First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Tass, Agence France-Presse, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials or names below. Then, commentary New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman finished writing early this week; by this weekend it will have appeared in dozens of newspapers in the United States and elsewhere; the Albany Times-Union printed it on Thursday and the Berkshire Eagle on Friday. — MCM

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Russia shells Ukrainian cities amid Kremlin-staged votes, by Karl Ritter and Hanna Arhirova | AP  KYIV — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. . . . In the five-day voting in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south that began Friday . . . READ MORE . . .

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Mikhail Mizintsev appointed Russia’s deputy defense minister for logistics. From Tass. MOSCOW — Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, has been appointed deputy defense minister for logistics, the Russian Defense Ministry said today. . . . Army General Dmitry Bulgakov, who held this position before, was relieved of it due to his transfer to another . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia toughens penalty for voluntary surrender, refusal to fight. From AFP. MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin today signed amendments toughening penalties for voluntary surrender, desertion and refusal to fight by up to 10 years in prison, just days after ordering a partial mobilisation. On Tuesday, Russia’s parliament had approved amendments toughening penalties for military crimes in times of mobilisation. . . . Looting will be punishable by 15 years . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russians are protesting and fleeing the country as Putin orders a draft for Ukraine. Reported by Charles Maynes | NPR  MOSCOW — The decree’s impact is increasingly clear. Dozens of videos have emerged on social media showing families and friends seeing off young recruits to fight. These were scenes few Russians could have imagined even last week. (NPR has not independently verified the images and footage.) In Yakutia . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russian men are flying to Turkey to avoid military service in Ukraine. Reported by Fatma Tanis and Scott Simon | NPR  Russia’s call-up of additional troops has prompted many men to look for ways to avoid military service. Some of them are packing flights to Turkey. Click HERE to listen and, another day, read.

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How the Ukraine war could end, by Thomas L. Friedman | The New York Times MUNICH — It was Putin’s worst week since he invaded Ukraine. And yet … maybe I was just hanging around the wrong people, but I detected a certain undertow of anxiety in many of my conversations with Ukraine’s European allies. READ MORE . . .

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

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World opinion shifts against Russia as Ukraine worries grow, by Matthew Lee | AP  NEW YORK — The tide of international opinion appears to be decisively shifting against Russia, as a number of non-aligned countries are joining the United States and its allies in condemning Moscow’s war in Ukraine and its threats to the principles of the international rules-based order. . . . On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, much of the international community spoke out against the conflict in a rare display of unity at the often fractured United Nations. READ MORE . . .

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Putin invaded to put ‘decent people’ in Kyiv, says Italy’s Berlusconi, by Alvise Armellini | Reuters  * Russia’s Putin is a long-time friend of Berlusconi * Berlusconi’s right-wing bloc set to win Sept. 25 election * Italian leader says Putin envisaged a quick war * Pollsters say remarks unlikely to shift votes | ROME — Russian President Vladimir Putin was “pushed” into invading Ukraine and wanted to put “decent people” in charge of Kyiv, former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has said, drawing fierce criticism just ahead of Italy’s election. The Italian leader, whose Forza Italia party belongs to a right-wing coalition expected to win the general election on Sunday . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine begin illegal referendums. From NPR. Referendms began in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine today. The voting is illegal under both Ukrainian and international law. But that hasn’t stopped Moscow from going through with it. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Ukraine says recaptured territory in east, as annexation polls open. From AFP. Kyiv said today its forces had recaptured a village in the eastern Donetsk region and territory around another war-scarred town there, as Moscow-proxies held votes on annexation by Russia. “The Ukrainian army has retaken the village of Yatskivka in the Donetsk region,” a senior army official told reporters, adding that Kyiv’s forces had “also regained controlled over positions to the south of Bakhmut,” also in Donetsk, where voting was underway Friday in Russian-controlled territory. READ MORE . . .

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‘War crimes’ committed in Ukraine: UN investigators. From ANSA-AFP. GENEVA — UN investigators said today that war crimes have been committed in the Ukraine conflict, listing Russian bombings of civilians areas, numerous executions, torture and horrific sexual violence. “Based on the evidence gathered by the Commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine,” the head of a high-level Commission of Inquiry set up in May to . . .READ MORE . . . 

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China and Ukraine foreign ministers meet in New York: Chinese state media. From AFP. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Chinese foreign ministry said today. The meeting was the first between the two since the February invasion of Ukraine by Russia — though they have held two phone calls.

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Japan’s treatment of Ukrainians contrasts with its prior refugee policy. Reported by Anthony Kuhn | NPR  Japan has taken in hundreds of Ukrainians fleeing Russia. Japan’s embrace of the Ukrainians contrasts with the less than 1% of refugees from other nations that Tokyo has recently accepted. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

Presented below are links to reports from teleSUR, the Associated Press, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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6.8 earthquake in Michoacan leaves 2 dead, shaking Mexico City. From teleSUR. A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook Uruapan City in the state of Michoacan, early this morning, leaving power poles falling and fences collapsing in downtown. The earthquake left two dead in Mexico City. The earthquake was also felt in the states of Jalisco, Zacatecas, Guerrero, Colima, Michoacan, Guanajuato, the State of Mexico, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, and Tlaxcala. It occurred at 1:16 am with an epicenter 81 kilometers south of Coalcoman, where another earthquake occurred last Monday . . . READ MORE . . .

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Fugitive in massive Navy bribery case caught in Venezuela  From AP. SAN DIEGO — A Malaysian defense contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” who orchestrated one of the largest bribery scandals in U.S. military history has been arrested in Venezuela after fleeing before his sentencing, authorities said Wednesday. The international manhunt for Leonard Glenn Francisended with his arrest by Venezuelan authorities Tuesday morning at the Caracas airport . . . READ MORE . . .

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Honduras former first lady gets 14 years in prison on fraud charges. From Reuters. TEGUCIGALPA — A Honduran court sentenced the country’s former first lady, Rosa Bonilla, to 14 years in prison on Wednesday on charges of fraud and misappropriation of funds destined for social programs, a judicial spokesperson said. Bonilla, wife of former President Porfirio Lobo, spent some 12.2 million lempiras (then worth around $590,000) meant for low-income children on . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. to increase Havana embassy staff, expand consular services. From teleSUR. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is set to resume full immigrant visa processing for Cubans for the first time since 2017, at the beginning of 2023, saying it hopes to facilitate “orderly migration” into the United States and help reunite families separated by national borders. The move was announced Wednesday, reversing . . . READ MORE . . .

Thanks to a Facebook friend for these. — MCM

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Nietzsche was the one who did the job for me. At a certain moment in his life, the idea came to him of what he called “the love of your fate.” Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, “It may look like a wreck, but go at it as if it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment — not discouragement — you will find the strength. Any disaster you can survive improves your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege! This is when the spontaneity of your  own nature will have a chance to flow.” — Joseph Campbell

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The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. — Friedrich Nietzsche

For now, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Tass, National Public Radio, Newsweek, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, via Consortium News, links to two alternative views of Western media treatment of a summit meeting last week in Uzbekistan. — MCM

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Russia’s Medvedev: new regions can be defended with strategic nuclear weapons. From Reuters. LONDON — Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said today that any weapons in Moscow’s arsenal, including strategic nuclear weapons, could be used to defend territories incorporated in Russia from Ukraine. Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said that referendums being organised . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy lays out his case against Russia to UN, by Jennifer Peltz | AP  UNITED NATIONS — Ukraine’s president laid out a detailed case on Wednesday against Russia’s invasion at the United Nations and demanded punishment from world leaders in a speech delivered just hours after Moscow made an extraordinary announcement that it would mobilize some reservists for the war effort. Buoyed by a counteroffensive that has retaken . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia will fight for its independence for great future, Putin says. From Tass. VELIKY NOVGOROD, Russia — Russia will continue to defend its freedom and independence, culture and traditions for the sake of future generations and a great future, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday at the festivities on the occasion of the 1,160th anniversary of the inception of Russian statehood. “We will fight for our Fatherland, for our Motherland, the only one we have, for our . . READ MORE . . .

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What Putin’s partial mobilization announcement means for Ukraine. A Martinez of NPR talks with retired Marine Corps Col. Mark Cancian about what Putin’s partial mobilization of the Russian military and attempts to annex Ukrainian territory tell us about the next phase of the war. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Russia’s Sergey Lavrov warns U.S. it risks becoming combatant in Ukraine war, by Tom O’Connor | Newsweek In an interview with Newsweek, the Russian foreign minister said U.S.-Russian interstate dialogue “has been practically frozen owing to the United States. It is objectively not possible to maintain normal communication with Washington declaring the strategic defeat of Russia as an objective.” Click HERE for a transcript.

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UK government lifts energy fracking ban in England. From AFP. The UK government today lifted England’s moratorium on fracking, a controversial method to dig for fossil fuels, to boost energy output after key supplier Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Liz Truss had flagged the move two weeks ago, shortly after taking office, in a vast energy package . . . READ MORE . . .

