For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (MEDIA 7-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.)

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Major media say Gaza staff face starvation as U.S. envoy prepares to host ceasefire talks. From AP. Four leading news organizations said today their journalists in Gaza are facing the threat of starvation as the Israel-Hamas wargrinds on, while top U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was to meet with key negotiators from . . . READ MORE   Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM JULY 22  A look at President Trump’s lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch. Reported by David Folkenflik and Steve Inskeep | NPR  In a clash of conservative titans, President Trump sued Rupert Murdoch after the Wall Street Journal published a story about a bawdy birthday card Trump made for the late Jeffrey Epstein. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JULY 22  NPR news chief announces she’s leaving days after Congress kills federal funding. Reported by David Folkenflik | NPR  NPR’s editor-in-chief and acting chief content officer, Edith Chapin, told colleagues Tuesday morning that she has decided to step down. Click HERE to listen and read.

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For now, links to eight reports: from Agence France-Presse, Middle East Eye, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Reuters, Middle East Monitor, and the Cradle, and to photos from AP; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-22-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  IRAN, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel denies causing ‘famine’ In Gaza, blames Hamas. From AFP. The Israeli government today said it was not responsible for a chronic shortage of food in Gaza, instead accused Palestinian militants Hamas of deliberately creating a crisis. READ MORE . . .

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Israel claims over 100 aid groups lying about starvation of their staff in Gaza. From Middle East Eye. Israel has responded to a statement signed by over 100 aid organisations earlier on Wednesday by describing reports of the mass starvation of NGO staff in Gaza as “the propaganda of Hamas.” READ MORE . . .

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Top adviser to Netanyahu will meet U.S. envoy as Gaza hunger deepens and deaths increase. From AP.  Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 21 people late Tuesday and early today, health officials said, as hunger worsened among Palestinians struggling to live under the weight of the 21-month war. READ MORE . . .

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Gaza has been at risk of famine for months, experts say. Here’s why they haven’t declared one, by Jamey Keaten and Sam Mednick | AP  Famine occurs when these conditions are met. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for 17 related photos from AP.

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AFP news agency says its journalists in Gaza are at risk of starving to death. Reported by Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  AFP’s global news director Phil Chetwynd says the French news service’s journalists in Gaza are at risk of starving to death. The agency is struggling to get those journalists out of Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for July 22 report from Reuters.

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UNRWA chief: UN staff facing growing restrictions in Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. The Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Tuesday that humanitarian workers are facing increasing restrictions when reporting atrocities in the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 22  U.S. withdraws from UNESCO over ‘anti-Israel bias.’ From the Cradle. Washington announced on Tuesday it will withdraw the United States from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, citing its inclusion of Palestine as a member state. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to a report from the Cradle; others  are accessible by clicking on its name below. (IRAN 7-17-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Iranian navy forces U.S. destroyer to retreat from Sea of Oman: report. From the Cradle. The Iranian naval forces intercepted a U.S. destroyer attempting to approach waters under Tehran’s control in the Sea of Oman, forcing it to turn away, Iranian state television reported today. READ MORE . . . 

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For now, links to eight reports: from Tass, the Associated Press, Reuters, Kyiv Post, and the Kyiv Independent; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 7-22-25 is HERE, or scroll down, GAZA, IRAN and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Memorandums, exchanges to be central in tonight’s Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul — source. From Tass. MOSCOW — Draft memorandums and potential exchanges will top the agenda at tonight’s Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul, according to a source. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine to insist on complete ceasefire during talks in Istanbul — Zelensky. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations with Russia tonight in Istanbul — the third round of direct Russian-Ukrainian talks — will insist on an immediate cessation of hostilities, Vladimir Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel. READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy faces backlash as Ukrainians protest new anti-corruption law, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Activists today called for more protests of a new law that they say weakens Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs, following the first major anti-government demonstration in over three years of war. The law also . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for July 22 AP report, and HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, Kyiv Post and two from the Kyiv Independent.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (MEDIA 7-22-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA , IRAN and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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AFP news agency says its journalists in Gaza are at risk of starving to death. Reported by Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  AFP’s global news director Phil Chetwynd says the French news service’s journalists in Gaza are at risk of starving to death. The agency is struggling to get those journalists out of Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

NOTE: This date’s entries are fewer and shorter than usual — but not because of a snoozy summer, which this one is anything but. My apologies for visitors who like entries longer and earlier. Scroll further down for links to an assortment of other news and commentary sources. 

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (There is no previous KING entry.  UKRAINE, GAZA and MEDIA and entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Things to know about the release of federal documents related to MLK’s assassination, by Adrian Sainz | AP  MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Federal records related to the investigation into the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. have been released, following the disclosure in March of tens of thousands of documents about the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. READ MORE . . .

