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

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Wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia kills 1. From AFP. Russia’s Defense Ministery said today its air defense forces downed 114 drones launched overnight by Ukraine, with at least one person killed in the mass wave of attacks. “Russian anti-aerial defense systems intercepted and destroyed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kyiv says its drones struck Russian kamikaze drone training center, 3 oil refineries. From Kyiv Post. The Ukrainian military and intelligence reported that they struck three Russian oil refineries and a training ground for the Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones with their own attack drones in the early morning hours of today. An intelligence source said the drone training ground hit was at Russia’s 167th Training Center in Yeisk, in . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Independent.

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Japan imposes fresh sanctions on Russia over Ukraine war. From Anadolu Agency. ANKARA — Japan has slapped fresh sanctions on Russia, including freezing the assets of the country’s dozens of financial institutions and individuals for being “directly” involved in or supporting Moscow’s war against Kyiv. Tokyo said it . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s emergency blackouts return after Russia pounds infrastructure, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukraine, including Kyiv, is struggling to cope with a new wave of rolling blackouts after relentless Russian attacks took out half the country’s power generation capacity. Residents and businesses . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin’s peace initiative is Russia’s fourth proposal on Ukraine, says top diplomat. From Tass. ALMATY, Kazakhstan — The peace initiative that Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined on June 14 is Moscow’s fourth proposal on settling the Ukraine conflict, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today. Had an agreement on the political settlement not been disrupted in February 2014, Ukraine would have now been within the 1991 boundaries that “it dreams so sweetly now,” Lavrov said. READ MORE . . .

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Medvedev cites facts of Zelensky usurping power. From Tass. MOSCOW — Vladimir Zelensky has been usurping power long before his presidential authority expired on May 21 of this year by committing a number of political crimes, according to Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev. “The talentless buffoon and his . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU nations agree to start membership negotiations next week with Ukraine and Moldova. From AP.  BRUSSELS — The European Union agreed toay to start membership negotiations with embattled Ukraine and Moldova, another step in the nations’ long journey to move closer to the West and mute Russia’s influence. . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky hails start of EU membership talks next week. From AFP. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today welcomed the launch of accession talks with the EU next week, a step that will formally mark the start of Kyiv’s path towards joining the bloc. “Millions of Ukrainians,” he said, “and indeed generations of our people, are realising their European dream . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 20  Newly-secured U.S. military assistance flows into Ukraine amid Russian advance. Reported by Tom Bowman and Joanna Kakissis | NPR  The White House said it’s fast-tracking the delivery of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. That sense of urgency fits the state of the battlefield, as a new Russian advance tests Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 20  Graham, Blumenthal unveil bill declaring Russia a state sponsor of terror, by Yash Roy | The Hill U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced a bill on Thursday to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror. The bill would require the State Department to classify Russia as a state sponsor of terror, unlocking a new set of sanctions, restrict any U.S.-based foreign aid, and . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to four reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Middle East Eye, and to commentary from 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 pounds central Gaza camps, deepens invasion of Rafah, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli forces pounded areas in the central Gaza Strip overnight, killing three people and wounding dozens of others, according to medics, while tanks deepened their invasion into Rafah in the south, residents said today. Israeli planes struck . . . READ MORE . . .

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The fate of the latest cease-fire proposal hinges on Netanyahu and Hamas’ leader in Gaza, by Tia Goldenberg | AP  TEL AVIV — The fate of the proposed cease-fire deal for Gaza hinges in many ways on two men: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. Each leader faces . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel and Lebanese militia Hezbollah are ratcheting up the firepower on the border. Reported by Jane Arraf and Michel Martin | NPR  The Israeli military says it has approved an offensive in Lebanon if diplomatic efforts fail to stop the conflict that’s contained, for the most part, in Israel’s north and Lebanon’s south for now. Click HERE to listen and read.

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U.S. signals to Hezbollah it will back Israeli offensive, as frustration with Gaza ceasefire grows, by Sean Mathews | Middle East Eye  The U.S. has indicated it is open to backing an Israeli offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, amid mounting frustration that the group continues to link a truce with Israel to an elusive broader ceasefire in Gaza. In meetings in Beirut on Tuesday, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zionist lobby group labelled ‘propaganda’ and ‘misinformation’ source, by Nasim Ahmed | Middle East Monitor  The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a leading Zionist lobby group in the United States, has been labelled as a source of “propaganda” and “misinformation” by Wikipedia. Editors of the online encyclopaedia also said . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to 12 reports from the Associated Press, Tass, the Moscow Times, Reuters, National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, and the Kyiv Independent, and to commentary from the Berkshire Eagle; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.)— MCM

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Putin signs deals with Vietnam in bid to shore up ties in Asia to offset Moscow’s growing isolation, by Aniruddha Ghosal | AP  HANOI — Russian President Vladimir Putin signed at least a dozen deals with his Vietnamese counterpart today and offered to supply fossil fuels including natural gas to Vietnam for the long term during a state visit that . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE to a report from Tass.

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South Korea will consider supplying arms to Ukraine after Russia and North Korea sign strategic pact, by Kim Tong-Hyung | AP  SEOUL — South Korea said today it would consider sending arms to Ukraine, a major policy change suggested after Russia and North Korea rattled the region and beyond by signing a pact to come to each other’s defense in the event of war. The comments from a senior presidential official . . . READ MORE . . .

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Overnight Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia kill 1, set oil depots ablaze. From the Moscow Times. An overnight Ukrainian drone attack in southern Russia’s Krasnodar region has killed a woman, local authorities said early today, as other drone strikes across the country set several oil depots ablaze. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian air strike causes more damage to Ukraine’s power grid, by Anastasiia Malenko and Tom Balmforth | Reuters  KYIV — Russia launched a new barrage of missiles and drones at Ukraine in today’s early hours, causing “significant” damage to a thermal power plant and maintaining pressure on the electricity grid, Ukrainian officials said. The attack on energy infrastructure in four regions . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AFP.

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Russia obliterates Ukraine’s frontline towns faster with hacked bombs and expanded airbase network, by Lori Hinnant, Vasilisa Stepanenko and Hanna Arhirova | AP  KHARKIV, Ukraine — Investigators are hoping to trace the supply chain for the latest generation of retrofitted Russian “glide bombs” that are laying waste to eastern Ukraine. The Soviet-era bombs are adapted . . . READ MORE . . .

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Leaders of Russia and North Korea sign pact — indicating a deeper cooperation. Reported by Anthony Kuhn and Leila Fadel | NPR  Russia and North Korea have signed a new treaty upgrading their relationship and pledging military assistance in case either one is attacked. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Putin arrives in Vietnam after signing defense pact with North Korea. From AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Vietnamese counterpart today as he began a state visit to the Southeast Asian country’s capital Hanoi, a day after signing a mutual defense pact with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. READ MORE . . .

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Romania to send Patriol missile system to Ukraine. From AFP.  NATO member Romania announced today it would send a Patriot missile system to Ukraine, which Kyiv has requested to help its fight against Russia’s invasion. “Considering . . . READ MORE . . .

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Single Ukrainian Magura drone hit 4 Russian patrol boats at once, Kyiv claims, by Chris York | The Kyiv Independent  A single Ukrainian kamikaze naval drone destroyed or damaged four Russian patrol boats in an operation last month, Kyiv’s military intelligence said today. READ MORE . . .

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EU targets Russia’s LNG sector in new sanctions package. From AFP. EU member states today signed off on a fresh package of sanctions against Russia targeting its lucrative liquefied natural gas sector for the first time, officials said. The new measures — which should be formally adopted on Monday — are . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 11  Gazprom, Russia’s cash cow for the Putin era, is ailing, by James Brooke | The Berkshire Eagle  Overlooked by the world media, two fires broke out last week at the Russian end of the $13 billion TurkStream pipeline. The powerful Russkaya compressors pump Russian gas 578 miles across the Black Sea to Turkey and on to Central Europe. READ MORE . . .

Links to a report from National Public Radio and to an article from Biography.com; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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‘Grandmother of Juneteenth’ Opal Lee discusses her work to solidify the holiday. Reported by Jordan-Marie Smith, William Troop and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  Opal Lee, an activist for the Juneteenth holiday who last month was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, talks about the holiday she worked hard to solidify. Click HERE to listen and read. Click HERE for related information from Biography.com.

For now, links to six reports from Reuters, Middle East Monitor, National Public Radio, the Anadolu Agency, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names and initials below. (UKRAINE and JUNE 19 entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli tanks push deeper into Rafah, forcing people to flee again, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli tanks backed by warplanes and drones advanced deeper into the western part of the Gaza Strip city of Rafah today, killing eight people, according to residents and Palestinian medics. Residents said the tanks moved into five neighborhoods after midnight, and that heavy . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Middle East Monitor.

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Doctor urges U.S. to use its influence with Israel and Egypt to reopen Rafah crossing. Reported by Michele Kelemen | NPR  A Palestinian American doctor says it’s now much harder to enter Gaza with medical supplies. He places blame on Israel, Egypt and the U.S. for failing to improve the humanitarian situation. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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U.S. Senator Warren declines to attend Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. From Anadolu Agency WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday said she will not attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on July 24 as he has “created a humanitarian catastrophe.” “He has also . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. troop numbers in Jordan surge to record high amid Gaza war.  From Middle East Eye.  The number of U.S. troops stationed in Jordan has soared to 3,813, a two-decade high amid Israel’s war on Gaza, according to a new congressional report. The U.S. troop levels there are higher than at any time since the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hezbollah strikes military positions in northern Israel, by Yakoota Al Ahmad and Omer Erdem | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — The Lebanese Hezbollah group announced late Tuesday that it struck two military positions in northern Israel in response to Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. The group said its fighters targeted the Balasan factory for military industries in Israel’s Sasa kibbutz with Falaq missiles. It also . . . READ MORE . . .

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For now, links to six news reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Tass, Agence France-Presse and the Kyiv Post, and to commentary from the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and JUNE 19 entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Russia and North Korea sign partnership deal that appears to be the strongest since Cold War, by Kim Tong-Hyung | AP  SEOUL — Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a new partnership that includes a vow of mutual aid if either country is attacked, during a summit today that came as both face escalating standoffs with the West. READ MORE . . . Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, Tass, and AFP.

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U.S. arms giant Northrop Grumman to produce medium caliber ammo in Ukraine, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  A senior executive from the security and aerospace behemoth Northrop Grumman on Monday said his firm plans to fabricate ammunition in Ukraine, in the first open-source announcement by a major American arms producer of intent to manufacture munitions in the country. READ MORE . . .

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Washington allows Kiev to hit Russian troops near Sumy region with U.S. weapons — advisor. From Tass. WASHINGTON — The United States believes Kiev can use American weapons to hit Russian troops stationed on Russian territory on the border with Ukraine’s Sumy Region, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. An authorization to use U.S. weapons to strike the Russian territory, he told PBS, “extends to anywhere that . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s peace summit falls short of engaging Global South — can Ukraine expand its coalition? by Nate Ostiller | The Kyiv Independent  While 92 countries participated in the peace summit on June 15 and 16, several key countries declined to ultimately sign a joint communique. Since the original document was released, three countries—Rwanda, Iraq, and Jordan—have seemingly withdrawn their signatures. Notably absent from the list of countries that signed the document were. . .. READ MORE . . .

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

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Israeli forces deepen Rafah invasion, kill 17 in central camps, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli airstrikes today killed at least 17 Palestinians in two of the Gaza Strip’s historic refugee camps and Israeli tanks pushed deeper into the enclave’s southern city of Rafah, residents and medics said. Residents reported heavy bombardments from tanks and planes in . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Israel to pause fighting from morning to evening along an aid corridor into Gaza. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Israel has announced a daily pause in combat along an aid corridor in Gaza, to increase the amount of aid getting to civilians at a critical point in the Israel-Hamas war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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MBS: Gaza war must stop immediately. From Middle East Monitor. Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, stressed the urgent need to halt the war on Gaza immediately and called on the international community to recognise the State of Palestine within the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital. The Saudi Press Agency reported . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Israeli intelligence ignored warning of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack: report, by Abdelraouf Arnaout | Anadolu Agency  JERUSALEM — Israeli security authorities ignored an intelligence document last September that predicted the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, an Israeli state-run media outlet reported on Monday. Revealed by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, the report . . . READ MORE . . .

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Why academic scholarship on Israel and Palestine threatens western elites, by Joseph Massad | Middle East Eye  Since the 1980s, there has been a growing gap in the principal western countries between academic knowledge and the mainstream media when it comes to the Middle East, especially on the topic of Palestine and Israel. The gap . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Ukraine claims its drones hit a Russian oil facility, sparking a huge blaze, by Hanna Arhirova | AP  KYIV — Ukraine claimed responsibility today for an overnight drone attack on a Russian oil facility that started a massive blaze in the latest long-range strike by Kyiv’s forces on a border region. The attack set fire to an oil reservoir in Russia’s Rostov . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops wipe out Western-supplied equipment depot in Ukraine operation. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops destroyed a Western-supplied armament depot of the Ukrainian army over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. Russian troops “also . . . READ MORE . . .

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NATO allies increasing defense spending by 18% this year: Stoltenberg, by Servet Gunerigok | Anadolu Agency  WASHINGTON — NATO allies are increasing their defense spending by 18% this year, marking the biggest increase in decades, the alliance’s secretary general said Monday. “And 23 allies . . . READ MORE . . .

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Media: Italy may send Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, sources say, by Kateryna Denisova | The Kyiv Independent  Ukraine may receive long-range Storm Shadow missiles from Italy, Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano reported today, citing its undisclosed sources. “A batch of” Storm Shadow missiles and another SAMP/T air defense system will reportedly . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Russian official says Ukraine pouring troops into contested Kharkiv region. From Reuters.  A Russian official said on Monday that fighting was gripping parts of Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region which Moscow has been trying to seize and added that Ukraine’s military was pouring men and equipment into the contested area. . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Ukraine’s international bond rework derailed as deadline nears, by Karin Strohecker and Libby George | Reuters  LONDON — Ukraine has not been able to reach an agreement with a group of bondholders over restructuring some $20 billion of international debt during formal talks, it said Monday, raising the spectre that the war-torn country might slip into default. Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said talks would continue and . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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The war in Gaza has wiped out entire Palestinian families. AP documents 60 who lost dozens or more, by Sarah al Deeb | AP To a degree never seen before, Israel is killing entire Palestinian families, a loss even more devastating than the physical destruction and the massive displacement. An Associated Press investigation identified . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 16  9 Palestinians, including 6 children, killed in Israeli airstrike in central Gaza, by Mohammed Majed | Anadolu Agency  GAZA CITY, Palestine — At least nine Palestinians, including six children, were killed and many others were injured on Sunday, the first day of Eid al-Adha, due to an Israeli airstrike on a house in al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 16  Hamas chief says response to ceasefire proposal aligns with UN Security Council resolution. From Middle East Monitor.  The leader of Hamas’s Political Bureau on Sunday affirmed that his movement’s response to the ceasefire proposal aligns with the principles outlined in U.S. President Joe Biden’s speech and the UN Security Council resolution regarding the Gaza Strip, Anadolu news agency reported. READ MORE . . .

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The TikTok generation is seeing the truth about Israel’s war on Gaza, by Myriam François | Middle East Eye  Gaza is now likely to have the largest number of child amputees of any conflict in modern history. In January, Unicef estimated that around 1,000 children in Gaza had lost one or both their legs — quivalent to . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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The war between Russia and Ukraine is set to grind on as a peace conference packs little punch, by Hanna Arhirova and Dasha Litvinova | AP  KYIV — Russia and Ukraine are set to remain locked in battle for the foreseeable future after an international gathering billed as a first step toward peace delivered no eye-catching diplomatic breakthrough that might suggest a coming end to Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. The absence of Russia and China . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 16  Peace summit calls for dialogue with Russia, backs Ukraine’s ‘territorial integrity.’ From AFP.  Dozens of countries meeting for a landmark international summit on peace in Ukraine agreed Sunday that Kyiv should enter dialogue with Moscow on ending the war, while strongly supporting Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity. “We believe,” said a final communique, “that . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin says Ukraine peace summit produced ‘zero’ results. From AFP.  Officials from more than 90 countries gathered in Switzerland between Saturday and Sunday, backing Ukraine’s territorial integrity but leaving key questions about how to end the war unanswered. “If we talk about the results of this meeting,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today, “then they come down to zero.” READ MORE . . .

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Russian strike against Poltava Oblast injures 9, by Martin Fornusek | The Kyiv Independent  Russia launched an attack against the Poltava district today, hitting a civilian infrastructure site, reportedly injuring at least nine people, Governor Filip Pronin said. Several multi-story buildings . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops strike Ukrainian army, equipment in 110 areas over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops struck Ukrainian army units and military hardware in 110 areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. READ MORE . . .

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Germany warns against easing up aid for Ukraine, by Oliver Towfigh Nia | Anadolu Agency  BERLIN — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock today warned of serious consequences for Germany and NATO if Ukraine is not adequately supported in its war against Russia. “If we don’t . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia tries to advance before Ukraine’s F-16s arrive, says Syrsky. From Kyiv Post. Russia is pressing hard against Ukrainian defenses “to maximize the depletion” of Ukrainian troops before the gradual arrival of Western aid—the F-16 multi-role fighters in particular—that might turn the war in Ukraine’s favor, said Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky. READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED