September 21: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Vladimir Putin calls up 300,000 Russian army reserves as he steps up Ukraine war and warns West over ‘nuclear blackmail’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial mobilisation in Russia as the war in Ukraine approaches the seven-month mark. Mr Putin also warned the West that Russia would use all the means at its disposal to protect its territory, saying: “I am not bluffing.” He accused the West in engaging in “nuclear blackmail” and noted “statements of some high-ranking representatives of the leading Nato states about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia”.
Independent.ie 

Almost €800 increase in price of basket of goods could ‘break’ families this winter
A hike of almost €800 per year in the price of a basket of everyday goods could be enough to “break” many households this winter, consumer experts have warned. The latest figures from market research specialists Kantar show inflation at the high street supermarkets hit just under 12% year-on-year in the 12 weeks up to September 4. The increases represent the highest rate of inflation on consumer goods since Kantar began tracking prices in 2008. It warned consumers that the price of a basket of goods will rise by €768 per annum up to €7,753 unless they make changes to how they shop.
The Irish Examiner

Roger Federer ‘stopped believing’ he could continue playing amid injury problems
The 20-time Grand Slam champion is retiring from the sport after this weekend’s Laver Cup in London. The Swiss, 41, has not played since Wimbledon 2021, after which he had a third knee operation. “The last three years have been tough to say the least,” he told BBC Breakfast. “I knew I was on very thin ice for the last year ever since I played Wimbledon. “I tried to come back but there was a limit to what I could do. And I stopped believing in it, to be honest.” Federer said he had a scan a few months ago and it was “not what I was hoping for”, adding: “Very quickly we realised this was it.
BBC

Madeleine McCann’s parents lose European court challenge over Portuguese libel case
The parents of Madeleine McCann have lost their European court of human rights challenge to the Portuguese supreme court’s decision to throw out their libel case against a former detective who implicated them in their daughter’s disappearance. Kate and Gerry McCann sued Gonçalo Amaral, who led the botched police search for Madeleine in 2007, over statements he made in a book, documentary and newspaper interview alleging that they were involved in the child’s disappearance. In 2015, a Lisbon court ordered Mr Amaral, a former detective inspector, to pay €500,000 to Madeleine’s parents. But an appeal court overturned the decision the next year and, in 2017, the supreme court also found against the McCanns.
The Irish Times 

Today’s forecast
Generally dry this morning with a mix of cloud and some sunny spells, the best of these in the east. However, thicker cloud will gradually feed in patchy rain and drizzle to the western half of the country, with the odd spot of drizzle showing up elsewhere. Highest temperatures of 15°C to 19°C, best values for Leinster and Munster, with southerly winds increasing moderate to fresh. Becoming breezy tonight with rain in the west slowly extending east and south to become widespread by morning. The rain will be heavy and persistent with a chance of local spot flooding. Lowest temperatures of 12°C to 15°C in moderate to fresh south or southwest winds.
Met Éireann