For today, links to reports from National Public Radio, Reuters, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and TAIBBI ET AL and HERSH entries are HERE, HERE, and HERE.) — MCM
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Israeli forces take over southern Gaza’s largest hospital. Reported by Michel Martin and Eleanor Beardsley | NPR And despite international pressure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows Israeli forces will go into the southern town of Rafah, where at least a million Palestinians are sheltering. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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Egypt setting up area at Gaza border which could be used to shelter Palestinians, sources say. From Reuters. Egypt is preparing an area at the Gaza border which could accommodate Palestinians in case an Israeli offensive into Rafah prompts an exodus across the frontier, four sources said, in what they described as a contingency move by Cairo. Egypt has denied making any such . . . READ MORE . . .
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Wars in Israel, Ukraine to dominate global security summit in Munich, by Sarah Marsh and Humeyra Pamuk | Reuters BERLIN / MUNICH — Leading politicians, military officers and diplomats from around the world gather in Munich on Friday for a security conference that will be dominated by the wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as fears over the U.S. commitment to defending its allies. The Munich Security Conference is an annual global gathering focused on defence and diplomacy. READ MORE. . .
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Intra-Palestinian meeting to be held in Moscow Feb. 29 to March 1-2 — envoy. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russia has invited up to 14 organizations to an intra-Palestinian meeting in Moscow, including representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Russia’s special presidential envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said. “We invited all Palestinian representatives — all . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia concerned about Rafah, maintains contact with all parties — envoy. From Tass. MOSCOW — The current situation around Rafah is of concern to Moscow, and Russia is maintaining ties with all parties involved, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov said.”We are [in] communication both with Hamas representatives and with our Israeli colleagues.” READ MORE . . .
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Why sending more aid to Ukraine has become a divisive issue within the GOP. A Martínez of NPR speaks with American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Danielle Pletka about why some Republicans strongly oppose sending more aid to Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.