Status

Gaza, 7-11-24

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For today, links to five reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, and the Anadolu Agency, and to commentary from Substack; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Bodies trapped in Gaza City under Israeli assault as mediators push for truce, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas | Reuters  Residents of Gaza City were trapped in houses and bodies lay uncollected in the streets under an intense new Israeli assault today, even as Washington pushed for a peace deal at talks in Egypt and Qatar. Hamas militants say . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 10  Israeli military orders the evacuation of Gaza City, an early target of its war with Hamas, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli military urged all Palestinians to leave Gaza City and head south Wednesday, pressing ahead with a fresh offensive across the north, south and center of the embattled territory that has killed dozens . . . READ MORE . . .

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Those responsible for ‘barbarism in Gaza’ will be held accountable before int’l law: Turkish president, by Mehmet Tosun | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today his country would “continue to do our best to ensure that justice is served and the perpetrators of the massacre are held accountable.” READ MORE . . .

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U.S. to send critical munition to Israel in coming days, says White House envoy, by Abdelraouf Arnaout | Anadolu Agency  JERUSALEM — The U.S. is planning to send new shipments of weapons, including critical munition, to Israel in the coming days, the Israeli Defense Ministry said today. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant . . . READ MORE . . .

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European countries continue to arm Israel as its attacks on Gaza persist, by Melike Pala | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — European countries continue to supply Israel with arms as it continues its military offensive in Gaza and stands accused of committing genocide. Anadolu has compiled details of European countries’ military sales to Israel since . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 9  The foreign policy Biden is putting on the ballot, by Seymour M. Hersh | Substack  It is time to talk about the foreign policy elephants in the room in the current crisis over Joe Biden’s political future, which is also the immediate future of the fractious Democratic Party. READ MORE . . .

Ukraine, 7-11-24

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For today, links to seven reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Tass, the Moscow Times, and the Anadolu Agency, and to commentary from Substack; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) —  MCM

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China tells NATO not to create chaos in Asia and rejects label of ‘enabler’ of Russia’s Ukraine war, by Ken Moritsugu | AP  BEIJING — China today accused NATO of seeking security at the expense of others and told the alliance not to bring the same “chaos” to Asia, a reflection of its determination to oppose strengthening ties between NATO members and Asian nations such as . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO to back Ukraine as Biden faces growing pressure, by Andrea Shalal | Reuters  WASHINGTON — NATO leaders will end their summit today with a clear focus on backing Ukraine and countering what the allies say is the growing threat Russia poses to Europe, as U.S. President Joe Biden faces growing calls from members of his Democratic party to drop his re-election bid. READ MORE . . .

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Russia plans ‘response’ to contain ‘serous threat’ from NATO: Kremlin. From AFP. Russia is planning “response measures” to contain the “very serious threat” from NATO, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying today. He also said the Western military alliance was now “fully involved in the conflict over Ukraine”. READ MORE . . .

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Turkey’s Erdogan warns against NATO-Russia conflict.  From AFP. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today that any possibility of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO was “worrying”, the official Anadolu news agency reported. Erdogan’s comments came as NATO leaders huddled in Washington and Kremlin . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO summit’s documents show that West stands against supporting peace — Kremlin. From Tass. MOSCOW — Documents signed at the recent NATO summit in the United States show that the West is not supporting a dialogue and the alliance itself is an instrument of confrontation, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. READ MORE . . .

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Russia outlaws the Moscow Times as ‘undesirable’ organization. From the Moscow Times. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has labeled the Moscow Times as “undesirable,” a designation that bans Russians from working with or having links to the organization, with criminal prosecution for violations. The office also accused the newspaper of “publications containing unreliable socially significant information aimed at discrediting the activities” of the government regarding the war in Ukraine. READ MORE . . .

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New Zealand announces more sanctions on Russia, Iran over Ukraine war. From Anadolu Agency. ANKARA — New Zealand today announced further sanctions on Russia and Iran over the Ukraine war. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand’s latest sanctions target . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 9  The foreign policy Biden is putting on the ballot, by Seymour M. Hersh | Substack  It is time to talk about the foreign policy elephants in the room in the current crisis over Joe Biden’s political future, which is also the immediate future of the fractious Democratic Party. READ MORE . . .

Media, 7-10-24

Here is a promotional notice from the Capitol Hill Citizen (there is no link to it); other articles and notices may be accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Print newspapers — the new underground

By Russell Mokhiber | Capitol Hill Citizen

Two new print only newspapers have popped up in recent years.

One is County Highway, which covers flyover country.

The other is Capitol Hill Citizen, which covers the corporate corruption that has metastisized in the occupied territory known as Washington, D.C. – and what we, as citizens, can do about it.

And in case you missed it, the New York Times ran a story last month under the headline – “In a Digital Age, High-End Outdoors Magazines Are Thriving in Print –  Titles like Adventure Journal, Mountain Gazette, Summit Journal and Ori are aimed at ‘people who just don’t want to be on their phones anymore.'”

Print newspapers are becoming the new underground.

So, take a break from your screen and phone routine and get your copy of the print only Capitol Hill Citizen.

We running out of copies of the May/June 2024 issue of the Capitol Hill Citizen and we are not going to reprint.

So if you haven’t ordered your copy already, do so now.

If you have already ordered yours, consider another for a friend or family member.

When you get the paper, close your laptop, put away your phone and sit quietly for a few moments and relax and enjoy reading an old fashioned, beautiful newspaper.

Limited run.

Print only.

40 pages .

For a donation of $5 or more, we’ll send you via first class mail the May/June issue.(No subscription yet, still testing the waters.)

Get your copy now at capitolhillcitizen.com.

(For bulk orders, send me an email or give me a call and we’ll work it out.)

Onward to a more peaceful future.

Russell Mokhiber / Capitol Hill Citizen / 1209 National Press Building / Washington DC 20045 /  202.656.7660

Ukraine, 7-10-24

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For today, links to ten reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Tass, National Public Radio, and Agence France-Presse, and to pieces of commentary from Common Dreams and World BEYOND War, both via Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (GAZA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) —  MCM

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U.S. says Ukraine is on an ‘irreversible’ path to NATO membership. But only after war with Russia ends, by Ellen Knickmeyer | AP  WASHINGTON — Ukraine is on an “irreversible” path to NATO membership, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today, advancing American assurances that the country will be allowed to join the Western military alliance but only after its war with Russia ends. A joint communique . . . READ MORE . . .

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Poland must prepare army for full-scale conflict, army chief says, by Karl Badohal | Reuters  WARSAW — Poland needs to prepare its soldiers for all-out conflict, its armed forces chief of staff said today, as the country boosts the number of troops on its border with Russia and Belarus. Poland’s relations with Russia and its ally Belarus . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO sees no imminent military threat from Russia – Stoltenberg. From Tass. WASHINGTON — NATO does not see any imminent military threat from Russia at this moment, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said upon arrival to the Alliance’s summit in Washington. READ MORE . . .

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World leaders condemn Russia’s strike on Kyiv hospital as NATO takes up Ukraine. Reported by Ashley Westerman and Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  Ukrainians want the world to know that Russia will stop at nothing in its campaign to take over Ukraine — even if it means hurting children. Russia launched strikes on a children’s hospital in Kyiv. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Russian strikes kill 3 in Ukraine. From AFP.  Russian strikes killed three people in southern Ukraine, including at the Black Sea port of Odesa, authorities said today. “The aggressor . . . READ MORE . . .

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At NATO summit Biden aims to reassure leaders the alliance with the U.S. is strong. Reported by Mara Liasson and Steve Inskeep | NPR  President Biden spoke to NATO leaders Tuesdays night, marking the alliance’s 75th anniversary. The speech came as questions continue to swirl about his reelection bid. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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What did NATO members take away from President Biden’s speech? Reported by Sacha Pfeiffer of NPR talks with Rachel Rizzo of the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, about whether Biden’s speech reassured allies that the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 9  Russia defense ministry says destroyed 38 Ukrainian drones. From AFP.  Russian forces destroyed 38 Ukrainian drones overnight in regions near the border, Moscow’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.. “Air defense systems . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 9  As NATO summit kicks off in D.C., Nordic-Baltic states point to Ukraine. Reported by Mary Louise Kelly, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Megan Lim | NPR The NATO summit in Washington kicked off Tuesday morning. NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly sat down with the top diplomats from eight Nordic and Baltic nations for a discussion hosted by the Atlantic Council. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 9  Biden kicks off NATO summit with highly scrutinized speech. Reported by Asma Khalid and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  President Biden kicks off a NATO summit with a speech. It will be scrutinized because of questions about whether he’s still up to the job. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 9  NATO alliance’s endgame appears to be nuclear war, by Chris Wright | Common Dreams / Consortium News  It is easily imaginable that nuclear war could break out between Russia (and perhaps China) and the West, yet politicians continue to escalate tensions, place hundreds of thousands of troops at “high readiness,” and attack military targets inside Russia, even while . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 6  75 years of NATO = 75 years of denial, by Sevim Dagdelen | World BEYOND War / Consortium News  Just in time for its 75th anniversary, NATO has dropped its mask. And the NATO summit beginning Tuesday in Washington is one particularly illuminating moment in this revelation.  The history of the Enlightenment . . . READ MORE . . .

Gaza, 7-10-24

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For today, links to three reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli strikes in central Gaza kill 20 Palestinians as mediators make new push on cease-fire deal, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes early today killed 20 Palestinians in central Gaza, including six children and three women, some of them inside a purported “safe zone” declared by the Israeli military, hospital authorities said. This second straight night . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza airstrike hit as displaced gathered for soccer match, witnesses say, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Hatem Khaled | Reuters  CAIRO / GAZA  An Israeli missile slammed into a tent encampment in southern Gaza on Tuesday just as displaced people had gathered to watch a football match at a school, eyewitnesses said today. Palestinian officials said at least 29 people, mostly women and children, were killed . . . READ MORE . . .

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The Pentagon plans to reinstall the floating pier off the Gaza coast. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  The pier will be used to deliver long-stalled humanitarian aid. Will it finally live up to the Biden administration’s hopes? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 8  Netanyahu goes for broke, by Patrick Lawrence | Special to Consortium News / Popular Resistance  It is a matter of record that the Zionist project has had extensive territorial designs on the lands known as Palestine since at least the early 20th century. As others have argued, the Israelis’ . . . READ MORE . . .

Biden, 7-9-24

Links to commentary from ScheerPost and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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U.S. elections 2024: An ageing Biden and the crisis of liberal imperialism, by Hamid Dabashi | Middle East Eye  U.S. President Joe Biden is 81 years old. After his televised debate witH former U.S. President Donald Trump on 27 June 2024, he has been perceived as frail, ageing and not in full command of his faculties. In the words of . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 7  Power for the sake of power, by Patrick Lawrence | Original to ScheerPost  When I awoke Saturday morning, I found my thoughts wandering back a decade, when my siblings and I plotted to get our father’s car keys out of his frail, unsteady hands. Watching Joe Biden in a television interview will do this to you. READ MORE . . .

Gaza, 7-9-24

For today, links to six reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE and BIDEN entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza City forces medical facilities to close as thousands flee, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Heavy Israeli bombardment shook Gaza City today as thousands of fleeing Palestinians searched for shelter and medical facilities were forced to shut down in the latest offensive in the territory’s north. Israel’s new . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Egypt, U.S., Israel spy chiefs to attend Gaza truce talks in Doha. From Reuters. CAIRO — Negotiations to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza war will resume in Doha on Wednesday, with the intelligence chiefs of Egypt, the United States, and Israel in attendance, Egypt’s state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV and sources said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 8  Hamas chief says latest Israeli attack on Gaza could jeopardise ceasefire talks, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — A new Israeli assault on Gaza on Monday threatened ceasefire talks at a crucial moment, the head of Hamas said, as Israeli tanks pressed into the heart of Gaza City and ordered residents out after a night of massive bombardment. Residents said . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AP.

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FROM JULY 8  Stranded aid trucks in Egypt deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, by Abdelhadi Ramahi, Amr Alfiky and Alexander Cornwell | Reuters  AL-ARISH, Egypt — Hundreds of trucks loaded with food and water have been stranded on a scorching Egyptian road, some for nearly two months, awaiting permission to deliver the much needed humanitarian supplies to war-torn Gaza. About 50 kilometres from the Gaza border . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 8  Israeli airstrikes have hit at least 3 UN schools sheltering people in Gaza in 6 days. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf | NPR  At least three UN schools housing displaced people have been hit directly by Israeli airstrikes in less than a week. A fourth suffered damage after an airstrike hit a building next to it. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

Ukraine, 7-9-24

For today, links to nine reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, the Moscow Times, Agence France-Presse, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA and BIDEN entries for this date, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Kyiv mourns as rescuers sift piles of rubble at a children’s hospital hit by a Russian missile, by Samya Kullab and Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Rescuers searched the rubble at a children’s hospital today for more dead and wounded, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, a day after Russian missiles slammed into the facilityand cities across the country in a massive daytime barrage. The death toll from the strikes rose to 42, officials said.  READ MORE . . .

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Kyiv hospital took direct hit from Russian missile, UN analysis suggests, by Olena Harmash and Tom Balmforth | Reuters — A U.N. rights mission said today there was a “high likelihood” that Kyiv’s main children’s hospital took a direct hit from a Russian missile during a series of airstrikes on Ukrainian cities, as the Kremlin continued to deny involvement. READ MORE . . .

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Shock, fury at the site of children’s hospital attack, by Chris York and Kateryna Denisova | The Kyiv Independent  Nurse Olesia Filonenko was preparing for the first operation of the day at the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv. Russian forces had just launched a massive missile strike on cities across Ukraine, with Kyiv coming under . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian kamikaze drones attack five Russian regions — oil refinery, power grid stations set afire, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Explosives-toting Ukrainian drones in an ambitious wave of overnight and dawn raids targeted oil refineries and power grid infrastructure targets across five of Russia’s western regions, setting a fuel processing plant and transformer stations ablaze in two of them, today news reports said. READ MORE . . .

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‘War not the solution,’ India’s Modi tells Putin. From the Moscow Times. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin in televised remarks at the Kremlin today that waging war instead of engaging in dialogue is “not the solution.” India, which is . . . READ MORE . . .

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EARLIER  Modi, Putin hold talks amid outrage over Ukraine strikes. From AFP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to hold talks with President Vladimir Putin today, a day after the Indian leader arrived in Moscow amid global outcry over Russian strikes in Ukraine. Modi, visiting Moscow for the first time since . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia-Ukraine war is expected to dominate the agenda at NATO summit. Reported by Teri Schultz and Leila Fadel | NPR  NATO allies are gathering for a summit in Washington on the alliance’s 75th anniversary. It faces some of its biggest challenges yet as it looks ahead to political uncertainty in some countries. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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The U.S. won’t lift restrictions on strikes deep into Russia, Kirby says. From Kyiv Post Russia’s attack on the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv will not lead to the U.S. lifting its restrictions on the Ukrainian military using American weapons to strike deep into Russian territory, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during a briefing on Monday. On the other hand, it will also . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 8  West condemns Russian strike on Kyiv children’s hospital. From the Moscow Times. Western leaders and diplomats expressed outrage after Russian missiles destroyed a children’s hospital in Kyiv, amid a rare daytime attack on Ukrainian cities which killed at least 20 on Monday. READ MORE . . .

Ukraine, 7-8-24

For today, links to reports from the Anadolu Agency, Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) —  MCM

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NEWER  UN Security Council to meet over Ukraine’s accusations of Russian strike on Kyiv children’s hospital, by Merve Gül Aydoğan Ağlarcı | Anadolu Agency  HAMILTON, Canada — The UN Security Council will convene Tuesday morning in New York to discuss Ukraine’s claims of a strike on a children’s hospital in the capital KyiV, Britain’s UN ambassador said today. “We will call out the cowardly . . . READ MORE . . .

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A major Russian missile attack on Ukraine kills at least 20 people and hits a children’s hospital, by Hanna Arhirova and Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — A major Russian missile attack across Ukraine killed at least 28 people and injured almost 100 today, officials said, with one missile striking a large children’s hospital in the capital, Kyiv, where emergency crews searched the rubble for casualties. READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters and AFP, and HERE and HERE for reports from the Kyiv Post and the Kyiv Independent.

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Russian forces wipe out three U.S.-made HIMARS rocket launchers in Ukraine operation. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces destroyed three U.S.-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and up to 10 foreign specialists responsible for their use over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

 

Gaza, 7-8-24

For today, links to ninereports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, the Times of Israel, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel deepens its operations in Gaza City, as pockets of militancy confront the military, by Samy Magdy and Wafaa Shurafa | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli forces deepened an operation in the Gaza Strip’s largest city in what the military said was meant to weed out militants, sending thousands of Palestinians fleeing today from an area already ravaged in the early weeks of the nine-month-long war. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Cease-fire talks expected to resume this week as Hamas appears to soften demands. From AP.  Talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip are expected to resume this week, with several officials saying the devastation caused by Israel’s nine-month offensive likely helped push Hamas to soften its demands. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from NPR.

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Israeli minister: stopping Gaza war now would be folly. From Reuters. JERUSALEM — Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said today it would be a huge mistake to stop Israel’s military offensive in Gaza now. Smotrich, who heads a pro-settler party which is part of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s governing coalition . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 6 Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says 16 killed in strike on school. From AFP. The Hamas authorities in Gaza said an Israeli strike on Saturday on a UN-run school where thousands of displaced were sheltering killed 16 people. Israel’s military said its aircraft had targeted “terrorists” operating around the Al-Jawni school in Nuseirat, central Gaza. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Times of Israel.

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Death toll from Israeli assault since last October could exceed 186,000, Lancet warns. From Middle East Eye. A letter written by experts and published in the British medical journal, the Lancet, estimates that the actual death toll of Palestinians killed in Gaza could exceed 186,000. The official death toll of Palestinians killed since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October is 38,153, according to Gaza’s health ministry. READ MORE . . .

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Israel army launches ground offensive in Gaza City, targets UN office again. From Middle East Monitor. The Israeli army said early today it had launched a “ground operation” in Gaza City, against targets including headquarters of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, claiming it housed weapons and investigation and detention rooms, the Anadolu Agency reported. READ MORE . . .