For today, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM SEPT. 14  NATO military committee chair, others back Ukraine’s use of long range weapons to hit Russia, by Lolita C. Baldor | AP  PRAGUE — The head of NATO’s military committee said Saturday that Ukraine has the solid legal and military right to strike deep inside Russia to gain combat advantage — reflecting the beliefs of a number of U.S. allies — even as the Biden administration balks at allowing Kyiv to do so using American-made weapons. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM SEPT. 14  Russia threatens Ukraine, West as long-range strikes decision looms. From Reuters. MOSCOW — Russian officials threatened the West on Saturday with an uncontrolled escalation of war and Ukraine with the destruction of Kyiv as Western leaders discussed whether to allow Ukraine to use their weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory. READ MORE . . .

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UK Foreign Minister Lammy plays down Putin threats. From AFP. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy today accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “bluster” over his warning that letting Ukraine use long-range weapons to strike inside Russia would put NATO “at war” with Moscow. READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 14  ATACMS restrictions subject of ‘intense consultations’ between Ukraine and allies, Sullivan says. From The Kyiv Independent.  Allowing Ukraine to use ATACMS to strike targets deep inside Russia is the subject of “intense consultations,” U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, said in Kyiv Saturday. He reiterated that no decision . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 13  Zelensky announces 49 Ukrainian POWs returned to Kyiv. From AFP. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Friday that 49 Ukrainian POWs had been returned from Russia. He did not clarify whether it was part of an exchange with Russia, as is usually the case, but. . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian aviation defeats reserves of seven Ukrainian brigades in Sumy Region. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Russian operational-tactical aviation and missile forces have defeated reserves of seven brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 11 settlements of the Sumy region within 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports: from the Anadolu Agency, Reuters and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date, so far, and a DICKINSON entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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4 children among 19 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on northern, southern Gaza Strip. From Anadolu Agency. ANKARA — At least 19 Palestinians, including several women and children, were killed today in Israeli attacks targeting areas in both the northern and southern Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for report from AP and Middle East Eye.

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FROM SEPT. 13  European, Muslim countries meet in Spain eyeing schedule for Palestinian statehood, by Belén Carreño | Reuters  MADRID — Spain, hosting a high-level meeting on Friday of several Muslim and European countries on ways to end the Gaza war, called for a clear schedule for the international community to implement a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. READ MORE . . .  

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FROM SEPT. 13  How a strip of land in Gaza that borders Egypt has become an obstacle to a cease-fire, by Joseph Krauss | AP  A narrow strip of scrubland and sand dunes on the Gaza side of the border with Egypt has emerged as a major obstacle in talks aimed at halting the Israel-Hamas war and freeing scores of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to eight reports: from Agence France Presse, the Anadolu Agency, the Kyiv Independent, the Associated Press, Reuters, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date and a DICKINSON entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Russia, Ukraine swap 206 POWs in UAE-brokered deal. From AFP. Russia said today it swapped 103 Ukrainian soldiers held captive for an equal number of Russian POWs in an exchange deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates. The Russian troops freed in today’s swap were captured during . . . READ MORE . . .

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Putin will not prevail in Ukraine war: Biden, by Diyar Guldogan and Gizem Nisa Cebi | Anadolu Agency  WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not prevail in his war with Ukraine. “The United States is committed . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S., UK voice concern about Iran providing lethal weapons to Russia, by Diyar Guldogan | Anadolu Agency  WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed concern about Iran providing lethal weapons to Russia, the White House said Friday. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for related report.

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Ukraine’s long-range missile strike hopes on hold once again but encouraging signs remain, by Chris York | The Kyiv Independent  Ukraine’s hopes of being allowed to use Western-supplied long range missiles to strike deep inside Russian territory were put on hold once again on Friday in meetings between U.S. President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington. READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 13  U.S. hits Russian state media with sanctions for raising money for Moscow’s troops in Ukraine, by David Klepper | AP  WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department announced new sanctions on Russian state media Friday, accusing a Kremlin news outlet of working hand-in-hand with the Russian military and running fundraising campaigns to pay for . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 13  Putin’s options for Ukraine missiles response include nuclear test, experts say, by Andrew Osborn and Mark Trevelyan | Reuters  LONDON — Vladimir Putin’s options to retaliate if the West lets Ukraine use its long-range missiles to strike Russia could include striking British military assets near Russia or, in extremis, conducting a nuclear test to show intent, three analysts said. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian forces lost up to 520 troops in Battlegroup West zone of responsibility. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 520 servicemen in the Battlegroup West’s zone of responsibility in one day, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

A poem by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). It didn’t make Dr. Oliver Tearle’s “ten of the best” poems by her, HERE, but he surely had it in mind. The Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Massachusetts, sent it out this week to promote a festival later in September. Tearle’s analysis is HERE. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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For today, links to 12 reports: from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and Tass, and to commentary from the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Russia’s war on Ukraine will top Biden-Starmer meeting agenda. Reported by Teri Schultz and Michel Martin | NPR President Biden hosts the new British prime minister at the White House. They’ll discuss whether to let Ukraine launch western weapons into Russia. If they do, Russia says it will respond accordingly. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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U.S. and British leaders meet as Ukraine pushes to ease weapons restrictions, by Aamer Madhani| AP  WASHINGTON — United States President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are meeting today amid an intensified push by Ukraine to loosen restrictions on using weapons provided by the U.S. and Britain to strike Russia. The talks come amid . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia expels six UK diplomats as tensions rise over Ukraine missiles, by Andrew Osborn| Reuters  Russia’s FSB security service said today it had revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow after accusing them of spying and sabotage work, signalling . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from AFP.

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FROM SEPT. 12  Blinken wraps up Ukraine-focused Europe trip in Poland with arms requests on the table, by Matthew Lee | AP  WARSAW — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland on Thursday after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia. READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 12  UK Prime Minister meets with President Biden to talk special relationship and Ukraine. Reported by Willem Marx | NPR  British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is traveling to Washington for meetings with President Biden, largely focusing on foreign affairs and decades-old “special relationship” between the two nations. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM SEPT. 10  Blinken and British counterpart signal transatlantic unity with visit to Ukraine. Reported by Michele Kelemen | NPR Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his British counterpart David Lammy are raising alarms about Iranian ballistic missiles in Russia that threaten Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM SEPT. 12  Ukraine says Russia hit grain vessel near NATO member Romania, by Pavel Polityuk,Yuliia Dysa and Tom Balmforth | Reuters  KYIV — Ukraine accused Russia on Thursday of using strategic bombers to strike a civilian grain vessel in a missile attack in Black Sea waters near NATO member Romania, escalating tensions between Moscow and the military alliance. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 12  Putin says West will be fighting directly with Russia if it lets Kyiv use long-range missiles, by Andrew Osborn and Guy Faulconbridge | Reuters  President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the West would be directly fighting with Russia if it allowed Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-made long-range missiles, a move he said would alter the nature and scope of the conflict. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AFP.

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FROM SEPT. 11  Kremlin believes U.S. has authorized long-range Ukrainian strikes on Russia. From the Moscow Times. The Kremlin said Wednesday it believes Washington has already given Ukraine approval to strike targets inside Russia using U.S.-supplied long-range rockets. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian arms get the job done in special op — senior military official. From Tass. BEIJING — Russian weapons have fully proved their effectiveness in combat over the course of the special military operation, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Col. Gen. Alexander Fomin said at a forum. “The special military operation in Ukraine has completely changed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kursk counteroffensive: Will Russia push Ukraine out of its turf? by Dinara Khalilova | The Kyiv Independent  Over a month after Ukraine launched an unprecedented incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Russian forces have begun counterattacking, aiming to eventually drive Ukrainian troops out of the partially occupied border region. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, in an entry briefer than usual, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM SEPT. 11  Israeli airstrikes hit UN school and homes in Gaza and kill at least 34 people, hospitals say, by Wafaa Shurafa | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes across Gaza Tuesday night and Wednesday hit a U.N. school sheltering displaced Palestinian families as well as two homes, killing at least 34 people, including 19 women and children, hospital officials said. A U.N. official said six staffers were among the dead. READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 11  Hamas says ready to implement ceasefire without new conditions. From Reuters. CAIRO — The Palestinian Hamas group said on Wednesday that its negotiators reiterated its readiness to implement an “immediate” ceasefire with Israel in Gaza based on a previous U.S. proposal without new conditions from any party. READ MORE . . .

For today, in an entry briefer than usual, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Russian drones pound power system in Sumy region town, 14 people hurt, Ukraine says. From Reuters. KYIV — Russian drones inflicted significant damage to the northern Ukrainian town of Konotop’s energy infrastructure in an overnight attack that injured at least 14 people and cut electricity to the settlement, local officials said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM SEPT. 11  U.S. and UK pledge almost $1.5 billion to help Ukraine during diplomats’ visit to Kyiv, by Matthew Lee and Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — The United States and Britain pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine on Wednesday during a visit to Kyiv by their top diplomats as Ukrainian officials renewed their pleas to use Western-provided missiles against targets deeper inside Russia. READ MORE . . .

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Restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S. weapons across Russia’s border may be lifted. Reported by Michel Martin | NPR  Ukraine’s president wants to attack targets inside Russia. Will the U.S. loosen restrictions on the long-range weapons it provides for the war? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Ukraine businesses hire more women and teens amid labour shortages, by Olena Harmash | Reuters  As the war with Russia drains the labour force, businesses are trying to cover critical shortages by hiring more women in traditionally male-dominated roles and turning to teenagers, students and older workers. READ MORE . . .

For today, briefer than usual, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli airstrikes on Palestinian territories kill dozens more. From AP. Israeli strikes on Palestinian territories have killed more than two-dozen Palestinians on Wednesday, according to local officials. They say an Israeli airstrike killed five Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, and at least 20 people, including 16 women and children, were killed in the Gaza Strip. . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.