NOTE: Late Saturday, Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel in response to Israel’s April 1 strike at Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus, which killed 16 people. AP, Reuters, and NPR coverage is HERE, HERE and HERE.

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For today, links to Gaza-related reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE.)  — MCM

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FROM APRIL 13  How Israel could be reinforcing a cycle of radicalization. Scott Detrow of NPR talks with H.A. Hellyer of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about how Israel’s bombardment in Gaza may be reinforcing a cycle of radicalization.  Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM APRIL 13  Israel says it opened new aid crossing into hard-hit northern Gaza. From AP. Israel said Friday it had opened a new crossing for aid trucks into hard-hit northern Gaza as it ramps up humanitarian deliveries to the besieged enclave. However, the United Nations says the surge of aid is not being felt in Gaza because of. . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  UN refugee chief says outflow of Gazans into Egypt would make conflict resolution impossible, by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | Reuters  The prospect of Gazans crossing into Egypt from the border town of Rafah to escape a military assault would make the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict impossible and cause an “atrocious dilemma” for the people fleeing, the UN refugee chief said on Friday. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Ukraine attack on Russia-controlled town kills 16, official says. From Reuters.  A Russia-installed official in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region said today that the death toll from shelling by Ukraine’s military on the town of Tokmak had risen to 16 people. Yevgeny Balitsky, the top Moscow-installed official in the region, said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia hits IRIS-T air defense system launcher, Ukrainian ammunition depot. From Tass. MOSCOW — Over the past 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces hit a launcher of the IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile system, the Russian Ministry of Defense said. “The launcher of the German-made . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  Russian soldiers who quit Putin’s war get no hero’s welcome abroad as asylum claims surge, by Erika Kinetz | AP  ASTANA, Kazakhstan — The Associated Press spoke with five officers and one soldier who deserted the Russian military. All have criminal cases against them in Russia. Each is waiting for a welcome from the West that . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine says strengthening defences in battered frontline town. From AFP.  Ukrainian troops defending the frontline town of Chasiv Yar under relentless Russian attack have received additional drones and weaponry, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said today. After visiting troops defending . . . READ MORE . . .

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Suspected Storm Shadows blast Russian targets in occupied Luhansk. From Kyiv Post. Ukrainian pilots carried out an effective strike on an “enemy facility” in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region on Saturday. Explosions were reported in the area of a machine-building plant. Several Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles are believed . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to commentary from an Australian observer, The Free Press, and Substack;; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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U.S. declines Israel’s invitation to start WW3 (for now), by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com.au  The western political-media class are acting as though Iran’s long-promised retaliation for Israel’s attack on its consulate building in Damascus was a completely unprovoked attack launched against the innocent, Bambi-eyed victim Israel. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  I’ve been at NPR for 25 years. Here’s how we lost America’s trust, by Uri Berliner | The Free Press  NPR has always had a liberal bent, but an open-minded, curious culture long prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding. That has changed. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  NPR and the death of fairness, by Matt Taibbi | Substack  Earlier this week, Uri Berliner dropped a bomb on the public media world with “I’ve Been at NPR for 25 Years. Here’s How We Lost America’s Trust.” The longtime senior editor described how NPR fumbled three stories. His piece was immediately swallowed, mangled, and regurgitated as new propaganda. On CNN and . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Reuters, Tass, the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, Agence France-Presse and Deutsche Presse-Agentur, and to an article of commentary from the Kyiv Post; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date and an ASSANGE entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine’s army chief says eastern front under intense Russian assault, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters  KYIV — Ukraine’s army chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said today the situation on the eastern front had worsened in recent days as Russia has intensified its armored assaults and battles rage for control of a village west of the devastated city of Bakhmut. His statement reflected . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian paratroopers surrender in Avdeyevka area — Russian Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — Nine soldiers serving in the Ukrainian armed forces’ 25th separate airborne brigade have surrendered as a unit to the Russian military in the Avdeyevka area, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. “Servicemen of the 25th separate airborne brigade of the Ukrainian . . . READ MORE . . .

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A local official says at least 10 people have died in shelling in Russian-occupied Ukraine. From AP. A local Kremlin-installed official today blamed Ukraine for a shelling yesterday evening that killed 10 people, including children, in a Russian-occupied town in the southern Zaporizhzhia region the previous day. The Tokmak municipal administration . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  Intense fighting, lack of resources leave wounded soldiers on their own, by Asami Terajima | The Kyiv Independent  DONETSK OBLAST — At positions as heavily shelled and close to Russian troops, soldiers say that medical evacuation doesn’t exist, The main reason for this is simple and gruesome: The fighting is just too intense. It can take . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S., U.K. widen ban on Russian metals in bid to disrupt revenues. From AFP. The United States and Britain took joint action on Friday to widen a ban on Russian metals imports in a bid to target the important Russian revenue source following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. Treasury Department said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Germany to send additional Patriot system to Ukraine. From AFP and DPA. Germany will send an additional Patriot air-defense system to Ukraine to bolster its hard-pressed military and help it fend off increased Russian air strikes, Berlin said today. “Due to . . . READ MORE . . .

