For today, links to eleven reports from the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, Reuters, Tass, Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Post, and 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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Defense Secretary Austin says the U.S. will provide $2.3 billion more in military aid to Ukraine, by Tara Copp | AP  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said today the U.S. will soon announce an additional $2.3 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, to include anti-tank weapons, interceptors and munitions for Patriot and other air defense systems. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with Austin . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia says strikes destroy several Ukrainian fighter jets. From the Moscow Times. Russia’s Defense Ministry said today its missile strike on the Myrhorod airfield in central Ukraine destroyed five active Su-27 multipurpose fighter jets and damaged two under repair. Ukraine’s former Air Force speaker Yuriy Ihnat confirmed the strike but accused the Russian military of exaggerating the extent of the damage. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Russian forces strike nine Ukrainian Su-27, MiG-29 fighter jets over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces struck nine Ukrainian Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter jets over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a general statement. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s air force says it destroyed Russian ammunition depot in Crimea. From Reuters. Ukraine’s air force commander, Mykola Oleshchuk, said today the military had carried out a “destructive strike” on a Russian ammunition depot in Moscow-occupied Crimea on Monday. “Once again . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hungary’s Orban, in Kyiv, proposes ceasefire to speed up peace talks, by Anastasiia Malenko and Anita Komuves | Reuters KYIV — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy today to consider a ceasefire to accelerate an end to the war with Russia and also said he wanted a big cooperation agreement with Kyiv. Orban, an outspoken critic of Western military aid to Ukraine, held talks with Zelenskiy during . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AFP, and HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass. 

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Lukashenko sounds alarm on Ukrainian troop movements near Belarusian border. From Tass. MINSK — Opponents of Belarus and Russia are trying to pull both countries into a conflict and escalate the situation to such an extent that “the entire world will shudder,” Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Monday. “They are itching,” he said, “to get us involved . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Overnight strike kills 9 in Khan Younis, hours after Israel ordered a mass evacuation. From AP. An Israeli strike has killed at least nine people in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, Palestinian health officials said today, less than a day after Israel ordering parts of the city to evacuate ahead of a likely ground operation. The overnight strike hit a home near . . . READ MORE . . .

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Thousands flee their homes as Israeli forces bomb southern Gaza, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Mohammad Salem | Reuters  CAIRO / GAZA — Israeli forces bombarded several areas of the southern Gaza Strip today and thousands of Palestinians fled their homes in what could be part of a final push of Israel’s intensive military operations in nine months of war. Health officials said eight Palestinians were killed and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Released doctor says Palestinians in Israeli jails died under torture, medical negligence, by Nour Abu Eisha and Mustafa Habboush | Anadolu Agency  GAZA CITY, Palestine — The director of the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City has said several Palestinians in Israeli jails died during interrogation, torture, medical negligence, and deprivation of medicine. Speaking at a press conference following his release on Monday, Mohammad Abu Salmiya said . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to six reports from Reuters, the Anadolu Agency, the Associated Press, and Middle East Monitor, and to commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Palestinian militants fire rockets into Israel, tanks advance into Gaza, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Mohammad Salem | Reuters  CAIRO / GAZA — The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad fired a barrage of rockets into Israel today as fighting raged in Gaza and Israeli tanks advanced deeper in parts of the enclave, residents and officials said. The armed wing of Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed ally of Hamas, said its fighters fired . . . READ MORE . . .

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Another journalist killed in Israeli attack in Gaza as death toll rises to 153 since Oct. 7, by Mustafa Haboush | Anadolu Agency  GAZA City, Palestine — A Palestinian journalist died today of wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, taking the death toll to 153 since last October, local authorities said. Mohammad Mahmoud Abu Shareeah, a journalist with  . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel releases 55 Palestinians it had detained from Gaza, including hospital director. From AP. A Palestinian health official says Israel released 55 Palestinians today whom it had detained from Gaza, including the director of the territory’s main hospital. Mohammed Abu Selmia was released without charge or trial, after being detained in November when . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel releases director of hospital it says was used as a Hamas base. He alleges abuse in custody, by Mohammad Jahjouh. Samy Magdy, and Julia Frankel | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Israel released the director of Gaza’s main hospital today after holding him for seven months without charge or trial over allegations the facility had been used as a Hamas command center. He said he and . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Middle East Monitor.

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Israeli finance minister threatens to build new settlements for each country recognizing Palestine, by Abdelraouf Arnaout | Anadolu Agency  JERUSALEM — Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened today to establish a new settlement in return for each country recognizing Palestine as a state. “For every country that unilaterally recognizes a Palestinian state, we . . . READ MORE . . .

