For today, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, the Kyiv Independent, the Kyiv Post, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date and a 9/11 TRUTH entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

–   –   –

Ukraine knocks out Russian refinery in major attack, by Guy Faulconbridge and Lidia Kelly| Reuters  KYIV — MOSCOW — Ukraine pounded targets in Russia with dozens of drones and rockets today in a sweeping attack that inflicted serious damage on a major oil refinery and sought to pierce the land borders of the world’s biggest nuclear power with armed proxies. Russia and . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Russia reports Ukrainian drone strikes on targets deep inside its territory and a border incursion, by Jim Heinz and Hanna Arhirova | AP   Ukraine launched a wave of long-range drones against targets deep inside Russia today, Russian officials said, hitting at least two oil facilities in the attack on eight regions of Russia in the latest display of Kyiv’s expanding drone capacity. Also today . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Pro-Kyiv militia says captured Russian border village. From the Moscow Times. A group of Russian volunteer forces fighting with Ukraine have captured the village of Tyotkino inside Russia, the group said today, after Moscow claimed to have pushed back attacks on two border regions. “The settlement of . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Russian anti-Kremlin militia break into Russia, claim to occupy villages, by Kateryna Denisova, Nate Ostiller and news desk | The Kyiv Independent  The Freedom of Russia Legion and the Siberian Battalion crossed the border into Russia from Ukraine today to conduct combat operations, according to the Russian anti-Kremlin armed groups. The Freedom of Russia Legion later said that it had taken control of . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

City administration building targeted by drones in Russian Belgorod. From Kyiv Post  The city administration building in the Russian city of Belgorod was hit by a drone today, as reported by regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov via Telegram. According to . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

What we know about attempts by Ukrainian forces to enter Belgorod, Kursk regions. From Tass. MOSCOW — Ukrainian forces attempted to cross the border in the Belgorod and Kursk regions, but were repelled and suffered losses, according to the Russian Defense Ministry and the Federal Security Service. They said the sabotage groups were . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Russian forces liberate Nevelskoye community in Donetsk area over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces liberated the community of Nevelskoye in the Donetsk area over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. And in the Kupyansk area . . . READ MORE . . .

 

 

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a 9/11 TRUTH entry are HERE and HERE.)  — MCM   

–   –   –

Palestinians in Gaza begin Ramadan with hunger worsening and no end in sight to the Israel-Hamas war, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinians began fasting for Ramadan today as the Muslim holy month arrived with cease-fire talks at a standstill, hunger worsening across the Gaza Strip and no end in sight to the five-month-old war between Israel and Hamas. Prayers were held outside amid . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

The war in Gaza alters they way many Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan. Reported by Steve Inskeep, Aya Batrawy and Daniel Estrin | NPR  The world has been pushing for a pause in the fighting in the Israel-Hamas war by the start of Ramadan. The Muslim holy month has begun and still no cease-fire agreement is in place. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

–   –   –

Israel checking reports that Hamas’ military No 2 killed in Gaza strike, by Maayan Lubell and Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  JERUSALEM / CAIRO — Israel was checking today if Hamas’s second-highest military leader died in an air strike, media said, as talks stumbled to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza war to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. If his death is confirmed, Marwan Issa would be . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

The Democratic protest vote movement over the Israel-Hamas war spreads from Michigan to other states, by Joey Cappelletti | AP  LANSING, Mich. — The protest-vote movement over President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war has spread to several states and raised more questions about whether a small but significant number of Democrats angry at Biden might abandon him in November. A week . . . READ MORE . . .

 

For today, links to reports from the Kyiv Independent, the Kyiv Post, Reuters, the Moscow Times, Agence France-Presse, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA entry for this date and a 9/11 TRUTH entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

–   –   –

CNN: Russia producing 3 times more shells than U.S., Europe can provide to Ukraine, by Kateryna Denisova | The Kyiv Independent  Russia is set to produce nearly three times as many artillery munitions as the U.S. and Europe this year, CNN reported today, citing NATO intelligence estimates and unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Russia . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