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A new phase in arms production: from American warehouses to Ukrainian factories, by Vadym Ivchenko | Kyiv Post  Weapons and equipment deliveries provided to Ukraine by allies are not merely acts of charity or loyalty. Our use of this weaponry, much of it used in battle for the first time, has . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to two reports from National Public Radio and to articles of commentary from the New York Times, ScheerPost, and the Greanville Post; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE and ASSANGE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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A survivor of the UNICEF aid convoy struck by gunfire in Gaza speaks out.  Scott Simon of NPR talks with UNICEF’s Tess Ingram about surviving the gunfire that struck an aid convoy in Gaza and the effort to deliver food and water to the warzone. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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USAID says parts of Gaza are experiencing famine. Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Jamie McGoldrick, the former U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, about what he’s seen unfold in Gaza since Oct. 7. Click HERE later to listen and, still later, read

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FROM APRIL 9  Netanyahu must go, by Bret Stephens | The New York Times  It’s no secret to readers of this column where I stand on Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip. Israel must destroy Hamas as a military and political force in the territory while minimizing harm to civilians. It must . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  ‘Automated Murder’: Israel’s ‘AI’ in Gaza, by Patrick Lawrence and Cara Marianna | ScheerPost  Hans Köchler, an eminent Viennese scholar and president of the International Progress Organization, a globally active think tank, addressed an audience in Zurich, Switzerland, on April 4. The day before he spoke, +972 Magazine and Local Call, independent publications in Israel–Palestine, reported . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 11  Brutal, chaotic war – norms, conventions and laws of conduct are being erased, by Alastair Crooke | The Greanville Post  We stand on the cusp of what might be termed Chaotic War. Not the formula used by Israel often in the past to intimidate adversaries; this is different. Israeli . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to articles of commentary from Consortium News and Counterpunch; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (UKRAINE and GAZA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM APRIL 11  How Britain would be obliged to free Julian Assange, while Biden ‘considers’ ending the case, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  President Joe Biden’s remark on Wednesday that his administration is considering ending the prosecution of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange appears based on a calculation that the U.S. could lose in court on Assange’s appeal against Britain’s order to extradite him. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MARCH 10, 2023  The betrayers of Assange, by John Pilger | Counterpunch  I first interviewed Julian Assange in London in 2010. I immediately liked his dry, dark sense of humour, often dispensed with an infectious giggle. He is a proud outsider: sharp and thoughtful. We have become friends, and I have sat in many courtrooms listening to the tribunes of the state try . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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FROM APRIL 11  Netanyahu says Israel preparing for scenarios in areas other than Gaza, by James Mackenzie and Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  As the war between Israel and Gaza continues, Israel is also preparing for scenarios in other areas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, amid concern that Iran was preparing to strike Israel in response to the killing of senior Iranian commanders. “Whoever harms us, we . . . READ MORE . . .

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UN refugee chief says outflow of Gazans into Egypt would make conflict resolution impossible, by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | Reuters  The prospect of Gazans crossing into Egypt from the border town of Rafah to escape a military assault would make the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict impossible and cause an “atrocious dilemma” for the people fleeing, the UN refugee chief said today. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU sanctions Hamas over sexual violence during Oct. 7 attacks. From AFP. The European Union today imposed sanctions on the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad for “widespread” sexual violence during the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. The bloc said . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 11  More aid is supposed to be entering the Gaza Strip. Why isn’t it helping? by Julia Frankel | AP  JERUSALEM — Under heavy U.S. pressure, Israel has promised to ramp up aid to Gaza dramatically, saying last week it would open another cargo crossing and surge more trucks than ever before into the besieged enclave. But days later, there . . . READ MORE . . .

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Why Israel is losing the war of global public opinion over its tactics in Gaza. Michel Martin of NPR talks to Ami Ayalon, former head of Israel’s domestic security service, about Israeli leaders’ political mistakes as the tide of global opinion turns against them. Click HERE to listen and

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

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Ukraine’s air defence shortages leave Kharkiv more exposed to Russian bombs, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters  KHARKIV, Ukraine  — As Russia has intensified its air campaign against Ukraine in the last month, hammering its energy infrastructure and urban areas, no major city has been harder hit than Kharkiv. Just 30 km (18 miles) from . . . READ MORE . . .

