DESTROYED RUSSIAN tank near Mariupol in Ukraine (Wikipedia).

As many as 300,000 people – some reservists, some civilians –  may be called into active service with Russian forces, many of them with little or no combat experience.

According to The New York Times, “draft notices” were being handed out all across the nation from Moscow to Siberia. Protests broke out across Russia, followed by at least 1,300 arrests. It’s the first time since the end of World War II in 1945 the Russia (or the old Russian-dominated Soviet Union) has called a wartime mobilization.

Western observers speculate that this order from President Vladimir Putin comes in response to heavy combat losses and military reversals at the hands of Ukrainian troops.

U.S. calls for a “message to Russia”

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Thursday called for he United Nations to demand that Russia cease its invasion of Ukraine and stop making threats of using nuclear weapons.

According to United Press International, he said, “Tell President Putin to stop the horror that he started. Tell him to stop putting his interests above the interests of the rest of the world, including his own people. Tell him to stop debasing this council and everything it stands for.”

Sports: Celts coach suspended for season

The 2022-23 NBA season hasn’t started yet but Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka has already been thrown out of the game. More precisely, he has been suspended for the entire season for an alleged “improper intimate” relationship with a woman on the Celts staff. Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will take over as interim coach

BASEBALL: With their 5-3 loss Thursday to the Texas Rangers, the Los Angeles Angels (65-85) slipped into fourth place in the American League West. The winners rallied from a 3-0 deficit with two runs in the sixth and eighth. Mike Trout drove in two runs with a double for the Halos.

The Los Angeles Dodgers (104-46) rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks  3-2 at home.

Weather:  A warm weekend on the way

Bring out your straw hat and sun block .. it’s going to be a warm weekend in the West Orange County area. The National Weather Service forecast is for sunny skies for the coming week. Friday’s daytime high is expected to hit 87 with an overnight low of 67. Saturday should hit 88 (69) with Sunday at 89 (69) and Monday peaking at 91 (70).