‘First Oscar in Ukrainian history’ – Academy Award for ‘20 Days in Mariupol,’ by Stash Luczkiw | The Kyiv Post  The Ukrainian documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” won an Oscar for best documentary film on Sunday night in Los Angeles, Calif. The film was shot during the Russian siege of Mariupol in the first weeks after . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Ukraine downs 15 of 25 Russian drones targeting Odesa, infrastructure hit. From Reuters. KYIV — Ukrainian air defences shot down 15 out of 25 Russian drones launched in an overnight attack on the southern Odesa region, but an infrastructure facility was hit, the military and regional officials said today. The military said in a statement . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Ukrainian shelling of western Russian village kills 1. From the Moscow Times. A man was killed in Ukrainian shelling of a Kursk region village in western Russia, authorities said today. The region’s governor, Roman Starovoit, said the village of Goncharovka in the Suzhdansky district . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 10  Russia says downed Ukrainian drone over Leningrad region. From the Moscow Times. Authorities in northwestern Russia’s Leningrad region said Sunday that air defense systems shot down a Ukrainian drone flying in the area, as airspace over that region and the city of St. Petersburg was closed “to ensure safety.” Regional governor . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

HUR confirms head of Russia’s Navy dismissed after losing a string of warships, by Kateryna Zakharchenko | Kyiv Post  Kyiv  Post sources in Ukraine’s military intelligence service (HUR) have confirmed the that Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, has been forced to resign, an outcome that had been planned for a long time. “The final straw was the destruction of the Sergey Kotov,” the source . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Kremlin declines to comment on naval chief sacking reports. From AFP.  The Kremlin said today that it would not comment on reports that it had sacked the commander-in-chief of the Russian navy after having lost several warships to Ukrainian attacks in the Black Sea. Russian media . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Zelensky criticizes Pope Francis’s white flag call as ‘virtual mediation.’ From Tass. MOSCOW — Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed Pope Francis’s proposal for peace in Ukraine as “virtual mediation.” Zelensky thanked Ukrainian religious figures . . . READ MORE . . .

A link to a discussion on the prospects for the Supreme Court’s deciding whether to hear the merits of a petition challenging a federal agency’s reports on the collapses of three skyscrapers at the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Linked are a letter by the CEO of Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth and an hour-long discussion on the background of the case and some of the politics and legalities involved. Other information is accessible by clicking on AE911Truth below. (GAZA entry for this date, so far, and a UKRAINE entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 8  Our fight is everyone’s fight: Spread the word about our Supreme Court challenge, by Roland Angle | AE911Truth  This week our attorneys submitted our petition to the United States Supreme Court, challenging the rulings of lower courts in our case against the National Institute for Standards and Technology. Among the challenges under review is a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that set a dangerous standard for our nation. Click HERE for the rest of the letter and a video of the discussion.

 

For now, links to reports from Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press, and to commentary from ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date, so far, is HERE.)– MCM

–   –   –

Israel says Mossad, CIA chiefs met on March 8 to ‘advance’ hostage release deal. From AFP.  JERUSALEM — Israel said Saturday its spy chief had met with his U.S. counterpart as part of efforts to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza. The statement came as mediators . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Israeli strike on house kills five: state media. From AFP.  At least five people were killed on Saturday, four from the same family, and nine wounded in an Israeli strike on a house in southern Lebanon, the country’s official National News Agency reported. Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, a Hamas ally, and Israel have . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 9  Another top donor says it will resume funding the UN agency for Palestinians as Gaza hunger grows, by Menelaos Hadjicostis | AP  NICOSIA, Cyprus — Another top donor to the U.N. agency aiding Palestinians, Sweden, said Saturday that it would resume funding, weeks after more than a dozen countries halted hundreds of millions of dollars of support in response to . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 8  The West’s reckoning? by Michael Brenner | ScheerPost  Western leaders are experiencing two stunning events: defeat in Ukraine, genocide in Palestine. The first is humiliating, the other shameful. Yet,. . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

MAY BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from Agence France-Press, the Kyiv Independent, Tass, the Associated Press, and Reuters, and to commentary from ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date, so far, is HERE.)– MCM

–   –   –

Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine injure 11. From AFP.  Ukraine said today that it downed 35 Russian drones across the country, including in the capital region, while a strike on an eastern town injured at least 11 nine people. Military authorities said the drone strikes . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Ukrenergo: 2 energy substations damaged by Russian drone strikes in past day. From the Kyiv Independent. Two energy substations in southern and central Ukraine were damaged by Russian kamikaze drone attacks on Saturday, state electricity grid operator Ukrenergo said today. Consumers were not cut off from electricity and repairs are . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Russia says destroyed 47 Ukrainian drones. From AFP. Russia said on Saturday it had destroyed 47 Ukrainian drones over its southern regions overnight, mostly in the Rostov area bordering Ukraine. Kyiv has regularly . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Foreign mercenaries unveiled near Avdeyevka — DPR head’s advisor. From Tass. DONETSK — Russian intelligence services have unveiled a group of mercenaries from Poland and Georgia in the area of the Tonenkoye and Orlovka settlements near Avdeyevka, according to an advisor to the DPR’s head. He said they are reportedly at work at this front sector near. . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 9  Poland’s foreign minister says the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine is ‘not unthinkable,’ by Vanessa Gera | AP  WARSAW — Poland’s foreign minister said Friday the presence of NATO forces “is not unthinkable” and that he appreciates the French president for not ruling out that idea. Radek Sikorski said it in the Polish parliament Friday, reflecting . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 9  Pope says Ukraine should have ‘courage of the white flag’ of negotiations, by Philip Pullella | Reuters  ROME — Pope Francis said in an interview in February that Ukraine should have what he called the courage of the “white flag” and negotiate an end to the war with Russia. The interview was recorded last month with Swiss broadcaster RSI, well . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 8  What we do and don’t know about the number of Ukrainian troops killed, by Andrea Januta | The Kyiv Independent  President Volodymyr Zelensky announced recently that 31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed in the war against Russia, the first official release of military personnel losses in over a year. “Every person . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 8  The West’s reckoning? by Michael Brenner | ScheerPost  Western leaders are experiencing two stunning events: defeat in Ukraine, genocide in Palestine. The first is humiliating, the other shameful. Yet,. . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

MAY BE CONTINUED

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

–   –   –

Israel strikes landmark residential tower in southern Rafah as truce talks stall, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Bassam Masoud | Reuters  CAIRO / RAFAH, Gaza — Israel struck one of the largest residential towers in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip today, residents said, stepping up pressure on the last area of the enclave it has not yet invaded and where over a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The 12-floor . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Ceasefire talks stall even as conditions in Gaza worsen. Reported by Scott Simon and Fatma Tanis | NPR  As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches, and ceasefire talks stall, there are increasing fears of worsening conditions in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

–   –   –

How the U.S. military is scrambling to build a floating dock for urgently needed aid to Gaza, by Lolita C. Baldor and Tara Copp | AP  WASHINGTON — Even before President Joe Biden announced in his State of the Union address the plans for providing aid to Gaza by sea, the Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade and other units were scrambling to pull equipment together. They received their orders . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 8  After a week of negotiation, Gaza ceasefire is unlikely before Ramadan. Reported by Kai McNamee, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Ailsa Chang | NPR  NPR’s Ailsa Chang talks with Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute where he directs the Program on Palestine and Palestinian Affairs, about the status of Gaza ceasefire talks. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

–   –   –

MARCH 8  Amid mass killings and hunger in Gaza, Ramadan takes on a new meaning for Muslims. Reported by Linah Mohammad, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Ari Shapiro | NPR  Ramadan is approaching at a challenging time for Muslims worldwide as they watch atrocities unfold in Gaza. Imam Omar Suleiman talks with Ari Shapiro about how to approach Ramadan this year. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 8  This Gaza bakery is making cakes for Palestinians trying celebrate life amid war. Reported by Anas Babas | NPR  A professional bakery in Gaza has reopened, using solar panels for refrigeration and flour from the black market, to meet the demand of displaced Palestinians seeking cakes to celebrate life amid war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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

–   –   –

2 killed including a 16-year-old in Russian artillery strikes in Ukraine. From AP. KYIV — Ukrainian authorities said two people including a teenage boy were killed today in Russian artillery attacks and Russia reported it had shot down a Ukrainian fighter jet and destroyed a wave of drones over several regions. The attacks came as . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 8  Russian missile, drones kill five in Ukraine’s north and south. From Reuters. Russian drones killed three people in Ukraine’s south and north on Friday, while a missile strike a day earlier killed two and wounded dozens more, local authorities said. The missile strike on Thursday damaged a hospital, an emergency medical care centre, and . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

The Ukrainian cultural casualties in Russia’s war, by James Brooke | The Berkshire Eagle   Faced with Russia’s looting of museums and looting of churches, Ukraine is setting up its own Monuments Men, with a twist. Similar to the Allies’ World War II unit, Ukrainian men and women are working to catalog and repatriate stolen . . . READ MORE . . .

