9/11 Truth, 6-30-22

Richard Gage is best known as the founding director of Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, from which he departed last September over board members’ disappointment over some parts of his interview with filmmaker Spike Lee that led to the shortening of the fourth and final segment of Lee’s “NYC Epicenters” for HBO Max. Several months ago Gage started his own website, richardgage911.org. His interview with the British communications scholar Piers Robinson, promoted below, will be viewable online today beginning at 4 p.m. EDT today. It is part of a series under the rubric “Richard Gage: UNLEASHED!” — MCM

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9/11: The Propaganda War | Piers Robinson, PhD

Was 9/11 a propaganda event?

My guest on “RichardGage911:UNLEASHED!” is Dr. Piers Robinson!

What is propaganda and what role does it play in democracies?

Watch on Rokfin after 1PM Pacific Today!

How was propaganda deployed by the Government, and the media, on & following 9/11?

Who is Hill+Knowlton? Who hired them? What role did they play in the lead up to war in Iraq?

What role did propaganda play with respect to enabling the Global War on 

Terror” and “regime change war doctrine”?

What is revealed in the planning documents and exchanges between Tony Blair & George Bush immediately following 9/11?

Who was Edward Bernays? How has he shaped the minds of Americans?

What are the techniques & mechanisms of propaganda?

How was the deception of omissions and distortions used on 9/11?

Was “deception” deployed to initiate the subsequent wars? 1. Afghanistan: with the “democracy/rights” narrative? 2. Iraq: with the “WMD” narrative? 3. Syria and Libya: with the “evil dictator” and “chemical weapon” narratives?

How does the legacy media maintain these deceptions?

How are these deceptions maintained in the academic communities?

How was “suppression of science” arrayed against the work of Steve Jones, Kevin Ryan, Niels Harrit and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks WTC 7 Study?

How is the “conspiracy theorist” smear tactic used? And where did it originate?

Who is the government official Cass Sunstein? And what is “cognitive infiltration”?

How can we, as citizens, see through propaganda in real time?

What is the best way to expose propaganda when we find it?

Ukraine, 6-30-22

To begin, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. — MCM

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Russia and China slam NATO after alliance raises alarm, by Jill Lawless, Joseph Wilson and Sylvie Corbet | The Associated Press MADRID — NATO faced rebukes from Moscow and Beijing on today after it declared Russia a “direct threat” and said China posed “serious challenges” to global stability. The Western military alliance was wrapping up a summit in Madrid, where it issued a stark warning that the world has been plunged into a dangerous phase of big-power competition and myriad threats, from cyberattacks to climate change. NATO leaders also formally invited Finland and Sweden to join the alliance, after overcoming opposition from Turkey. READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces withdraw from Ukraine’s strategic Snake Island, by Max Hunder | Reuters KYIV — Russian forces have withdrawn from Ukraine’s Snake Island, a strategic outpost in the Black Sea, Russia’s defence ministry and Ukraine’s president’s office said today. . . .”KABOOM! No Russian troops on the Snake Island anymore. Our Armed Forces did a great job,” Andriy Yermak, head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office, wrote on Twitter. Russia’s defence ministry confirmed Russian troops had withdrawn from Snake Island, calling it a “goodwill gesture” . . . . [It] added the move showed Russia was not impeding U.N. efforts to organise a humanitarian corridor to export agricultural products out of Ukraine. READ MORE . . .

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Secretary Blinken and Spanish Foreign Minister Albares on new NATO Strategic Concept. Michel Martin of National Public Radio moderated a panel on Wednesday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares at the NATO Public Forum in Madrid about Ukraine and immigration. NATO leaders approved a new strategic concept, a blueprint for the alliance going forward. Among its priorities . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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Biden is wrapping up a week of high-level meetings with allies in Europe. Reported by A Martínez and Tamara Keith | NPR While in Europe, President Biden committed more U.S. troops to NATO and worked with G-7 leaders on Russia. Before heading home, he’ll take questions about the domestic issues waiting for him. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

Lionel, 6-29-22

Below please find the beginnings of an email I and dozens of others got from Lionel this morning. As I’ve noted before, I had never heard of him before attending a conference in New York City marking the 15th anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He made a lot of sense that day while entertaining. He doesn’t mention 9/11 below. In recent months this blog has focused mostly on the war in Ukraine and related events. Below, Lionel mentions that only once directly and a few times tangentially. Readers are invited to enjoy his messages and see what they agree with and what they don’t. They are also urged to look at today’s previous entry. — MCM

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Greetings from a Parallel Universe

By Lionel

If you can’t convince them, confuse them. — Harry S Truman

If, to expose the fraud and imposition of monarchy . . . to promote universal peace, civilization, and commerce, and to break the chains of political superstition, and raise degraded man to his proper rank; if these things be libellous . . . let the name of libeller be engraved on my tomb. ― Thomas Paine, The Thomas Paine Reader

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It may be too much to ask citizens to be conversant with that they rail against.

* If it’s on cable news it’s a lie.

* You’re not watching news. You’re watching distractions.

* The greatest fable yet concocted. An incredible yarn. The product of desperation. The Hail Mary. When all else fails. Going for broke. Meanwhile the country exhales in collective ennui nonchalance and habituated boredom. Been there, done that. Next! Do you really think Trump went this crackers? Ever? No way. And now we find out. Now? What timing, huh?

* You can always guarantee that during any form of political or societal contretemps Howard Stern through his publicity units will invariably enter the fray with yet another seemingly irrelevant reference just to prove to the world he’s still alive.

* The era of the unipolar world is over.

* “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” —Daniel Patrick Moynihan

* Being Hutch’d. Alas poor Cassidy. So young to be set up this way . . . READ MORE . . .

Ukraine, 6-29-22

To begin, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. Then, via Consortium News, links to two analyses from caitlinjohnstone.com and Common Dreams. — MCM

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U.S. to boost military presence in Europe for Russia threat, by Darlene Superville and Zeke Miller | The Associated Press MADRID — President Joe Biden said today that the U.S. will significantly increase its military presence in Europe for the long haul, including by establishing its first permanent presence in Poland, to bolster regional security after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. . . . Biden said “NATO is strong and united” and that steps to be taken during the gathering will “further augment our collective strength.” The White House said Biden’s commitments mean the U.S. will maintain a presence of 100,000 troops in Europe, up 20,000 from the levels before the Ukraine war began, for the “foreseeable . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian missiles rain down on Ukraine as West pledges enduring support, by Pavel Polityuk | Reuters * Battle for Lysychask grinds on * You could be next, Zelenskiy tells NATO leaders * Mykolaiv attack sign of stepped-up Russian offensive * NATO says more weapons in pipeline | KYIV — Russian forces struck targets in the Mykolaiv region of southern Ukraine today and intensified attacks on fronts across the country as NATO members met in Madrid to plan a course of action against the challenge from Moscow. The mayor of Mykolaiv city said a Russian missile strike killed at least three people in a residential building there, while Moscow said its forces had hit what it called a training base for foreign mercenaries in the region. In the east . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO meets in Madrid for what the alliance calls a transformative summit. Reported by A Martínez and Frank Langfitt | National Public Radio In a last minute deal, Turkey dropped its objections to Finland and Sweden joining the security alliance — all but ensuring NATO’s enlargement in the midst of the war in Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and read.

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NATO will boost military defenses especially on the eastern flank nearest Russia. A Martinez of NPR talks to retired Navy Adm. James Stavridis, a former NATO commander, about measures the security organization can adopt to betteR defend itself against Russian aggression. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Russia is facing a huge geopolitical price for its invasion of Ukraine. Reported by Brian Mann | NPR Russia has won significant ground on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine but a growing number of experts say the growing costs to Moscow’s military, economy and stature far outweigh the gains. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Germany aims to offset living costs and gas demand with discounted public transport. Reported by Rob Schmitz | NPR This summer, one can travel in Germany on public transportation for less than $10 a month. It’s part of a government package to tackle the soaring cost of living by using more public transportation. Click HERE to listen and read.