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Why is Argentina becoming a ‘great friend’ of Israel amid its war crimes in Gaza? by Jodor Jalit | Middle East Eye  When Hamas launched its offensive against Israel last October, Argentine voters were heading to the first round of the presidential election. Politicians and candidates across the political spectrum quickly took to X to share their thoughts. The centre-left outgoing president, the continuity candidate and others, including two centre-right politicians and the right-wing Javier Milei, currently president, expressed their solidarity with Israel and condemned the Palestinian group. None made any mention of Gaza, Palestine, or the Palestinians. READ MORE . . .

 

For today, links to six reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, the Kyiv Post, the Moscow Times. 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 JUNE 30  Russia attacks Ukraine’s two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv. From Reuters. Russian forces attacked Ukraine’s two largest cities on Sunday, with missile fragments falling on a suburban Kyiv apartment building and a guided bomb killing one person in Kharkiv. Russian forces have maintained regular attacks on Ukrainian cities as well as . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AP, and HERE and HERE for reports from the Kyiv Independent and Kyiv Post.

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Russia border regions report power cuts after Ukraine attacks. From the Moscow Times. Officials in Russian regions bordering Ukraine reported power cuts and water supply issues on Monday after deadly drone attacks by Kyiv. The attacks and shelling on the border region of Belgorod over the past day . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops liberate two communities in Kharkov region, DPR, over past day — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated the settlements of Stepovaya Novosyolovka in the Kharkov Region and Novopokrovskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader report. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Middle East Monitor, Middle East Eye, and the Anadolu Agency; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date  is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli tanks advance into areas in north and south Gaza, fighting rages, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Kamel Hamdan | Reuters  CAIRO / GAZA —Israeli forces advanced further today into the Shejaia neighbourhood of northern Gaza and also pushed deeper into western and central Rafah in the south, killing at least six Palestinians and destroying several homes, residents said. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 29  The UN starts to move tons of aid from U.S.-built pier after security fears suspended work there, by Julia Frankel and Wafaa Shurafa | AP  JERUSALEM — Humanitarian workers have started moving tons of aid that piled up at a U.S.-built pier off the Gaza coast to warehouses in the besieged Palestinian territory, the United Nations said Saturday, an important step as Washington considers whether . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. lawmakers vote to censor Palestinian death toll in Gaza to cover Israel war crimes. From Middle East Monitor. Lawmakers in the United States this week voted to prevent the government from citing the death toll of Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israel, in the latest effort to directly censor facts and criticism of the occupation and its war crimes. In a 269 – 144 vote in favour of the bipartisan amendment at the U.S. House of Representatives . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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Gaza death toll nears 37,900 as Israel kills 43 more Palestinians, by Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip have killed 43 more Palestinians, pushing up the overall death toll since last October to 37,877 people, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave said today. A ministry statement added . . . READ MORE . . .

NOTE: A JUNE 29 REPORT WAS BELATEDLY ADDED TO THIS ENTRY.

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

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7 killed and dozens wounded after missiles slammed into a town in southern Ukraine, officials say. From AP. KYIV — Russian missiles slammed into the town of Vilniansk in southern Ukraine, killing seven civilians, including three children, and wounding 36 more, local authorities reported after the Saturday evening attack. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Russia’s defense ministry says destroys 36 Ukrainian drones. From AFP. MOSCOW — Russian forces destroyed three dozen Ukrainian drones in areas near the border, Moscow’s Ministry of Defense said today. These reportedly included fifteen UAVs over Kursk region, nine UAVs over Lipetsk region, four UAVs each over Voronezh and Bryansk regions and two UAVs each over Oryol and Belgorod regions. READ MORE . . .

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Russia claims two more east Ukrainian villages. From AFP. Russia today claimed two more east Ukrainian villages, Novooleksandrivka and Spirne, as its forces have had the upper hand over Kyiv on the battlefield for months. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Tass.

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FROM JUNE 28  Russia releases 10 Ukrainian civilian prisoners – Zelensky. From AFP. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday 10 civilians, including a politician and two priests, taken prisoner in Russia and Belarus had been freed in a deal mediated by the Vatican. Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners throughout their . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 29  Russian strike on south Ukraine town kills seven – Kyiv. From AFP. A Russian strike on the south Ukrainian town of Vilniansk killed at least seven people, Kyiv said, in an attack that came hours after Russia said a Ukrainian drone killed five people on its border village. Both countries said two children were killed in each attack. Kyiv also said four people were killed in eastern frontline villages in the Donetsk region. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 29  Moscow claims east Ukrainian village in offensive on Toretsk. From AFP. Russia on Saturday claimed another village, Shumy, in eastern Ukraine as it pushes towards the city of Toretsk in a fresh local offensive in the embattled Donetsk region. Toretsk lies north-west of the city of Gorlivka, which has been under separatist control since 2014. It . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky: Russia used over 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine this week, by Elsa Court and news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine this week alone, President Volodymyr Zelensky said today. Guided aerial bombs are precision-guided munitions that have a shorter range than missiles, but . . . READ MORE . . .

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OSCE Assembly recognizes Russia’s genocide of the Ukrainian people. From UkrInform. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has adopted a resolution recognizing Russia’s actions as genocide of the Ukrainian people and the need to decolonize Russia, a member of the Ukrainian delegation, Pavlo Frolov, said Friday. It was the opening day of the summer session in Bucharest. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 28  Joe Biden catches cold, by James Howard Kunstler | Clusterfuck Nation  Maybe ninety-seconds into last night’s long-awaited debate spectacle, the consensus must have jelled among the woke-and-broken news media mavens that their champion, “Joe Biden,” was not quite killing it out there at the podium. CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash acted like . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for a JUNE 29 report from NPR.

NOTE: IN A SEARCH ENGINE, XMAWALKER WORKS FOR THIS WEBSITE.

For today, links to reports from Reuters and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials  below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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U.S. has sent Israel thousands of 2,000-pound bombs since Oct. 7, by Humeyra Pamuk and Mike Stone | Reuters  WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has sent to Israel large numbers of munitions, including more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles, since the start of the war in Gaza, said two U.S. officials briefed on an updated list of weapons shipments. READ MORE . . .

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What is Hamas’ strategy for a ceasefire and conditions for the end of war? Danielle Kurtzleben of NPR Danielle Kurtzleben speaks with Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, about Hamas’ strategy for the war in Gaza. Click HERE later to listen and, still later, read.

For today, links to eight reports from Reuters,  the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Middle East Monitor and Middle East Eye, others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli forces push deeper into southern and northern Gaza, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Doaa Rouqa | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli forces deepened their incursion into two northern and southern areas of the Gaza Strip today, and Palestinian health officials said tank shelling in Rafah killed at least 11 people. Residents and Hamas media said tanks advanced further west into the Shakoush neighbo‬urhood‬ of Rafah, forcing . . . READ MORE . . .

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Huge mounds of rotting trash pile up around Gaza camps, UNRWA says, by Emma Farge | Reuters  GENEVA — Mounds of trash rotting in the heat are piling up close to where displaced people are sheltering in Gaza, a UN official said today, raising fears about the further spread of disease. Louise Wateridge, an aid worker with United Nations Palestinian refugee agency, said a pile of waste weighing an estimated 100,000 tons was building up near people’s . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 27  Israel lets 19 kids leave Gaza who are sick or wounded, first medical evacuation in nearly 2 months, by Mohammad Jahjouh, Wafaa Shurafa and Kareem Chehayeb | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Israeli authorities say 68 people — 19 sick or wounded children plus their companions — have been allowed out of the Gaza Strip and into Egypt in the first medical evacuation since early May . . . READ MORE . . .

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Sick children are allowed to leave Gaza for the first time in weeks. Reported by Leila Fadel | NPR  Israel and Egypt agreed to allow nearly 20 critically ill children to leave Gaza. This is the first major evacuation since the Rafah border closed last month. Click HERE  to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 26  With aid at a trickle, experts say half a million people in Gaza face starvation. Reported by Tom Bowman and Aya Batrawy | NPR  A new study says half a million people are now facing starvation, as all of the Gaza Strip is at high risk of famine. Aid groups say Israel needs to secure aid routes. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JUNE 25  Israel let some wounded children leave Gaza for treatment, leaving thousands behind. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  For the first time in almost two months, Israel has allowed a small group of kids to leave Gaza for medical treatment. Aid groups say the move came after U.S. pressure and a court challenge in Israel. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Biden, Trump go to bat for Israel in 1st U.S. presidential debate. From Middle East Monitor. Israel’s war on Gaza was a central feature of the first U.S. presidential debate, with both current President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, trying to outdo the other in positioning themselves as a champion of Israeli interests, Anadolu Agency reports. READ MORE . . .

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Biden’s ‘a bad Palestinian’: Trump says he wants Israel to continue Gaza war. From Middle East Eye. Donald Trump attacked U.S. President Joe Biden for not being supportive enough of Israel’s war on Gaza, using a remark that denigrated Palestinians while going on to say that he supports the continuation of Israel’s military operation. READ MORE . . .