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

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Israeli tanks push back in northern Gaza, warplanes hit Rafah, say residents, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  Israeli tanks pushed back into some areas of the northern Gaza Strip today which they had left weeks ago, while warplanes conducted air strikes on Rafah, the Palestinians’ last refuge in the south of the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel must stop settler attacks on Palestinians, UN human rights office says. From AP. Israeli security forces “must immediately end their active participation in and support for settler attacks on Palestinians,” the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today. The statement follows a wave of settler attacks on Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank triggered by . . . READ MORE . . .

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UN commission accuses Israel of obstructing Oct. 7 probe. From Reuters.  GENEVA — A UN-mandated commission of inquiry that probes violations of international human rights law today accused Israel of obstructing its efforts to collect evidence from the victims of the attack by Hamas in southern Israel on Oct. 7. “So far as the government of Israel . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 15  Revolt in northern England: No ceasefire, no vote, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  BLACKBURN, England  A rebellion is brewing in England, particularly in the north, where voters are fed up with the similar, repressive policies of both the Labour and Conservative parties, in particular when it comes to Gaza. A surge of independent candidates for local council elections . . . Click HERE for text and videos.

For today, links to reports from the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, the Associated Press, Reuters, and Tass, and to an essay in the May issue of Harper’s Magazine adapted from a paper published in February by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Zelensky signs new mobilization bill into law. From Kyiv Post. President Volodymyr Zelensky today signed the mobilization draft law that Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, adopted on April 11, the parliament websiteannounced. The new law is meant to . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Zero missiles left’ – Zelensky says Ukraine’s air defence resources depleted. From Kyiv Post.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the Russians managed to destroy the Trypillya thermal power plant because Ukraine had completely run out of missiles to protect it amid a lack of help from allies. “Why?” he said, “because . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia fires 10 times more shells, uses 300 aircraft in Ukraine only, by Kateryna Denisova and the news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Russia is firing shells at a ratio of around 10:1 to those of Ukraine and has 30 times more aircraft, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the PBS News Hour  published today. Delays in U.S. assistance . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 15  Ukraine’s foreign minister says Israel’s response to an Iranian aerial attack shows what Kyiv needs, by Susie Blann and Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — The success of Israel and its allies in largely thwarting a massive Iranian missile and drone attack shows what Ukraine could achieve against Russian aerial barrages if it had more support from . . . READ MORE . . .

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Why is Russia trying to capture Chasiv Yar? by Andrew Osborn | Reuters  LONDON — Russian paratroopers have reached the eastern edge of the Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, which Kyiv’s top commander says Moscow wants taken by May 9. Russian forces . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces pummel Ukrainian army, equipment in 133 areas over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces inflicted casualties on Ukrainian troops and military hardware in 133 areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. “Operational/tactical aircraft, missile troops and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Coming to terms, by George Beebe and Anatol Lieven | Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft / Harper’s Magazine  President Biden has spoken of helping to put the Ukrainians “in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table,” but all the evidence now suggests that they will in fact be in a weaker position the longer the war goes on. Skeptics counter . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE. A link to AP reports about Iran/Israel events is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli military renews warnings to Palestinians not to return to war-torn northern Gaza, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli military renewed warnings today for Palestinians in Gaza not to return to the embattled territory’s north, a day after Gaza hospital officials said five people were killed as throngs of displaced residents tried to reach their homes in the war-torn area. READ MORE . . .

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Aid to Gaza has increased dramatically, White House’s Kirby says. From Reuters. WASHINGTON — Humanitarian aid getting into the Gaza Strip “has increased and quite dramatically in just the last few days” and “has to be sustained,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said today on MSNBC. More than . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  Israel activating two reserve brigades for operations in Gaza. From AP.  JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it is activating two reserve brigades for “operational activities” in Gaza. Sunday’s announcement comes as Israel prepares for a ground invasion of Rafah – the southern Gaza city that Israel says . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  Israeli military calling up reservists for more Gaza operations. From Reuters. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said on Sunday it will soon call up two reserve divisions for operations in Gaza, where it has been conducting a war against Islamist militant group Hamas. Earlier this month . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Russians attack with motorcycles and Chinese golf carts, conventional infantry gains ground at Chasiv Yar, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Some Russian units employed unorthodox combat transport such as Chinese ATV and motorcycles to carry out attacks over the weekend, but it was conventional infantry supported by artillery that secured gains in the tactically important Chasiv Yar sector, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  Ukraine’s top commander says Russia aims to capture Chasiv Yar by May 9, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters KYIV — Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top commander said Sunday that Russian forces aim to capture the town of Chasiv Yar by 9 May 2024, setting the stage for an important battle for control of high ground in the east where . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian shelling kills 4 in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Region. From AFP. Donetsk region Governor Vadym Filashkin said attacks late Sunday against the mining town of Siversk, which is flanked by Russian forces. Siversk, which had an estimated pre-war population of 11,000 people . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  More civilians die in Ukraine as analysts warn that delays in U.S. aid will hamper Kyiv’s forces. From AP.  KYIV — More civilians died across Ukraine on Sunday as analysts warned that delays in U.S. military assistance would see Kyiv struggle to fight off Russian offensives. READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s top brass reports destroying first Khmara jammer in Ukraine operation. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops destroyed the first Khmara electronic warfare station of the Ukrainian army over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. READ MORE . . .

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From APRIL 14  A look at the Russian military’s war dolphins, by Alessandra Hay | The Counterintensive with Tim Mak / The Kyiv Independent  According to some estimates, in the three-month period after Russia’s full-scale invasion started, some 37,500 to 48,000 Black Sea dolphins, or around 15-20% of the sea’s total dolphin population, died. That death rate is 10 times higher than before February 2022. The ecological impact of the war . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  U.S. intelligence findings show China surging equipment sales to Russia to help war effort in Ukraine, by Aamer Madhani | AP  WASHINGTON — China has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for use in its war against Ukraine, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to an obituary from the Associated Press and to commentary from ScheerPost; other articles are accessible from their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 6  Joseph Lelyveld, former executive editor of the New York Times, dies at 86. From AP. NEW YORK — Joseph Lelyveld, a career journalist who rose from copy boy to foreign correspondent to executive editor at the New York Times and won a Pulitzer Prize for a nonfiction book, died Friday. He was 86. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  Requiem for the New York Times, by Chris Hedges | ScheerPost / Popular Resistance  I am sitting in the auditorium at the New York Times. I am here for the former executive editor they are honoring, Joe Lelyveld, who died earlier this year. READ MORE . . .

NOTE: Late Saturday, Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel in response to Israel’s April 1 strike at Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus, which killed 16 people. AP, Reuters, and NPR coverage is HERE, HERE and HERE.

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

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FROM APRIL 13  How Israel could be reinforcing a cycle of radicalization. Scott Detrow of NPR talks with H.A. Hellyer of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about how Israel’s bombardment in Gaza may be reinforcing a cycle of radicalization.  Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM APRIL 13  Israel says it opened new aid crossing into hard-hit northern Gaza. From AP. Israel said Friday it had opened a new crossing for aid trucks into hard-hit northern Gaza as it ramps up humanitarian deliveries to the besieged enclave. However, the United Nations says the surge of aid is not being felt in Gaza because of. . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  UN refugee chief says outflow of Gazans into Egypt would make conflict resolution impossible, by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | Reuters  The prospect of Gazans crossing into Egypt from the border town of Rafah to escape a military assault would make the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict impossible and cause an “atrocious dilemma” for the people fleeing, the UN refugee chief said on Friday. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Ukraine attack on Russia-controlled town kills 16, official says. From Reuters.  A Russia-installed official in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region said today that the death toll from shelling by Ukraine’s military on the town of Tokmak had risen to 16 people. Yevgeny Balitsky, the top Moscow-installed official in the region, said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia hits IRIS-T air defense system launcher, Ukrainian ammunition depot. From Tass. MOSCOW — Over the past 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces hit a launcher of the IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile system, the Russian Ministry of Defense said. “The launcher of the German-made . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  Russian soldiers who quit Putin’s war get no hero’s welcome abroad as asylum claims surge, by Erika Kinetz | AP  ASTANA, Kazakhstan — The Associated Press spoke with five officers and one soldier who deserted the Russian military. All have criminal cases against them in Russia. Each is waiting for a welcome from the West that . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine says strengthening defences in battered frontline town. From AFP.  Ukrainian troops defending the frontline town of Chasiv Yar under relentless Russian attack have received additional drones and weaponry, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said today. After visiting troops defending . . . READ MORE . . .

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Suspected Storm Shadows blast Russian targets in occupied Luhansk. From Kyiv Post. Ukrainian pilots carried out an effective strike on an “enemy facility” in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region on Saturday. Explosions were reported in the area of a machine-building plant. Several Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles are believed . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to commentary from an Australian observer, The Free Press, and Substack;; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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U.S. declines Israel’s invitation to start WW3 (for now), by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com.au  The western political-media class are acting as though Iran’s long-promised retaliation for Israel’s attack on its consulate building in Damascus was a completely unprovoked attack launched against the innocent, Bambi-eyed victim Israel. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  I’ve been at NPR for 25 years. Here’s how we lost America’s trust, by Uri Berliner | The Free Press  NPR has always had a liberal bent, but an open-minded, curious culture long prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding. That has changed. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  NPR and the death of fairness, by Matt Taibbi | Substack  Earlier this week, Uri Berliner dropped a bomb on the public media world with “I’ve Been at NPR for 25 Years. Here’s How We Lost America’s Trust.” The longtime senior editor described how NPR fumbled three stories. His piece was immediately swallowed, mangled, and regurgitated as new propaganda. On CNN and . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Ukraine’s army chief says eastern front under intense Russian assault, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters  KYIV — Ukraine’s army chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said today the situation on the eastern front had worsened in recent days as Russia has intensified its armored assaults and battles rage for control of a village west of the devastated city of Bakhmut. His statement reflected . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian paratroopers surrender in Avdeyevka area — Russian Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — Nine soldiers serving in the Ukrainian armed forces’ 25th separate airborne brigade have surrendered as a unit to the Russian military in the Avdeyevka area, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. “Servicemen of the 25th separate airborne brigade of the Ukrainian . . . READ MORE . . .

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A local official says at least 10 people have died in shelling in Russian-occupied Ukraine. From AP. A local Kremlin-installed official today blamed Ukraine for a shelling yesterday evening that killed 10 people, including children, in a Russian-occupied town in the southern Zaporizhzhia region the previous day. The Tokmak municipal administration . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  Intense fighting, lack of resources leave wounded soldiers on their own, by Asami Terajima | The Kyiv Independent  DONETSK OBLAST — At positions as heavily shelled and close to Russian troops, soldiers say that medical evacuation doesn’t exist, The main reason for this is simple and gruesome: The fighting is just too intense. It can take . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S., U.K. widen ban on Russian metals in bid to disrupt revenues. From AFP. The United States and Britain took joint action on Friday to widen a ban on Russian metals imports in a bid to target the important Russian revenue source following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. Treasury Department said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Germany to send additional Patriot system to Ukraine. From AFP and DPA. Germany will send an additional Patriot air-defense system to Ukraine to bolster its hard-pressed military and help it fend off increased Russian air strikes, Berlin said today. “Due to . . . READ MORE . . .

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A new phase in arms production: from American warehouses to Ukrainian factories, by Vadym Ivchenko | Kyiv Post  Weapons and equipment deliveries provided to Ukraine by allies are not merely acts of charity or loyalty. Our use of this weaponry, much of it used in battle for the first time, has . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to two reports from National Public Radio and to articles of commentary from the New York Times, ScheerPost, and the Greanville Post; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE and ASSANGE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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A survivor of the UNICEF aid convoy struck by gunfire in Gaza speaks out.  Scott Simon of NPR talks with UNICEF’s Tess Ingram about surviving the gunfire that struck an aid convoy in Gaza and the effort to deliver food and water to the warzone. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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USAID says parts of Gaza are experiencing famine. Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Jamie McGoldrick, the former U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, about what he’s seen unfold in Gaza since Oct. 7. Click HERE later to listen and, still later, read

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FROM APRIL 9  Netanyahu must go, by Bret Stephens | The New York Times  It’s no secret to readers of this column where I stand on Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip. Israel must destroy Hamas as a military and political force in the territory while minimizing harm to civilians. It must . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  ‘Automated Murder’: Israel’s ‘AI’ in Gaza, by Patrick Lawrence and Cara Marianna | ScheerPost  Hans Köchler, an eminent Viennese scholar and president of the International Progress Organization, a globally active think tank, addressed an audience in Zurich, Switzerland, on April 4. The day before he spoke, +972 Magazine and Local Call, independent publications in Israel–Palestine, reported . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 11  Brutal, chaotic war – norms, conventions and laws of conduct are being erased, by Alastair Crooke | The Greanville Post  We stand on the cusp of what might be termed Chaotic War. Not the formula used by Israel often in the past to intimidate adversaries; this is different. Israeli . . . READ MORE . . .