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

For today, links to commentary from the Associated Press, and to eleven reports: from AP, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and MEDIA entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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How France’s recognition of the state of Palestine could shift Middle East dynamics, by John Leicester | AP  PARIS — France’s bold decision to recognize the state of Palestine could help to shift conversations about the future of the Middle East, even if it’s unlikely to have an immediate impact for people in Gaza or on Israel’s war with Hamas. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for related report  from AP.

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As starvation spreads in Gaza, ceasefire talks stall. Reported by Emily Feng and Michel Martin | NPR  As starvation spreads in Gaza, the U.S. has cut short ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, France has announced it plans to recognize Palestine as a state. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Gaza’s children are starving, U.N. and relief organizations warn. Reported by Anas Baba | NPR  The reporter, who lives in the Gaza Strip, visits a pediatric hospital there. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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USAID analysis found no evidence of massive Hamas theft of Gaza aid, by Jonathan Landay | Reuters  WASHINGTON  — An internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian militant group Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies. A State Department spokesperson disputed findings. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 24  Dozens of kids and adults in Gaza have starved to death in July as hunger surges, by Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb and Lee Keath | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Five starving children at a Gaza City hospital were wasting away, and nothing the doctors tried was working. The basic treatments for malnourishment that could save them had run out under Israel’s blockade. Alternatives were ineffective. One after another . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  French President Macron says France will recognize Palestine as a state, by Angela Charlton | AP PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state and would formalize the decision at the U.N. General Assembly in September. Israel and the United States denounced . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  U.S. cuts short ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking ‘good faith,’ by Michelle Price and Joseph Krauss | AP  WASHINGTON — The United States is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating team home from Qatar to discuss next steps after Hamas’ latest response “shows a lack of desire” to reach a truce, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 23 and 24  Israel’s representative to the UN faces questions about aid to Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Jonaki Mehta, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Anas Baba | NPR  Several perspectives on aid to Gaza, including that of Danny Damon, Israel’s representative to the UN, are recorded in this report. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 23  Mercy Corps official warns of ‘mass starvation’ in Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Tyler Bartlam and Patrick Jarenwattananon | NPR  Kate Phillips-Barrasso, a vice president of Mercy Corps, talks about a joint statement issued by over 100 aid organizations warning of mass starvation in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.

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For now, links to reports from National Public Radio and Breitbart; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and MEDIA entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 24  A wave of Israeli settler attacks reaches a Christian village in the West Bank. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Israeli settler attacks have reached a Palestinian Christian village of the occupied West Bank. It drew a rare rebuke from the U.S. ambassador to Israel, an evangelical Christian pastor and supporter of Israeli settlers.  Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 15  Huckabee blasts ‘terrorist’ Jewish extremists who beat Palestinian-American Christian to death, by Joel B. Pollak | Breitbart  U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee spoke out on July 15 against what he called a terror attack against a Palestinian-American Christian by Jewish extremists who have clashed both with local Arabs and the Israeli military. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. Then, a note. (MEDIA 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and WEST BANK entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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The FCC approves Paramount’s $8B deal with Skydance after months of chaos and political intrigue, by Wyatte Grantham-Philips and Michael Liedtke | AP  NEW YORK — Federal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance — this after months of turmoil revolving around . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE to read July 24 and May 19 reports from NPR.

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NOTE: For some historical context, David Halberstam’s The Powers That Be, published in 1979, provides information about the early years of CBS, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Time. It came out about 10 years after The Kingdom and the Power, by Gay Talese, about the New York Times. And HERE is a review of the Halberstam book from the New Republic.

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For now, links to 10 reports: from National Public Radio, Reuters, and the Associated Press; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 7-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK entry for today, so far, is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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As starvation spreads in Gaza, ceasefire talks stall. Reported by Emily Feng and Michel Martin | NPR  As starvation spreads in Gaza, the U.S. has cut short ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, France has announced it plans to recognize Palestine as a state. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Gaza’s children are starving, U.N. and relief organizations warn. Reported by Anas Baba | NPR  The reporter, who lives in the Gaza Strip, visits a pediatric hospital there. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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USAID analysis found no evidence of massive Hamas theft of Gaza aid, by Jonathan Landay | Reuters  WASHINGTON  — An internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian militant group Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies. A State Department spokesperson disputed findings. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 24  Dozens of kids and adults in Gaza have starved to death in July as hunger surges, by Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb and Lee Keath | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Five starving children at a Gaza City hospital were wasting away, and nothing the doctors tried was working. The basic treatments for malnourishment that could save them had run out under Israel’s blockade. Alternatives were ineffective. One after another . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  French President Macron says France will recognize Palestine as a state, by Angela Charlton | AP PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday that France will recognize Palestine as a state and would formalize the decision at the U.N. General Assembly in September. Israel and the United States denounced . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JULY 24  U.S. cuts short ceasefire talks and accuses Hamas of lacking ‘good faith,’ by Michelle Price and Joseph Krauss | AP  WASHINGTON — The United States is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing its negotiating team home from Qatar to discuss next steps after Hamas’ latest response “shows a lack of desire” to reach a truce, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 23 and 24  Israel’s representative to the UN faces questions about aid to Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Jonaki Mehta, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Anas Baba | NPR  Several perspectives on aid to Gaza, including that of Danny Damon, Israel’s representative to the UN, are recorded in this report. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 23  Mercy Corps official warns of ‘mass starvation’ in Gaza. Reported by Ari Shapiro, Tyler Bartlam and Patrick Jarenwattananon | NPR  Kate Phillips-Barrasso, a vice president of Mercy Corps, talks about a joint statement issued by over 100 aid organizations warning of mass starvation in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED