For today, links to reports from Reuters and Middle East Eye, and to commentary from Indian Punchline and the Cradle; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, LEBANON and IRAN entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. SYRIA 2-2-25 and SYRIA 2-3-25 entries are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Syria’s Sharaa to discuss defense pact with Turkey’s Erdogan: sources. From Reuters. AMMAN / BEIRUT / DAMASCUS — Syria’s transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan were expected to discuss a joint defense pact in Ankara today, including . . .  READ MORE . . .

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Manbij car bomb attack suspends SDF-Damascus talks, by Ragip Soylu | Middle East Eye  ANKARA — A deadly car bomb attack that killed at least 20 people on Monday near northern Syria’s Manbij has suspended negotiations between the Damascus interim government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, according to two sources familiar with . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 3  Trump turn is bad news for West Asia, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  On Tuesday the international community will get to see President Donald Trump wading into the midstream of West Asia’s crisis, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enters the Oval Office hoping for an opportunity to shape U.S. regional policy. Do you get déjà vu? . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 31  In Syria, the lunatics are running the asylum, by Fuad Walid Itayim | The Cradle  For years, many speculated what Syria – a country with deep religious and cultural diversity – would look like if the armed, extremist-dominated opposition managed to overthrow Bashar al-Assad’s government. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to a report from Middle East Monitor and to commentary from Indian Punchline; other articles are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, LEBANON and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM FEB. 3  Iran expresses concern to Azerbaijan on Israel presence in country. From Middle East Monitor. Iran has expressed concern to Azerbaijan regarding Israel’s alleged presence within the country, amid increasingly bitter relations between Tehran and Baku. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 3  Trump turn is bad news for West Asia, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  On Tuesday the international community will get to see President Donald Trump wading into the midstream of West Asia’s crisis, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enters the Oval Office hoping for an opportunity to shape U.S. regional policy. Do you get déjà vu? . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to four reports: from National Public Radio, the Associated Press and Reuters, and to commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE. GAZA 2-2-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli PM Netanyahu visits D.C. for talks with President Trump. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Michel Martin | NPR  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Washington for talks with President Trump, as negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire are supposedly due to begin. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. discusses Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  With Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington as negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire with Hamas get under way, Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, is interviewed. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Aid is surging into Gaza under the ceasefire. Is it helping? by Julia Frankel | AP  JERUSALEM — Two weeks after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect, aid is flooding into the Gaza Strip, bringing relief to a territory suffering from hunger, mass displacement and devastation following 15 months of war. READ MORE . . .

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Palestinians appeal for help with short-term shelter in Gaza, by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta | Reuters  CAIRO / RAMALLAH — With fighting in Gaza paused, Palestinians are appealing for billions of dollars in emergency aid — from heavy machinery to clear rubble to tents and caravans to house people made homeless by Israeli bombardment. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 2  Will Trump end Netanyahu’s rule? by Ameer Makhoul | Middle East Eye  The Gaza ceasefire agreement, landing on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration, reflected the high priority of this deal for the Trump administration. But in Israel . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to six reports: from National Public Radio, Reuters, the Anadolu Agency, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli PM Netanyahu visits D.C. for talks with President Trump. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Michel Martin | NPR  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Washington for talks with President Trump, as negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire are supposedly due to begin. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. discusses Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  With Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington as negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire with Hamas get under way, Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, is interviewed. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Israeli military blows up buildings in West Bank refugee camp. From Reuters. RAMALLAH / JERUSALEM — The Palestinian state news agency said Sunday the operation in the occupied West Bank leveled around 20 buildings. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli forces demolish more homes as West Bank offensive enters 14th day, by Qais Abu Samra and Ahmed Asmar | Anadolu Agency  RAMALLAH, Palestine  Eyewitnesses said today the Israeli army raided Silat al-Harithiya town, west of Jenin city, and cordoned off a number of homes, ordering those inside to surrender. READ MORE . . .

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Over 2,000 attacks by settlers and Israeli forces in West Bank in January, says Palestinian Authority. From Middle East Eye. The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission says additionally that more than 912 military checkpoints were established by the occupation . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Middle East Monitor.

For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press and the Anadolu Agency; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE. SYRIA 2-2-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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At least 19 killed mostly women in a car bomb explosion in northern Syria, by Kareem Chehayeb and Omar Albam | AP DAMASCUS — A car bomb exploded on the outskirts of the northern Syrian city of Manjib today, killing at least 19 people, all but one of them women, and leaving more than a dozen wounded, hospital workers said. READ MORE . . .

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Syria’s interim president to visit Türkiye, by Serdar Dincel | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa will pay an official visit to the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli PM Netanyahu visits D.C. for talks with President Trump. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Michel Martin | NPR  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in Washington for talks with President Trump, as negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire are supposedly due to begin. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. discusses Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  With Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington as negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire with Hamas get under way, Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, is interviewed. Click HERE to listen and read.

For today, links to five reports from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Independent, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, WEST BANK and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE. UKRAINE 2-2-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM   

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FROM FEB. 2  Russia and Ukraine trade blame over an attack on a boarding school in Russia’s Kursk region. From AP. KYIV — Competing claims emerged over a deadly attack on a boarding school in Sudzha, a city in Russia’s Kursk region that has been under Ukrainian control for five months, with Ukraine and Russia accusing each other of carrying out the strike. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for reports from AFP and the Kyiv Independent.

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FROM FEB. 2  Both Ukraine, Russia must ‘give a little’: Trump envoy. From AFP,  U.S. President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy said Sunday that both Kyiv and Moscow would have to make concessions if they are to successfully negotiate a solution to the ongoing war. Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB.  2  Ukraine says U.S. push for truce, elections is ‘failed plan’ unless it consists of more, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters  KYIV — An aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday a U.S. call for Ukraine to hold an election after agreeing a ceasefire with Russia looked like a “failed plan” if that is all it consists of, though more details were needed. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters, and to two articles of commentary from Consortium News, the second originating from the Grayzone; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. (WEST BANK, SYRIA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. GAZA 2-1-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel’s Netanyahu heads to U.S. to discuss ‘victory over Hamas’ with Trump, by Tia Goldenberg | AP  TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today he will discuss “victory over Hamas,” countering Iran and expanding diplomatic relations with Arab countries in his meeting Tuesday with U.S. President Donald Trump. READ MORE . . .

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Israel’s Netanyahu says negotiations start Monday for next phase of Gaza ceasefire. From Reuters. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will start negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire when he meets U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff, on Monday in Washington, Mr Netanyahu’s office said late Saturday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 30  The ceasefire so far, by Michel Moushabeck | Truthout / Consortium News  The fragile, incomplete and long overdue Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement has brought huge relief to the millions of Palestinians who have been under daily threat of airstrikes, bombardment and forced starvation for over 15 months. The numerous scenes . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 29  The Christian Zionist leading the ICJ, by Max Blumenthal | The Grayzone / Consortium News  President Nawaf Salam of the International Court of Justice resigned on Jan. 14, to become prime minister of Lebanon, and was succeeded by Justice Julia Sebutinde of Uganda. Many observers were stunned when Sebutinde voted “no” on all . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for earlier version of commentary, from the Grayzone.

For today, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, SYRIA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. WEST BANK 1-31-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Palestinian resistance fights back as Israel continues violent assault on West Bank cities. From the Cradle. Palestinian resistance factions in the occupied West Bank are confronting invading Israeli forces, who are carrying out violent operations across the territory, particularly in Jenin. READ MORE . . .

For today, a link to a report from Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, SYRIA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. UKRAINE 2-1-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM   

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FROM FEB. 1  What DeepSeek says about Nuland’s role in Ukraine war, by Cathy Vogan | Special to Consortium News  News of a Chinese AI program named DeepSeek outperforming Western AI for a fraction of the cost to develop has captured headlines around the world, especially as it caused shares of Western AI companies to plummet. READ MORE . . .