For today, links to 10 reports: from the Associated Press, Tass, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, Kyiv Post, and National Public Radio; to interviews from ScheerPost and NPR; to an article of commentary from the Moscow Times; and to an editorial from the Kyiv Independent; others or at least headlines are  accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-16–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA entry for this date is HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Putin agreed to let US, Europe offer NATO-style security protections for Ukraine, Trump envoy says, by Jill Colvin | AP  NEW YORK — Russia’s Vladimir Putin agreed at his summit with President Donald Trump to allow the United States and its European allies to offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO’s collective defense mandate as part of an eventual deal to end the 3 1/2-year war in Ukraine, special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said today. READ MORE . . .

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Von der Leyen, Zelensky announce emergency press conference in Brussels. From Tass. BRUSSELS — European Commission Head Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky announced a joint press conference in Brussels today as a response to the Russia-U.S. summit in Alaska. READ MORE . . .

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European leaders to join Ukraine’s Zelenskyy for White House meeting with Trump. From AP. KYIV — European and NATO leaders will join Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his crucial meeting with President Donald Trump, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from AFP.

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Putin calls Alaska summit timely, useful. From Tass. MOSCOW — “We discussed practically all tracks of our cooperation,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said today of his summit meeting in Alaska with U.S. President Trump, “but first of all, of course, we talked about a possible resolution of the Ukrainian crisis on a fair basis.” READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 16  The Trump-Putin summit is over. What were the big takeaways? Reported by Tamara Keith, Scott Detrow and Jordan-Marie Smith | NPR  White House correspondent Keith takes stock of the meeting President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had about the war in Ukraine in Anchorage. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM AUG. 16  Trump tells Zelenskiy that Putin wants more of Ukraine, urges Kyiv make a deal, by Steve Holland, Andrew Osborn and Tom Balmforth | Reuters   WASHINGTON / MOSCOW / KYIV — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not”, after a summit where Vladimir Putin was reported to have demanded more Ukrainian land. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for Aug. 17 report from Kyiv Post.

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FROM AUG. 16  Trump backing Putin’s Ukraine land plan, source says, From AFP. U.S. President Donald Trump backs a Russian proposal for Moscow to take full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and freeze the front line in two others which Moscow only partially controls, a source told AFP. READ MORE . . .

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On the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Robert Scheer of ScheerPost talks with retired CIA analyst Ray McGovern about the significance of the summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump’s and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Click HERE to watch and listen.

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What to expect from Zelenskyy’s White House visit, ahead of potential peace deal. Ayesha Rascoe of NPR speaks with Sam Greene, professor of Russian politics at King’s College London, about what kind of deal could be reached to end the war in Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM AUG. 16  EU leaders react to the historic Trump-Putin summit. Reported by Teri Schultz and Gurjit Kaur | NPR  Think tank members and a European Parliament official reflect broader disappointment over President Trump’s favoring a full peace agreement to end the Ukraine war over a ceasefire first. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM AUG. 16  In a high-stakes summit, Trump hands Putin a victory without a fight, by Anastasia Tenisheva | The Moscow Times  When he welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin, a leader wanted on war crimes charges and isolated from the West, to U.S. soil . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 16  That meeting was sickening. Putin loved it. Editorial from the Kyiv Independent. On our screens, a blood-soaked dictator and war criminal received a royal welcome in the land of the free — as his attack drones headed for our cities. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to seven reports: from the Cradle, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor, and to an article of commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-15-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel intensifies assault to wipe Gaza City ‘off the map.’ From the Cradle. Israeli forces have intensified their assault on two neighborhoods east of Gaza City, unleashing what residents describe as relentless bombardment that has left much of the area in ruins — part of Israel’s newly approved plan to capture the entire city and forcibly expel . . . READ MORE . . .

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Heat and thirst drive families in Gaza to drink water that makes them sick, by Wafaa Shurafa and Sam Metz | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Thirst supersedes the fear of illness. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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Israeli leaders support the mass relocation of Palestinians from Gaza, by Joseph Krauss | AP  President Donald Trump has said little about his idea of relocating many of the Gaza Strip’s 2 million Palestinians to other countries since he stunned the world by announcing it in February. But Israel’s leaders have run with it, and . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 15  Staff walked out of Israeli-run Gaza ‘aid project’ condemned as a death trap. From Middle East Monitor. Four consultants at Boston Consulting Group resigned from a Gaza aid project in its early stages, warning of serious ethical and reputational risks. Their departures . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 15  Israeli army chief, war minister vow to ‘act as one fist’ on Gaza City occupation. From the Cradle. After their meeting Thursday to discuss plans to occupy Gaza City, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army and government would “act as one fist” to complete the occupation of the city and army chief Eyal Zamir said “victory on the battlefield” necessitates cooperation between the army and the political leadership. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 15  Belgium FM urges Palestine recognition before ‘nothing left.’ From the Cradle. “If Belgium does not make progress towards official recognition in September,” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot told parliament on Friday, “there will soon be nothing left to recognise.” READ MORE . . .