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Defensive West smears Samarkand summit, by Joe Lauria | Consortium News At  its peril, the West continues to dismiss a movement of most of the world seeking to break free of U.S. global domination which has dramatically accelerated since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While Western media pushes the line that the whole world is standing with Ukraine and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Appointment in Samarkand, by Patrick Lawrence | Consortium News The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is dedicated to Eurasian unity and is of a piece with the famous World Island thesis of Halford MacKinder, who postulated in 1904 that the Eurasian landmass was destined to emerge as “the geographical pivot of history.” The Eurasian Economic Union, the Belt and Road Initiative, the SCO: These are the organizational hardware as this turn of history’s wheel comes to be. Of this we read next to nothing last week . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Presented below are the first few paragraphs of a short article on breaking news from Moscow about Russia’s war in Ukraine. Joe Lauria is editor-in-chief of Consortium News (which published the article this afternoon) and a longtime correspondent and investigative reporter for various news organizations in the United States and abroad. — MCM

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How the war changed overnight

By Joe Lauria | Consortium News

From Russia’s perspective, the war in Ukraine until now has been a “special military operation” intended to defend the self-declared independent republics of Luhansk and Donetsk. 

For eight years Moscow had rebuffed entreaties from Donbass to recognize those republics. Now Russia is prepared to absorb them as part of the Russian Federation itself, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.

Today in Moscow President Vladimir Putin announced that referenda to decide whether to join Russia would be held in those four places from this Friday until next Wednesday. After that, the Russian Duma must decide whether to accept the results and formally annex those territories into Russia. 

All that is expected to happen, and once it does the game on the battlefield will change dramatically.  From Russia’s point of view, it will no longer . . . READ MORE . . .

For now, via Popular Resistance, something from Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. — MCM

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PBS and BBC team up to misinform about Brazil’s Bolsonaro, by Brian Mier | Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting / Popular Resistance Both the U.S. and British governments supported the rise of Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. Future Prime Minister Liz Truss had secret meetings with the future president in 2018 to discuss “free trade, free markets and post-Brexit opportunities” (BrasilWire, 3/25/20). The U.S. Department of Justice was a crucial partner in the Lava Jato (“Car Wash”) investigation, which resulted in the prosecution and jailing of Brazil’s left-leaning former president Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva. The politically . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

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

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Putin sets partial military call-up, won’t ‘bluff’ on nukes, by Karl Ritter | AP  KYIV — Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia today, risking a deeply unpopular step that follows a string of humiliating setbacks for his troops nearly seven months after invading Ukraine. It’s the first mobilization in Russia since World War II and is sure to . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin escalates Ukraine war, issues nuclear threat to West, by Guy Faulconbridge | Reuters  * Putin announces partial mobilisation * Warns West over ‘nuclear blackmail’ * Says Russia will use all means to defend itself * This is not a bluff, says Putin * Russia moves to annex swathes of Ukrainian territory | LONDON — President Vladimir Putin today ordered Russia’s first mobilisation since World War Two and backed a plan to annex swathes of Ukraine, warning the West he was not bluffing when he said he’d be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia. In the biggest escalation of the Ukraine war since Moscow’s Feb. 24 invasion, Putin explicitly raised the spectre of a nuclear conflict, approved a plan to annex a chunk of Ukraine the size of Hungary, and called up 300,000 reservists. READ MORE . . .

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Putin announces a partial military mobilization for Russian citizens. Reported by Charles Maynes | NPR  MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a “partial mobilization” of Russia’s armed forces on Wednesday morning — signing a decree that will send Russians who have gone through military training to join the fight in Ukraine while stopping short of an all-out draft. “Only those citizens . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russian history professor breaks down Putin’s latest speech. From NPR. Sergey Radchenko, professor of Russian history at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies takes a look at Putin’s speech declaring a partial mobilization in Russia. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Flights Abroad Sell Out, Stocks Plunge on Putin’s ‘Partial’ Mobilization. From the Moscow Times. Virtually all flights from Russia to available foreign destinations were sold out Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin declared a “partial” mobilization of the country’s 25 million reservists. Flights from Moscow to the capitals of Georgia, Turkey and Armenia — which do not require visas for Russians — for Sept. 21 were unavailable within minutes of Putin’s announcement, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

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Top Zelenskyy advisor discusses Ukraine’s latest military moves. NPR hears from a top advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the latest Ukrainian military advances and Russia’s plan to hold a referendum in territory it occupies. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Mobilization tasks set – what Sergy Shoigu said at Defense Ministry board meeting. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russia’s Defense Ministry has determined partial mobilization tasks for all regions of the country. The General Staff has issued the necessary instructions regarding mobilization procedures, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at the ministry’s board meeting today. He . . . READ MORE . . .

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Talks with Ukraine to be out of the question after Donbass joins Russia, lawmaker says. From Tass. MOSCOW — Any prospects for talks with Ukraine after Donbass joins Russia will be impossible, Chairman of the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky told reporters today. “Unfortunately, talks have been out of the question for a while. The West and the Kiev junta that it controls . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Presented here are links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and teleSUR; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. — MCM

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UN experts: Rights abuses continue in Maduro’s Venezuela, by Regina Garcia Cano and Jamey Keaten | AP  CARACAS — Independent experts working with the U.N.’s top human rights body say Venezuelan authorities have failed to hold to account state-backed perpetrators of violations including arbitrary executions, sexual violence and torture of civilians, warning that abuses by intelligence and counterintelligence services are continuing. The third report from the fact-finding mission on Venezuela . . . READ MORE . . .

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Powerful earthquake hits Mexico on anniversary of deadly temblors, killing at least 2, by Diana Beth Solomon, Kylie Madry and Lizbeth Diaz | Reuters MEXICO CITY — A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck western Mexico today on the anniversary of two devastating temblors, killing at least two people, damaging buildings, knocking out power, and sending residents of Mexico City scrambling outside for safety. Two died in the Pacific port of Manzanillo, authorities said, one . . . READ MORE . . .

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How Puerto Rico is faring after Hurricane Fiona brought catastrophic floods. From NPR. Hurricane Fiona has left Puerto Rico crippled by flooding and power failures. How are people there coping and how much better is the island’s response compared to years past? Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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76% of Chileans favor new constituent process – Cadem survey. From teleSUR. A survey conducted by the Chilean consulting firm Cadem shows that 76 percent of those polled want a new constituent process to be initiated. . . . Of the participants, 49 percent believe the process should be initiated through a new referendum to define whether to reform the current Constitution or draft a new one. READ MORE . . .

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Analysis: In Latin America, democracies shaken ahead of key elections, by David Alire Garcia | Reuters BUENOS AIRES — An assassination attempt in Argentina and spurts of election-linked violence in Brazil have emerged as the latest signs of growing political discontent in Latin America, creating a treacherous environment for incumbents of all stripes. Latin America’s political arena has intensified with fallout from the pandemic, war in Ukraine, spiraling inflation plus fears of global recession. Those hardships . . . READ MORE . . .

 

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

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4 Ukrainian separatist regions plan votes to join Russia, by Jon Gambrell | AP  KYIV — Russian-controlled regions of eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans today to start voting this week to become integral parts of Russia. The concerted and quickening Kremlin-backed efforts to swallow up four regions could set the stage for Moscow to . . . READ MORE . . .

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In challenge to West, Russia unfurls plan to annex swathes of Ukraine, by Guy Faulconbridge and Felix Light | Reuters  * Russian-separatists plan referendums in Ukraine * Votes would allow Russia to annex 15% of Ukraine * West would then face potential battle with Russia * Ukraine says Russia is running scared * Russian parliament adopts law on mobilisation crimes | LONDON — Russia today gave support to plans by separatists which it backs in Ukraine to hold referendums paving the way for the annexation of swathes of additional territory, a direct challenge to the West that could sharply escalate the conflict. In what appeared . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kherson region decides to hold referendum on becoming part of Russia. From Tass. KHERSON, Ukraine — The authorities of the Kherson region have decided to hold a referendum on the region’s accession to the Russian Federation, Vladimir Saldo, head of the military-civilian administration of the region, said on his Telegram channel today. “Having considered . . . READ MORE . . . 

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Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region joins Russia annexation votes. From AFP. The Russian-held Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, home to Europe’s largest nuclear plant, will join three other occupied territories in holding votes on becoming part of Russia, a pro-Moscow official said today. “Today I signed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine vows to ‘eliminate’ Russian threat after annexation vote announced. From AFP. Ukraine today vowed to “eliminate” Russian threats against the war-torn country, after pro-Moscow separatists said they would hold referenda to join Russia later this week. “Ukraine will solve the Russian issue. The threat can be eliminated only by force,” said the Ukraine presidency’s chief of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk leaves 13 dead. From teleSUR. On Monday morning, Donetsk’s Major Alexei Kulemzin denounced that Ukrainian forces shelled the Kuybyshevsky district, leaving 13 civilians dead. A few hours later, local media reported that the death toll rose to 16 and includes two children. The bombardment was directed at areas where there are no military personnel. The Ukrainian armed forces attacked . . . READ MORE . . .

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A war with recurring themes: Russian blunders, Ukrainian ingenuity. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  Ukraine keeps laying deadly traps for the Russian military — and the Russians keep biting. When Ukraine . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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Russia’s attempt to use energy to pressure Europe could backfire. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  Russia has cut off natural gas for much of Europe to punish it for its support of Ukraine. But Putin may have miscalculated. Europe has been preparing to survive winter without Russian gas. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Why Russian pop star Alla Pugacheva dissent against Russia matters. Reported by Charles Maynes | NPR  Russian pop diva Alla Pugacheva [Poo-gah-CHEOV-ah] is among those condemning President Putin’s war in Ukraine. Her willingness to part ways with the Kremlin may hint at a larger domestic groundswell. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED