Ukraine, 8-29-28

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

First, belatedly, a link to a report from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll down for today’s ALL OF IT, IRAN and MEDIA so far, and for UKRAINE 9-28-26.) — MCM

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TO BE CONTINUED

All of it, 8-29-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

First, belatedly, links to items from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, IRAN and MEDIA so far, and down for ALL OF IT 8-27-26.) — MCM

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Urban climate expert Brian Stone on how cities must adapt to survive deadly heat waves. Scott Simon of NPR talks about how cities must change to survive deadly heat waves with Georgia Tech researcher Brian Stone. Click HERE to listen and, later, read. Click HERE for an Aug. 8 segment from NPR.

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Iran, 8-29-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

For now, links to three items: a report from Foreign Policy in Focus via ScheerPost, and to two segments from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, ALL OF IT and MEDIA so far, and down for IRAN 8-28-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 27  Pakistan’s ‘fresh’ proposal to end Iran-U.S. conflict, by Tarique Niazi | Foreign Policy in Focus / ScheerPost  Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir’s trip to Iran on Aug. 24 has ignited new hope . . . READ MORE . . .

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PBS News correspondent Reza Sayah on daily life and resilience inside war-torn Iran.

Media, 8-29-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

HERE ARE a message I just wrote to Scott Simon — all entries are late today — and a link to a commentary from the Chris Hedges Report via ScheerPost and Consortium News. (Scroll up for today’s UKRAINE, ALL OF IT and IRAN so far, and down for MEDIA 8-28-26.) — MCM

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Hello Scott,
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You and your crew were on a roll this morning. I usually prefer Weekend Edition Sunday with Ayesha to your Saturday show but it will be hard for them to top you all today.
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It helped that the sun was out here in Pittsfield, MA, as I was making breakfast, and that Dolly Parton was one of your topics — I’m fairly new to recognizing her greatness, and her essentiality to our times, and a step will be getting a double album (vinyl) of hers and playing it. (This was the first I’d ever heard of Anthony Field.)
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Reviewing today’s show’s headlines, I see that every single one of the segments hit the spot. I sent a link to one to a friend now living in Phoenix.
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Keep it up.
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Mark
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Media, 8-28-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

It is worth noting that reports from the Associated Press and Reuters today (scroll down for them) have the Iran war as beginning on Feb. 28 of this year — or six months ago — rather than on June 13, 2025, when what is called the “Twelve-Day War” began with extensive Israeli bombing of Iran. U.S. bombing on June 22, 2025, was followed by a ceasefire beginning on June 24, 2025. This is also true of reports and commentary from Al Jazeera and National Public Radio. A Wikipedia account of what is called the Twelve-Day War is HERE.

It is worth noting that the Reuters report on the wounding of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei on Feb. 28 of this year and his staying out of public view since then, did not mention that his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was assassinated on that day and several other members of his family also died from Israeli bombing in a joint U.S.-Israeli operation. A Wikipedia account is HERE.

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Ukraine, 8-28-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to four reports: from the Associated Press and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for this date’s MEDIA. IRAN, GAZA and WEST BANK, and down for UKRAINE 8-26-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 27  Russia bombards 9 Ukrainian cities overnight, calls the strikes ‘massive,’ by Hanna Arhivova | AP  KYIV — Russia bombarded cities across Ukraine with missiles and drones in an overnight onslaught that ran into the daylight hours of Thursday, when explosions echoed around Kyiv through the morning. Click HERE for report including video and photos. Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM AUG. 27  Russia warns British military sites could become targets over Ukrainian strikes. From the Cradle. Russia may begin striking British military facilities and equipment in Ukraine and beyond if Kiev continues to use UK-supplied weapons to attack Russian territory, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on Thursday. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM AUG. 27  CIA chief ‘warned’ Russia against striking NATO, supporting Iran: report. From the Cradle. CIA Director John Ratcliffe used his recent visit to Moscow to “warn” Russia against attacking NATO members and to “press” it to reduce backing for Iran, sources told Politico in a report released on Wednesday. READ MORE . . .

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Iran, 8-28-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to four reports: from Al-Monitor, the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for this date’s MEDIA, UKRAINE,  GAZA and WEST BANK, and down for IRAN 8-26-26.) — MCM

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Oil prices fall after Iran steps up truce efforts, U.S. says Hormuz mines cleared, by Jack Dutton | Al-Monitor  Oil prices fell today after the U.S. military said it had cleared all the mines in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran said it would draw up a list of demands for the waterway’s full reopening. READ MORE . . .

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The Iran war has changed the Middle East, but not in the way its architects had hoped, by Joseph Krauss | AP  It’s been six months since the United States and Israel attacked Iran with the perennial goal of transforming the Middle East through military force. When they attacked Iran on Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel . . . READ MORE . . .

FROM AUG. 27  Regional powers seek off-ramp from Iran war, and other Middle East developments. From AP. Qatar and other regional powers sought an off-ramp from the war with Iran on Thursday as another tanker attack was reported in the Strait of Hormuz, and the Iranian government dismissed the Trump administration’s latest sanctions. Click HERE for report including photos. Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Gaza, 8-28-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to reports from Middle East Monitor and the Cradle, and to a commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll up or down for this date’s MEDIA, UKRAINE, IRAN and WEST BANK, and down for GAZA 8-25-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 27  Israeli settlement leaders tour Gaza, call for starvation of Palestinians. From Middle East Monitor. Heads of local and settlement councils in the so-called Gaza border area toured the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, meeting Israeli military officers and soldiers and making inflammatory statements calling for tighter restrictions on the enclave and continued military operations. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 27  Israel continues to arm, train ISIS-linked gangs to serve as ‘operational arm’ in Gaza. From the Cradle. Israel is expanding its use of criminal gangs, drug dealers, and other mercenaries recruited from within Gaza to commit war crimes in the enclave, creating the conditions for local massacres “reminiscent of Sabra and Shatila,” Haaretz reported on Wednesday. READ MORE . . .

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Hamas must not concede in talks what Israel failed to win on the battlefield, by Sami Al-Arian | Middle East Eye  Responsibility for the devastation of Gaza, the killing of its civilians and the ruin of its homes, hospitals, universities and schools belongs to those who carried it out. READ MORE . . .

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West Bank, 8-28-26

NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to reports from Reuters, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll up for this date’s MEDIA, UKRAINE, IRAN and GAZA, and down for WEST BANK 8-21-26.) — MCM

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Israeli strike kills three in West Bank; Israel says it targeted Hamas operative. From Reuters. JENIN, West Bank — Israel’s military said it carried out an airstrike in the West Bank today that killed a Palestinian it described as a Hamas militant operative as well as two of his accomplices, in a rare use of deadly Israeli air power in the occupied territory. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for earlier report from Middle East Eye.

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Israeli forces and settlers storm villages across occupied West Bank. From Middle East Eye. Israeli forces and settlers stormed villages and attacked Palestinians across the West Bank, occupied Palestine, today, Wafa news agency reported. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 27  West Bank has become ‘a lawless land,’ says top Catholic in Jerusalem. From Middle East Monitor. The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, the top Catholic in the holy city, said Thursday that the West Bank has turned into “a lawless land” as the Israeli settlers’ aggression in the region continues, Vatican News quoted the cleric as saying, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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Media, 8-27-26

Links to an article from Project Censored via ScheerPost, a report from Gulf States Newsroom via National Public Radio, and a report from Forbes; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll down for today’s ALL OF IT, and for MEDIA 8-23-26.) — MCM

   

FROM AUG. 20  The next dark pattern, by Lily Minh Wass | Project Censored / ScheerPost  Part of the early-2000s techno-optimism was that the internet would be a great equalizer, dislodging corporate behemoths by giving anyone a seat at the digital table. READ MORE . . .

   

NDAs are hiding data center deals, drawing ire from locals — and attention from lawmakers, by  | Gulf States Newsroom / NPR  In Boyce, a small town in Rapides Parish in central Louisiana, construction is starting on a 300-acre data center site. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM AUG. 6  What is a data center and why are they suddenly everywhere? by Robert J. Szczerba | Forbes  If you’ve driven past a big windowless building, you’ve probably seen a data center. Chances are you’re relying on one right now, without giving it a thought. READ MORE . . .

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