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Norway to transfer 22 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Norway will transfer a total of 22 F-16s to Ukraine, of which 12 are fully combat-capable, and another 10 that may or not still be airworthy, and some . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin says 2022 draft document could serve as starting point for future Ukraine peace talks. From AP. MOSCOW — A draft peace agreement that Russia and Ukraine negotiated in the early days of the war could serve as a starting point for talks to end the fighting, the Kremlin said today, reviving a proposal that Ukraine had rejected. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian soldiers who quit Putin’s war get no hero’s welcome abroad as asylum claims surge, by Erika Kinetz | AP  ASTANA, Kazakhstan — The Associated Press spoke with five officers and one soldier who deserted the Russian military. All have criminal cases against them in Russia. Each is waiting for a welcome from the West that . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 11  Russia launches large-scale attack, destroys critical energy infrastructure. From the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces launched a massive aerial attack across Ukraine overnight on Thursday, targeting critical infrastructure in multiple regions. They damaged energy facilities in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Lviv oblasts, according to . . .READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine has adopted a new mobilization law to boost its military ranks. Reported by A Martínez and Joanna Kakissis | NPR  After months of deliberations, Ukraine’s parliament adopted the law to mobilize hundreds of thousands of new soldiers. Russian troops are on the offensive, and Ukrainian soldiers are exhausted. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Where could Ukraine get more Patriot missile systems from? by Steve Brown | Kyiv Post  The “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target” (PATRIOT) surface-to-air guided air and missile defense system was advertised as . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, 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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FROM APRIL 10  An Israeli airstrike in Gaza kills 3 sons and 4 grandchildren of Hamas’ top leader, by Tia Goldenberg, Wafaa Shurafa and Kareem Chehayeb | AP  TEL AVIV — Israeli aircraft killed three sons of Hamas’ top political leader in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, striking high-stakes targets at a time when Israel is holding delicate cease-fire negotiations with the militant group. Hamas said four of the leader’s grandchildren were also killed. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu not consulted on killing of Haniyeh’s sons, Israeli media say. From Reuters. Israeli forces killed three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in an air strike in Gaza without consulting senior commanders or political leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli media reported today. Quoting senior Israeli officials, Walla news agency said neither Netanyahu nor Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. . . READ MORE . . .

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Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says death toll at 33,545. From AFP. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said today that at least 33,545 people have been killed in the territory during more than six months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 10  How the Gaza war is evolving: Fighting has gone down. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  The fighting in Gaza is down sharply. Israel has withdrawn most of its troops. Hamas has suffered heavy losses. Months of high-intensity battles have now given way to a low-intensity conflict. Click HERE to listen and read.

For today, links to reports from Tass, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Independent, and the Associated Press, and to an editorial from the New York Times; other articles are accessible by clicking on its name below, although some may require subscriptions to read. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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UK-trained Ukrainian commandos carry out attack on Tendra Spit in Black Sea — FSB. From Tass. MOSCOW — A team of Ukrainian commandos trained by a British Royal Navy special forces unit carried out an attack on the Tendra Spit in the Kherson Region, Russia’s Federal Security Service said. READ MORE . . .

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Russian air strikes destroy major Kyiv power plant, damage other stations, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters  Russian missiles and drones destroyed a large electricity plant near Kyiv and hit power facilities in several regions today, officials said, ramping up pressure on the embattled energy system as Ukraine runs low on air defences. The major attack . . . READ MORE . . .

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Strike on southern Ukraine city kills 2, wounds 4. From AFP. A strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv today killed two people and wounded four, the Ukrainian governor of the region said. READ MORE . . .

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EU Parliament refuses decision on budget until members commit more Patriots to Ukraine, by Kateryna Hodunova | The Kyiv Independent  By a vote of 515 to 62, members of the European Parliament today refused discharge of the EU Council’s budget until European leaders decide to support Ukraine with additional Patriot air defense systems, MEP Guy Verhofstadt said. As Russia . . . READ MORE . . .

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Negotiations on Ukraine make no sense without Russia — Kremlin spokesman. From Tass. MOSCOW — Any peace talks on Ukraine that do not include Russia are pointless, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said regarding Switzerland’s initiative to host a conference on the so-called Ukrainian peace formula in June. “First we need to understand . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kyiv adopts mobilization law as Moscow strikes facilities across country. From AFP. Ukrainian lawmakers today approved an army mobilization bill that will keep more long-serving soldiers fighting Russia’s offensive, as Moscow pounded energy facilities in another “massive” air raid across the country. The move came as Kyiv has struggled on the battlefield for months, weakened by . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s parliament passes a controversial law to boost much-needed conscripts and fill army ranks, by Samya Kullab and Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukraine’s parliament passed a law today that will govern how the country recruits new conscripts, following months of delay and after thousands of amendments were submitted to water down the initial draft. READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky in Lithuania to ‘consolidate’ support. From AFP. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced today that he had arrived in Lithuania for talks with Central and Eastern European leaders on support for his war-torn country. “The main thing now is to . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine and Latvia sign security agreement, Zelensky says. From Reuters. Ukraine and Latvia signed a 10-year security agreement today, envisaging annual Latvian military support for Ukraine at 0.25% of GDP, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, adding that Latvia also . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 6  Help Ukraine hold the line. From the New York Times. After more than two years of brutal, unrelenting war, Ukraine is still ready and has the capacity to defend its democracy and territory against Russia. But it cannot do so without U.S. military assistance, which . . . READ MORE . . .