For today, links to commentary from the Associated Press, and to eleven reports: from AP, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and MEDIA entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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How France’s recognition of the state of Palestine could shift Middle East dynamics, by John Leicester | AP  PARIS — France’s bold decision to recognize the state of Palestine could help to shift conversations about the future of the Middle East, even if it’s unlikely to have an immediate impact for people in Gaza or on Israel’s war with Hamas. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for related report  from AP.

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As starvation spreads in Gaza, ceasefire talks stall. Reported by Emily Feng and Michel Martin | NPR  As starvation spreads in Gaza, the U.S. has cut short ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, France has announced it plans to recognize Palestine as a state. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Gaza’s children are starving, U.N. and relief organizations warn. Reported by Anas Baba | NPR  The reporter, who lives in the Gaza Strip, visits a pediatric hospital there. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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USAID analysis found no evidence of massive Hamas theft of Gaza aid, by Jonathan Landay | Reuters  WASHINGTON  — An internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian militant group Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies. A State Department spokesperson disputed findings. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 24  Dozens of kids and adults in Gaza have starved to death in July as hunger surges, by Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb and Lee Keath | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Five starving children at a Gaza City hospital were wasting away, and nothing the doctors tried was working. The basic treatments for malnourishment that could save them had run out under Israel’s blockade. Alternatives were ineffective. One after another . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  French President Macron says France will recognize Palestine as a state, by Angela Charlton | AP PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state and would formalize the decision at the U.N. General Assembly in September. Israel and the United States denounced . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  U.S. cuts short ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking ‘good faith,’ by Michelle Price and Joseph Krauss | AP  WASHINGTON — The United States is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating team home from Qatar to discuss next steps after Hamas’ latest response “shows a lack of desire” to reach a truce, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 23 and 24  Israel’s representative to the UN faces questions about aid to Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Jonaki Mehta, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Anas Baba | NPR  Several perspectives on aid to Gaza, including that of Danny Damon, Israel’s representative to the UN, are recorded in this report. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 23  Mercy Corps official warns of ‘mass starvation’ in Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Tyler Bartlam and Patrick Jarenwattananon | NPR  Kate Phillips-Barrasso, a vice president of Mercy Corps, talks about a joint statement issued by over 100 aid organizations warning of mass starvation in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.

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For now, links to reports from National Public Radio and Breitbart; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and MEDIA entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 24  A wave of Israeli settler attacks reaches a Christian village in the West Bank. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Israeli settler attacks have reached a Palestinian Christian village of the occupied West Bank. It drew a rare rebuke from the U.S. ambassador to Israel, an evangelical Christian pastor and supporter of Israeli settlers.  Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 15  Huckabee blasts ‘terrorist’ Jewish extremists who beat Palestinian-American Christian to death, by Joel B. Pollak | Breitbart  U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee spoke out on July 15 against what he called a terror attack against a Palestinian-American Christian by Jewish extremists who have clashed both with local Arabs and the Israeli military. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. Then, a note. (MEDIA 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and WEST BANK entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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The FCC approves Paramount’s $8B deal with Skydance after months of chaos and political intrigue, by Wyatte Grantham-Philips and Michael Liedtke | AP  NEW YORK — Federal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance — this after months of turmoil revolving around . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE to read July 24 and May 19 reports from NPR.

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NOTE: For some historical context, David Halberstam’s The Powers That Be, published in 1979, provides information about the early years of CBS, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Time. It came out about 10 years after The Kingdom and the Power, by Gay Talese, about the New York Times. And HERE is a review of the Halberstam book from the New Republic.

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For now, links to 10 reports: from National Public Radio, Reuters, and the Associated Press; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK entry for today, so far, is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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As starvation spreads in Gaza, ceasefire talks stall. Reported by Emily Feng and Michel Martin | NPR  As starvation spreads in Gaza, the U.S. has cut short ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, France has announced it plans to recognize Palestine as a state. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Gaza’s children are starving, U.N. and relief organizations warn. Reported by Anas Baba | NPR  The reporter, who lives in the Gaza Strip, visits a pediatric hospital there. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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USAID analysis found no evidence of massive Hamas theft of Gaza aid, by Jonathan Landay | Reuters  WASHINGTON  — An internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian militant group Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies. A State Department spokesperson disputed findings. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 24  Dozens of kids and adults in Gaza have starved to death in July as hunger surges, by Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb and Lee Keath | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Five starving children at a Gaza City hospital were wasting away, and nothing the doctors tried was working. The basic treatments for malnourishment that could save them had run out under Israel’s blockade. Alternatives were ineffective. One after another . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  French President Macron says France will recognize Palestine as a state, by Angela Charlton | AP PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state and would formalize the decision at the U.N. General Assembly in September. Israel and the United States denounced . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  U.S. cuts short ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking ‘good faith,’ by Michelle Price and Joseph Krauss | AP  WASHINGTON — The United States is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating team home from Qatar to discuss next steps after Hamas’ latest response “shows a lack of desire” to reach a truce, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 23 and 24  Israel’s representative to the UN faces questions about aid to Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Jonaki Mehta, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Anas Baba | NPR  Several perspectives on aid to Gaza, including that of Danny Damon, Israel’s representative to the UN, are recorded in this report. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 23  Mercy Corps official warns of ‘mass starvation’ in Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Tyler Bartlam and Patrick Jarenwattananon | NPR  Kate Phillips-Barrasso, a vice president of Mercy Corps, talks about a joint statement issued by over 100 aid organizations warning of mass starvation in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to reports from Anadolu Ajansi, the Jerusalem Post, and the Jewish Chronicle; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA 7-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down.   GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.)

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Israel allocates additional $274M for West Bank settlement projects in occupied West Bank, by Abdel Raouf Arnaout and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Ajansi  JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL — The Israeli government allocated an additional $274 million for settlement projects in the West Bank, hours after the Knesset approved a motion to annex the occupied territory, local media said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 23  Knesset approves declaratory measure to apply Israeli sovereignty to West Bank, by Eliav Breur | The Jerusalem Post  Following a long debate in the plenum on Wednesday, the Knesset voted 71-13 to approve a declaratory resolution in support of “applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.” READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for a report from the Jewish Chronicle.

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For today, links to reports from National Public Radio, Anadolu Ajansi, Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.)

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Israel bans beach access in Gaza. Reported by Ruth Sherlock | NPR  Once a rare refuge in war-torn Gaza, the beach offered relief and a glimpse of freedom. Now, even the sea is off-limits — as Israel bans access to the coast, warning it could cost lives. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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At least 23 people killed, dozens injured in latest Israeli strikes across Gaza Strip, by Ramzi Mahmud and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Ajansi  GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL — At least 23 people were killed and several others injured in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since early today, medical sources said. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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Hamas submits response to latest Gaza ceasefire proposal. From the Cradle. Hamas released a statement early today announcing that it has submitted to mediators its response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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Major media say Gaza staff face starvation as U.S. envoy prepares to host ceasefire talks. From AP. Four leading news organizations said today their journalists in Gaza are facing the threat of starvation as the Israel-Hamas wargrinds on, while top U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was to meet with key negotiators from . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to seven reports: from the Moscow Times, National Public Radio, Anadolu Ajansi, Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 7-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.)

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2 killed in Ukrainian drone attack near Sochi Olympic Village. From the Moscow Times. Two women were killed in a Ukrainian drone attack near the resort city of Sochi in southern Russia, regional authorities said early today. READ MORE . . .

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Russia and Ukraine fall short of making progress towards a ceasefire. Reported by Charles Maynes and Michel Martin | NPR  Russia and Ukraine held a third round of peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey on Wednesday. But despite warnings by President Trump to impose sanctions on Russia, the two sides failed to make any significant progress towards a ceasefire agreement. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE and HERE for report from the Moscow Times and Anadolu Ajansi.

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Young Ukrainians find new voice in wartime protests. From Reuters. KYIV — The energy of thousands of young people has created a festival-like atmosphere tinged with focused anger outside the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, whose image . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Independent.

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Russian forces pound Ukrainian military-industrial sites in overnight strike. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces delivered an overnight strike by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on Ukrainian military-industrial sites and their power facilities in the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (MEDIA 7-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.)

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Major media say Gaza staff face starvation as U.S. envoy prepares to host ceasefire talks. From AP. Four leading news organizations said today their journalists in Gaza are facing the threat of starvation as the Israel-Hamas wargrinds on, while top U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was to meet with key negotiators from . . . READ MORE   Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM JULY 22  A look at President Trump’s lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch. Reported by David Folkenflik and Steve Inskeep | NPR  In a clash of conservative titans, President Trump sued Rupert Murdoch after the Wall Street Journal published a story about a bawdy birthday card Trump made for the late Jeffrey Epstein. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 22  NPR news chief announces she’s leaving days after Congress kills federal funding. Reported by David Folkenflik | NPR  NPR’s editor-in-chief and acting chief content officer, Edith Chapin, told colleagues Tuesday morning that she has decided to step down. Click HERE to listen and read.

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For now, links to eight reports: from Agence France-Presse, Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Reuters, Middle East Monitor, and the Cradle, and to photos from AP; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-22-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  IRAN, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel denies causing ‘famine’ In Gaza, blames Hamas. From AFP. The Israeli government today said it was not responsible for a chronic shortage of food in Gaza, instead accused Palestinian militants Hamas of deliberately creating a crisis. READ MORE . . .

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Israel claims over 100 aid groups lying about starvation of their staff in Gaza. From Middle East Eye. Israel has responded to a statement signed by over 100 aid organisations earlier on Wednesday by describing reports of the mass starvation of NGO staff in Gaza as “the propaganda of Hamas.” READ MORE . . .

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Top adviser to Netanyahu will meet U.S. envoy as Gaza hunger deepens and deaths increase. From AP.  Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 21 people late Tuesday and early today, health officials said, as hunger worsened among Palestinians struggling to live under the weight of the 21-month war. READ MORE . . .

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Gaza has been at risk of famine for months, experts say. Here’s why they haven’t declared one, by Jamey Keaten and Sam Mednick | AP  Famine occurs when these conditions are met. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for 17 related photos from AP.

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AFP news agency says its journalists in Gaza are at risk of starving to death. Reported by Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  AFP’s global news director Phil Chetwynd says the French news service’s journalists in Gaza are at risk of starving to death. The agency is struggling to get those journalists out of Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for July 22 report from Reuters.

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UNRWA chief: UN staff facing growing restrictions in Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. The Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Tuesday that humanitarian workers are facing increasing restrictions when reporting atrocities in the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 22  U.S. withdraws from UNESCO over ‘anti-Israel bias.’ From the Cradle. Washington announced on Tuesday it will withdraw the United States from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, citing its inclusion of Palestine as a member state. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to a report from the Cradle; others  are accessible by clicking on its name below. (IRAN 7-17-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Iranian navy forces U.S. destroyer to retreat from Sea of Oman: report. From the Cradle. The Iranian naval forces intercepted a U.S. destroyer attempting to approach waters under Tehran’s control in the Sea of Oman, forcing it to turn away, Iranian state television reported today. READ MORE . . . 

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MAY BE CONTINUED