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NATO Expands, Responding to War Caused by NATO Expansion, by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com Turkey’s President Erdogan has officially withdrawn Ankara’s objection to the addition of Finland and Sweden to NATO membership, with the three countries signing a trilateral memorandum at a NATO summit in Madrid. The removal of Erdogan’s objection was reportedly obtained via significant natsec concessions from the other two nations largely geared toward facilitating Turkey’s ongoing conflict with regional Kurdish factions, and it removes . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO & a War Foretold, by Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies | Common Dreams As NATO holds its summit in Madrid on Tuesday through Thursday this week, the war in Ukraine is taking center stage. During a pre-Summit June 22 talk with Politico, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg bragged about how well-prepared NATO was for this fight because, he said: “This was an invasion that was predicted, foreseen by our intelligence services.” Stoltenberg was talking about . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Ukraine, 6-28-22

To begin, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. Next, via Popular Resistance, links to two commentaries picturing the war in Ukraine as a launching pad for more global conflict initiated by the West.

NOTE: In the second, commentator Ben Norton repeatedly mischaracterizes the role of British army general Patrick Sanders, who this month became Chief of the General Staff; a footnote below provides the Wikipedia description.* — MCM

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Dozens still missing after Russian missile strike on mall kills 18, by Simon Lewis | Reuters * Moscow claims blaze at mall caused by strike on arms depot * 36 people still unaccounted for * G7 countries announce aim to cap price of Russian oil | KREMENCHUK, Ukraine — Exhausted firefighters searched today for survivors in the rubble of a Ukrainian shopping mall, where authorities said 36 people were still missing after a Russian missile strike that killed at least 18. The attack, in the central city of Kremenchuk far from any frontline, drew a wave of global condemnation . . . READ MORE . . .

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Macron says Russia can’t win in Ukraine after strike on mall, by Francesca Ebel and Yuras Karmanau | The Associated Press KREMENCHUK, Ukraine — French President Emmanuel Macron said today that Russia “cannot and should not win” the war in Ukraine, a day after a Russian missile attack on a crowded shopping mall that killed 18 put the conflict’s terrible toll on full view. Ukrainian and Western leaders have denounced the strike as a war crime and a terrorist attack and it drew swift condemnation . . . READ MORE . . .

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G7 leaders focus on Ukraine war in summit. Reported by Tamara Keith | National Public Radio Leaders of the G-7 nations met in Germany and focused on the war in Ukraine. They talked about new missile defense systems for Kyiv and a proposal for a price cap for Russian oil. Click HERE to listen and read.

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NATO summit opens with some of the biggest questions the alliance has faced in years. Reported by Frank Langfitt | NPR NATO grapples with divisions over continuing to arm the Ukrainians while also seeking a negotiated settlement to end a war that is damaging European economies. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Some European countries see prices rise a lot faster than others in the bloc. Reported by Rebecca Rosman | NPR Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, COVID-induced supply chain issues and supplier price gouging, inflation is rising in Europe. Consumer price inflation in the Euro zone hit a record high last month. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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The Neocons’ Dream — Decolonized Russia, Re-colonize China, by Moon of Alabama.| Educate! On March 26, U.S. President Joe Biden . . . speaking in Warsaw, Poland . . . called for regime change in Russia . . . . [saying of] Russian President Vladimir Putin: “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” The White House immediately rushed to talk back that call for regime change and a day later Biden himself denied that he was . . . READ MORE . . .

