For today, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, Tass, Kyiv Post, and the Moscow Times, and to two articles of commentary from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (SYRIA and GAZA entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.  UKRAINE 3-28-25 entry is HERE,  or scroll down.) — MCM

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Ukrainians expect Russia to launch a fresh offensive to strengthen its negotiating position, by Samya Kullab | AP  KYIV — Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize the pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating position in ceasefire talks, according to Ukrainian government and military analysts. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 28  Putin calls for Zelensky’s removal, ‘finish off’ Ukrainian troops. From AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Friday for a “transitional administration” to be installed in Ukraine, vowing that his army would “finish off” Ukrainian troops, in hardline remarks as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for a ceasefire. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 28  Russia says it reserves the right to resume striking Ukrainian energy targets if Kyiv flouts moratorium, by Dmitry Antonov | Reuters  MOSCOW — Russia reserves the right to withdraw from a U.S.-brokered moratorium on Moscow and Kyiv striking each other’s energy infrastructure if Ukraine continues to attack such targets, the Kremlin warned on Friday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 28  Russia’s drone attack on Dnipro kills 4, injures 24, by Olena Goncharova | The Kyiv Independent  The attack on Friday killed four people and injured at least 24 in the city of Dnipro, sparking a large fire at a hotel and restaurant complex as well as 11 private residences. Regional Governor Serhii Lysak said three of the wounded were in critical condition. READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces liberate Panteleymonovka, Shcherbaki — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Russian armed forces have liberated Panteleymonovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, the Defense Ministry said in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Defense ministry lights the afterburner on air power, air superiority, by Christopher Stewart | Kyiv Post  Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has announced the creation of a separate vertical chain of command in the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff that will focus exclusively on aviation development. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 28  Verified Russian deaths in Ukraine war exceed 100K: sources. From the Moscow Times. Of those killed, according to an independent tally by the BBC’s Russian service and the Mediazona news website, nearly one-quarter were volunteer soldiers, while more than 16% were convicted prisoners and over 11% were . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 28. A détente struggling to be born, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  Trump is prioritising and managing his political strings to achieve his overriding goal, which is a historic reset with Russia, a precondition for realising his vision of a new world order. Without ending the Ukraine war, he risks getting bogged down. READ MORE . . .

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India’s public diplomacy falls flat, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  Never once did India show the courage to call out the collective West for fuelling a proxy war that threatened Ukraine’s existence. We kept quiet when Joe Biden and Boris Johnson undermined the Istanbul agreement in April 2022. READ MORE . . .

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For todaylinks to six reports: from the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, Tass, Reuters, the Moscow Times, and Kyiv Post; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, YEMEN, LEBANON, and HEINBERG entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE 3-27-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Putin suggests putting Ukraine under UN-sponsored external governance, boasts of battlefield gains. From AP. Russian President Vladimir Putin today proposed putting Ukraine under external governance under United Nationa aegis as part of efforts to reach a peaceful settlement . . . READ MORE . . .   Click HERE and HERE for reports from the Kyiv Independent and Tass.

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Russia says it reserves the right to resume striking Ukrainian energy targets if Kyiv flouts moratorium, by Dmitry Antonov | Reuters  MOSCOW — Russia reserves the right to withdraw from a U.S.-brokered moratorium on Moscow and Kyiv striking each other’s energy infrastructure if Ukraine continues to attack such targets, the Kremlin said today. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE and HERE for reports from the Moscow Times and Kyiv Post.

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For today, links to reports from Middle East Monitor, Reuters, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names below. (UKRAINE, YEMEN, LEBANON and HEINBERG entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down. GAZA 3-27-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel kills, buries 9 medics in Rafah. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli occupation forces executed nine missing Palestinian medics from the Red Crescent and Civil Defence in Rafah, buried them and destroyed their ambulances, the Palestinian Civil Defence confirmed on Thursday. The medics had been missing for five days . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel’s actions in Gaza bear hallmarks of atrocities, UN agency says. From Reuters. GENEVA — “There is a callous disregard for human life and dignity,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “The acts of war that we see bear the hallmarks of atrocity crimes.”Every day . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 27  Israel kills over 100 Palestinians per day since restart of Gaza genocide. From the Cradle. Since resuming its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip nearly two weeks ago, Israel has been killing at least 103 Palestinians and injuring 223 more every day, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said in a report Thursday. March 18, Israel unilaterally ended a ceasefire reached with Hamas in January. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press and the Cradle, and to brief video from Middle East Monitor; other published materials is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE, GAZA, LEBANON and HEINBERG entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.  YEMEN 3-26-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Suspected U.S. strikes pummel Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, by Jon Gambrell | AP  DUBAI — Suspected U.S. airstrikes pummeled sites across Yemen controlled by the Houthi rebels early today, including neighborhoods in the capital, Sanaa. The number of strikes appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. targets Yemen’s main civilian airport in new overnight blitz. From the Cradle.  U.S. warplanes conducted at least 17 airstrikes on the Tahrir and Qiyada districts of the Yemeni capital late Thursday, targeting residential neighborhoods and Sanaa International Airport for the second night in a row. Airstrikes were also reported in . . . READ MORE . . .

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Yemeni shopkeeper barely reacts to U.S. bombs. From Middle East Monitor. In a video circulating on social media, a Yemeni shopkeeper is seen sitting in his shop barely reacting to several U.S. air strikes nearby. The U.S. has returned to bombing Yemen in support of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Clip HERE for video and some text.

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FROM MARCH 27  Yemen fires ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv hours after U.S. airstrikes. From the Cradle. The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a ballistic missile attack against Israel on Thursday, triggering sirens in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other areas. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for text of report and map.

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FROM MARCH 27  U.S., UK jets launch 15 air raids on Yemeni capital as Trump threatens ‘long’ war. From the Cradle. U.S. warplanes carried out at least 15 air raids on the southern and northeastern regions of Yemen’s capital late Wednesday. Washington and London have been relentlessly bombing Yemen over the past several days, killing dozens, including women and children, in an attempt to stop Sanaa’s military operations against Israel. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to nine reports: from Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, Reuters, the Cradle, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE, GAZA, YEMEN and HEINBERG entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and  HERE, or scroll up or down. LEBANON 3-25-25 is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel threatens to strike Beirut for ‘any attempt to harm north Israel.’ From AFP. Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz today threatened to strike Hezbollah’s Dahieh stronghold in Beirut if there is “any attempt to harm” north Israel after rockets were launched from Lebanon. READ MORE . . .

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Israel strikes Beirut for the first time since a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, by Bassem Mroue | AP  BEIRUT — Israel has launched an attack on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for the first time since a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November. It came after Israel’s army urgently warned people to evacuate parts of a Beirut suburb, vowing to retaliate against strikes which it said were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE and HERE for reports from Middle East Eye and the Cradle.

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Macron condemns Israeli bombing of Beirut, demands withdrawal from Lebanon. From Middle East Eye. French President Emmanuel Macron has denounced Israel’s latest airstrike on Beirut, calling it a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement and urging Israel to pull back from Lebanese territory. He also insisted that Israel withdraw from five occupied points in southern Lebanon, proposing that UNIFIL forces . . . READ MORE . . .

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Lebanese President Aoun in Paris as tensions mount with Israel. From Reuters. PARIS — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun began talks in Paris today with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss economic reforms and efforts to stabilise the country, as a fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah increasingly comes under pressure. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 26  All of Lebanon rejects normalization: PM. From the Cradle. “No one in Lebanon wants normalization with Israel, and it is rejected by all Lebanese,” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Wednesday. “The five points that Israel insists on maintaining are of no military or security value, except for continuing pressure on Lebanon.” READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 26  Violent crackdown sends Syrian Alawites over the border into Lebanon. Reported by Jawad Rizkallah | NPR  The euphoria of Syria’s new dawn has turned to violence. Alleged massacres of minority Alawites have sent a fresh wave of refugees into neighboring Lebanon. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for report from Reuters.

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A link to an essay — the writer’s 384th in this series — from the Post Carbon Institute; others are accessible by clicking on its name or his name below.  (UKRAINE, GAZA, YEMEN and LEBANON entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up. NATURE 2-15-25 and HEINBERG 4-22-24 are HERE and HERE; it would take awhile to scroll down for them.) — MCM

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FROM THIS MONTH  The evolution of modernity, by Richard Heinberg | Post Carbon Institute  The human world of the early 21^st century is dominated by science, cities, and high technology. However, both our modern way of life and our way of thinking about the world sprang up only within the past several centuries. Today’s humans are biologically the same as people who lived 10,000 years ago; but our . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to reports from National Public Radio and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (MEDIA, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down. SYRIA 3-26-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM MARCH 26  Violent crackdown sends Syrian Alawites over the border into Lebanon. Reported by Jawad Rizkallah | NPR  The euphoria of Syria’s new dawn has turned to violence. Alleged massacres of minority Alawites have sent a fresh wave of refugees into neighboring Lebanon. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for report from Reuters.

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For today, links to five reports: from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and C-SPAN, and to a conversation via YouTube from Times Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE.  MEDIA 3-26-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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4 takeaways from PBS and NPR’s testimony on Capitol Hill. Reported by Scott Neuman and David Folkenflik | NPR  The chief executives of NPR and PBS,  Katherine Maher and Paula Kerger, defended public broadcasting on Wednesday before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on government efficiency,  against accusations by Republican lawmakers of political bias. Click HERE to listen and read.  Click HERE and HERE for two March 26 NPR reports, and HERE and HERE  for reports from AP and C-SPAN.

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949,000 VIEWS AGO  Who is the greatest threat to world peace? Matt Chorley of Times Radio speaks with Noam Chomsky, coauthor with Edward S. Herman of Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media (1988) and author of shelves of other books, about the wars in Ukraine and elsewhere, what happened to Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in Britain, and prospects for the future of humanity. Click HERE for video.

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For today, links to reports from Reuters, Middle East Eye, and Substack, and to commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (SYRIA, MEDIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.  GAZA 3-26-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.)— MCM

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Hamas spokesperson Qanoua killed in Israeli air strike on Gaza: Hamas media. by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Hatem Maher | Reuters. CAIRO — Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Al-Qanoua has been killed in an Israeli air strike in northern Gaza, Hamas-affiliated media said early today — the latest figure in the group to be killed since Israel resumed its operations in the enclave. Separate  attacks killed at least seven elsewhere in the enclave. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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FROM MARCH 26  Israel prepares another invasion, by Seymour M. Hersh | Substack  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right supporters have made it clear that the nearly two million Gazans caught in the war were never a subject of concern to the Israeli leadership as it began its round-the-clock bombing in response to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack. They were just collateral damage. READ MORE . . .

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Israel should note what happened to France when it tried to subjugate Algeria by massacring its indigenous population, by Nabila Ramdani | Middle East Monitor  Childish drawings were used to “explain” the need for indigenous Arab and Berber Muslims to bow down or die during the French occupation of Algeria. Villages facing destruction were plastered with posters . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, and to a conversation from ScheerPost; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA, MEDIA and GAZA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.  UKRAINE 3-26-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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French president says not all European allies agree on a proposed force for Ukraine, by John Leicester, Samuel Petrequin and Brian Melley | AP  PARIS — France and Britain will continue to forge ahead with plans to deploy troops in Ukraine to defend an eventual peace deal with Russia but only some other nations want to take part, French President Emmanuel Macron said today . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskiy says Russia hit Ukraine’s power infrastructure, U.S. should react, by Yuliia Dysa, Max Hunder and Tom Balmforth | Reuters  KYIV — President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said today Russian artillery had damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the front-line city of Kherson, two days after the U.S. announced that each side had agreed to a truce on energy strikes. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 25  Is peace breaking out in Ukraine? Robert Scheer of ScheerPost and retired CIA analyst Ray McGovern talk about the prospects for the Ukraine war ending and peace in the region with Russia. Click HERE for video.

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