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What is ‘Greater Israel’? by Timur Shah | Middle East Eye  The concept of Greater Israel, which has various interpretations, has long been invoked by ultra-nationalist Israelis. It is often understood as . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (WEST BANK 8-15-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 15  Record wave of Jewish settler violence continues across West Bank. From the Cradle. Israeli Jewish settlers continued their recent wave of attacks on Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning, including injuring Palestinians with live gunfire and burning property, Al-Araby al-Jadeed reported, citing local sources. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to 10 reports: from National Public Radio, Agence France-Press, the Associated Press, Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, the Cradle, Kyiv Post, and Tass; and to an interview from NPR; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-15–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and GAZA entries for this date are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Trump and Putin met but no breakthroughs yet on the war in Ukraine. What’s next? Reported by Charles Maynes, Greg Myre and Scott Simon | NPR  With the red carpet rolled out and the world watching . . . Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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U.S. proposed NATO-style joint defense guarantees for Kyiv – source. From AFP. The U.S. has proposed security guarantees for Ukraine similar to — but separate from — the collective defense agreement between NATO member countries, Italy’s premier and a diplomatic source said today. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to meet Trump on Monday after U.S.-Russia summit secured no halt to fight, by Samya Kullab and Elise Morton | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. A few hours after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said an overall peace agreement, and not a ceasefire, was the best way to end the war. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Trump says he and Putin ‘largely agreed’ on land swaps, security guarantees for Ukraine. From the Kyiv Independent. Following his high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the two leaders had “largely agreed” on territorial swaps and security guarantees for Ukraine. READ MORE . . .

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Trump hails Alaska summit with Putin as a ’10,’ says peace deal in sight. From the Cradle. U.S. President Donald Trump said his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska was a success and that an understanding had been reached to move forward with negotiations for a peace deal in Ukraine. READ MORE . . .

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Europe welcomes Trump’s talks but calls for ‘iron-clad’ security guarantees for Ukraine, by Kateryna Zakharchenko | Kyiv Post  European leaders said today they welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire for peace in Ukraine but reiterated the need for security guarantees for Kyiv and no Russian veto over Ukraine’s NATO and EU bid. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Tass.

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Trump plans meeting with Putin if talks with Zelensky succeed. From Tass. WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said that if talks with Vladimir Zelensky on Monday in Washington are successful, a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin will be scheduled; however, the White House did not specify whether the meeting would be a trilateral one. READ MORE . . .

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A foreign policy expert offers insight on the meeting between Trump and Putin. Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Evelyn Farkas of the McCain Institute in the aftermath of the summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM AUG. 15  For Trump and Putin, handshakes on a red carpet and a joint limo ride, then an abrupt ending, by Jill Colvin and Michelle L. Price | AP  JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — First came the red carpet, then the warm handshakes, friendly smiles and military planes flying overhead. Hours later, the interactions of President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin seemed more muted after they emerged from talks. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to reports from Middle East Eye, Reuters, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA 8-14-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israeli settlers shoot Palestinians and torch cars in latest West Bank assaults, by Mera Aladam | Middle East Eye  Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians today, wounding at least five people, setting fire to at least three cars and a house and destroying agricultural land across the occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

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UN rights office says Israeli settlement plan breaks international law. From Reuters. The UN human rights office said today an Israeli plan to build to build thousands of new homes between an Israeli settlement in the West Bank and near East Jerusalem was illegal under international law, and would put nearby Palestinians at risk of forced eviction, which it described as a war crime. READ MORE . . .

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Germany tells Israeli government to stop West Bank settlement construction. From Reuters. BERLIN — Germany today called on the Israeli government to stop settlement construction in the West Bank after Israel’s far-right finance minister said work would start on a plan for thousands of home that would divide the Palestinian territory. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-14-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Malnourished kids arrive daily at a Gaza hospital as Netanyahu denies hunger, by Mariam Dagga and Lee Keath | AP KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — In the face of international outcry, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back, saying reports of starvation in Gaza are “lies” promoted by Hamas. However, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric this week warned . . . READ MORE . . . 

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Egypt, Jordan to train thousands of Palestinian officers for ‘post-war’ Gaza plan. From the Cradle. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has said that thousands of Palestinian police officers will be trained in Egypt and Jordan for an Arab-led post-war plan in the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to eleven reports: from Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, Kyiv Post, the Associated Press, and Tass; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-14–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Trump heads to ‘high stakes’ Alaska summit with Putin on Ukraine. From Reuters. Donald Trump headed to Alaska today for what he called a “high stakes” summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to discuss a ceasefire deal for Ukraine to help end the deadliest war in Europe since World War Two. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Independent.

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Trump and Putin meet in Anchorage today. Reported by Tamara Keith, Danielle Kurtzleben and Franco Ordoñez | NPR  President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage today to talk about Ukraine. Here’s what to know. READ MORE . . . 

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Trump speaks to Belarus leader ahead of Alaska summit with Putin. From AFP. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko — a close ally of Vladimir Putin — by telephone today, hours ahead of the US and Russian leaders’ summit in Alaska. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian defenses face a challenge as Russian troops make gains ahead of the Putin-Trump summit, by Hanna Arhirova | AP DONETSK REGION, Ukraine — Days before the leaders of Russia and the U.S. hold a summit meeting in Alaska, Moscow’s forces breached Ukrainian lines in a series of infiltrations in the country’s industrial heartland of Donetsk. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine reserves contain Russian penetration threatening critical Pokrovsk sector, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Ukrainian forces are counterattacking a dangerous Russian penetration of defenses in the operationally critical eastern Pokrovsk sector, but a dangerous 10-kilometer (6-mile) deep salient carved out into Ukrainian lines by infiltrating Russian infantry is far from eliminated, news reports and official statements said today. READ MORE . . .

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No longer isolated, Russia sees opportunity as Putin and Trump meet in Alaska. Reported by Charles Maynes and A Martínez | NPR  Vladimir Putin was once an international pariah because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, but now he’s secured a meeting with President Trump to negotiate an end to the conflict. The Kremlin is portraying it as an opportunity for economic cooperation with the U.S. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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A former U.S. ambassador to Russia on the Trump-Putin summit. Michel Martin of NPR speaks with former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about the diplomatic dynamics ahead of today’s US-Russia summit in Alaska. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Russian offensive unstoppable, this is main reason for U.S. wish to hold summit — expert. From Tass. RIO DE JANEIRO — “This [summit] meeting is driven by two significant aspects,” Brazilian military historian and political scientist Joao Pitilho said in an interview. “Firstly, the relentless advance of the Russian military . . . READ MORE . . .

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Sidelined from peace talks, Ukrainians watch as Trump meets Putin in Alaska. Reported by Greg Myre and Michel Martin | NPR  Ukrainians are concerned that not being included in the summit will force the country to make concessions. Russia has pushed back against including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in talks to end the war until a deal is reached by both sides. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Hrytsak on the path ahead for his country. Reported by A Martínez | NPR  Ukrainians say peace can’t be achieved in their war with Russia without Ukraine being involved. Yaroslav Hrytsak, a historian at Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, talks about what options Ukrainians think they have. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Links to a report from National Public Radio and to a conversation from the Guardian (USA); other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (MEDIA 8-12-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 13  Committee to Protect Journalists CEO discusses killing of journalists in Gaza. Reported by Leila Fadel | NPR  Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, talks about the targeted killing of six journalists in Gaza, including prominent Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM AUG. 8  ‘Nobody believes in the future anymore’: How to wake up from the post-truth nightmare, by Adam Curtis and Ari Aster, with Paul MacInnis | The Guardian (USA)  From the intro: “Paranoia is exploited to control us. Movies are groomed to flatter us. And trauma has been twisted to make us blame ourselves. How can we make sense of our lives? Film-makers Curtis and Aster try to navigate the chaos.” READ MORE . . .

NOTE: Links to all segments of Curtis’s BBC documentary series “Shifty” are accessible, at least for now, by typing “Paul MacInnis CBC Adam Curtis Ari Aster” into a search engine.

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For today, links to reports from Middle East Monitor, Anadolu Ajansi, the Cradle, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA 8-13-25 and is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Over 14,800 patients in Gaza need urgent life-saving treatment unavailable locally. From Middle East Monitor. The director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced on Wednesday that over 14,800 patients in the Gaza Strip are in urgent need of life-saving medical care, which is currently unavailable in the region. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from Anadolu Ajansi.

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Turkiye pressures Hamas to disarm, return to negotiations: report. From the Cradle. Turkiye has been pressuring Hamas to disarm and resume negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza, a Palestinian source told Israeli newspaper Haaretz today. READ MORE . . . 

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Arab countries condemn Netanyahu’s ‘Greater Israel’ comment. From Middle East Eye. Iraq has joined a growing list of Arab countries condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments voicing support for a “Greater Israel.” READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to five reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Middle East Eye, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK 8-11-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Israel announces West Bank settlement that rights groups say could imperil Palestinian state, by Ohad Zwigenberg and Melanie Lidman | AP  MAALE ADUMIM, West Bank — Israel’s far-right finance minister announced approval of contentious new settlement construction in the Israeli-occupied West Bank today, which Palestinians and rights groups worry will scuttle plans for a future Palestinian state by effectively cutting the West Bank into two separate parts. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, Middle East Eye and the Cradle.

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Arab countries condemn Netanyahu’s ‘Greater Israel’ comment. From Middle East Eye. Iraq has joined a growing list of Arab countries condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments voicing support for a “Greater Israel.” READ MORE . . .

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