nuclear plant. From the Associated Press. Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, stoking international fears of a catastrophe on the continent. Click HERE for a detailed AP backgrounder.

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Ukraine accuses Russia of using power plant as ‘nuclear shield,‘ by Pavel Polityuk | Reuters * Ukraine says 13 killed in Russian rocket attack * Accuses Russia of shelling from near nuclear plant * Russia says it does not deliberately target civilians * Has accused Kyiv of shelling power plant from struck town | KYIV — Ukraine today accused Russia of exploiting its position in a nuclear power plant it had seized to target a nearby town in a rocket attack that killed at least 13 people and left many others seriously wounded. READ MORE . . .

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G7 says Russian control of Ukraine nuclear plant ‘endangers the region.’ From Agence France-Presse and Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata  KYIV — The Group of Seven industrialised nations today condemned Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and called on Moscow to immediately hand back full control of the plant to Ukraine. Ukrainian staff operating the plant “must be able to carry out their duties without threats or pressure. It is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region,” the G7 foreign ministers said in a statement.

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G7 top diplomats call on Russia to hand over Zaporozhye NPP to Ukraine — statement. From Tass. BERLIN — The G7 Foreign Ministers called on Russia to immediately transfer the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and all nuclear facilities in Ukraine to Kiev’s control, according to the joint statement issued today by the German Foreign Ministry, which holds the G7 presidency. “We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, reiterate our strongest condemnation of the ongoing unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The Russian Federation must immediately withdraw its troops from within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and respect Ukraine’s territory and sovereignty,” the document states. “In that context, we . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hiroshima at 77: Another Hiroshima is Coming — Unless We Stop It Now, by John Pilger | Consortium News When I first went to Hiroshima in 1967, the shadow on the steps was still there. It was an almost perfect impression of a human being at ease: legs splayed, back bent, one hand by her side as she sat waiting for a bank to open. At a quarter past eight on the morning of August 6, 1945, she and her silhouette were burned into the granite. I stared at the shadow for . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Tass. and teleSUR; others from these organizations are accessible by clicking on their names below. — MCM

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Moscow steps up assault in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv calls for ‘ban’ on Russians, by Pavel Polityuk | Reuters * Heavy Russian shelling reported along Donbas front * Ukraine says it repels assaults * Moscow claims some territorial gains * Ukrainian President calls for blanket ban on Russians | KYIV — Russia unleashed ground forces, air strikes and artillery as it pressed ahead with a grinding offensive designed to complete its capture of eastern Ukraine, but Kyiv said its troops were putting up fierce resistance and holding the line. Heavy fighting was reported today in frontline towns near the eastern city of Donetsk, where Ukrainian officials said Russian troops were launching waves of attacks as they tried to seize control of the industrialised . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Explosions’ near Russia air base in Crimea, local officials say. From Agence France-Presse. Several explosions took place today near a Russian air base in Moscow-annexed Crimea, which is a popular tourist destination, local officials said. “I can confirm the fact of several explosions in the area of Novofyodorovka. The circumstances are being clarified,” Oleg Kryuchkov, an aide to the Moscow-installed head of Crimea, said on messaging app Telegram.

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Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia edging closer to Russia referendum. From AFP. Moscow-backed authorities in the southeastern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia said Monday they were pressing ahead with plans to stage a referendum on joining Russia. “I signed a decree… to start working on the issue of organising a referendum on the reunification of the Zaporizhzhia region with the Russian Federation,” Yevgeny Balitsky, head of the Moscow-installed administration in the occupied part of the region of Zaporizhzhia, said on social media. . . . The eponymous Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — Europe’s largest  — has in recent days been the scene of strikes that have damaged several structures, forcing the shutdown of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia starts stripping jetliners for parts as sanctions bite. From Reuters. * This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine * The Moscow Times has its own version of this story | MOSCOW — Russian airlines, including state-controlled Aeroflot (AFLT.MM), are stripping jetliners to secure spare parts they can no longer buy abroad because of Western sanctions, four industry sources told Reuters. The steps are in line with advice Russia’s government provided in June for airlines to use some aircraft for parts to ensure the remainder of foreign-built planes can continue flying at least through . . . READ MORE . . .

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Chechen leader says Russia-allied forces take control of Knauf plant in Soledar. From Tass. MOSCOW — Chechnya’s leader Ramzan Kadyrov has reported that [Russia-allied] troops took control of the Knauf plant in the town of Soledar. He took to his Telegram channel today to write that the Akhmat special operations group together with the LPR’s militia were successfully liberating territories. “The allied forces also took under control the premises of the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian disinformation spreading in new ways despite bans, by David Klepper | The Associated Press WASHINGTON — After Russia invaded Ukraine last February, the European Union moved to block RT and Sputnik, two of the Kremlin’s top channels for spreading propaganda and misinformation about the war. Nearly six months later, the number of sites pushing that same content has exploded as Russia found ways to evade the ban. They’ve rebranded their work to disguise it. They’ve shifted some propaganda duties to diplomats. . . . NewsGuard, a New York-based firm that studies and tracks online misinformation, . . . READ MORE . . .

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No military ship or plane can approach Ukrainian grain ships. From teleSUR. According to reports, Russia and Ukraine issued a document specifying that both countries agreed to restrict the rapprochement of any military ships and aircraft to Ukrainian grain shipments in a designated safe corridor. “The parties will not undertake any attacks against merchant vessels or other civilian vessels and port facilities engaged in this initiative,” said the document signed by both countries, referring to merchant vessels. “No military vessel, aircraft, or UAVs [drones] will close to within ten nautical miles of a merchant’s vessel transiting the Maritime Humanitarian Corridor, excluding territorial seas of Ukraine.” These policies are part of the agreement signed in Istanbul last July between . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to an essay from Behind the Curtain that pertains to all of the subjects addressed in the more than four years of this blog. Next, a link to a column from this weekend’s Berkshire Eagle, also by a fellow Berkshirite, concerning up-to-the-moment matters in the sixth month of the war in Ukraine. Then, links to recent reports from Tass, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and Reuters; additional reports from these organizations are accessible by clicking on their names below. NOTE: A few days off plus technical difficulties explain gaps since last Wednesday. — MCM

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At the Lost and Found, by Edward Curtin | Behind the Curtain Today is a time of unprecedented official lies about everything, endless wars hot and cold, class wars of the rich against the poor, medical wars of international elites against everyone, etc. –  it is a daily electronic digital  barrage meant to pound people into the deepest despair.  Call it “The Lost World of the Information Superhighway.”  These lies have sown a vast sense of bewilderment, as intended.  Lostness for so many, including . . . READ MORE . . .

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My time in Kherson, by James Brooke | The Berkshire Eagle “Stalingrad in reverse” is how military analysts are describing a key battle shaping up to liberate Kherson. This regional capital in southern Ukraine is the biggest city to fall under Russian occupation since the war started six months ago. Back in January 1943, Soviet soldiers fought in a pincer movement across the steppe, trapping Nazi invaders in a semi-circle stronghold, their backs against the Volga River. This time, . . . Eagle subscribers, and perhaps others, can read more by clicking HERE.

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Head of Zaporozhye Region signs order to hold referendum on accession to Russia. From Tass. MELITOPOL, Ukraine The head of the Zaporozhye Region, Yevgeny Balitsky, says he has signed an order to hold a referendum on accession to Russia. “I am signing an order to the Central Election Commission to start preparations for a referendum on the Zaporozhye Region’s reunification with Russia,” he said at the forum “We are Together with Russia.” The resolution on holding the referendum was read out by a member of the chief council of the Zaporozhye Region’s military-civilian administration, Vladimir Rogov. . . . “We, participants in the forum, declare that we pin our future on being together with Russia,” the resolution begins. “Time is ripe to restore historical justice. We are confident that as a member of Russia the Zaporozhe Region will be protected from any encroachments. . . . Based on the principle of free choice, regarding the opinion of every resident of our region as the main value, we declare . . .” READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin accuses Kyiv of nuclear plant shelling, warns of ‘catastrophic consequences. From Agence France-Presse. The Kremlin on Monday accused Ukrainian forces of firing on the Zaporizhzhia atomic power plant, warning of potential “catastrophic consequences” for Europe. “The shelling of the territory of the nuclear plant by the Ukrainian armed forces is a potentially extremely dangerous activity… fraught with catastrophic consequences for a vast area, including the territory of Europe,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He called on Ukraine’s allies “to use . . . READ MORE . . .

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As Russian missiles struck Ukraine, Western tech still flowed, by David Gauthier-Villars, Steve Stecklow, Maurice Tamman, Stephen Grey and Andrew Macaskill | Reuters KYIV — Russian weaponry shown to Reuters collected on the battlefield by Ukraine’s military contain Russian electronics bearing Cyrillic markings, sometimes handwritten. But many of the most important electronic components inside are . . . stamped with the names of American chip-makers, including Texas Instruments Inc; Altera . . . ; and Maxim Integrated Products Inc, . . . READ MORE . . .

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Experts widely condemn Amnesty International report alleging Ukrainian war crimes. Reported by Julian Hayda | National Public Radio (From All Things Considered Saturday evening.) Ukrainian and international experts and commentators have responded critically to an Amnesty International report implicating Ukrainian troops in potential war crimes. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Are Russian sanctions working? Alina Selyukh of NPR talks with UCLA economics professor Oleg Itskhoki about the effects of sanctions on the Russian economy. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Moscow’s ex-chief rabbi warns of growing pressures fraying Russia’s Jewish community. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt was chief rabbi of Moscow for nearly three decades, until early March of this year. He speaks about why he fled Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED TODAY