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

–   –   –

After months of warnings that Israel’s siege is causing famine, children begin to die in Gaza, by Mohamed Jahjouh, Jack Jeffrey and Lee Keath | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — It’s not just Israeli bombs that have killed children in war-ravaged Gaza — now some are dying of hunger too. Hunger is most acute in northern Gaza, which . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Israeli offensive in Gaza’s Rafah ‘must not be allowed to happen’, UN says. From Reuters. GENEVA — The United Nations human rights office said today that an Israeli offensive in Gaza’s border town of Rafah could not be allowed to happen because it would cause massive loss of Palestinian lives. “Should Israel . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Gaza aid corridor from Cyprus could start this weekend, says EU president, by Michele Kambas | Reuters  LARNACA, Cyprus — A sea corridor to take desperately needed aid from Cyprus to besieged Palestinians in Gaza could start this weekend, the European Union said today. The quantities of aid envisaged and the distribution logistics in Gaza. . .. READ MORE . . .

–   –    –

FROM MARCH 7  UN expert ‘horrified by the depravity’ of Israel’s war on Gaza, by Thor Benson | Common Dreams A United Nations expert on Wednesday expressed her disgust with what Israel is doing during its assault on Gaza. Paula Gaviria Betancur, U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, specifically focused on . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 5  The real Gaza death toll, by Ralph Nader | Common Dreams / Consortium News  Since the Hamas raid penetrated the multi-tiered Israeli border security on Oct. 7, 2023 (an unexplained collapse of Israel’s defensive capabilities), 2.3 million utterly defenseless Palestinians in the tiny crowded Gaza enclave have been on the receiving end of . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Does the U.S. have the power and leverage to stop the Israel-Hamas war? A Martínez of NPR asks Shibley Telhami, the Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland, if President Biden could end the Israel-Hamas war with a phone call. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 7  What Israelis believe now, five months after Oct. 7. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  We look at five ways Israelis have been changed through five months of war. The Oct. 7 Hamas attack was the single deadliest day for Israelis in history, prompting the deadly Israeli assault on Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 5  What does U.S. intelligence know about the hostages? by Seymour M. Hersh | seymourhersh.Substack.com  The prospect is increasingly clear, horrifying as it may be, that there will be no relenting in Israel’s destruction of Gaza and its recasting of the West Bank as an Israeli-dominated suburb of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The best America can . . . READ MORE . . .

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

–   –   –

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in Turkey where Erdogan is expected to press for negotiations to end Russia war, by Ayse Wieting and Suzan Fraser | AP  ISTANBUL — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Istanbul today for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During the talks in Istanbul, Erdogan was expected . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Top Chinese envoy visits Kyiv, meets Ukrainian officials, by Kateryna Denisova and news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Li Hui, China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs, visited Kyiv on Thursday for a meeting with Ukrainian officials, the Ukrainian President’s Office reported. His arrival was part of his second tour to Europe to promote a political settlement of . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Macron ready to send troops to Ukraine if Russia approaches Kyiv or Odesa. From Kyiv Post. French President Emmanuel Macron met with parliamentary parties on Thursday and said he was open to the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, according to French newspaper L’Indépendant. Fabien Roussel, a representative of the French Communist Party, said afterwards that “Macron . . . READ MORE . . . .  L’Indépendent article in French is HERE.

–   –   –

Allies collect funding to purchase 800,000 shells for Ukraine, Czech president says. From the Kyiv Independent. Czech President Petr Pavel said on Thursday that after Norway had joined the Czech-led initiative on purchasing 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine, the required funds were collected, Czech outlet CT24 reported. As . . . READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

Ukrainian forces lose up to 2,000 troops on Donetsk direction in 7 days — Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — In the past 7 days, the Russian Armed Forces advanced their forward position on the Donetsk direction and repelled 8 enemy counterattacks, while the Ukrainian army lost almost 2,000 servicemen, 103 vehicles and 10 field depots, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Details of this and . . .READ MORE . . .

–   –   –

FROM MARCH 5  The minds of desperate men, by Scott Ritter | Consortium News  French President Emmanuel Macron was hosting a crisis meeting last week, convened to discuss the deteriorating conditions on the battlefield in Ukraine and attended by senior representatives from NATO member states. “We should not exclude,” he said at a press conferencence, “that there might be a need for . . . READ MORE . . .