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Unlike Hitler's Panzer blitzkrieg against France/Benelux in May 1940, Putin's invasion of Ukraine has not been a pushover. Putin's battle tanks have not taken Kiev or decapitated the Zelenskyy's government.

Amidst the continuing Russian war in Ukraine, the Brazilian people are participating in a major battle between the ruling parties of the Right led by the current president Joe Bolsonaro and the former left wing president Frances Lulla of the Workers Party(PT) in the coming presidential elections in October this year.After the good show of the Left in last years presidential elections in the region, the focus is now on the outcome of the poll in this largest nation of the region.

As we enter the second week of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, even with the proposed ceasefire from the Russian Federation for a “humanitarian corridor”, a “quick war” seems completely out of the question. Intensifying this situation has been the plight of civilians stuck between the cross-fire. While it is mandated under various international law covenants that civilians and non-combatants cannot be hurt in any armed conflict – whether internal or external, civilian casualties have increased manifold in this unjustified aggression.

The Russian Orthodox Church blesses rather than fires weapons. In doing so, it has emerged as a powerful weapon in its own right in President Vladimir Putin’s civilisationalist arsenal. Putin justified his 12-day-old invasion of Ukraine in part by asserting that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government had been preparing for the “destruction” of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Russia's 'invasion of its neighbour Ukraine' on February 24 has brought to the fore once again the urgent need for United Nations Organisation (UNO) reform and the need for an international body to play its proper role. The world is facing a possible nuclear conflict today.

The US-led western trade, economic and financial sanctions on Russia seem to be working instantly, but less to the discomfort of Russia than the rest of the world. The sweeping sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have led to a massive spurt in global oil and gas prices — over 20 percent in just one week. Inflation rates are fast rising across the world. Major international stock indices have plunged. Airfares have skyrocketed. Global shipping freight and insurance costs are spiraling. Unemployment is rising. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told US lawmakers last week that the central bank would move ahead “carefully” with raising interest rates as the Russian invasion of Ukraine looms over its battle with inflation. Powell said the bank’s monetary policy committee is on track to raise interest rates in two weeks with inflation well above target.

Social media is a strange and dangerous space these days. Cleavage, muscle, booty shaking as an apology for dancing, and tattooing erogenous zones, are more of display norms than exception. Dance bar induced body movements by teenagers, housewives and daddies alike, to the tunes of Kancha Badam and Puspa holds sway in TikTok clone Facebook ‘Reels’ and videos. Masterclasses offered by Toms and Jerrys galore. The phenomenon is not a very hard nut to crack if I may use a ‘Badam’ metaphor.

For the last few days, I have been following the news coming from my home country of Ukraine in disbelief. I have watched hospitals, residential buildings, and even kindergartens in my home city of Kharkiv being bombed. I saw its central square in ruins. It doesn’t feel real, and yet it is.

Vladimir Putin, the Russian Federation President, in his imperialistic speech delivered on February 24, declared a special military operation in order to protect people who had been abused by Genocide for eight years under the Kyiv regime, strive to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, and bring those to justice who had committed crimes against the civilians of Russian Federation. Paradoxically, Putin has cited international law to defend his blatant illegal actions. But these justifications are laughably weak, erroneous and absurd. The present crisis has posed a question as to the existence and enforcement of international law if Russia can still use military force and invade Ukraine.

Russian bombs might be falling on Ukraine cities but many in the United States seem keen on running a victory lap. After Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24 what he termed a “special military operation” in Ukraine following weeks of tensions, the U.S. intelligence community and its boosters were practically howling in delight.