For today, links to a report from National Public Radio and to the beginning of an article from Slate; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-8–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 8  We’ve all gotten those hiring scam texts. Instead of deleting, this writer played along. Reported by Ailsa Chang, Linah Mohammad and Christopher Intagliata | NPR  Alexander Sammon received a suspicious job recruitment text from someone who claimed to be a hiring manager. He decided to play along to see how far the scam would go, and wrote about it for Slate. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for beginning of Aug. 4 article from Slate.

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For now, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Middle East Eye, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-7–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE entry for today, so far, is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel plans to retake Gaza City, escalating the war with Hamas and fueling worries for hostages, by Wafaa Shurafa, Sam Metz, Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel said today it plans to take over Gaza City — in what would be an escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas that drew a dismissal from the militant group, renewed international calls to end the conflict, and . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, NPR, Middle East Eye and the Cradle.

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International leaders reject Israeli occupation of Gaza City. From the Cradle. Britain, Germany, Australia, Spain, China, Russia and Turkey have come out in condemnation of Israel’s plan for a full military occupation of Gaza City, which was announced by Tel Aviv overnight. READ MORE . . .

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A former State Department negotiator on the risks of Israel’s take over of Gaza. Steve Inskeep of NPR speaks with Aaron David Miller, a former State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator, about the risks that come with Israel’s decision to further occupy Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to five reports: from Tass, the Kyiv Independent, Kyiv Post, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-7-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA entry for today, so far, is HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Putin-Trump meeting may take place on Aug. 11 — Fox News. From Tass.  NEW YORK / MOSCOW — A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American leader Donald Trump may be held on Aug. 11, potentially in Rome, Fox News reported citing sources. A source told TASS Rome as a venue was out of the question. READ MORE . . .

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‘It’s up to him’ — Trump says ceasefire deadline depends on Putin, by Lucy Pakhnyuk and Tim Zadorozhnyy | The Kyiv Independent  U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday the ceasefire deadline he set for Russia — scheduled for today — Aug. 8 — now depends on Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We’re going to see . . . READ MORE . . .

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German technicians repair Ukrainian Patriot radar Raytheon called unfixable: report. From Kyiv Post. The major German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported on Thursday that the Patriot air defense system critically needed to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian ballistic missile strikes is back in action thanks to  . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian troops have little hope for peace as Trump’s deadline for Russia arrives, by Vasilisa Stepanenko | AP  DNIPROPETROVSK, Ukraine — Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield expressed little hope for a diplomatic solution to the war with Russia, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s Friday deadline for the Kremlin to make peace arrived and he . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainians worry about being excluded from negotiations over ending the war. Reported by Greg Myre and A Martínez | NPR  President Trump says he is willing to meet with Vladimir Putin to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine, without requiring the Russian leader to also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-6–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Netanyahu to seek approval for expanded Gaza military operations as 29 Palestinians are killed, by Melanie Lidman | AP  TEL AVIV — The Israeli security cabinet was set to meet this evening to discuss a possible expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, a move that — if it happens — would . . . READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM AUG. 6  Hundreds of former Israeli military and security leaders urge Trump to end Gaza war. Reported by Lauren Hodges, Ailsa Chang and Christopher Intagliata | NPR  More than 500 former officials who once led Israel’s military and security agencies are asking President Trump to help stop the war in Gaza. Ailsa Chang of NPR speaks with one of them. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for related Aug. 5 report from NPR.

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For today, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (LEBANON 7-31-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Israel pounds south Lebanon ahead of second cabinet meeting on Hezbollah arms. From the Cradle. Massive Israeli airstrikes targeted several areas in the south of Lebanon late today, with Tel Aviv claiming it attacked Hezbollah’s “attempts to restore terrorist infrastructure.” READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to reports from Reuters, Kyiv Post, the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, National Public Radio, Tass, and the Kyiv Independent; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-6-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and LEBANON entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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NEWER  Kremlin says Putin and Trump will meet soon, Zelenskiy seeks European role in peace settlement, by Gleb Bryanski and Yuliia Dysa | Reuters  MOSCOW / KYIV  — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet in the coming days, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said today, in what would be the first summit between leaders of the two countries since 2021. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Kyiv Post.

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Putin says he hopes to meet Trump as the White House presses for a peace deal on Ukraine, by Dasha Litvinova, Barry Hatton and Amelia Thomson-Deveaux | AP  Russian President Vladimir Putin said today he hopes to meet next week with U.S. President Donald Trump, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. The news came on the eve . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Moscow Times.

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Trump may meet with Putin and Zelenskyy soon. Reported by Franco Ordoñez and A Martínez | NPR  President Trump says prospects look good for a meeting on ending the war in Ukraine with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But he’s been disappointed before. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Putin not against meeting Zelensky, conditions should be created. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he is not against holding a meeting with Vladimir Zelensky but conditions should be created to do that. “I have reiterated,” he said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian drone attack sparks fire at Krasnodar oil refinery. From the Moscow Times. An overnight Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire at an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region, local authorities said early today. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Independent.

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For today, links to five reports: from Reuters, Middle East Monitor, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and Common Dreams; other reports and articles or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-5–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Terrible thirst hits Gaza with polluted aquifers and broken pipelines, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  GAZA / CAIRO — Weakened by hunger, many Gazans trek across a ruined landscape each day to haul all their drinking and washing water — a painful load that is still far below the levels needed to keep people healthy. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for April 22 report from Middle East Monitor.

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FROM AUG. 5  Israel says Hamas is starving hostages; Security Council members say Israel is starving Palestinians, by Edith M. Lederer | AP  Israel called an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to demand the release of its emaciated hostages, including one seen digging his own grave. Their plight . . . READ MORE . . .

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Jordan says Israeli settlers attacked Gaza-bound aid convoy. From Middle East Eye. Jordan said Israeli settlers attacked a Gaza-bound aid convoy today in the second such incident in days, accusing Israel of failing to act firmly to prevent repeated assaults. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 5  The story behind one grim image of a mother and child in Gaza. Reported by Emily Feng and Anas Baba | NPR  A photo of a starving child in Gaza has gone viral, with many in Israel claiming it depicts false information. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 31  Even Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling it a ‘genocide,’ by Lorraine Ali | Los Angeles Times  Skeletal babies. Starving families shot down while waiting in line for food. Images and video of . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 24  No, Israel No, Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, by Bret Stephens | The New York Times  It may seem harsh to say, but there is glaring dissonance to the charge . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 5  The U.S. must understand: The story of the Gaza genocide did not begin on Oct. 7, by James Zogby | Common Dreams  Our understanding of an historical event’s meaning is a function of two factors — what we choose to identify as the starting point leading up to the event, and the lens through which we view it. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to nine reports: from Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, Tass, Reuters, and the Cradle, to an interview from the Kyiv Independent, and to commentary from Indian Punchline; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-5-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Kremlin says Putin-Witcoff talks were ‘constructive.’ From AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin held “quite useful and constructive” talks with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow over the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin said today after the three-hour meeting. READ MORE . . .

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Trump envoy Witkoff meets Putin ahead of Russia-Ukraine peace deadline, the Kremlin says. From AP. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met for about three hours in Moscow today, the Kremlin said, days before . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for reports from the Moscow Times and Kyiv Post.

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Ukrainian drones reportedly strike Russian railway hub in Rostov Oblast for second night, by Tim Zadorozhnyy | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian drones targeted the Tatsinskaya railway station in Russia’s Rostov Oblast overnight today, striking the hub for the second night in a row, Russian independent media outlet Astra reported. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s army shells Zaporozhye nuke plant’s industrial zone, no injuries. From Tass. MELITOPOL — The Ukrainian military shelled the industrial zone of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, smashing windows in the printing house and the transport workshop, with no injuries reported, the nuclear power station said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 5  Putin doubts potency of Trump’s ultimatum to end the war, sources say. From Reuters. MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to bow to a sanctions ultimatum expiring this Friday from U.S. President Donald Trump, and retains the goal of capturing four regions of Ukraine in their entirety, sources close to the Kremlin said. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for July 15 report from Reuters.

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FROM AUG. 5  Trump threatens to slap India with higher tariffs over Russian oil imports. From the Cradle. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would raise tariffs on Indian imports beyond the current 25 percent rate within 24 hours, citing New Delhi’s “fueling the war machine” by continuing to purchase Russian oil. READ MORE . . .

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Trump’s threat won’t stop Putin, Russia expert says, by Oleksiy Sorokin, Nick Allard and Anna Yakutenko | The Kyiv Independent  As U.S. President Donald Trump’s Friday deadline for additional sanctions on Russia approaches, Robert Person, professor of international relations at the United States Military Academy, talks about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s likely responses to U.S. pressure. Click HERE for intro and video. 

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Trump is taunting India but is an emperor without clothes, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The aspirant-Nobel American president Donald Trump tore up two sacred covenants during his first presidency in 2018 out of sheer petulance or plain arrogance . . . READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for Aug. 1 commentary from Indian Punchline.

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For today, links to articles of commentary from Common Dreams and nader.org, both reprinted by ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (MEDIA 8-4-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 5  As Gaza starved, NPR coverage grew but didn’t get any better, by Stan Cox | Common Dreams / ScheerPost  Like most outlets, NPR started paying more attention as famine closed in on Gaza between July 18 and 31. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 1  The New York Times does not fear Trump . . . but Bret Stephens is another matter, by Ralph Nader | nader.org / ScheerPost  After the long-time skittish New York Times published a  lengthy essay by the renowned genocide scholar, Prof. Omer Bartov of Brown University titled “I’m a Genocide Scholar, I Know It When I see It,” the Palestinian-hater, Timescolumnist Bret Stephens immediately jumped into the Netanyahu‑style rebuttal mode. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to 10 reports: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Reuters, the Cradle, Middle East Monitor, Agence France-Presse, and Middle East Eye; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-4-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Former Israeli security officials call to end the war in Gaza as Netanyahu hints at a new stage, by Wafaa Shurafa and Julia Frankel | AP  JERUSALEM — Former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs called for an end to the war in Gaza as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at further military action and Israel’s government plotted its next move in the devastated territory. READ MORE . . .

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As ceasefire talks stall, Israel’s government weighs a full occupation of Gaza. Reported by Emily Feng and Michel Martin | NPR  Just days after the U.S. Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Israel and met with hostages’ families, the Israeli government considers a full occupation of the Gaza Strip, including areas where hostages are held. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.  Click HERE , HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, the Cradle, and Middle East Monitor, and HERE for brief one from AFP.

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Israel says it will allow controlled entry of goods into Gaza via merchants, by Alexander Cornwell | Reuters  Israel says it will allow gradual and controlled entry of goods to Gaza through local merchants, an Israeli military agency that coordinates aid said today, as . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 4  Dozens killed as Palestinians in Gaza scramble for aid from air and land, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid, contributing to the territory’s slide toward famine . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Majority of Palestinians are too weak from starvation to access aid, report says. From Middle East Eye. Seventy percent of Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing extreme weakness from starvation, hindering their ability to access humanitarian aid, the Danish Refugee Council said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 4  Death toll from hunger rises in Gaza with no end in sight. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Juana Summers | NPR  The death toll from hunger continues to climb daily in Gaza. And more Israelis protested over the weekend, demanding both a ceasefire and a hostage deal after footage of an Israeli captured in the Oct. 7 attack of 2023 was released by Hamas. Click HERE to listen and read.

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