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 . . .

For today, links to a report from Common Dreams and to commentary from Indian Punchline and Middle East Eye; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE. MEDIA 1-31-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 31  Doctor says LA Times disingenuously spun his RFK Jr. op-ed, by Brett Wilkins | Common Dreams  A public health expert on Friday accused the Los Angeles Times of distorting a highly critical opinion piece he authored in order to paint Health and Human Services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a positive . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 1  Syria enters new era amidst uncertainties, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The appointment of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as Interim President on Wednesday marks the advent of a new era in Syria’s history. The New York Times in a feature article on al-Sharaa called the HTS an “Islamist rebel group once linked to Al Qaeda.” [Emphasis added.] READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 31  ‘The Brutalist’: What this Oscar contender really says about the American Dream and Israel, by Joseph Fahim | Middle East Eye  When Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” premiered at the Venice film festival last September, few film experts believed it could have any impact on the erratic U.S. box office. A nearly four-hour-long immigrant drama . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to nine reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, National Public Radio, and the Anadolu Agency, and to commentary from Antiwar.com and ScheerPost; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Hamas frees 3 hostages and Israel releases Palestinian prisoners in 4th exchange of ceasefire, by Mohammad Jahjouh and Imad Isseid | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Hamas militants freed three male hostages held for more than a year in the Gaza Strip today and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in the fourth such exchange of a ceasefire deal that has halted 15 months of intense fighting. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Bus of Palestinian captives leaves Ofer prison after Gaza ceasefire deal, by Mohammed Turkman, Fayha Shalash and Alex MacDonald | Middle East Eye  RAMALLAH — A bus carrying Palestinian captives arrived at the West Bank town of Beitunia today following the handover of Israeli captives in Gaza. They departed from Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank and arrived at Beitunia near Ramallah, where . . . READ MORE . . .

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A U.S. dual citizen is among 3 Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Daniel Estrin | NPR  TEL AVIV — The three Israeli hostages released by Hamas today after more than 15 months in captivity in Gaza are U.S. and Israeli dual citizen Keith Siegel, 65, Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Kalderon, 54. Kalderon also holds French citizenship. Click HERE to listen and read report, which includes photos.

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Nearly half a million people returned to northern areas of Gaza Strip: UN. From Middle East Monitor. The UN on Friday said “nearly half a million people have returned to northern areas of the Gaza Strip” since the ceasefire took effect, Anadolu Agency reports. READ MORE . . .

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Palestinian Authority tells U.S. it is ready to ‘clash’ with Hamas for control of Gaza, by Sean Mathews | Middle East Eye  The Palestinian Authority has told the U.S. it is ready to “clash” with Hamas if needed to take power in the Gaza Strip, during a pitch to President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, at a meeting in Riyadh. READ MORE . . .

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Trump and Netanyahu expected to meet once on Tuesday — U.S. official. From Reuters. WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet at the White House on Tuesday, a U.S. official said on Friday. The meeting is set to take place amid a fragile six-week ceasefire . . . READ MORE . . .

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Palestinians worry about what Netanyahu’s visit to the White House signals for Gaza. Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Maha Nassar, a professor at the University of Arizona, about how Palestinians will view the Israeli Prime Minister’s visit to the White House next week. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Sisi invites Trump to Egypt for talks on Middle East crises, by Yusuf Alioğlu and Rania R.a. Abushamala | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call from Donald Trump, during which he invited the U.S. leader to visit Egypt to discuss ongoing crises in the Middle East, his office said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 31  This is what Palestinian unity looks like, by Ramzy Baroud | Antiwar.com  Even those of us who have long emphasized the importance of the Palestinian people’s voice, experience, and collective action in Palestinian history must have been shocked by the cultural revolution resulting from the Israeli war on Gaza. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 31  Thirty years of middle east lies just keep coming back to haunt, by Jonathan Cook | ScheerPost  The story: Did you believe it 30 years ago when they told you that the Oslo Accords would bring peace to the Middle East? That Israel would finally withdraw from the Palestinian Territories . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Libertarian Institute and the Associated Press; other articles are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 30  DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard in heated exchange with Sen. Mark Kelly, by Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute  During the confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence, Sen. Mark Kelly attacked nominee Tulsi Gabbard over her past criticisms of U.S. policy in Syria. Kelly asserted that Gabbard was repeating Russian talking points, while Tulsi argued . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for Jan. 30 report from AP.

For today, links to eight reports: from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Tass, Antiwar.com, and Newsweek; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and SYRIA and entries for this date are HERE and HERE.)  — MCM   

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Russian drone and missile attacks kill 8 in Ukraine. From AP. KYIV — At least eight people died overnight as Russian drone and missile strikes pounded Ukraine’s towns and cities, local officials said today. Meanwhile, Moscow’s troops continued . . . READ MORE . . .Click HERE and HERE for reports from Kyiv Post and the Kyiv Independent.

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UN condemns Russian missile attack in Odesa that wounded 7. From AFP. The UN today condemned a Russian missile attack on the city of Odesa in southern Ukraine that wounded at least seven people and damaged historic buildings. The Black Sea port, known for . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia says advancing towards flashpoint Ukrainian city. From AFP. Russia said today it had captured a village flanking the eastern flashpoint city of Toretsk in Ukraine as Kyiv said four people had died in overnight Russian strikes. READ MORE . . .

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Russian air defense systems shot down 10 HIMARS projectiles, 108 Ukrainian UAVs. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Russian Armed Forces hit the infrastructure of military airfields, as well as storage and preparation sites for the launch of Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 30  Ukrainian media outlet leaks alleged Trump plan to end Ukraine war, by Dave DeCamp | Antiwar.com / Popular Resistance  The Ukrainian news outlet Strana has published leaked details of President Trump’s alleged plan to end the war in Ukraine in 100 days. According to Newsweek, which said it couldn’t verify if the details were accurate, . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Jan. 27 report from Newsweek.

For today, links to five reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK, LEBANON, UKRAINE, COVID ETC. and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Families welcome news of 3 more male hostages to be released. From AP. The organization representing families of hostages held in the Gaza strip was celebrating the news that Yarden Bibas, 35, Keith Siegel, 65, and Ofer Kalderon, 54, would be released Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Trump insists Egypt, Jordan will take in Palestinians from Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down Thursday on his controversial proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan, insisting that the two countries will comply, despite their repeated rejections. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 30  What Israel’s ban on UN’s Palestinian aid agency looks like, by Isabel Debre | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel on Thursday formally banned UNRWA, the main United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees, from operating on its territory despite heavy diplomatic backlash, a move that humanitarian officials warn . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Jan. 30 report from Middle East Monitor.

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, LEBANON, COVID ETC., UKRAINE, and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 30  What Israel’s ban on UN’s Palestinian aid agency looks like, by Isabel Debre | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel on Thursday formally banned UNRWA, the main United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees, from operating on its territory despite heavy diplomatic backlash, a move that humanitarian officials warn . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Jan. 30 report from Middle East Monitor.

For today, links to three reports: from the Cradle and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, UKRAINE, COVID ETC. and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli fighter jets strike eastern, northern Lebanon. From the Cradle. Israeli airstrikes targeted eastern and northern Lebanon early today in continued violation of the ceasefire agreement that was recently extended and has seen Tel Aviv’s forces prolong their presence in the country. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. seeks to block Hezbollah or its allies from naming Lebanon finance minister, sources say. From Reuters. BEIRUT — Washington is pressuring top Lebanese officials not to allow Hezbollah or its allies to nominate the country’s next finance minister, five people with knowledge of the matter said. The  unusually direct U.S. intervention . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and New York Magazine; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, LEBANON, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, and COVID ETC. 1-29-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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When RFK Jr. was presented with the science on vaccines he said he needed to see, he dismissed it, by Lauran Neergaard and Mike Strobe | AP  WASHINGTON — The man who hopes to be President Donald Trump’s health secretary repeatedly asked to see “data” or “science” showing vaccines are safe – but when an influential Republican senator did so, he dismissed it. READ MORE. . .

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FROM JAN.  29  Dems grill RFK Jr. on vaccines, abortion in testy hearing. From Intelligencer at New York Magazine.  On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee held the first of two confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the secretary of Health and Human Services. Below, how the hearing played out in real time: . . . READ MORE . . .