For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Today’s GAZA entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Russia accuses Ukraine of damaging a nuclear waste warehouse as the battle for Avdiivika grinds on. From AP. KYIV — Russia accused Ukraine today of damaging a nuclear waste storage facility in a drone strike on the Kursk nuclear power plant while fighting raged on for the control of the key eastern city of Avdiivika, where Russians apparently suffered heavy losses. The Russian Foreign Ministry said . . . READ MORE . . .

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529 Russian troops killed near Tavriya. Only one taken prisoner, AFU says. From Kyiv Post. The Armed Forces of Ukraine claimed they killed 529 Russian troops in fighting near Tavriya in Zaporizhzhia over the past day, as well as destroying numerous tanks, vehicles and a missile system..” According to the report, 36 pieces of military hardware were destroyed, including . . . READ MORE . . .

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General Staff: Ukraine repelled 48 attacks as Russia assaults across east, by Alexander Khrebet | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian forces repelled 48 Russian attacks in many sectors of the eastern front, including in the Avdiivka, Kupiansk, Bakhmut, and Marinka axes over the past day, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in its evening update on Oct. 28. Russia continues . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian air defense forces down Ukrainian Su-25, MiG-29 fighter jets in past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian air defense forces downed a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet and a MiG-29 fighter over the past day, according to a Russian Defense Ministry report. “[Russian] air defense forces downed fighter jets, a Su-25 and a MiG-29, of the Ukrainian Air Force over the localities of Daryevka in the Kherson Region and Ternovka in the Dnepr Region,” the report reads.

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Russia probes shooting of ex-Ukrainian lawmaker in Crimea, by Mark Trevelyan | Reuters — Former Ukrainian lawmaker Oleg Tsaryov, a pro-Russian figure whom sources said Moscow had enlisted to lead a puppet administration in Kyiv after Russia’s invasion, was shot and wounded in a late-night attack, family and officials said on Friday. Russia’s top investigative body said it had opened a criminal inquiry into . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names or initials below. Finally for today, commentary from Indian Punchline. (Today’s UKRAINE entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel expands ground operation in Gaza and bombs Hamas tunnels after knocking out communications, by Isabel Debre, Julia Frankel and Samy Magdy | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel today expanded its ground operation in Gaza with infantry and armored vehicles backed by massive strikes from the air and sea, including the bombing of Hamas tunnels — a key target in its campaign to crush the territory’s ruling group after its bloody incursion in Israel three weeks ago. The bombardment, described by Gaza residents as . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza under blackout as Israel reports ‘good progress’ in war against Hamas, by James Mackenzie | Reuters  JERUSALEM — Gaza was largely cut off from the outside world today after Israel expanded air and ground operations and suggested its long-promised ground offensive against the Hamas .   . READ MORE . . .

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Communications have been cut off in Gaza, making rescue efforts even more difficult. Reported by Scott Simon and Greg Myre | NPR  All signs point toward a massive Israeli ground invasion of Gaza as the humanitarian crisis in the coastal territory grows more dire. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Hundreds of Gaza buildings destroyed in Israel air strikes: rescue services. From AFP. “Hundreds of buildings and houses were completely destroyed and thousands of other homes were damaged,” said Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defence. The intense bombardments had “changed the landscape” of northern . . . READ MORE . . .

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Iran’s foreign minister: Armed groups are poised with ‘their finger on the trigger.’ Reported by Arezou Rezvani and Steve Inskeep | NPR  Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says groups allied with Iran are prepared to strike if Israel’s war against Hamas continues. In an interview in New York City with Morning Edition‘s Inskeep, Amir-Abdollahian said he had met with “leaders of the resistance in Lebanon and also Palestinian groups” in recent weeks and heard of plans that are “more powerful and deeper than what you’ve witnessed.” Click HERE for a two-minute video and read transcript of some of the interview; seven-minute audio of the segment may not be available. (The next link is to a shorter report on same interview heard Thursday on All Things Considered.)

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Iran’s foreign minister on the Hamas attack and the war that has followed. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian talked with NPR about the attack Hamas launched against Israel on Oct. 7 and the war it has triggered. Click HERE to listen and read.

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As the Israel-Hamas war rages, the U.S. wants to offer Israel advice — and get advised. Reported by Quil Lawrence | NPR  U.S. military advisers recently dispatched to Israel in advance of a possible incursion into Gaza include retired Marine Gen. Mark Schwartz, a Marine special operations commander with experience in urban warfare, in places like Fallujah and the fight against ISIS in the Iraqi city of Mosul. “The relationship . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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Conditions in Gaza hospitals remain in crisis. Reported by Ari Daniel | NPR  For three weeks, medical staff at hospitals in Gaza have been working nonstop. Doctors say they’re making life and death decisions about who they can treat while dealing with their own personal loss. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  About 150 women are giving birth in Gaza each day with no clean water or electricity. Reported by Selena Simmons-Duffin | NPR  Approximately 50,000 women are pregnant in Gaza’s population of 2.2 million and 150 of them give birth each day. Medical care and clean water are dire needs, says the UN population agency. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  The former head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service on its security challenges. Scott Simon of NPR looks back and ahead at Israel’s security challenges with Ami Ayalon. He’s the former head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service. Click HERE later to listen and still later to read.

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Communications in Gaza black out as Israel proceeds operations on the ground. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Israel has expanded air strikes and ground operations in Gaza, knocking out communications for residents there — as the violence spiralS nearly three weeks after the Hamas attack in Israel. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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The impact of the Israel-Hamas crisis on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s political future. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  For many Israelis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bears responsibility for the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Critics say he took his eye off the ball when it came to the nation’s security. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Some Jewish American peace activists pay a personal price for backing ceasefire. Reported by Jasmine Garsd | NPR  Jewish Americans who are critical of how Israel and the U.S. are responding to Hamas’ attack say they’re being ostracized by the mainstream U.S. Jewish community. Click HERE to listen and read.

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NEWER  Tel Aviv returns to a new normal, with faith in the government taking a blow. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  A look at how daily life has changed in Israel since the Hamas attacks. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  U.S. diplomacy lost traction in Middle East. Isolating Iran no longer possible, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The two most compelling realities in the rejection of American leadership are: one, a strong united regional solidarity cutting across sectarian divides to seek a settlement on Palestine, like at no time before, and, two, the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement. The latest developments involving Hamas and Israel undermined the U.S. efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to recognise Israel. The Saudi . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Reuters, Tass, and the Kyiv Post; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Today’s GAZA entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine war orders starting to boost revenues for big US defense contractors, by Mike Stone | Reuters  WASHINGTON — The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is starting to boost defense contractors’ revenues, as customers such as the U.S. government restock supplies shipped to Ukraine and countries around Europe arm themselves with an eye on Moscow’s aggressions. U.S. defense contractors including Lockheed Martin (LMT.N)and General Dynamics (GD.N) expect that existing orders for hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, hundreds of Patriot missile interceptors and a surge in orders for armored vehicles expected in the months ahead will underpin their results in coming . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces wipe out 4 Leopard tanks in Zaporozhye area over past day. From Tass. MELITOPOL — Russian forces destroyed at least four German-made Leopard tanks of the Ukrainian army in the Zaporozhye area over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the We Are Together with Russia movement, said today. “The Ukrainian military employed about 10 pieces of heavy equipment in its attack between Rabotino and . . . READ MORE . . .

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The good (and bad) news about aid to Ukraine announced last night. From Kyiv Post. Thursday evening saw a mixed bag of announcements related to military aid to Ukraine, with good news coming from the U.S. but some far less positive news emanating from Slovakia. Despite the ongoing uncertainty of the future of U.S. aid to Ukraine, the White House announced a new $150 million military assistance package. It includes . . . READ MORE . . .

First, a link from Consortium News to a talk last week at the University of California Berkeley. Then, links to reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and Haaretz; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Today’s UKRAINE entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Crisis in Zionism, opportunity for Palestine?  by Ilan Pappé  The professor of history at the University of Exeter in England speaks against “dehistoricizing Oct. 7,” presenting the violence on that date and since in Israel and Gaza in the context of nearly a century of Palestinian anti-colonial struggle. His talk on Oct. 19, scheduled weeks or months ago, lasts 46 minutes after an eight-minute introduction and is followed by Q&A. Click HERE to listen and watch, and for further background. 

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Release of hostages requires ceasefire, Hamas official says, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  GAZA / MOSCOW — A Hamas official tied the release of hostages held in Gaza to a ceasefire in Israel’s punishing air war in the enclave. Israel says it is preparing a ground invasion but has been urged by the U.S. and Arab countries to delay an operation that would multiply the number of civilian casualties in the densely populated coastal strip and . . . READ MORE . . .

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UN concerned ‘war crimes are being committed’ in Israel-Hamas conflict. From AFP. GENEVA — The United Nations said today it was concerned that war crimes were being committed on both sides in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The UN Human Rights Office cited forcible transfer, collective punishment and the taking of hostages. “We are concerned about the collective punishment of Gazans in response to the atrocious attacks by Hamas, which also amounted to war crimes,” spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani . . . READ MORE . . .

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At least 24 journalists have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, by Jaclyn Diaz | NPR  At least 24 journalists are among the more than 6,000 people who have been killed in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, according to the latest tally released Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Of the two dozen journalists who have died, 20 were Palestinian, three were Israeli and one was Lebanese. At least eight other journalists have been reported injured, while three . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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EU calls for humanitarian pauses for Gaza aid as Israel raids enclave. From Reuters. European Union leaders urged pauses in Israeli bombing and Hamas rocket attacks so humanitarian aid could be delivered to Gaza, and U.S. President Joe Biden told Iran’s supreme leader not to target U.S. personnel in the Mideast. Israel’s military said early today it was “currently conducting raids in the Gaza Strip as part of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Palestinians plead ‘stop the bombs’ at UN meeting but Israel insists Hamas must be ‘obliterated,’ by Edith M. Lederer | AP  UNITED NATIONS — “Stop the bombs and save lives!” the Palestinian ambassador pleaded at an emotional U.N. meeting Thursday on the war in Gaza. But Israel’s envoy was adamant, declaring again, “We will not rest until Hamas is obliterated.” The war sparked by Gaza’s Hamas rulers’ surprise attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 played out in the vast hall of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hamas lists some 7,000 names of Gaza ‘dead.’ From AFP. The Hamas health ministry on Thursday released a list of 6,747 names of Gazans it said had been killed in Israeli strikes after the U.S. president cast doubt on its toll figures. It gave the sex, age and identity card number of each of the victims, adding that 281 bodies had not yet been identified. Israel says the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas left 1,400 dead, mainly civilians. READ MORE . . .

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Israel’s Dead: The names of those killed in Hamas attacks, massacres and the Israel-Hamas War. From Haaretz. Over 1,300 Israelis, civilians and soldiers were killed in their homes, communities and in confronting Hamas terrorists. Here are the officially confirmed names of Israel’s dead in the atrocities of Oct. 7 and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war. READ MORE . . .

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Israel-Hamas war upends years of conventional wisdom. Leaders give few details on what comes next, by Josef Federman | AP  JERUSALEM — Just three weeks into the deadliest war between Israel and Hamas, it already is clear that the bloodshed has flipped long-standing assumptions in Israel and the region upside down. Israel’s military and intelligence services were exposed as incompetent and ill-prepared. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decades of attempts to sideline the Palestinians and . . . READ MORE . . .

For now, links to reports from Agence France-Presse, Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and the Kyiv Post; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Today’s GAZA entry is HERE.) — MCM

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NEWER  Russian lawmakers back massive military spending increase. From AFP. Russian lawmakers backed a record increase in defense spending to fund Moscow’s ongoing offensive on Ukraine, in a first reading of the bill today. Parliamentarians in the State Duma voted to approve Russia’s spending plans for 2024-26, including a 68% increase in military spending next year. READ MORE . . .

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Export blockade chokes Ukraine’s once-mighty steel sector, by Max Hunder and Pavel Polityuk | Reuters  ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine — Zaporizhstal, a Soviet-era steel plant in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, shut down temporarily last year for the first time since World War Two, and director Roman Slobodianiuk knows its future, and that of Ukraine’s once-mighty steel industry more broadly, is in doubt. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine reveals remote-controlled, wheeled drone that can drive under Russian tanks, by Nate Ostiller and the news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian military tech developers created a new unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) with the ability to carry explosives and drive under armored vehicles, the project’s spokesperson, Viktoriia Kovalchuk, told Business Insider on Oct. 25. The UGV, named Ratel S or Honey Badger . . . READ MORE . . .

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For some Kharkiv schoolkids, class moved to safety underground in a subway station. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | NPR  In Ukraine’s second-largest city, near the Russian border, grade-schoolers attend classes in a subway station that doubles as a bomb shelter. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Business owners in a Ukrainian front-line city adapt even as ‘a missile can come at any moment,’ by Hanna Arhirova | AP  KRAMATORSK, Ukraine — In a city where damaged buildings are everywhere, the city council estimates there are 50 restaurants and 228 shops now open in Kramatorsk, three times the number open at the same period last year. Most are believed to be existing business that closed in the early days of the war and have reopened. READ MORE . . .

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Russia struggles for symbolic victory at Avdiivka, losses surging to record levels, by Leo Chiu and Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Russia is continuing its attempt to capture the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, disregarding huge losses that are approaching an all-time high, according to various sources. According to Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s southern forces, Russia’s losses in the last six days tallied at 2,500 dead and wounded in the area. According to. . . READ MORE . . .

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Longtime U.S. CIA officer in Middle East points to how global conflicts are linked. Reported by Erika Ryan, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  Kelly talks with former CIA chief of station in the Middle East John Franchi about the State Department’s “Worldwide Caution” travel advisory issued to U.S. citizens. Click HERE to listen and read.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or  initials below. (Today’s UKRAINE entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli troops carry out an hourslong ground raid into Gaza before an expected wider incursion, by Najib Jobain, Samy Magdy and Amy Teibel | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli troops and tanks launched an hourslong ground raid into northern Gaza overnight into today, the military said, striking several militant targets in order to “prepare the battlefield” before a widely expected ground invasion after more than two weeks of devastating airstrikes. The rising death toll in Gaza, which soared past 7,000 today, according to Palestinian officials, is . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel mounts new sortie into Gaza, hints there may be several ‘invasions’, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Henriette Chacar | Reuters  GAZA / JERUSALEM — Israel said its ground forces had pushed into Gaza overnight to attack Hamas targets as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “preparing for a ground invasion” that could be one of several. The besieged Palestinian enclave . . . READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  600 Americans are estimated to be trapped in Gaza, including a Massachusetts family. Reported by Leila Fadel | NPR  A couple and their baby have been stuck in Gaza since the siege began. They are among an estimated 1,700 people with European and U.S. citizenships who are trapped in the Gaza Strip. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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The U.N. says its relief efforts in Gaza will stop if fuel doesn’t arrive soon. Reported by Elissa Nadworny | NPR  Gaza is just about out of food, water, medical supplies — and now fuel. Only a few dozen aid trucks have made it into the Palestinian territory since Hamas attacked Israel. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  Iran’s top diplomat urges UN to hold Israel to account for war crimes. From Tass. DUBAI — Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian called on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to take measures to immediately protect the rights of the Palestinians and hold Israel responsible for war crimes it has committed, the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Ministry said. In a letter to Volker Turk, the Iranian minister condemned “the Zionist regime’s gross and systematic violation . . . READ MORE . . .

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Examining who carried out the brutal violence in Israel three weeks ago. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Who were the individuals who committed the atrocities in southern Israel this month? Clues have been left behind in the places they attacked. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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World Food Program director on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Reported by Matt Ozug, Courtney Dorning and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  Kelly speaks with the executive director of the World Food Program, Cindy McCain, about the urgency of humanitarian need in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Gaza medical staff say they’re missing critical resources to help hospitalized people. Reported by Gus Contreras, Christopher Intagliata and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  Kelly talks with Muhammad Hawajreh, a nurse and medical coordinator for Doctors without Borders in Gaza City, which may soon run out of fuel to power its generators. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Egyptian aid group head says the amount of aid going to Gaza is ‘a drop in the ocean.’ Reported by Kat Lonsdorf, Tinbete Ermyas and Juana Summers | NPR Summers speaks with Mohsen Sarhan, the CEO of the Egyptian Food Bank, about the situation at the Rafah crossing, where some aid is being allowed into Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.

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NEWER  When Israeli-Palestinian conflicts erupt, threats against U.S. Jews and Muslims surge. Reported by Michel Martin and Odette Yousef | NPR  Surges in religious hate crimes in the U.S. historically follow conflicts between Israel and Palestinians. Extremism experts say the latest outbreak of U.S. violence may have more profound effects. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Longtime U.S. CIA officer in Middle East points to how global conflicts are linked. Reported by Erika Ryan, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  Kelly talks with former CIA chief of station in the Middle East John Franchi about the State Department’s “Worldwide Caution” travel advisory issued to U.S. citizens. Click HERE to listen and read.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Tass, the Moscow Times, Reuters, and National Public Radio; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Today’s GAZA entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Russian drone debris downed power lines near a Ukraine nuclear plant. A new winter barrage is likely, by Hanna Arhirova | AP  KYIV, Ukraine — Russia fired almost a dozen Shahed drones against Ukrainian targets and falling debris from an intercepted drone damaged power lines near a nuclear plant in the country’s west, knocking out electricity to hundreds of people, officials said today. Ukraine’s air force said it stopped all the drones that were launched. For the fourth day . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s top brass reports downing two American ATACMS missiles for first time. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian air defense forces shot down two US-made ATACMS missiles over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry stated today. “During the last . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian defense minister orders winter readiness in visit to frontline. From The Moscow Times. Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered senior officers to prepare soldiers for the winter during a visit to a command post in eastern Ukraine, the military said today. He also . . . READ MORE . . .

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Despite losing limbs, Ukrainian sappers return to work clearing land mines, by Vitalii Hnidyi | Reuters  KHARKIV REGION, Ukraine — A number of Ukrainian sappers have returned to their demining jobs in a national police unit of some 100 people despite being wounded in blasts while clearing mines during the Russia’s invasion that began on Feb. 22, 2022. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian veterans lobby Congress for continued support on the battlefield. A Martínez of NPR talks with Andriana Susak-Arekhta, senior sergeant in the Ukrainian armed forces and head of the Ukrainian Women Veteran Movement, about the case for continued U.S. support for Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and read.

For now, links to reports from Reuters, Tass, Kyiv Post, and the Kyiv Independent; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Today’s GAZA entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine not afraid to take on its oligarchs — justice minister, by Dan Peleschuk | Reuters  KYIV — Ukrainian authorities feel newly empowered to prosecute the once-powerful tycoons known as “oligarchs” thanks to shifting political realities and the war with Russia, Kyiv’s justice minister, Denys Maliuska, said Monday. He spoke to Reuters as investigators probe . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kiev suffers heavy losses in attempt to attack Russian troops near Artyomovsk, says DPR. From Tass. DONETSK — The Ukrainian military suffered heavy losses in its attempt to attack Russian positions on the southern flank of Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut in Ukraine), Yan Gagin, adviser to the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic said today. “Early in the morning, the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia advances near Avdiivka but suffers ‘significant losses.’ From Kyiv Post. Russian forces made confirmed advances around the embattled town of Avdiivka on Monday but are suffering “significant losses,” according to Ukrainian officials. Vitaly Barabash, the head of the town’s military administration, said there was a “very . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky: Full Ukrainian fire control over Crimea ‘only a matter of time,’by Nate Ostiller and the news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Ukraine will soon have fire control capabilities over occupied Crimea, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an online address to the second parliamentary summit of the international Crimea Platform on Oct. 24. Russian air defense in the peninsula  . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, commentary from ScheerPost and the Real News Network. (Today’s UKRAINE entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel says strikes will dismantle Hamas as Palestinian death toll rises, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Ari Rabinovitch | Reuters  GAZA / JERUSALEM — Israel said today it had killed dozens of Hamas fighters overnight in strikes on Gaza and indicated that it had no intention of easing its bombardment of the besieged Palestinian enclave. The United States urged Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, trapped in a humanitarian crisis after two weeks of intense Israeli attacks. But there appeared to be little prospect of a ceasefire any time soon in the bloodiest episode in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in decades . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hamas frees two Israeli women as U.S. advises delaying ground war to allow talks on captives, by Najib Jobain, Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Hamas on Monday released two elderly Israeli women held hostage in Gaza as the United States expressed increasing concern that the escalating Israel-Hamas war will spark a wider conflict in the region, including attacks on American troops. The death toll in Gaza rose rapidly as Israel ramped up airstrikes . . . READ MORE . . .