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British Army Chief Tells Troops Prepare for World War II with Russia. Reporting and commentary by Ben Norton | Multipolarista. The chief of the United Kingdom’s army, Patrick Sanders, told has his troops to prepare for World War III with Russia. Mainstream British media outlet and radio station LBC published a report on June 19 titled “British soldiers must get ready to fight Russia in Third World War, army chief warns.” General Sanders* . . . told his soldiers to prepare “to fight in Europe once again.” According to LBC, the UK military chief said, “There is now a burning imperative to forge an Army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle.” Click HERE for introduction and video analysis.

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* According to Wikipedia, Gen. Patrick Sanders is Britain’s new Chief of the General Staff and as such is “a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board. . . . Since 1959, the post has been immediately subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Staff, the post held by the professional head of the British Armed Forces.”

Ukraine, 6-27-22

To begin, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; click on their names below for others. Then, via Consortium News and Popular Resistance, a link to Scott Ritter’s commentary on recent developments. — MCM

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ELMAU, Germany — Leading economic powers conferred by video link with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today as they underscored their commitment to Ukraine for “as long as it takes” with plans to pursue a price cap on Russian oil, raise tariffs on Russian goods and impose other new sanctions. In addition, the U.S. was preparing to announce the purchase of an advanced surface-to-air missile system for . . . READ MORE . . .                                                           

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Russia pushed into historic default by sanctions, by Karin Strohecker, Andrea Shalal and Emily Chan | Reuters * Grace period on $100 mln interest payment due May 27 ended Sunday * Russia default shows dramatic impact of sanctions-U.S. official * Some Taiwan bondholders did not get payment today, sources say * Russia says it has funds to pay, sanctions are to blame * Lapsed U.S. waiver, EU sanctions on NSD scupper Russia payments | LONDON — Russia defaulted on its international bonds for the first time in more than a century, the White House said, as sweeping sanctions have effectively cut the country off from the global financial system, rendering its assets untouchable. The Kremlin, which has the money to make payments thanks to oil and gas revenues, swiftly rejected the claims, and has accused the West of driving it into an artificial default. Earlier, some bondholders . . . READ MORE . . .

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The war in Ukraine is looming large at a meeting of the G7 Nations. Reported by A Martínez and Rob Schmitz | National Public Radio Leaders of the seven wealthiest democracies began three days of talks Sunday in Germany’s Bavarian Alps — as Russia fired a barrage of missiles at the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Why Russia says it has not defaulted on its foreign debt. Reported by Alina Selyukh and A Martínez | NPR Russia appears to have defaulted on foreign-currency debt for the first time in over a century. But it does not consider itself in default because its payments have been blocked by Western sanctions. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Russian missiles end weeks of relative quiet over western Ukraine. Reported by  | NPR More than four dozen Russian missiles hit cities across Ukraine over the weekend as G7 leaders met in Germany to discuss Russia’s war on Ukraine and other topics. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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The Fantasy of Fanaticism, by Scott Ritter | Consortium News / Educate! For a moment in time, it looked as if reality had managed to finally carve its way through the dense fog of propaganda-driven misinformation that had dominated Western media coverage of Russia’s “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine. In a stunning admission, Oleksandr Danylyuk, a former senior adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and Intelligence Services, noted that the optimism that existed in Ukraine following Russia’s decision to terminate “Phase One” of the SMO (a major military feint toward Kiev), and begin “Phase Two” (the liberation of the Donbass), was no longer warranted. “The strategies and tactics of the Russians are . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Ukraine, 6-26-22

First, links to reports from RT, the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. Then, a link to a New York Times report on U.S. commandos and others operating in Ukraine, and a link to commentary by Caitlin Johnstone about it. — MCM

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Ukraine won’t pursue NATO membership – Zelensky adviser   From RT. Ukraine has accepted that NATO membership is off the table, and will not take any further steps toward joining the US-led military bloc, Igor Zhovkva, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, told the Financial Times on Saturday. Nevertheless, Kiev wants a say in NATO’s policy making. The bloc’s leaders are set to meet in the Spanish capital of Madrid next week. During two days of meetings and consultations, the organization will . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia strikes Kyiv as troops consolidate gains in the east, by Oleksandr Stashevskyi | The Associated Press KYIV — Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital in the early hours of this morning, striking at least two residential buildings, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, as elsewhere Russian troops consolidated their gains in the east. Associated Press journalists in Kyiv saw rescue services battling flames and rescuing civilians. Klitschko said four people were hospitalized with injuries and a 7-year-old girl was pulled alive from the rubble. . . . Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said the missiles were Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles fired from planes over the Caspian Sea. Before today’s . . . READ MORE . . .

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G7 nations announce Russia gold ban as summit starts under shadow of war, by Sarah Marsh and Andrea Shalal | Reuters * Gold ban targets ‘Putin’s war machine’, says British PM * Oil import price cap also being discussed, says German source * G7 also aims to tackle soaring energy prices | SCHLOSS ELMAU, Germany — Members of the Group of Seven wealthy nations today announced a ban on imports of Russian gold as the G7 summit in the Bavarian Alps begins under the shadow of the war in Ukraine and consequences ranging from energy shortages to a food crisis. The move by Britain, the United States, Japan and Canada is part of efforts to tighten the sanctions squeeze on Moscow and cut off its means of financing . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian missiles hit western Ukraine. Reported by Emily Feng | National Public Radio Russian missiles hit cities in western Ukraine throughout the weekend, an escalation that has punctured the relative lull in fighting in and around Kyiv. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Commando Network Coordinates Flow of Weapons in Ukraine, Officials Say, by Eric Schmitt, Julian E. Barnes and Helene Cooper | The New York Times WASHINGTON — As Russian troops press ahead with a grinding campaign to seize eastern Ukraine, the nation’s ability to resist the onslaught depends more than ever on help from the United States and its allies — including a stealthy network of commandos and spies rushing to provide weapons. READ MORE . . .

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Western Officials Admit Ukraine Is Crawling with CIA Personnel, by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com The New York Times reports that Ukraine is crawling with special forces and spies from the US and its allies, which would seem to contradict earlier reports that the US intelligence cartel is having trouble getting intel about what’s happening on the ground in Ukraine. This would also, obviously, . . . READ MORE . . .

Ukraine, 6-25-22

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and teleSUR; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. Then, via Popular Resistance, a link to a report on a meeting of the Helsinki Commission this week, and via Consortium News, a link to an analysis of how the war in Ukraine may be leading some countries to realign themselves. — MCM

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Biden’s mission in Europe: Shore up alliance against Russia, by Zeke Miller and Darlene Superville | The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is out to sustain the global alliance punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine as he embarks on a five-day trip to Europe as the four-month-old war shows no sign of abating and its aftershocks to global food and energy supplies are deepening. Biden first joins a meeting of the Group of Seven leading economic powers in the Bavarian Alps of Germany and later travels to Madrid for a summit with leaders of the 30 NATO countries. The visit comes . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine troops ‘almost left’ Sievierodonetsk as Russian missiles pound north, west, by Max Hunder and Tom Balmforth | Reuters * Capture of Sievierodonetsk would be big gain for Russia * Ukraine says Russia launches widespread shelling * Dozens of missiles hit Ukrainian military bases | KYIV — Ukrainian troops have “almost left” Sievierodonetsk after weeks of intense fighting against Russian forces, the mayor of the eastern city said today, signalling the biggest reversal for Ukraine since losing the port of Mariupol in May. As Europe’s biggest land conflict since World War Two . . . READ MORE . . .

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Biden meets with G7 to talk about Ukraine, inflation, food insecurity, climate change. Reported by Rob Schmitz | National Public Radio. President Biden is headed to Germany for a meeting of the G7 with leaders of the wealthiest countries. At the top of their agenda is the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth month. Click HERE to listen and, another day, read.

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Biden will visit Saudi Arabia to ask for an increase in oil production. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  President Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia next month represents a stark change in his attitude towards Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been implicated in the killing of a journalist. Click HERE to listen and, another day, read.

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Putin Insists Russia Is Not Blocking Ukraine’s Ports. From teleSUR. Speaking at a BRICS+ video conference on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin replied to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock’s allegations that Russia is blocking Ukrainian grain shipments, taking the “the whole world hostage.” Criticizing the West’s “cynical attitude,” he said the food supply of developing nations has been the hardest hit by rising prices and added that the West’s rising inflation is “the result of its own irresponsible macroeconomic policies.” Putin said Moscow is ready to allow free passage to international waters for ships carrying grain. He said Russia has come to an “understanding” about it with the UN Secretariat. In this regard . . . READ MORE . . .

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Lavrov: U.S. and UK Do Not Allow Ukraine to Resume Peace Talks. From teleSUR. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that while European countries urge Kiev to resume peace dialogues with Moscow, “the Anglo-Saxons” — referring to the United States and the United Kingdom — prevent it from doing so. So, he expressed skepticism about a possible return of Ukraine to peace negotiations. “Currently,” he said during an interview, “I do not see any possibility for Ukraine to propose [negotiations], we are not going to propose anything. We proposed everything a long time ago. The ball is on their court. I don’t see . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. Government Plots to Break Up Russia in Name of ‘Decolonization,’ by Ben Norton | Multipolarista / Educate! A U.S. government body called the Helsinki Commission held a Congressional briefing Thursday on ways to break up Russia as a country in the name of supposed “decolonization.” Participants urged the United States to give more support to separatist movements inside Russia and in the diaspora. They proposed the independence of numerous republics in the Russian Federation, including Chechnya, Tatarstan, and Dagestan, as well as historic areas . . . READ MORE . . .

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Staying Out of Troubled Waters, by Humberto Márquez | Inter Press Service / Consortium News CARACAS — Numerous countries of the developing South are distancing themselves from the contenders in the war in Ukraine, using the debate on the conflict to underscore their independence and pave the way for a kind of new de facto non-alignment with regard to the main axes of world power. Meetings and votes on the conflict at the United Nations and in other forums, the search for support or neutrality and negotiations to cushion the impact of the economic crisis accentuated by the war are . . . READ MORE . . .

Ukraine, 6-24-22

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

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Russians advance on war’s front line in eastern Ukraine, by John Leicester and David Keyton | The Associated Press KYIV — The Russian military extended its grip on territory in eastern Ukraine as it seeks to cut supply lines and encircle frontline Ukrainian forces, while the Ukrainian military announced Thursday the arrival of powerful U.S. multiple-launch rocket systems it hopes will offer a battlefield advantage. Ukrainian forces withdrew from some areas near the city of Lysychansk to avoid being surrounded as Russians sent in reinforcements and concentrated their firepower in the area, Britain’s Defense Ministry said. The city is . . . READ MORE . . .

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Four months since Russia invaded, Ukraine faces a stark contrast. Reported by Steve Inskeep and Greg Myre | National Public Radio European leaders officially made Ukraine a candidate to join the EU. Yet, Ukraine is desperately trying to hold two cities under Russian assault.  Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Ukrainians withdrawing from embattled Sievierodonetsk, by Max Hunder | Reuters * Ukraine EU candidacy will strengthen Europe-Zelenskiy * Ukraine forces take up new positions in Sievierodonetsk * Russia shells targets across the Donbas * War marks four months since invasion | KYIV — Ukraine signalled toiday its troops were withdrawing from the city of Sievierodonetsk, the scene of weeks of intense bombardments and street fighting, in a move that would be a significant setback in its struggle to defeat Russian forces. Provincial governor Serhiy Gaidai said troops in the city had already received the order to move to new positions, but . . . READ MORE . . .

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Microsoft: Russian cyber spying targets 42 Ukraine allies, by Frank Bajak | AP CLEVELAND — Coinciding with unrelenting cyberattacks against Ukraine, state-backed Russian hackers have engaged in “strategic espionage” against governments, think tanks, businesses and aid groups in 42 countries supporting Kyiv, Microsoft said in a report Wednesday. “Since the start of the war, the Russian targeting (of Ukraine’s allies) has been successful 29 percent of the time,” Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote, with data stolen in at least one-quarter of . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Ukraine, 6-23-22

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

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Estonian PM says don’t play down Russia, by Dasha Litvinova and Harriet Morris | The Associated Press TALLINN, Estonia — Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has told The Associated Press that the West shouldn’t underestimate Russia’s military capabilities in Ukraine, saying Moscow is in it for the long haul as the war enters its fifth month. Kallas said in an interview Wednesday that Europe should ensure that those committing war crimes and attempted genocide are prosecuted, noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin escaped punishment for annexing the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and supporting an insurgency in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region that killed over 14,000 people even before this year’s war began.“I’ve heard talks that, you know, there is no threat anymore because they have exhausted . . . Click HERE to read more and watch part of interview.

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Ukraine takes tentative step toward EU membership as Donbas battles reach ‘fearsome climax,’ by Pavel Polityuk and Vitalii Hnidyi | Reuters * Zelenskiy urges West to speed up heavy weapons deliveries * EU leaders to launch Ukraine membership process * Battle for Donbas twin cities reaches critical stage | KYIV — Ukraine will be accepted as a candidate to join the European Union on Thursday, a move that will boost the country’s morale as the battle with Russian troops for two cities in the east reached what one official called a “fearsome climax”. Although the approval of the Kyiv government’s application by EU leaders meeting in Brussels is just the start of what will be a years-long process, it signifies . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports is driving a global food insecurity crisis. Reported by Franco Ordoñez | National Public Radio President Biden will attend the G7 meeting in Germany, where leaders likely will address Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports along the Black Sea, which is endangering food security in some countries. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Trio of albums gives saxophonist Charles Lloyd the opportunity to search inward. Reported by Milton Guevara | NPR Musician Charles Lloyd is releasing three different albums featuring three trio ensembles. The first, Chapel, comes out Friday, and Ocean in August and Sacred Thread in October. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Russia-Ukraine war is likely to overshadow G7 and NATO meetings. Reported by Steve Inskeep and Tamara Keith | NPR President Biden this weekend heads to Europe for the upcoming G7 and NATO summits. He is expected to discuss the war in Ukraine and the influence of China, among other issues. Click HERE to listen and, tomorrow, read.

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Coalition of Journalists Demands Release of Julian Assange. From teleSUR. During a meeting in Geneva Wednesday, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demanded from the U.K. authorities the immediate and unconditional release of Australian journalist Julian Assange. . . . “If Assange can be threatened with prosecution as a spy, what might that mean for other journalists?” an IFJ member pointed . . . READ MORE . . .

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President AMLO to Ask Biden to Review the Julian Assange Case. From teleSUR. Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Tuesday that he would ask President Joe Biden to review the case of Julian Assange, the Australian journalist whom Washington wants to jail for revelations about U.S. war crimes. in Guantánamo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. “He has been very unfairly treated, worse than a criminal. The treatment he has received is a disgrace to the world,” Lopez Obrador said. “I will . . . READ MORE . . .

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Assange’s Defense: No Guarantees of Fair Trial in the U.S. From teleSUR. The spokesman for Julian Assange’s legal team in Ecuador, lawyer Carlos Poveda, cast doubt Friday that the U.S. justice system will abide by due process in Assange’s case if the Wikileaks founder is tried in the United States. Poveda said there are no guarantees that the U.S. justice system will abide by principles of due process in Assange’s case. “There are already precedents in which the U.S. has not respected the guarantees and its commitments,” he . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED