For today, links to a report from Mondoweiss via ScheerPost and to commentary via Z Network; others published material is accessible by clicking on its name below. (WEST BANK 7-25-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 24  Israel is changing the legal system governing the West Bank to accelerate annexation: report, by Jeff Wright | Mondoweiss / ScheerPost  Israel is accelerating its efforts to cement its permanent control over the West Bank through a number of sweeping legal and institutional changes, according to a new report from Adalah, The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel. Titled Legal Structures of Distinction, Separation, and Territorial Domination, it describes . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 26  The unseen war for the West Bank’s future, by Ramzy Baroud | Original to Z Network  Israel is meticulously following a textbook model of instigating unrest in the occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to eight reports: from Reuters, Agence France, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 7-27-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, WEST BANK and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Trump says he is setting new 10 to 12-day deadline for Russia on war. From Reuters. TURNBERRY, Scotland  U.S. President Donald Trump today increased pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine, saying he was setting a new deadline of 10 to 12 days for Moscow to make progress on doing so. He had said earlier today that he was going to shorten a 50-day deadline he had set because . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from AFP, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass.

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Ukraine liberates Kindrativka village in Sumy Oblast amid ongoing Russian offensive, by Kateryna Hodunova | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian forces have retaken the village of Kindrativka in Sumy Oblast, pushing back Russian attempts to advance in the area, a spokesperson for the Kursk military group said on Sunday. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Kyiv Post.

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Russian troops liberate two communities in Donetsk region over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated two communities in the Donetsk region 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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For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and National Public Radio, and to a celebration from Biography.com and the Forward Movement; other published i material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (MEDIA 7-27-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 27  Tom Lehrer, song satirist and mathematician, dies at 97, by Gillian Flaccus | AP  LOS ANGELES — Tom Lehrer, the popular and erudite song satirist who lampooned marriage, politics, racism and the Cold War, then largely abandoned his music career to return to teaching math at Harvard and other universities, has died. He was 97. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from NPR. 

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FROM JULY 27  Alec Baldwin talks his love for ‘Peanuts’ and the ‘immeasurable’ effects of his trial, by Andrew Dalton | AP SAN DIEGO — Alec Baldwin says the year since his trial suddenly ended with a dismissal has been far better than the few years that preceded it, and the affect that time has had on him has been “immeasurable.” The 67-year-old actor spoke to AP at San Diego’s Comic-Con International, where . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 23  After much speculation, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham announce ‘Buckingham Nicks’ reissue, by Maria Sherman | AP  NEW YORK — They’re not going their own way anymore. After much speculation, Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham announced Wednesday the reissue of “Buckingham Nicks,” more than 50 years after the release of their only full-length album as a duo. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 22  ‘Superman’ flexes its might in second weekend with $57.3 million, by Jake Coyle | AP  NEW YORK — James Gunn’s “Superman” showed staying power in its second weekend at North American box offices, collecting $57.3 million in ticket sales and remaining the No. 1 movie in cinemas, according to studio estimates Sunday. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for July 27 report from AP.

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Bach celebrated. From Biogrphy.com / Forward Movement. The revered baroque-era composer Johann Sebastian Bach was born 340 years ago this past March but is celebrated today every year on this day by Episcopalians of the Forward Movement stripe. His music, often from a Brandenburg concerto, is heard daily on phones before someone finally picks up, as well as on radio and TV. Click HERE for bio, HERE for today’s Day by Day readings, the last being about Bach, and HERE for an appreciation by Roger Hutchison.

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For today, links to 14 reports: from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Press, Middle East Eye, and Anadolu Ajansi; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-26-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  MEDIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Doctors warn that children in Gaza have suffered irreversible damage from starvation. Reported by Anas Baba and Emily Feng | NPR  Prolonged and severe malnutrition is permanently damaging the health of children across Gaza. Doctors warn even if Israel lets in more food now, the damage to children’s bodies can be irreversible. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Israel begins daily pause in fighting in 3 Gaza areas to allow ‘minimal’ aid as hunger grows, by Wafaa Shurafa, Tia Goldenberg and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli military today began a limited pause in fighting in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day, part of measures including airdrops as concerns grow over surging hunger. The military said the “tactical pause” in three areas . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Jordanian, Emirati planes drop 25 tonnes of aid over Gaza. From AFP. AMMAN — Two Jordanian and one Emirati plane dropped 25 tonnes of humanitarian aid over the Gaza Strip today, the Jordanian army said in a statement. READ MORE . . .

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Several Egyptian aid trucks carrying relief supplies enter Gaza via Rafah crossing, by Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Ajansi  ANKARA — Several Egyptian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing this morning carrying essential relief items, including food and infrastructure supplies, according to Egyptian media. READ MORE . . .

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Government media office: Gaza needs 600 aid trucks daily. From Middle East Eye. “The Gaza Strip needs 600 relief trucks daily and 250,000 cartons of formula monthly for infants,” Gaza’s government media office said in a statement. “The radical solution is to open the crossings and break the siege immediately.” READ MORE . . .

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Humanitarian truce means nothing without immediate lifesaving action: Gaza Health Ministry, by Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Ajansi  ANKARA — Gaza’s health chief today warned that the current humanitarian truce would be meaningless if not used to save lives, stressing that inaction and delay have deadly consequences. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 26  How can hunger conditions improve in Gaza? A humanitarian expert weighs in. Scott Simon of NPR asks the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Shaina Low about conditions in Gaza and calls for Israel to end its blockade there. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 26  The people of Gaza are starving and hopes for a temporary ceasefire dashed. Reported by Emily Feng, Scott Detrow and Megan Lim | NPR  More than two million people living in Gaza are starving and hopes for a temporary ceasefire have been dashed after the U.S. accused Hamas of negotiating in bad faith. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 26  4 things to know about Gaza right now amid warnings of ‘mass starvation’ risk. Reported by Scott Neuman and Anas Baba | NPR  Hunger and disease continue to stalk Palestinians in Gaza, and aid organizations are warning that children are at greatest risk of starvation. The latest dire warnings come as Israeli attacks have . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 26  Frustration, Gaza alarm drove Macron to go it alone on Palestine recognition, by John Irish and Michel Rose | Reuters  PARIS — President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France would become the first Western member of the United Nations Security Council to recognise a Palestinian state in September has caused diplomatic ructions from . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for second July 26 report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 26  Israel says it is considering alternatives to ceasefire talks with Hamas, deepening uncertainty, by Samy Magdy and Wafaa Shurafa | AP  CAIRO — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering “alternative options” to ceasefire talks with Hamas after Israel and the U.S. recalled their negotiating teams . . . READ MORE . . .

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Vatican calls for global push for 2-state solution as death toll in Gaza continues to rise, by Melike Pala | Anadolu Ajansi  BRUSSELS — The Vatican on Saturday called on the international community to work actively toward a two-state solution, saying the worsening crisis in Gaza has made the need for a just and lasting political resolution urgent. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: The July 25 link is included here (as well as in the MEDIA entry) because the Russiagate allegations served to ripen Americans’ hostility toward Russia.

For today, links to an interview from Consortium News and to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 7-26-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 25  Russiagate decomposed. Joe Lauria and Elizabeth Vos of Consortium News and CN Live! talk with former National Security Agency technical director Bill Binney and former Central Intelligence Agency senior analyst Ray McGovern about the copious documented evidence that the “Russiagate” allegations begun in 2016 to discredit Donald Trump’s presidential campaign victory that year and cripple his presidency were a fraudulent conspiracy cooked up by Democratic Party and “deep state” insiders, a matter revived this month by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Click HERE for video and printed intro.  The program begins about 4 minutes in with a detailed, hard-to-follow 15- to 20-minute intro by Lauria and Vos.

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Russia scales down celebrations honoring its navy as Ukraine launches more drone attacks. From AP. Russia today scaled down the festivities honoring its navy citing security concerns as continuing Ukrainian drone attacks posed a challenge to the Kremlin. Authorities canceled the . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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NOTE: The July 25 link is included here (as well as in today’s UKRAINE entry) because most of the U.S. news media heavily promoted the Russiagate allegations.

For today, a link to an interview from Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on its name below. (MEDIA 7-25-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 25  Russiagate decomposed. Joe Lauria and Elizabeth Vos of Consortium News and CN Live! talk with former National Security Agency technical director Bill Binney and former Central Intelligence Agency senior analyst Ray McGovern about the copious documented evidence that the “Russiagate” allegations begun in 2016 to discredit Donald Trump’s presidential campaign victory that year and cripple his presidency were a fraudulent conspiracy cooked up by Democratic Party and “deep state” insiders, a matter revived this month by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Click HERE for video and printed intro.  The program begins about 4 minutes in with a detailed, hard-to-follow 15- to 20-minute intro by Lauria and Vos.

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NOTE: This link is included because the Russiagate allegations served to ripen Americans’ hostility toward Russia.

First, an interview from Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on its name below. (UKRAINE 7-26-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA entry for this date, so far, is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 25  Russiagate decomposed. Joe Lauria and Elizabeth Vos of Consortium News and CN Live! talk with former National Security Agency technical director Bill Binney and former Central Intelligence Agency senior analyst Ray McGovern about the copious documented evidence that the “Russiagate” allegations begun in 2016 to discredit Donald Trump’s presidential campaign victory that year and cripple his presidency was a fraudulent conspiracy cooked up by Democratic Party and “deep state” insiders, a matter revived this month by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Click HERE for video and printed intro.  The program begins about 4 minutes in with a detailed, hard-to-follow 15- to 20-minute intro by Lauria and Vos.

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, reports from National Public Radio and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 7-26-25 is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 26  How can hunger conditions improve in Gaza? A humanitarian expert weighs in. Scott Simon of NPR asks the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Shaina Low about conditions in Gaza and calls for Israel to end its blockade there. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 26  The people of Gaza are starving and hopes for a temporary ceasefire dashed. Reported by Emily Feng, Scott Detrow and Megan Lim | NPR  More than two million people living in Gaza are starving and hopes for a temporary ceasefire have been dashed after the U.S. accused Hamas of negotiating in bad faith. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 26  4 things to know about Gaza right now amid warnings of ‘mass starvation’ risk. Reported by Scott Neuman and Anas Baba | NPR  Hunger and disease continue to stalk Palestinians in Gaza, and aid organizations are warning that children are at greatest risk of starvation. The latest dire warnings come as Israeli attacks have . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 26  Israel says it is considering alternatives to ceasefire talks with Hamas, deepening uncertainty, by Samy Magdy and Wafaa Shurafa | AP  CAIRO — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering “alternative options” to ceasefire talks with Hamas after Israel and the U.S. recalled their negotiating teams . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to 10 reports: from Anadolu Ajansi, Middle East Monitor, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Reuters, and the Cradle; a June 2024 interview from NPR; and June 2024 commentary from Honest Reporting; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-25-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE entry for today is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Gaza hunger deepens as 6,000 aid trucks await entry: UN agency for Palestinian refugees, by Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Ajansi ANKARA — “At UNRWA, we have the equivalent of 6,000 trucks in Jordan & Egypt waiting for the green light to get into Gaza,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said today. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli officers admit spoiling aid from 1,000 trucks at southern Gaza’s Kerem Shalom crossing. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli officers have admitted Friday to spoiling food, water and medical supplies that were packed in more than 1,000 aid trucks at the Kerem Shalom crossing that were left to rot after their distribution into the Gaza Strip was blocked, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 25  Israel says hundreds of truckloads of aid are waiting to enter Gaza. Why can’t the UN bring them in? by Sam Mednick | AP  TEL AVIV | Here’s a look at why the aid can’t be delivered. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 25  What’s needed to help historic starvation levels in Gaza is ‘tragically simple,’ aid group says. Reported by Michelle Aslam, Justine Kenin and Ailsa Chang | NPR  Starvation is plaguing Gaza. We hear about why getting food to the half million people who need it is so difficult. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Gaza faces imminent mass death of 100,000 children amid baby formula shortage, by Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Ajansi  ANKARA — More than 100,000 children in the Gaza Strip, including 40,000 infants aged under 1, are facing imminent death due to the complete lack of baby formula and nutritional supplements, the Government Media Office in Gaza warned today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 25  Hamas condemns Israeli-approved Gaza ‘aid airdrops’ as stunt amid soaring starvation. From the Cradle. A senior Hamas official condemned Israel’s decision on Friday to allow foreign countries to resume airdrops of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, calling the move a “stunt” that . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 25  Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump appear to abandon Gaza ceasefire talks, by Maayan Lubell | Reuters  Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. president Donald Trump appeared Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, both saying . . . READ MORE . . .

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WSJ promotes Israeli-backed warlord linked to aid theft as Gaza’s ‘future leader.’ From the Cradle. The Wall Street Journal on Thursday published a commentary by Yasser Abu Shabab, a Palestinian collaborator with Israel to promote himself as the next leader of Gaza, make false claims about Hamas and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Indonesia urges other nations to follow France on Palestine, by Alperen Aktas | Anadolu Ajansi  ISTANBUL — Indonesia today welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine and urged other nations to do the same, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for July 25 report from NPR.

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FROM JUNE 13, 2024  Why hasn’t there been a Palestinian state? Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  Why is there no Palestinian state, despite so many states recognizing it? Click HERE to listen and HERE to read.

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FROM JUNE 16, 2024  NPR bends over backwards to conceal the real reason there isn’t a Palestinian state, by Rachel O’Donoghue | Honest Reporting  “Why hasn’t there been a Palestinian state?” was the question posed in a recent segment on NPR’s flagship news show “All Things Considered.” Tasked with answering . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Press, and the Moscow Times; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 7-25-25 is HERE, or scroll down. GAZA entry for today is HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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4 people killed, multiple others injured in Russia and Ukraine as they trade aerial attacks. From AP. Russia and Ukraine traded aerial attacks overnight, resulting in two deaths in each country and many people wounded on both sides, according to officials. READ MORE . . .

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Pope Leo discusses war in Ukraine with Russian Orthodox Church official. From Reuters. VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo met today with Metropolitan Anthony, a senior cleric in the Russian Orthodox Church, in a possible effort to ease ties between the churches strained by the invasion of Ukraine. READ MORE . . .

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Russia says seized two villages in central Ukraine. From AFP. Russia said today it had captured two villages in Ukraine, including one in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, marking a fresh advance into an area largely spared seizures of land since Moscow’s 2022 invasion. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 25  Russian military says it destroyed over 100 Ukrainian drones across country. From the Moscow Times. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday that its air defenses destroyed 105 Ukrainian drones across the country between Thursday night and Friday morning. READ MORE .. . .

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TO BE CONTINUED