For today, links to reports from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and the Cradle, and to two interviews from NPR; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-10-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, WEST BANK and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Vance says U.S. ‘done funding Ukraine war,’ urges Europe to take lead. From the Cradle. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that Washington will no longer fund the purchase of weapons for Ukraine in support of its war with Russia, while demanding that NATO nations play a larger role. READ MORE . . .

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On the front lines in eastern Ukraine, peace feels far away, by Hanna Arhirova | AP  DONETSK REGION, Ukraine — Explosions from Russia’s weapons keep Ukrainian soldiers underground, and they doubt that . . . READ MORE . . .

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What’s at stake in the planned Trump-Putin meeting on Friday. Reported by Franco Ordoñez and A Martínez | NPR  President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to discuss a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker discusses planned Trump-Putin meeting. Leila Fadel of NPR speaks with U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker about the planned meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and prospects for Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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A look at the prospects for a ceasefire in Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin meeting. Leila Fadel of NPR talks with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst about the prospects of a ceasefire ahead of President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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For today, links to 10 reports: from Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Reuters, Middle East Eye, the Cradle, National Public Radio, and MintPress News; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (MEDIA 8-9-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Israel widely condemned after killing of 5 Al Jazeera staff in Gaza, by Caolán Magee, Stephen Quillen, Maziar Motamedi and Farah Najjar | Al Jazeera  Funerals have been held for five Al Jazeera staff assassinated by Israel in a targeted attack in Gaza City. Utter sadness, grief in every corner of Gaza as  . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel targets and kills Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif in Gaza as journalist toll grows, by Sam Metz and Samy Magdy | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel’s military targeted and killed an Al Jazeera correspondent and others with an airstrike late Sunday in Gaza, after press advocates said an Israeli “smear campaign” stepped up when Anas al-Sharif cried on air over starvation in the territory. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE and HERE for report from Reuters and Middle East Eye.

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Israel assassinates entire Al Jazeera crew ahead of Gaza City occupation. From the Cradle. Prominent Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and five others were assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on a media tent at Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital late on 10 August. Killed alongside of him were . . .  READ MORE . . .

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Germany’s leading newspaper calls murdered Al Jazeera reporter ‘terrorist posing as journalist.’ From the Cradle. German newspaper Bild has parroted the Israeli army’s claims that slain Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif was “terrorist disguised as a journalist,” hours after the prominent reporter was targeted and killed in a strike on Gaza City. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli airstrike kills a prominent Al Jazeera journalist and colleagues. Reported by Aya Batrawy | NPR  Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif and four of his colleagues were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday night in Gaza City. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM AUG. 10  Israel kills Al Jazeera journalist it says was Hamas leader. From Reuters. Israel’s military said it killed Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif in a strike on Gaza City on Sunday, accusing him of heading a Hamas cell. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Al Jazeera.

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FROM AUG. 7  Israel’s biggest U.S. donor now owns CBS, by Alan MacLeod | MintPressNews / ScheerPost  After reaching an agreement with President Trump, David Ellison — son of the second-richest man in the world, Larry Ellison — has acquired Paramount Global, the media giant that owns CBS News. Larry Ellison, the largest . . . READ MORE . . .

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First, a link to a report from Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (SYRIA 8-3-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 9  Israeli forces advance in Quneitra, in latest violation of Syria’s sovereignty, by Laith Al Junaidi and Tarek Chouiref | Anadolu Ajansi  ISTANBUL — Israeli forces on Saturday advanced into several towns and villages in Syria’s southwestern Quneitra province, establishing checkpoints and searching residents before withdrawing after several hours, Syrian state media said. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from Middle East Eye, National Public Radio, and the Cradle; to an interview from NPR; and to an article of commentary via Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-9–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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UK, France and others urge Israel to ‘reverse decision’ to seize Gaza City. From Middle East Eye. The countries that called today’s UN Security Council emergency session, which was due to start this morning, have issued a joint statement. Britain, France, Greece, Denmark and Slovenia have said . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 9  Israel’s war expansion draws fire from all sides. Reported by Jane Arraf and Emily Kwong | NPR  Israel says it will take control of Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering. Click HERE to listen and read.

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UK has ‘a lot to lose’ if it recognizes Palestinian state, warns Israel. From the Cradle. Israel is considering taking punitive action against the UK for its anticipated recognition of Palestinian statehood, which may include stopping intelligence sharing, The Times reported on Friday. READ MORE . . .

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What Israel’s plans for a military takeover of Gaza City means for Palestinians. Adrian Ma of NPR speaks to Shibley Tehlahmi, Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland, about Israel’s plan to take Gaza City, and who can govern the Gaza Strip after Hamas. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM AUG. 9  Opposing military occupation in Gaza is not opposition to the structure of military occupation, by Ramona Wadi | Middle East Monitor  There is no particular enthusiasm for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to force a military occupation upon Gaza as part of the colonial genocidal plan. They are based . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Anadolu Ajansi, Reuters, the Cradle, and CNN; others or at least headlinesare accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-9-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA and GAZA entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Trump-Putin to hold summit to discuss peace deal, Zelenskyy says he won’t attend. Reported by Adrian Ma and Greg Myre | NPR  President Trump says he’ll meet President Putin in Alaska on Friday. To get a peace deal, President Trump has indicated some territory needs to be “switched.” We look to Ukraine for reaction. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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European leaders rally behind Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin meeting, by Samya Kullab | AP  KYIV — European nations rallied behind Ukraine, saying peace in the war-torn nation can’t be resolved without Kyiv, ahead of a planned meeting this Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Anadolu Ajansi. 

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Zelenskiy thanks EU for support as Trump, Putin to meet, by Dan Peleschuk and Mark Trevelyan | Reuters  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has thanked European leaders for backing his demand for a seat at the table as Russia and the United States prepare for a summit where Kyiv fears they could seek to dictate terms to it for ending the war. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 8  Pentagon paves way to reclaim Ukraine-bound arms to U.S. stockpiles. From the Cradle. A memo written by the U.S. Defense Department’s policy chief will allow U.S. weapons and equipment earmarked for Ukraine to be diverted back into U.S. stockpiles, CNN reported on Friday. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from CNN.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, a link to commentary from Middle East Monitor; other articles are accessible by clicking on its name below. (WEST BANK 8-4-25 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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Johnson’s visit to the illegal Ariel settlement will not make it legitimate, by Fareed Taamallah | Middle East Monitor  As a Palestinian on whose stolen land the settlement of Ariel was built, and who lives in a nearby village, I . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to four reports: from Middle East Eye, National Public Radio, and the Associated Press; and to three articles of commentary from Middle East Monitor, the Cradle, and Middle East Eye; other reports and commentary are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-8–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll.) — MCM

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Gaza residents dread Israel’s occupation plan, by Mohammed al-Hajjar | Middle East Eye  GAZA CITY, occupied Palestine  Residents of Gaza have met Israel‘s occupation plan with a mix of fear, exhaustion and defiance. READ MORE . . .

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How the world is reacting to the Israeli government’s decision to escalate the war. Reported by Eleanor Beardsley and Scott Simon | NPR  Many fear the expansion of the war puts the remaining hostages at even greater risk. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM AUG. 8  Israel says it will expand Gaza war, take main city. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Ailsa Chang | NPR  The move marks a major escalation in the nearly two-year-long war that’s already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for report from AP.

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FROM AUG. 8  Netanyahu’s Gaza gambit: A last stand or strategic folly? by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes forward with his plan to conquer the remaining 25 per cent of the Gaza Strip, the move . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 8  Israel’s agent of chaos in Gaza, by William Van Wagenen | The Cradle  In late July, the Wall Street Journal published an op-ed attributed to Yasser Abu Shabab, a Palestinian warlord with a criminal past, portraying him and his militia as potential saviors of Gaza. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 8  Former U.S. contractor for GHF says team leader not fit to oversee operation: report. From Middle East Eye.  Johnny “Taz” Mulford, a team leader for a U.S. contractor providing services to the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Fund, has been accused of being a member of an Islamophobic organisation, a Zeteo report said on Wednesday. READ MORE . . .

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For now, links to reports from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE 8-8–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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President Trump announces he’ll meet with Putin in Alaska next week. Reported by Franco Ordoñez and Danielle Kurtzleben | NPR  President Trump says he’ll meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person to try to broker an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy rejects formally ceding Ukrainian territory, says Kyiv must be part of any negotiations, by Samya Kullab and Elise Morton | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today dismissed the planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, warning that any peace deal excluding Kyiv would lead to “dead solutions.” READ MORE . . .   Click HERE and HERE for reports from AFP and Reuters.

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Zelensky discusses ‘diplomatic solution’ in Ukraine with Macron. From AFP. President Volodymyr Zelensky said today he discussed the “diplomatic situation” in Ukraine with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, after Russia and the United States agreed to hold a summit without Kyiv. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to a report from National Public Radio and to the beginning of an article from Slate; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-8–25 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. 8  We’ve all gotten those hiring scam texts. Instead of deleting, this writer played along. Reported by Ailsa Chang, Linah Mohammad and Christopher Intagliata | NPR  Alexander Sammon received a suspicious job recruitment text from someone who claimed to be a hiring manager. He decided to play along to see how far the scam would go, and wrote about it for Slate. Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for beginning of Aug. 4 article from Slate.

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For now, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Middle East Eye, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 8-7–25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE entry for today, so far, is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israel plans to retake Gaza City, escalating the war with Hamas and fueling worries for hostages, by Wafaa Shurafa, Sam Metz, Samy Magdy and Joseph Krauss | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel said today it plans to take over Gaza City — in what would be an escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas that drew a dismissal from the militant group, renewed international calls to end the conflict, and . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, NPR, Middle East Eye and the Cradle.

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International leaders reject Israeli occupation of Gaza City. From the Cradle. Britain, Germany, Australia, Spain, China, Russia and Turkey have come out in condemnation of Israel’s plan for a full military occupation of Gaza City, which was announced by Tel Aviv overnight. READ MORE . . .

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A former State Department negotiator on the risks of Israel’s take over of Gaza. Steve Inskeep of NPR speaks with Aaron David Miller, a former State Department Middle East analyst and negotiator, about the risks that come with Israel’s decision to further occupy Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED