For today, links to five reports: from the Kyiv Independent, Kyiv Post, the Moscow Times, and Tass, and to commentary from Consortium News; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. (UKRAINE 7-7-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  IRAN, YEMEN, WEST BANK, GAZA and COVID ETC. entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Dnipropetrovsk village likely contested despite Russia’s claim of its capture, by Asami Terajima | The Kyiv Independent  The village of Dachne in the southern part of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast appears to be contested, according to the Finnish Black Bird Group open-source intelligence collective. The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday claimed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky reportedly informs top envoy to U.S. of pending dismissal. From Kyiv Post. President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly informed Kyiv’s top envoy to the United States, Oksana Markarova, of his intention to sack her today. The update followed a Bloomberg report on Monday . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Independent

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Ignore Donald Trump’s ‘political seesaw,’ Russia’s Medvedev says. From the Moscow Times. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev today dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s shifting rhetoric on Russia and arms shipments to Ukraine, saying Moscow would continue pursuing its military goals regardless of Washington’s policies. READ MORE . . .

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Kiev loses over 1,305 troops in all frontline areas in past day — Russia’s top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Ukrainian army lost more than 1,305 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine released by Russia’s Defense Ministry today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 7  Trump dead-ends Putin, by Patrick Lawrence | Special to Consortium News  Moscow will hold to its currently expressed demands: A new security architecture in Europe; no NATO membership for a neutral Ukraine that must be demilitarized and de-Nazified; and recognition of the four oblasts that voted to join Russia. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to six reports: from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (COVID ETC. 6-11-25 is HERE.  IRAN, YEMEN, WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 7 American kids have become increasingly unhealthy over nearly two decades, new study finds, by Laura Ungar and Jonel Aleccia | AP  The health of U.S. children has deteriorated over the past 17 years, with kids today more likely to have obesity, chronic diseases and mental health problems like depression, a new study says. It paints a comprehensive picture by examining . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE to listen to a read July 8 report from NPR.

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FROM JULY 7  Doctors and public health organizations sue Kennedy over vaccine policy changes, by Mike Stobbe | AP  NEW YORK — A coalition of doctors’ groups and public health organizations sued the U.S. government on Monday over the decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most children and pregnant women. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE to listen to and read July 8 report from NPR.

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FROM JULY 7  Why experts are concerned about the vaccine study cited by RFK Jr. Reported by Gabrielle Emanuel | NPR  RFK Jr. stunned the global health world when he said the U.S. would halt funding the group that helps provide vaccines to many low-income countries. The study he cited is seen by others as dubious. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 7  RFK Jr. promoted a food company he says will make Americans healthy. Their meals are ultraprocessed, by Amanda Seitz and Jonel Aleccia | AP  WASHINGTON — An Associated Press review of Mom’s Meals meals, including the ingredients and nutrition labels, shows that the company’s offerings are the type of heat-and-eat, ultraprocessed foods that Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. routinely criticizes for making people sick. READ MORE . . .

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First, links to four reports: from the Cradle and Anadolu Agency; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (SYRIA 7-4-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON, YEMEN, UKRAINE and GAZA entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Syria wildfires rage for fourth straight day as extremists take credit. From the Cradle. Devastating wildfires continued to burn for the fourth day today in Latakia governorate on Syria’s northern coast, home to many of the country’s minority Alawite population. Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, allegedly a militant offshoot of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), claimed responsibility on Sunday . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 6  UK restores diplomatic ties with Syria after grooming Sharaa for power. From the Cradle. Britain reestablished full diplomatic relations with Syria on Sunday as part UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy visit to Damascus to meet the country’s new de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Anadolu Agency.

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FROM JULY 4  Syria unveils new national emblem marking post-Assad era, by Mohammad Sio | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — The Syrian presidency unveiled the country’s new national emblem on Thursday during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, accompanied by nationwide celebrations in major city squares — as the country transitions . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to five reports: from Anadolu Agency, the Cradle and Agence France-Presse, to commentary from the Cradle, and to an article from Wikipedia; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (LEBANON 7-7-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA, YEMEN, UKRAINE and GAZA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.) — MCM

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10 including child injured in overnight Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, by Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — At least 10 people were injured in overnight Israeli attacks in Lebanon on Sunday, according to officials. The Health Ministry, cited by the state news agency NNA, said . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. envoy ‘satisfied’ with Beirut’s response to Hezbollah disarmament demands. From the Cradle.  Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun held a meeting in Beirut today with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who was reportedly “satisfied” with the Lebanese response to a roadmap provided by Washington for the disarmament of Hezbollah. A statement from the presidency said Aoun “presented . . .READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 6  Hezbollah chief says will not surrender under threat from Israel. From AFP. BEIRUT — Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said today his group would not surrender or lay down its weapons in response to Israeli threats, despite pressure on the Lebanese militants to disarm. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 6  ‘He has not learned from Nasrallah’: Israel threatens Hezbollah chief. From the Cradle. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem today, in response to the Lebanese resistance movement’s rejection of U.S. dictates for disarmament. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 5  Lebanese president affirms coordination with Syria, warns against sectarian tensions, by Naim Berjwi and Rania Abu Shamala | Anadolu Agency  BEIRUT / ISTANBUL — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun confirmed Friday that there is continuous coordination with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmad al-Sharaa, on several issues, while warning against attempts by “internal enemies” to exploit sectarian tensions. READ MORE . . .

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Tom Barrack’s project to destabilize Lebanon. From the Cradle. U.S. Envoy to Turkiye and Syria Tom Barrack made a declaration last month in Ankara suggesting that Washington was repudiating the colonial-era borders imposed on the Levant in 1916 by Britain and France. But his actual meaning . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for entry from Wikipedia.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from the Associated Press, the Cradle, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (YEMEN 5-30-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA, LEBANON, UKRAINE and GAZA entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Israel launches airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and Houthis launch missile at Israel, by Jon Gambrell | AP  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel’s military launched airstrikes early today targeting ports and facilities held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, with the rebels responding with missile fire targeting Israel. The attacks came after . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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Israel attacks 3 Yemeni ports and power plant, Israeli military says. From Reuters. ADEN — Israel has attacked Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and a power plant, the Israeli military said early on Monday, marking the first Israeli attack on Yemen in almost a month — adding that they were due to repeated Houthi attacks on Israel. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 6  Crew abandons Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned ship attacked in the Red Sea, UK military says, by Jon Gambrell | AP  DUBAI — Crew members aboard a Liberian-flagged ship set ablaze by a series of attacks in the Red Sea abandoned the vessel Sunday night as it took on water, marking the first serious assault in the vital corridor for trade after a monthslong campaign by Yemen’s Houthi rebels there. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to 13 reports: from Anadolu Agency, Agence France-Presse, Tass, the Associated Press, Reuters, Kyiv Post, and the Kyiv Independent; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 7-6-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA, LEBANON, YEMEN and GAZA and entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM 

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Ukraine says at least 1 killed, 62 injured in Russian drone strikes on Kharkiv, Odesa, by Burc Eruygur | Anadolu Agency  — ISTANBUL — Ukraine said today that at least one person was killed and 62 others including three children were injured in Russian drone strikes on the cities of Kharkiv and Odesa. READ MORE . . .

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Russian army says it seized first village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. From AFP. Russia’s military today claimed to have captured its first village in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region after months of grinding advances toward the border, in what could mark a psychological blow for Kyiv as military and diplomatic pressures mount — this after . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Tass.

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Russia fires over 100 drones at Ukraine as Kremlin dismisses transport chief after travel chief, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Russia fired more than 100 drones at civilian areas of Ukraine overnight, authorities said today, as the Kremlin dismissed the country’s transport chief after a weekend of travel chaos when Russian airports grounded hundreds of flights due to the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks. They said at least 10 civilians were killed and . . . READ MORE . . .   Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, AFP and Anadolu Agency. 

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FROM JULY 6  UN’s Guterres condemns Russia’s largest drone assault on Ukraine. From AFP. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Saturday condemned Russia’s biggest drone and missile attack yet in the three-year war in Ukraine, and also called for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine army says Russian strikes hit two recruitment centers. From AFP. KYIV — The Ukrainian army said today Russian strikes targeted two recruitment centers in separate cities, wounding four people. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Kyiv Post.

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Ukrainian drone strike hits major oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, HUR source claims, by Tim Zadorozhnyy | The Kyiv Independent  Long-range Ukrainian drones struck the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai today, hitting one of the facility’s technological workshops, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian drones reportedly target Russian chemical plant near Moscow, by Tim Zadorozhnyy | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian drones struck the city of Krasnozavodsk in Russia’s Moscow Oblast today, possibly targeting the Krasnozavodsk Chemical Plant, Russian independent media outlet Astra reported. READ MORE . . .

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Russian army gains control of five km of border with capture of Bessalovka — expert. From Tass. LUGANSK — About five kilometers of Russia’s national border at the junction with Ukraine’s Sumy Region is now under the full control of the Russian army after the liberation of the village of Bessalovka, according to military expert Andrey Marochko. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to five reports: from Anadolu Agency, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-6-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA, LEBANON, UKRAINE and YEMEN entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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No reports of Hamas stealing aid in Gaza: EU Commission, by Melike Pala | Anadolu Agency  BRUSSELS — The European Commission said today it has no evidence that Hamas is stealing humanitarian aid in Gaza, and described the humanitarian situation in the enclave as “catastrophic.” READ MORE . . .

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Israel and Hamas are inching toward a new ceasefire deal for Gaza. This is how it might look. From AP. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington today to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for a ceasefire that might lead to an end to the 21-month war in Gaza. Israel and Hamas are considering . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE to listen to report from NPR.

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FROM JULY 6  New details emerge on Gaza ceasefire proposal as Netanyahu heads to the White House, by Wafaa Shurafa, Abby Sewell and Kareem Chehayeb | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — New details of the Gaza ceasefire proposal emerged on Sunday as Israel sent a negotiating team to Qatar ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s White House visit for talks toward an agreement. Inside the territory . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 6  Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits White House to discuss Gaza ceasefire. Reported by Pien Huang | NPR  President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations Richard Haass discusses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House Monday to meet with President Trump, who is pressing the Israel leader for a ceasefire agreement and an end to the war in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to nine reports: from the Associated Press, Anadolu Agency, Middle East Monitor, Middle East Eye, the Cradle, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-5-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israeli airstrikes kill 38 Palestinians in Gaza, by Wafaa Shurafa and Kareem Chehayeb | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes killed at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials said today, as Israel’s military said it has struck over 100 targets in the embattled enclave in the past day. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Anadolu Agency, and HERE for June 5 report from Middle East Monitor.

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A boy with a brain injury fights for his life in Gaza’s decimated health system, by Sarah el Deeb | AP  BEIRUT — It’s as if the whole weight of Israel’s war in Gaza has fallen on Amr al-Hams. The 3-year-old has shrapnel in his brain from an Israeli strike on his family’s tent. His pregnant mother was killed. His father is paralyzed by grief over the death of his longtime sweetheart. Now . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel rushes to ‘depopulate’ northern Gaza before possible ceasefire: source, by Nour Abuaisha and Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency  GAZA CITY, Palestine / ANKARA — Israel is racing against time to “depopulate” northern Gaza ahead of a possible ceasefire agreement, a Palestinian source said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 5  Netanyahu says Hamas changes to ceasefire ‘unacceptable.’ From Middle East Eye. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late on Saturday that the amendments proposed by Hamas to the Qatari ceasefire framework were “not acceptable to Israel,” Haaretz reported, but he has agreed to . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM JULY 5  The deadly risk of trying to reach food in Gaza. Reported by Anas Baba and Daniel Estrin | NPR  An NPR journalist in Gaza describes his experience seeking food from a site run by private American contractors, facing Israeli military fire, crowds fighting for rations, and masked thieves. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 5  U.S. firm behind GHF modeled ‘voluntary relocation’ plan to expedite ethnic cleansing of Gaza: FT. From the Cradle. A major U.S. consulting firm, Boston Consulting Group, was tasked by Israeli backers to model the costs of “relocating” Palestinians from Gaza as part of a project “imagining” post-war Gaza reconstruction, a Financial Times investigation published on Saturday revealed. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to eight reports: from the Associated Press, Kyiv Independent, Agence France-Presse, Anadolu Agency, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 7-5-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA entry for this date is HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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NEWER  Russia and Ukraine trade drone strikes, disrupting air travel. From AP. Russia and Ukraine struck each other with hundreds of drones today, throwing Russian air travel in disarray. Russia’s Transport Ministry said hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled due to Ukrainian drone strikes on Saturday and overnight. In Ukraine, large-scale Russian drone strikes today . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 6, injure 25 over past day, by Kateryna Hodunova | The Kyiv Independent  Russian attacks against Ukraine have killed at least six civilians and injured at least 25 others over the past day, regional authorities said today. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russian forces launched . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia says captured 2 more east Ukraine settlements in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. From AFP. Russia said today it had captured two more settlements in east Ukraine, one in the Donetsk region and one in the Kharkiv region. READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy says Ukraine, U.S. agree to ‘significantly’ enhance efforts on drones, by Serdar Dincel | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that Ukraine and the U.S. reached an agreement to “significantly” enhance efforts on drones, stressing that Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and “one of the leading” U.S. companies . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 5  Ukraine’s top general warns of possible new Russian offensive in northeast, by Max Hunder | Reuters  KYIV — Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi warned on Saturday of a possible new Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region, a part of northeastern Ukraine which has seen heavy fighting since Russia invaded in 2022.  READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 5  Russian air defences shoot down four drones headed for Moscow, mayor says. From Reuters. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said emergency services were working at the sites where the drones were downed on Saturday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 5  Ukraine attacks Russian airfields. Reported by Joanna Kakissis and Pien Huang | NPR  The Ukrainian military says that today it attacked airfields in Russia, where fighter jets used to bomb Ukrainian cities are stored. They say it’s an attempt to weaken the Kremlin’s war machine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 5  U.S. company no longer searching for investors to fund Kiev — Bloomberg. From Tass. NEW YORK — Shortly after Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election, the U.S. company BlackRock stopped looking for investors for its potential fund, the proceeds of which were to go towards the reconstruction of Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to seven reports: from Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, Anadolu Agency, and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-4-25 is HERE, or scroll down. IRAN, MEDIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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The spy, private equity baron and ghost of a Trump donor: The revolving door behind a Gaza mercenary firm, by Sean Mathews and Dania Akkad | Middle East Eye  The U.S. mercenary firm overseeing a controversial Gaza aid programme is the creation of a bespectacled Chicago private equity baron and a CIA spy with old ties to a Donald Trump ally who participated in one of the Middle East’s nastiest diplomatic rifts. The story of . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for two July 2 reports from AP.

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UNRWA calls for immediate fuel delivery to Israel-blockaded Gaza before shutdown of basic services, by Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — “Without urgent shipments of fuel into Gaza,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said today in a statement, “a complete shutdown of basic services will bring even more suffering: a collective punishment. READ MORE . . .

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Israel receives Hamas’ response to ceasefire proposal, details being discussed: Israeli media, by Zein Khalil and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Agency  JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL — Israel has received Hamas’ response to a new ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip, and discussions for details are underway, Israeli media reported today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 4  Hamas says it has given a ‘positive’ response to the latest ceasefire proposal in Gaza, by Wafaa Shurafa, Bassem Mroue and Samya Kullab | AP  DEIR al-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Hamas said Friday it has given a “positive” response to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza but said further talks were needed on implementation. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for July 5 report from Reuters.

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