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Trump administration releases files on Martin Luther King Jr. assassination. Reported by Steve Inskeep and Elena Moore | NPR  Two segments: Academic, author, pastor and radio host Michael Eric Dyson is interviewed following the National Archives’ publication of newly digitized documents relating to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — as part of a directive by President Trump. Click HERE to listen to interview and HERE to read another report.

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MORE ANOTHER DAY

NOTE: This date’s entries are fewer and shorter than usual — but not because of a snoozy summer, which this one is anything but. My apologies for visitors who like entries longer and earlier. Scroll further down for links to an assortment of other news and commentary sources. 

For today, links to two reports from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (UKRAINE 7-21-25 is HERE or scroll down. KING, MEDIA and GAZA entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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NEWER  Zelenskyy renews offer to meet with Putin as officials say Russian attacks kill a child in Ukraine, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today renewed his offer to meet with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, but hopes of progress were low as delegations prepared to hold another round of talks. Russian forces, meanwhile . . . READ MORE . . .

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Swarms of Russian drones attack Ukraine nightly as Moscow puts new emphasis on the deadly weapon. From AP. Russia now often batters Ukraine with more drones in a single night than it did during some entire months in 2024, and analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate. Some experts say . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

NOTE: This date’s entries are fewer and shorter than usual — but not because of a snoozy summer, which this one is anything but. My apologies for visitors who like entries longer and earlier. Scroll further down for links to an assortment of other news and commentary sources. 

For today, links to reports from National Public Radio and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA 7-21-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, KING and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Israel expands military operation into central Gaza. Reported by Emily Feng and Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  For the first time in 21 months of war, Israeli ground troops have pushed into central Gaza. Palestinians sheltering in several areas there have been ordered to evacuate. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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UN body says over 1,000 have been killed seeking food in Gaza since May as hunger crisis worsens, by Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy and Tia Goldenberg | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip, mostly in the vicinity of aid sites run by an Israeli-backed American contractor, the United Nations human rights office said today. Israeli strikes killed 25 people across Gaza, according to local health officials. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: This date’s entries are fewer and shorter than usual — but not because of a snoozy summer, which this one is anything but. My apologies for visitors who like entries longer and earlier. Scroll further down for links to an assortment of other news and commentary sources. 

For today, a link to a report from Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (MEDIA 7-20-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  KING, UKRAINE and GAZA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 20  MAGA going to Israel for propaganda training, by Joe Lauria | Consortium News  The Israel foreign ministry will spend $86,000 to finance a tour of Israel for 16 Americans to get them to use their vast online influence to craft more positive images of a nation openly engaged in genocide. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to nine reports: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Middle East Eye, the Cradle, Middle East Monitor, and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 7-20-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE and 9/11 TRUTH entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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UN food agency says Israeli tanks and snipers opened fire on a crowd seeking aid in Gaza, by Wafaa Shurafa, Melanie Lidman and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The U.N. food agency accused Israel of using tanks, snipers and other weapons to fire on a crowd of Palestinians seeking food aid, in what the territory’s Health Ministry said was one of the deadliest days for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war. READ MORE . . . and click HERE and HERE for reports from NPR and Middle East Eye.

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FROM JULY 20  Gaza on ‘brink of mass death’ due to Israeli-imposed famine. From the Cradle. Authorities in Gaza warned on Sunday that the strip is “on the brink of mass death” due to widespread famine and starvation resulting from Israel’s siege and genocidal war. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 20   Gaza on brink of famine as UN says Israel is starving civilians. From Middle East Monitor. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has accused Israel of “starving civilians”, including a million children in Gaza, by blocking vital food and medicine deliveries into the besieged enclave. READ MORE . . .

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Israel sends tanks into Gaza’s Deir Al-Balah, raising concerns among hostages’ families, by Nidal al-Mughrabi  CAIRO — Israeli tanks today pushed for the first time into southern and eastern areas of the Gazan city of Deir Al-Balah, an area where Israeli sources said the military believes some of the remaining hostages may be being held. Gaza medics said at least three Palestinians were killed and . . . READ MORE . . . and click HERE for July 20 report from the Cradle.

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Pope speaks against forced mass displacement of Gaza civilians, by Giulia Segreti and Alvise Armellini | Reuters  VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo, whose role in advocating for peace in Gaza has become notably stark since Israel struck the territory’s only Catholic church last week, told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today that he opposed . . . READ MORE . . . and click HERE for July 20 report from Reuters. 

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