For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Peoples Dispatch, Reuters, ScheerPost, Middle East Monitor, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Consortium News; others are accessible by click on their initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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House’s Ukraine, Israel aid package gains Biden’s support as Speaker Johnson fights to keep his job, by Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking | AP  WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Wednesday he strongly supports a proposal from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Before potential weekend voting, Johnson was facing . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 16  Google employees lead sit-ins protesting the company’s complicity in genocide. From Peoples Dispatch.  Google workers led sit-ins at the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian in Sunnyvale, California, and Google’s New York City headquarters on Tuesday in protest against Google’s complicity in the Israeli genocide of the Gaza Strip, through Project Nimbus, the tech giant’s contract with the Israeli government and military. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Reuters report.

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Google fires 28 workers after office sit-ins to protest cloud contract with Israel. From AP. Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests over the tech company’s cloud computing contract with the Israeli government, according to statements from the company and campaigners. The workers . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 16  Canceling the valedictorian, by Max Jones | ScheerPost  The University of Southern California’s cancellation the commencement speech of its 2024 valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, garnered attention from national and international media. Andrew T. Guzman, the provost, announced the university’s decision to cancel the speech on April 15, citing . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel has arrested more than 5,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October. From Middle East Monitor. The Israeli army has arrested more than 5,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since last October, the government media office in the enclave said on Wednesday. This brings close to 10,000 . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel is engaged in conflicts on 3 separate fronts: Hamas, Hezollah and Iran. Reported by A Martínez and Greg Myre | NPR  Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and now directly with Iran. How are the conflicts linked, and how does it intend to handle all three at once? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM APRIL 16  Could the Russians seize Congress? by Patrick Lawrence | Special to Consortium News  In late January Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat who served as House speaker for far too long, asserted that the F.B.I. should investigate demonstrators demanding a ceasefire in Gaza for their ties . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, Reuters, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Tass, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Consortium News; other articles are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA entry for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine strikes Russia’s military airfield in Dzhankoi, Crimea, by Kateryna Zakharchenko | Kyiv Post  Ukrainian military intelligence said today that Kyiv “destroyed or critically damaged” four launchers of Russia’s most powerful air defense system – the S-400 – in its early Wednesday morning attack on Russia’s Dzhankoi military airfield in occupied Crimea. The attack took out . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Kyiv Independent report.

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Ukraine air defense: G7 ministers seeking urgent support, by Crispian Balmer and Angelo Amante | Reuters  CAPRI, Italy — Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major powers warned today that Ukraine risked being defeated by Russia unless it received more air defences, as Kyiv urged a change in Western strategy towards the war. Ukraine faces . . . READ MORE . . .

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House’s Ukraine, Israel aid package gains Biden’s support as Speaker Johnson fights to keep his job, by Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking | AP  WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Wednesday he strongly supports a proposal from Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Before potential weekend voting, Johnson was facing . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin says U.S. aid for Ukraine won’t change military situation. From AFP. Russia said today that fresh U.S. aid for Ukraine will not change the dynamics on the battlefield, as Washington gears up for a crucial weekend vote on long-stalled military funding for Kyiv. READ MOKRE . . .

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Russia reports downing 5 Ukrainian military balloons in Kyiv’s latest apparent war innovation. From AP. Russian air defenses downed what authorities described as five Ukrainian balloons overnight, the defense ministry in Moscow said today, as the sides kept up long-range strikes that have . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian drone attack damages four houses in Russia’s Voronezh. From Tass. TASS — Four houses were damaged in Russia’s Voronezh as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack on the city, Gov. Alexander Gusev said. “City services will today . . . READ MORE . . .

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At least 50,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine, media probe finds. From NPR. An investigation by BBC Russia and independent Russian media outlet Mediazona finds Russia has suffered at least 50,000 casualties since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM APRIL 17  How Ukraine is keeping the power grid running amidst war with Russia. Reported by Jenna McLaughlin | NPR  An international team found a creative solution to help keep Ukraine’s lights on amidst Russian attacks. That same solution could help everyone from the military to commercial pilots. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM APRIL 16  Could the Russians seize Congress? by Patrick Lawrence | Special to Consortium News  Desperate to get Congress to authorize $60.1 billion in new aid to Ukraine, Capitol Hill warmongers charge that those objecting to this bad-money-after-bad allocation are . . . READ MORE . . .

Links to reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and USA Today; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM APRIL 17  NPR suspends editor who criticized his employer for what he calls an unquestioned liberal worldview. From AP.  NEW YORK — National Public Radio has suspended a veteran editor who wrote an outside essay criticizing his employer for, in his view, journalism that reflects a liberal viewpoint with little tolerance for contrary opinions. Uri Berliner, a . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 17  NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns with blast at new CEO. Mary Louise Kelly of NPR talks with colleague David Folkenflik about Berliner’s resignation after 25 years over differences with Katherine Maher, CEO since January, and others at the network. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM APRIL 17  NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias, by Emily DeLetter | USA Today  A senior business editor at National Public Radio has resigned after writing an essay for an online news site published last week accusing the outlet of a liberal bias in . . . READ MORE . . .

For now, links to reports from the Associated Press, Middle East Monitor, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and, via Popular Resistance, the Cradle and CNN, and to commentary from the Capitol Hill Citizen; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) — MCM

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UN appeals for $2.8 billion to help 3 million Palestinians in desperate need of food and other aid, by Edith M. Lederer | AP  UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations appealed for $2.8 billion on Tuesday to provide desperately needed aid to 3 million Palestinians, stressing that tackling looming famine in war-torn Gaza requires not only food but sanitation, water and health facilities. Andrea De Domenico, the head of . . . READ MORE . . .

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UN: More than 10,000 women killed in Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women on Tuesday announced the deaths of more than 10,000 women in the Gaza Strip, which has been suffering a devastating Israeli war for more than six months. “Women who have survived,” the authority said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza’s IVF embryos destroyed by Israeli strike, by Saleh Salem, Andrew Mills and Imad Creidi | Reuters  When an Israeli shell struck Gaza’s largest fertility clinic in December, the explosion blasted the lids off five liquid nitrogen tanks stored in a corner of the embryology unit. The impact of that single . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel-Hamas talks on Gaza truce ‘stalling’: mediator Qatar. From AFP. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas to secure a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages have stalled, Qatar’s prime minister said today. READ MORE . . .

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33,899 Palestinians killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive since Oct. 7, health ministry says. From Reuters. DUBAI — Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 33,899 Palestinians and wounded 76,664 since Oct. 7, the Palestinian enclave’s health ministry said today. In the past 24 hours . . . READ MORE . . .

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Iran attack puts Israeli Rafah invasion on ice. From the Cradle / Popular Resistance  Israel was on the verge of launching a ground offensive on the Gazan city of Rafah but delayed the campaign after Iran launched a massive retaliatory attack on Israel over the weekend, CNN reported on Monday. Citing Israeli sources, CNN reported . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel delays Rafah offensive plans amid heated debate over response to Iranian attack, sources say, by Jeremy Diamond | CNN  TEL AVIV  — Israel was set to take its first steps towards a ground offensive on the Gaza city of Rafah but delayed that campaign after Iran’s weekend attack on their country, which has sparked a heated debate in the war cabinet over . . . READ MORE . . .

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Senate slaughter shame and Sanders, by Russell Mokhiber | Capitol Hill Citizen  By a two-thirds margin, Americans are more inclined to support a member of Congress who supports a cease-fire in Gaza and they are less inclined to support a member of Congress who opposes a cease-fire. That’s the key finding . . . READ MORE . . .

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Collectively Congress is a weapon of mass destruction, by Ralph Nader | Capitol Hill Citizen  As an operating legislative institution, given enormous constitutional authority, Congress has the originating power for good or bad, on a scale unmatched by any counterpart in other countries. The paradox is that . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from the Kyiv Post, the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, and the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) — MCM

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Russian missile attack on Chernihiv leaves 14 dead, over 60 injured, by Julia Struck | Kyiv Post  Russian troops launched three missile attacks on the border сity of Chernihiv today, hitting nearly the center of the city and resulting in the loss of at least 14 lives. “The enemy launched three . . . READ MORE . . .

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Facing a Republican revolt, House Speaker Johnson’s plan for U.S. aid to Ukraine, allies uncertain, by Lisa Mascaro | AP  WASHINGTON — Defiant and determined, House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed back Tuesday against mounting Republican anger over his proposed U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other allies, and rejected a call to step aside or risk a vote to oust him . . . READ MORE . . .

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50K Russian soldiers confirmed killed in Ukraine – independent tally. From the Moscow Times. Over 50,000 Russian soldiers have been confirmed killed in Ukraine since the start of the Kremlin’s invasion over two years ago, according to an independent tally conducted by the BBC’s Russian service and the independent Mediazona . . . READ MORE . . .

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Source: Ukraine strikes radar station in Russia’s Mordovia Republic, by Kateryna Denisova | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian drones attacked a military unit in the city of Kovylkino in Russia’s Mordovia Republic, hitting the Konteiner radar station today, a source in Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said. READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

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

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Israeli tanks push back in northern Gaza, warplanes hit Rafah, say residents, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  Israeli tanks pushed back into some areas of the northern Gaza Strip today which they had left weeks ago, while warplanes conducted air strikes on Rafah, the Palestinians’ last refuge in the south of the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel must stop settler attacks on Palestinians, UN human rights office says. From AP. Israeli security forces “must immediately end their active participation in and support for settler attacks on Palestinians,” the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today. The statement follows a wave of settler attacks on Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank triggered by . . . READ MORE . . .

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UN commission accuses Israel of obstructing Oct. 7 probe. From Reuters.  GENEVA — A UN-mandated commission of inquiry that probes violations of international human rights law today accused Israel of obstructing its efforts to collect evidence from the victims of the attack by Hamas in southern Israel on Oct. 7. “So far as the government of Israel . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 15  Revolt in northern England: No ceasefire, no vote, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  BLACKBURN, England  A rebellion is brewing in England, particularly in the north, where voters are fed up with the similar, repressive policies of both the Labour and Conservative parties, in particular when it comes to Gaza. A surge of independent candidates for local council elections . . . Click HERE for text and videos.

For today, links to reports from the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, the Associated Press, Reuters, and Tass, and to an essay in the May issue of Harper’s Magazine adapted from a paper published in February by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Zelensky signs new mobilization bill into law. From Kyiv Post. President Volodymyr Zelensky today signed the mobilization draft law that Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, adopted on April 11, the parliament websiteannounced. The new law is meant to . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Zero missiles left’ – Zelensky says Ukraine’s air defence resources depleted. From Kyiv Post.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the Russians managed to destroy the Trypillya thermal power plant because Ukraine had completely run out of missiles to protect it amid a lack of help from allies. “Why?” he said, “because . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia fires 10 times more shells, uses 300 aircraft in Ukraine only, by Kateryna Denisova and the news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Russia is firing shells at a ratio of around 10:1 to those of Ukraine and has 30 times more aircraft, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the PBS News Hour  published today. Delays in U.S. assistance . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 15  Ukraine’s foreign minister says Israel’s response to an Iranian aerial attack shows what Kyiv needs, by Susie Blann and Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — The success of Israel and its allies in largely thwarting a massive Iranian missile and drone attack shows what Ukraine could achieve against Russian aerial barrages if it had more support from . . . READ MORE . . .

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Why is Russia trying to capture Chasiv Yar? by Andrew Osborn | Reuters  LONDON — Russian paratroopers have reached the eastern edge of the Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, which Kyiv’s top commander says Moscow wants taken by May 9. Russian forces . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces pummel Ukrainian army, equipment in 133 areas over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces inflicted casualties on Ukrainian troops and military hardware in 133 areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. “Operational/tactical aircraft, missile troops and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Coming to terms, by George Beebe and Anatol Lieven | Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft / Harper’s Magazine  President Biden has spoken of helping to put the Ukrainians “in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table,” but all the evidence now suggests that they will in fact be in a weaker position the longer the war goes on. Skeptics counter . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press 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. A link to AP reports about Iran/Israel events is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli military renews warnings to Palestinians not to return to war-torn northern Gaza, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli military renewed warnings today for Palestinians in Gaza not to return to the embattled territory’s north, a day after Gaza hospital officials said five people were killed as throngs of displaced residents tried to reach their homes in the war-torn area. READ MORE . . .

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Aid to Gaza has increased dramatically, White House’s Kirby says. From Reuters. WASHINGTON — Humanitarian aid getting into the Gaza Strip “has increased and quite dramatically in just the last few days” and “has to be sustained,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said today on MSNBC. More than . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  Israel activating two reserve brigades for operations in Gaza. From AP.  JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it is activating two reserve brigades for “operational activities” in Gaza. Sunday’s announcement comes as Israel prepares for a ground invasion of Rafah – the southern Gaza city that Israel says . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  Israeli military calling up reservists for more Gaza operations. From Reuters. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said on Sunday it will soon call up two reserve divisions for operations in Gaza, where it has been conducting a war against Islamist militant group Hamas. Earlier this month . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Kyiv Post, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Tass, and, via the Kyiv Independent, the Counteroffensive with Tim Mak; 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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Russians attack with motorcycles and Chinese golf carts, conventional infantry gains ground at Chasiv Yar, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Some Russian units employed unorthodox combat transport such as Chinese ATV and motorcycles to carry out attacks over the weekend, but it was conventional infantry supported by artillery that secured gains in the tactically important Chasiv Yar sector, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  Ukraine’s top commander says Russia aims to capture Chasiv Yar by May 9, by Tom Balmforth | Reuters KYIV — Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top commander said Sunday that Russian forces aim to capture the town of Chasiv Yar by 9 May 2024, setting the stage for an important battle for control of high ground in the east where . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian shelling kills 4 in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Region. From AFP. Donetsk region Governor Vadym Filashkin said attacks late Sunday against the mining town of Siversk, which is flanked by Russian forces. Siversk, which had an estimated pre-war population of 11,000 people . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 14  More civilians die in Ukraine as analysts warn that delays in U.S. aid will hamper Kyiv’s forces. From AP.  KYIV — More civilians died across Ukraine on Sunday as analysts warned that delays in U.S. military assistance would see Kyiv struggle to fight off Russian offensives. READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s top brass reports destroying first Khmara jammer in Ukraine operation. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops destroyed the first Khmara electronic warfare station of the Ukrainian army over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. READ MORE . . .

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From APRIL 14  A look at the Russian military’s war dolphins, by Alessandra Hay | The Counterintensive with Tim Mak / The Kyiv Independent  According to some estimates, in the three-month period after Russia’s full-scale invasion started, some 37,500 to 48,000 Black Sea dolphins, or around 15-20% of the sea’s total dolphin population, died. That death rate is 10 times higher than before February 2022. The ecological impact of the war . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  U.S. intelligence findings show China surging equipment sales to Russia to help war effort in Ukraine, by Aamer Madhani | AP  WASHINGTON — China has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for use in its war against Ukraine, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to an obituary from the Associated Press and to commentary from ScheerPost; other articles are accessible from their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 6  Joseph Lelyveld, former executive editor of the New York Times, dies at 86. From AP. NEW YORK — Joseph Lelyveld, a career journalist who rose from copy boy to foreign correspondent to executive editor at the New York Times and won a Pulitzer Prize for a nonfiction book, died Friday. He was 86. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  Requiem for the New York Times, by Chris Hedges | ScheerPost / Popular Resistance  I am sitting in the auditorium at the New York Times. I am here for the former executive editor they are honoring, Joe Lelyveld, who died earlier this year. READ MORE . . .