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

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U.S. readies new $1 billion Ukraine weapons package, by Idrees Ali and Mike Stone | Reuters WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s next security assistance package for Ukraine is expected to be $1 billion, one of the largest so far, and include munitions for long-range weapons and armored medical transport vehicles, three sources briefed on the matter told Reuters. . . . The package is expected to be announced as early as Monday and would add to about $8.8 billion in aid the United States has given Ukraine since . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine condemns Amnesty International report that troops were too close to civilians. Reported by Julian Hayda | National Public Radio Amnesty International has criticized Ukraine for setting up military bases in residential areas. Ukrainian officials say It’s Russian forces that are putting Ukrainian civilians lives in jeopardy. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Amnesty Int’l report sparks furor, resignation  From the Associated Press KYIV — The head of Amnesty International’s Ukraine chapter has resigned, saying the human rights organization shot down her opposition to publishing a report that claimed Ukrainian forces had exposed civilians to Russian attacks by basing themselves in populated areas. In a statement posted Friday night on Facebook, Oksana Pokalchuk accused her former employer of disregarding Ukraine’s wartime realities and the concerns of local staff members who had pushed for the report to be reworked. The report, released . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia must take responsibility for nuclear plant ‘terror,’ says Zelensky. From Agence France-Presse. KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Russia must take responsibility for an “act of terror,” after Kyiv and Moscow traded blame for strikes at Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Russia earlier accused Kyiv’s forces of striking Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and charged that Zelensky’s government was committing acts of “nuclear . . . READ MORE . . .

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A young Ukrainian man’s journey to get himself and his mother to safety. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf | NPR  One young man has struggled to get himself and his mom out of Russian-occupied territory in southern Ukraine as fighting there intensifies. Click HERE to listen and read.

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names below. Then, via Global Research, a link to one way to assess the effectiveness of Western sanctions against Russia; it was filed 10 days ago. — MCM

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First ship with Ukraine grain cleared to sail on to Lebanon, by Zeynep Bilginsoy | The Associated Press ISTANBUL — The first grain ship to depart Ukraine under a wartime deal was poised to cross through the Bosporus Strait and sail to Lebanon after its cargo was checked and approved today, Turkish and Ukrainian authorities said. An inspection team spent about 90 minutes conducting checks aboard the Sierra Leone-flagged Razoni, which was carrying Ukrainian corn and anchored off Istanbul, Turkey’s defense ministry said. The team included officials from Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations. The Razoni’s horn rang out as the inspectors . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s army is waging its 1st major offensive against Russia to retake Kherson. Reported by Brian Mann | National Public Radio Could Ukraine’s army retake the strategic southern city of Kherson? Officers and soldiers near the front line say the counter-offensive is already underway. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russian soft drinks maker targets 50% of market to fill gap left by Coke, Pepsi. From Reuters.  * This content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine | MOSCOW — As the world’s biggest soft drinks makers cut their Russian ties, local producer Chernogolovka is aiming for a 50% share of the country’s near $9 billion market, its boss told Reuters. A mass exodus of Western firms due to sanctions and restrictions over Russia’s actions in Ukraine has created an unexpected opportunity for Russian businesses and entrepreneurs. Chernogolovka, named after the town outside Moscow . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Vogue’ cover of Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska sparks debate and controversy. Reported by Ashley Westermann | NPR  Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska was criticized for not looking ladylike in a recent Vogue photoshoot. Her supporters pushed back, creating an online campaign asking what it means to #SitLikeAGirl. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Sanctions Had No Effect on Moscow Yet Europe Lost Four Governments: Orban, by Al Mayadeen | Global Research Russia sanctions have not shaken Moscow’s resolve, despite the fact that Europe has already lost four governments due to economic and political crises, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Saturday. “The West’s strategy is like a car with flat tires on all four wheels… The sanctions did not destabilize Moscow. Europe is in trouble, economically and politically, and four governments have become victims: UK, Bulgarian, Italian, and Estonian… READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED  TODAY, TOMORROW OR THURSDAY

Two items. A link to the announcement today of a new book questioning governments and mainstream media of the world on their handling of the Covid-19 virus. And a link to a longer piece suggesting that the Covid-19 phenomenon is part of an orchestrated campaign by elites to force a new world order. — MCM

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Book: A Letter to Liberals—Censorship and COVID: An Attack on Science and American Ideals. Introduced by its author, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. | Children’s Health Defense   Journalists — even science journalists — act as if they believe any pronouncement by [Dr. Anthony] Fauci (or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or World Health Organization) should mark the end of scientific inquiry. My latest book . . .  emerged from a congenial and ongoing conversation during the COVID-19 pandemic between myself and my longtime friend and former law . . . READ MORE . . .

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What Was Covid Really About? Triggering A Multi-Trillion Dollar Global Debt Crisis. ‘Ramping up an Imperialist Strategy’? By Colin Todhunter | Global Research What we are seeing is a de facto privatisation of the state as governments capitulate to the needs of Western financial institutions. . . . These debts are largely dollar-denominated, helping to strengthen the U.S. dollar and U.S. leverage over countries. It raises the question: what was COVID really about? Millions have been asking that question since lockdowns and restrictions began in early 2020. If it was indeed about public health, why . . . Click HERE to read in English, HERE to read in Spanish.