First, a link to an interview on Useful Idiots, via ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on the podcast’s name below. (UKRAINE entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM MAY 13  ‘Insanity’— Mearsheimer on the U.S. role in Gaza and Ukraine. Katie Halper and Aaron Maté of Useful Idiots talk with the political scientist and international relations scholar John Mearsheimer. The 25 minutes pertaining to Ukraine begin roughly 63 minutes in. Click HERE for an introduction and video.

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to an interview on Useful Idiots, via ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on the podcast’s name below. (GAZA entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM MAY 13  ‘Insanity’— Mearsheimer on the U.S. role in Gaza and Ukraine. Katie Halper and Aaron Maté of Useful Idiots talk with the political scientist and international relations scholar John Mearsheimer. The 42 minutes pertaining to Ukraine begin roughly 22 minutes in. Click HERE for an introduction and video.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Roya News, Turkish Minute, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Multinational Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a PAYNE entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Misery deepens in Gaza’s Rafah as Israeli troops press operation, by Wafaa Shurafa, Joseph Krauss and Samy Magdy | AP   RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Aid workers are struggling to distribute dwindling food and other supplies to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by what Israel says is a limited operation in Rafah, as the two main crossings . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israeli protesters block aid convoy headed to Gaza. From Reuters.  JERUSALEM — Israeli protesters blocked aid trucks headed for Gaza today, strewing food packages on the road in the latest in a series of incidents that have come as Israel has pledged . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israeli forces push into Gaza from north and south, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  Israeli forces pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza’s northern edge today to recapture an area where they had claimed to have defeated Hamas months ago, while at the opposite end of the enclave tanks and troops pushed across a highway into Rafah. Intense fighting . . . READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  Turkey hospitalizes over 1,000 Hamas members. From Roya News. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today that “more than 1,000 members” of the Islamic Resistance Group (Hamas) are being treated in Turkish hospitals, saying he considers Hamas a “resistance organization.” In response, the Greek Prime Minister said . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for article from Turkish Minute. 

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FROM MAY 12  Israel moves deeper into Rafah and fights Hamas militants regrouping in northern Gaza, by Wafaa Shurafa, Joseph Krauss and Samy Magdy | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — The exodus of Palestinians from Gaza’s last refuge accelerated Sunday as Israeli forces pushed deeper into the southern city of Rafah. Israel also pounded the territory’s devastated north, where some Hamas militants have regrouped in . . . READ MORE . . .

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With eyes on Rafah, Israel renews attacks elsewhere to prevent Hamas from regrouping. Reported by Michel Martin and Lauren Frayer | NPR  A third of the city of Rafah is under evacuation orders, as Israel presses its offensive into southern Gaza. Israel is also expanding attacks in central and northern areas of the Gaza Strip. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Doctors say patients in Gaza are dying because medical supplies are limited. Leila Fadel of NPR talks with Dr. Ismail Mehr of the Islamic Medical Association of North America about the collapsed medical care in Rafah, a region of Gaza that Israel threatens to invade. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Unremarkable peer recruited by Zionist lobby to stop Palestine Action, by Yvonne Ridley | Middle East Monitor  Palestine Action burst onto the scene around four years ago using a blend of unrivalled direct action, anarchy and good, old-fashioned peaceful resistance to disrupt and wreck Israel’s war machine factories in the UK. Despite numerous arrests, very few PA members have been prosecuted successfully, largely because . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Putin readying for long war with West with reshuffle: Ukraine security chief. From AFP. A reshuffle in Russia’s security apparatus suggests the Kremlin is preparing for a long war in Ukraine and standoff with the West, Kyiv’s new security council chief Oleksandr Lytvynenko said today. “This suggests . . . READ MORE . . . Scroll down for related analysis from Reuters.

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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says his army is locked in ‘fierce’ border battles amid a Russian assault, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian troops are locked in intense battles with the advancing Russian army in two border areas, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, while the death toll from a Russian apartment building collapse blamed on Ukrainian shelling rose to 15. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for later AP report.

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Russia widens Kharkiv front in Ukraine with small assault groups, governor says, by Yuliia Dysa and Olena Harmash | Reuters  KYIV — Moscow’s troops entered Ukraine near its second city, Kharkiv, on Friday, opening a new, northeastern front in a war that has for almost two years been largely fought in the east and south. The advance could . . . READ MORE . . .

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Woman killed in Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Kursk Region. From AFP. A Ukrainian drone strike in western Russia’s Kursk region has killed one woman and injured three others, regional authorities said today.“Today . . . READ MORE . . .

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Battles rage in Ukraine’s northeast region amid Russia’s cross-border assault. Michel Martin of NPR  talks with retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, ex-director of European Affairs for the National Security Council, about whether the Russian troop push is a turning point in the war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Intense fighting near Vovchansk, Russian troops gain tactical ground. From Kyiv Post. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported ongoing battles for the border town of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, with Russia achieving tactical success. “The enemy deployed significant forces, up to five battalions,” it said, and “is disregarding”losses of more than 100 soldiers in one day in that sector alone. READ MORE . . .

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Civilians flee Vovchansk under Russian bombardment as ground offensive on Kharkiv begins, by Francis Farrell | The Kyiv Independent  VOVCHANSK, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine — The glide bombs arrive in groups of three. Their flight can be heard from far away, but only in the last second before impact is it clear where one will hit. Click HERE for article, maps, and video.

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Kharkov authorities acknowledge advance of Russian troops. From Tass. MOSCOW — Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the military administration of the Kharkov Region, has acknowledged the expansion of the frontline and linked the failures of the Ukrainian troops to the delay in Western military aid. “Essentially,” he said in an interview with Sky News, “the frontline is expanding as the enemy . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s surprise defence minister Belousov; economist out to boost war budget, by Guy Faulconbridge, Darya Korsunskaya and Andrew Osborn | Reuters  MOSCOW / LONDON — With zero military experience, Andrei Belousov, a wiry white-haired economist and Orthodox churchgoer who enjoys rock climbing, seems an odd pick to be Russia’s new defence minister at a time . . . READ MORE . . .

Links to articles from A Little Herstory and Snopes, two days after the birthday of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (1900 – 1979). (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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The woman who discovered what the universe is made of. From A Little Herstory. When it comes to the composition of our universe, the textbooks just say that hydrogen is the most common atom in the universe. And nobody is mad that someone had to find out. Cecilia Payne was the one. She was the author of the greatest doctoral thesis in astronomy ever written. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for article from Snopes.

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

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Israel lacks ‘credible plan’ to safeguard Rafah civilians, says Blinken, by Jonathan Landay | Reuters WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today Israel lacked a “credible plan” to protect some 1.4 million Palestinian civilians in Rafah and warned an Israeli attack could create an insurgency by failing to kill all Hamas fighters in the southern Gazan city. READ MORE . . .

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Israel pushes deeper into Rafah and battles a regrouping Hamas in northern Gaza, by Wafaa Shurafa, Joseph Krauss and Samy Magdy | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli forces pushed deeper into Gaza’s southern city of Rafah today and battled Hamas in parts of the devastated north that the military said it had cleared months ago but where militants have regrouped. Warnings continued against . . . READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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Hamas says Biden remarks on Gaza hostages ‘setback’ for negotiations. From AFP. Remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden that a ceasefire in Gaza would be possible if Hamas released its hostages are a “setback” to negotiations, the Palestinian militant goup said today. “We condemn this position by . . . READ MORE . . .

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Rafah’s main hospital has shut down, people try to flee as Israel launches an attack, by Ayesha Rascoe and Aya Batrawy | NPR  About half of Gaza’s southern area of Rafah is under Israeli evacuation orders as aid groups race to assist those fleeing. Click HERE to listen and, later, read

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Gaza civil defense says unable to reach Jabalia camp due to intense Israeli fire. From Middle East Monitor.  Gaza civil defense has said its teams are unable to access the Jabalia refugee camp and Gaza City where Israel on Sunday launched fresh bombings, Anadolu Agency reports. “The direct . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 11  Name and shame: Pro-Israel website ramps up attacks on pro-Palestinian student protesters, by Gabriella Borter, Joseph Ax and Andrew Hay | Reuters  WASHINGTON — Weeks after attending a pro-Palestinian demonstration, Egyptian-American student Layla Sayed received a text message from a friend drawing her attention to a website dedicated to exposing people it says promote hatred of Jews and Israel. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 11  The U.S. is used to drawing red lines for adversaries. How does it work for allies? Reported by Scott Simon and Greg Myre | NPR  The White House says it will withhold military aid if Israel conducts a major ground operation in Rafah. Red lines are often set for enemies, but how do they work with one of America’s closest allies? Click HERE to listen and read.

For today, links to reports from Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, the Kyiv Post, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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‘All areas’ of border In Ukraine’s Kharkiv Region under Russian fire: governor. From AFP. The whole northern border of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region is under Russian fire “almost around the clock”, the regional governor said today, as Moscow continues . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia claims more advances in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Region. From AFP.  Russia’s Defense Ministry said today its forces had captured four more villages in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region as thousands of residents were evacuated amid Moscow’s surprise ground offensive. The ministry said . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 11  Russia says it has captured 5 villages in northeast Ukraine as more than 1,700 civilians flee, by Vasilisa Stepanenko and Evgeniy Maloletka | AP  VOVCHANSK, Ukraine — Moscow’s forces captured five villages in a renewed ground assault in northeastern Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday, and Associated Press journalists in the city of Vovchansk described . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for AFP report; HERE for one from Kyiv Post, and HERE for one from the Kyiv Independent.

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FROM MAY 11  Military: Russian forces in Kharkiv Oblast contained, fighting continues, by Chris York | The Kyiv Independent  Russian forces involved in the new offensive operation targeting Kharkiv Oblast are contained and have not advanced further, Ukraine’s military said on Saturday. “The enemy is contained in the gray zone, and it is not . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Gray zone’ expands in Kharkiv Region amid rising fighting with Russian troops, governor says. From Kyiv Post. The head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Synegubov, said today that both the “gray zone” and the number of settlements experiencing fighting with Russian troops have increased in the region. “The enemy continues its . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 11  Girding Russia for war, Putin gives extra duties to two top officials, by Guy Faulconbridge | Reuters  MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday gave extra duties to two key government officials who oversee the defence industry and energy sectors, he girds the world’s second-largest oil exporter for a longer war in Ukraine. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 11   What is the U.S. endgame in Ukraine? Scott Detrow of NPR speaks with Emma Ashford, columnist for Foreign Policy, about her latest article “What Does America Want in Ukraine?” Click HERE to listen and read.  

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In a Ukrainian border town, the local newspaper keeps watch on returning POWs. Reported by Joanna Kakissis | NPR  A profile of a small frontline newspaper that has been reporting on Ukrainian POWs released from captivity in Russia. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM MAY 11   Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko on his memoir about the war. Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko about his memoir of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, “I Will Show You How It Was: The Story of Wartime Kyiv.” Click HERE to listen and read.

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

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FROM MAY 10  U.S. says Israel’s use of weapons may have violated international law, by Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis | Reuters  WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Friday said Israel’s use of U.S.-supplied weapons may have violated international humanitarian law during its military operation in Gaza, a major step up in criticism of its key ally. But the administration . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 10  UN assembly approves resolution granting Palestine new rights and reviving its UN membership bid, by Edith M. Lederer | AP  UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on Friday to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine and called on the Security Council to reconsider Palestine’s request to become the 194th member of the United Nations. The vote reflected wide global . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 10  Truckers stuck at Rafah crossing fear food won’t reach hungry Gaza. From Reuters. RAFAH, Gaza Strip / ARISH, Egypt — Truck drivers stuck at Egypt’s border with Gaza say the food they are taking to the Palestinian enclave could spoil as they wait, exacerbating a hunger crisis among Gazans as war rages on. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 10  The U.S. is withholding aid to Israel. Will it work? Reported by Alejandra Marquez Janse, Patrick Jarenwattananon and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Dennis Ross, longtime diplomat and Washington Institute for Near East Policy fellow, about how the U.S. has tried to use its leverage to affect Israeli actions. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MAY 10  Hamas says Gaza ceasefire efforts are back at square one, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — The Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Friday that efforts to find a Gaza Strip truce deal were back at square one after Israel effectively spurned a plan from international mediators, and the White House said . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, just one link, to a report from Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM MAY 10  U.S. bolstering Ukraine as Russia sets sights on Kharkiv, White House says, by Steve Holland and Katharine Jackson | Reuters  WASHINGTON — The United States is working around the clock to provide Ukraine with supplies to defend itself against an intensified Russian attack that could target Kharkiv, the White House said on Friday. Russian forces launched . . . READ MORE . . .

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

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Heavy fighting in Gaza’s Rafah keeps aid crossings closed, sends 100,000 civilians fleeing, by Wafaa Shurafa and Joseph Krauss | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants on the outskirts of the southern Gaza city of Rafah has left crucial nearby aid crossings inaccessible and caused over 100,000 people to flee north, a United Nations official said today. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli tanks encircle eastern half of Rafah, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli tanks captured the main road dividing the eastern and western halves of Rafah today, effectively encircling the entire eastern side of the city in the southern Gaza Strip. Residents described almost constant explosions and gunfire east and northeast of . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. says military pier will increase aid to Gaza. Humanitarian groups have doubts. Reported by Leila Fadel and Jane Arraf | NPR  A pier for the delivery of food and other supplies to Gaza is complete and is expected to be installed off the coast of Gaza in the coming days. Aid groups say there are a lot of unanswered questions. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MAY 9  Israel strikes eastern Rafah as ceasefire talks end with no deal, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi,Mohammad Salem and Jarrett Renshaw | Reuters  GAZA — Israeli forces bombarded areas of Rafah on Thursday, Palestinian residents said, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed U.S. President Joe Biden’s threat to withhold weapons from Israel if it assaults the southern Gaza city. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 9  Netanyahu on U.S. threat to withhold arms: Israel will fight with its ‘fingernails’ if needed, by Joseph Krauss and Josef Federman | AP  JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a U.S. threat to withhold some arms would not prevent Israel from continuing its offensive in Gaza, indicating it might proceed with an invasion of the packed city of Rafah against . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 9  At a hospital in Rafah, American medical teams are reporting the worst. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  Israel’s closure of the main border crossing with Gaza has trapped American medical teams in Rafah while aid officials report an ever worsening crisis. Doctors have to decide who lives and who dies. Click HERE to listen and read.