For today, links to reports from the Cradle, the Associated Press and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (WEST BANK, SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.  GAZA 2-27-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM FEB. 27  Hundreds of Palestinians freed from Israeli jails after weeklong holdup. From the Cradle. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners were let out from Israel’s prisons early on Thursday in exchange for the handover of the bodies of four Israeli captives who were held in Gaza, as part of the seventh and final round of exchanges for phase one of the ceasefire. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 27  Israel’s refusal to withdraw from this narrow strip of desert could threaten the Gaza ceasefire, by Joseph Krauss | AP  Israel’s refusal to withdraw from a narrow strip of desert on the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, as called for in the ceasefire with Hamas, could further threaten the fragile truce. An Israeli official said Thursday . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 27  Egyptians respond to Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. Reported by Aya Batrawy | NPR  President Donald Trump’s ideas for Gaza have sparked concerns in the Middle East. He says Palestinians should all leave and move to Egypt and Jordan. Click HERE to listen and read.

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The crucial role of the Palestinian people in resisting displacement, by Majed Al-Zeer | Middle East Monitor  For 77 years since the Nakba, the Palestinian people have played a leading role in confronting various attempts aimed at erasing their cause and resolving the conflict by bypassing their rights. These attempts . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to 10 reports: from the Kyiv Independent, Agence France-Presse, Kyiv Post, the Moscow Times, Tass, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from the Kucinich Report; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK, SYRIA and GAZA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.  UKRAINE 2-27-25 entry is HERE.) — MCM

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NEWER  Zelensky, Trump get into heated argument while speaking with journalists in Oval Office, by Oleksiy Sorokin | The Kyiv Independent  President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a 45-minute-long press briefing in the Oval Office that ended in a heated argument about American aid to Ukraine. The scuffle . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from CNN including video.

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NEWER  Trump says Ukraine must make ‘compromises’ with Russia. From AFP. U.S. President Donald Trump told President Volodymyr Zelensky today that Ukraine will have to make “compromises” in a truce with Moscow, while Zelensky insisted that there should be no concessions with Russia’s “killer” leader. “You can’t,” Trump said, “do any . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Kyiv Post.

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NEWER  U.S. greenlights new Russian ambassador, ending months-long vacancy, by Pyotr Kozlov | The Moscow Times  The United States has approved Russia’s appointment of Alexander Darchiev as its new ambassador paving the way for him to assume the long-vacant post in Washington. READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces retook 4 villages in Kursk region this week, military says. From the Moscow Times. Russian forces have retaken four villages over the past week in the southwestern Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops captured large swaths of territory last summer, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops liberate eight communities in Ukraine operation over week. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated eight communities, including four settlements in the Kursk Region over the week of February 22-28 in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. READ MORE . . .

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A good rapport but mixed signals on Ukraine: Keir Starmer’s trip to Washington, by Jill Lawless | AP  WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer landed back in Britain from Washington today with the satisfaction of a tricky mission not quite accomplished, but off to a flying start. His goals were . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet President Trump Friday. Reported by Joanna Kakissis and Michel Martin | NPR  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with President Trump in Washington on Friday, where they are expected to sign a deal on U.S. access to some of Ukraine’s critical raw materials. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM FEB. 27  European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas discusses shifting U.S. alliances. A Martínez of NPR speaks with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas about how the E.U. views shifting U.S. alliances. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM FEB. 27  The plunder of Ukraine: A story of debt, greed and betrayal, by Elizabeth Kucinich | The Kucinich Report  The systematic plundering of Ukraine by international financial institutions and governments is underway. As history has shown . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (LEBANON, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down. SYRIA 2-25-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM FEB. 25  Syrian Druze take to the streets of Suwayda in protest against Israeli, Turkish occupation. From the Cradle. Hundreds of residents of the Syrian city of Suwayda and its countryside joined protests against any foreign intervention or attempts to divide the country in response to recent comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to three reports: from France 24, the Cradle and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (SYRIA, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON 2-24-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israeli troops ‘staying indefinitely’ in Lebanon border buffer zone, defence minister says. From France 24. Defence Minister Israel Katz said today that Israeli forces would indefinitely remain in what he called a “buffer zone”, in southern Lebanon. Earlier this month he had said . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 26  Deadly Israeli strikes hit eastern Lebanon as drones continue flying over capital. From the Cradle. An Israeli drone strike hit eastern Lebanon on Wednesday afternoon, killing one person and injuring another in the second attack on the country since the previous night. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 26  Lebanon’s new government wins confidence vote in parliament. From Reuters. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s new government won a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, following a speech by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam promising to push for economic and financial reforms and to start negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to nine reports: from the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, the Cradle, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA, LEBANON and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.  GAZA 2-26-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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NEWER  Israeli official says the army won’t withdraw from a Gaza corridor in potential jolt to truce, by Mohammad Jahjouh, Wafaa Shurafa and Natalie Melzer | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Israel will not withdraw from a strategic corridor in the Gaza Strip as called for by the ceasefire, an official said today. Israel’s refusal could spark a crisis with Hamas and key mediator Egypt . . . READ MORE . . .   Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor and the Cradle.

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Hamas says it’s ready for more ceasefire talks after releasing hostage remains. From Reuters. JAKARTA — Militant group Hamas said today it was ready to begin talks on the second phase of a ceasefire in Gaza after several hundred Palestinians were released from Israeli jails overnight in return for the bodies of four Israeli hostages. It was the final exchange . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 26  Hamas hands over bodies of four hostages, Israel frees Palestinian prisoners. From Reuters. JERUSALEM — Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages while it waited for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel in return, in an overnight exchange marking the final swap as part of a fragile truce in Gaza. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE and HERE for Feb. 27 reports from NPR and the Cradle.

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FROM FEB. 26  Israel has shown ‘unprecedented disregard for human rights’ in Gaza, UN human rights chief says, by Olivia Le Poidevin | Reuters  GENEVA — UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Wednesday accused Israel of showing an unprecedented disregard for human rights in its military actions in Gaza and said Hamas had violated international law. “Nothing justifies . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to five reports: from Kyiv Post, Tass, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, and the Kyiv Independent, and to commentary from the New York Times; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA, LEBANON and GAZA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up. UKRAINE 2-26-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM  

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Ukrainian paratroopers capture village, Kyiv launches local counterattacks, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Ukrainian forces executed limited but successful counterattacks in three sectors of the eastern fighting front to take back territory captured by Russian forces, news and battle reports said today. READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces strike Ukrainian military airfields, UAV operator training site over day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces struck Ukrainian military airfields and training sites of unmanned aerial vehicle operators over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Russian and U.S. officials meet in Istanbul for embassy talks. From AFP. Russian and U.S. officials met in Istanbul today to discuss embassy-related issues as part of efforts to stabilize ties, Russian news agencies reported. The talks follow . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 26  Ukraine’s Zelenskyy will meet Trump Friday to finish a minerals deal. Reported by Joanna Kakissis and Asma Khalid | NPR  KYIV / WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will meet with President Trump on Friday to sign a preliminary deal giving the United States a share of critical raw materials but wants . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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France has led talks on Ukraine’s minerals since October 2024, French minister says, by Martin Fornusek and the news desk | The Kyiv Independent  France and Ukraine have been discussing the use of Ukrainian minerals for the purposes of the French defense industry since October 2024, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said, as France Info reported today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 25  The most shameful vote, by Bret Stephens | The New York Times  On Monday, the United States won 10-0 approval for a UN Security Council resolution (with five abstentions including from Britain and France) that called for an end to the war in Ukraine without mentioning who started it. This is supposed to be . . . READ MORE . . .

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Links to reports and commentary: from National Public Radio, the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, Middle East Monitor, Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, Lionel Nation, and the Nation; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down. MEDIA 2-23-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM FEB. 24  A break from your smartphone can reboot your mood. Here’s how long you need. Reported by Allison Aubrey | NPR  Researchers studied what happened when people agreed to block the internet from their smartphones for just two weeks. And turns out . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM FEB.. 20  Readers, not commodities, by Vijay Prashad | Tricontinental Institute for Social Research / Consortium News  There are days when the dusk of events settles heavily on me, and I try to find a way to retreat into a quiet corner and throw myself into the world of a book. It does not matter if it is a novel or . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 25  Hamas accuses New York Times of distorting Marzouk interview. From Middle East Monitor. The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has said that the recent remarks attributed to the head of its international relations office, Mousa Abu Marzouk, were inaccurate and taken out of context, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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FROM FEB. 25  A look at the shakeup happening at MSNBC. Reported by David Folkenflik | NPR  MSNBC has experienced a number of changes at high profile anchor positions, including Joy Reid. What’s behind this shakeup and what could be next for the storied network? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM FEB. 24  Joy Reid is leaving MSNBC as the network cancels her evening show, by Wyatte Grantham-Philips | AP  NEW YORK — Joy Reid is leaving MSNBC, the network’s new president announced in a memo to staff on Monday, marking an end to the prime time show hosted by the progressive political analyst and broadcast news anchor. Her show, “The ReidOut,” has . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for two related articles of commentary, from Lionel Nation and the Nation.

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First, a link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (MEDIA, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK 2-25-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM FEB. 25  More than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the West Bank in the last month. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf  | NPR  More than 40,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the past month in the West Bank due to the Israel’s prolonged military operation there. It’s the largest displacement in the West Bank in decades. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to a report from the Associated Press and to commentary from Declassified Australia via Consortium News; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. (MEDIA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down. GAZA 2-25-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM FEB. 25  Israel and Hamas agree on new exchange, leaving fragile ceasefire intact, by Josef Federman and Abby Sewell | AP  JERUSALEM — Israeli and Hamas officials said Tuesday they have reached an agreement to exchange the bodies of dead hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, keeping their fragile ceasefire intact for at least a few more days. READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 18  The global spread of Palestine’s agony, by Antony Loewenstein | Declassified Australia / Consortium News  Palestine is an occupied land and people used as a testing ground for the most sophisticated forms of Israeli weapons and surveillance tech. The mass slaughter in Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel is just the latest example of the Israeli state and defence companies profiting from disaster. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to 10 reports, from Kyiv Post, the Associated Press, Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, Agence France-Presse, Tass, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Consortium News; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (MEDIA, WEST BANK and GAZA entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up. UKRAINE 2-25-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Russia rules out ceasefire on contact lines, vows to capture 4 Ukrainian regions. From Kyiv Post. Moscow would not stop at the current contact lines in Ukraine and sought to capture the entirety of four Ukrainian regions it claimed to have annexed via illegal referendums, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. strikes a deal with Ukraine that includes access to its rare earth minerals, officials say, by Susie Blann, Hanna Arhirova and Vasilisa Stepanenko | AP  KYIV — Ukraine and the U.S. have reached an agreement on a framework for a broad economic deal that would include access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, three senior Ukrainian officials said today. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Full text of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal. From the Kyiv Independent. Bilateral Agreement Establishing Terms and Conditions for a Reconstruction Investment Fund. “Whereas . . . READ MORE . . .

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At least 1 killed in Kyiv as Russia and Ukraine launch overnight drone attacks. From AFP. Russia and Ukraine launched dozens of drones at each other today in aerial attacks that left energy facilities damaged, one dead and at least four wounded in Ukraine, officials said. READ MORE . . .

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Russia hammers Ukrainian military airfields, UAV depots over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces struck Ukrainian military airfields and unmanned aerial vehicle depots over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Russian and U.S. diplomats to meet in Istanbul on Thursday, Lavrov says. From AFP. Russian and U.S. diplomats will meet in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss outstanding issues related to their embassies, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today. READ MORE . . .

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Lavrov in Qatar speaks out on new U.S. talks, frozen Russian assets. From Tass. DOHA — Russia is waiting for Europeans to stop lying that Moscow is refusing to engage in talks on Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference in Qatar. He also said the issue of frozen Russian assets . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky unsure if Friday’s Washington visit goes ahead. From Kyiv Post. President Volodymyr Zelensky said today his purported trip to Washington to finalize a mineral agreement with the U.S. had not been certain. “We were offered a visit, yes,” he said. “But . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM FEB. 25  3 thoughts on Trump’s foreign policy from an expert critical of U.S. intervention. Reported by Leila Fadel and Obed Manuel | NPR  One of them is whether President Trump is practicing good negotiation tactics concerning the Russia-Ukraine war. Bringing it to an end makes good sense, said Stephen Walt, professor of international relations at Harvard University, but . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM FEB. 25  Ukraine timeline tells the tale, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  Please use this short, historical guide to share with people who still flip through the funny pages trying to figure out what’s going on in Ukraine. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for commentary by Lauria for CN dated March 22, 2022.

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MAY BE CONTINUED