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Wye River agreement: Peace seemed within reach between Israel, Palestinians. Reported by Steve Inskeep and A Martínez | NPR  Twenty-five years ago Monday, the U.S. facilitated an agreement between Israel and Palestinians on a pathway toward peace. The deal fell apart not long after the Wye River Memorandum was signed. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Palestinian deaths in the occupied West Bank are escalating. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  Violence is increasing in the occupied West Bank, where dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and the Israeli military since Hamas attacked Israel. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Israel intensifies airstrikes as momentum builds for a ground offensive. A Martinez of NPR asks Brian Katulis of the Middle East Institute, a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to studying that region, to assess Israel’s planning for a ground offensive into Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Israel-Hamas war takes toll on Israeli and Palestinian civilians’ mental health. Reported by A Martínez and Rhitu Chatterjee | NPR As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, researchers warn about the surge of mental health problems that will plague the region for years to come as a result of the war trauma. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Graphic videos and images of the Israel-Hamas war are flooding social media. Reported by Dara Kerr | NPR  To monitor misinformation and violent images, social networks put content moderation rules in place a decade ago. Now some of that is unraveling. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Israeli military veterans describe actions that pummeled Gaza ahead of 2014 invasion. Reported by Ruth Sherlock | NPR  The last time Israel had boots on the ground in Gaza was nine years ago. As the country prepares for another possible ground invasion of Gaza, veterans share reflections from the previous war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Diplomats trying to free hostages from Hamas aim to delay Israel’s ground offensive. Reported by Michele Kelemen | NPR  Hamas released two hostages, but a flurry of international diplomatic activity to free more and allow aid into Gaza is moving slowly. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Diplomatic efforts are underway to facilitate the release of more hostages in Gaza. Reported by A Martínez and Jackie Northam | NPR  The International Committee of the Red Cross said it facilitated Monday’s release of two hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The aim is to free more hostages before Israel’s expected ground invasion. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Jordan’s precarious situation amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  The conflict between Israel and Hamas is putting neighboring Jordan in a precarious position — in a country already suffering an economic downturn and widespread discontent. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Let them eat cement, by Chris Hedges | ScheerPost / Popular Resistance  Israel, with the backing of its U.S. and European allies, is preparing to launch not only a scorched earth campaign in Gaza but the worst ethnic cleansing since the wars in the former Yugoslavia. The goal is to drive tens, most probably hundreds of thousands of Palestinians over the southern border at Rafah into refugee camps in Egypt. The reverberations will be catastrophic, not only . . . READ MORE . . .

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The Atlantic Magazine, covering Palestine without Palestinians, by Adam Johnson | The Real News Network / ScheerPost  Since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Southern Israel that killed 1,300 Israelis, The Atlantic has published 38 articles, podcasts, and Q&As on the assault and Israel’s subsequent retaliatory bombing campaign, which has killed over 4,000 Palestinians and counting. Only one of these pieces was written by a Palestinian, whom the story is, at least in theory, 50% about. The writers . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED