OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

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Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"More than 100 Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow and various parts of Russia yesterday, according to the Russian defense ministry. Matthew Luxmoore and Thomas Grove report for the Wall Street Journal.

The European Union today approved its 18th package of sanctions against Russia, aiming to lower the G7's price cap for buying Russian crude oil to $47.6 per barrel, diplomatic sources say. Andrew Gray and Lili Bayer report for Reuters.

Ukraine will let foreign arms companies test new weapons on the front lines of Ukraine’s war against Russia’s invasion, Kyiv's state-backed arms investment and procurement group Brave1 announced yesterday. Sabine Siebold reports for Reuters.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said that it shot down 73 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 10 in the Moscow region. No casualties have been reported. Most were downed in areas near the Ukraine border, including 31 over Russia’s Bryansk region and 10 over the Russian-annexed Crimea peninsula.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia had no plans to attack NATO or Europe but floated the idea of preemptive strikes if it believed the West was escalating what he cast as its full-scale war against Russia."

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Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The European Union approved its 18th package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, aimed at dealing further blows to Russia’s oil and energy industry.

President Zelenskyy thanked the European Union for the latest sanctions targeting Russia and called for further punitive measures against Moscow. “This decision is essential and timely, especially now, as a response to the fact that Russia has intensified the brutality of the strikes on our cities and villages,” he said.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the Russian economy would withstand the EU sanctions package and said Moscow would intensify its strikes against Ukraine. India has said it does not support “unilateral sanctions” by the EU, after Brussels imposed penalties on Russia that included a Rosneft oil refinery in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

The Kremlin said that it did not believe the tougher stance that Donald Trump has adopted towards Russia over its war in Ukraine means the end of US-Russia talks aimed at reviving their battered ties.

The Kremlin also said that it agreed with a statement by Zelenskyy that there needed to be more momentum around peace talks between the warring sides."

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Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched “more than 300 strike drones and over 30 missiles” against Ukrainian cities during the overnight attack.

In Russia, the Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, said early on Sunday that Russian air defences downed at least 15 Ukrainian drones heading for the capital.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said early on Sunday that its air defence units destroyed 40 Ukrainian drones, including 21 over the Bryansk region, on the Ukrainian border.  This came hours after the ministry said its air defence units shot down six missiles and 349 drones over Russian territory on Saturday."

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Monday Middle East update:

"Israeli tanks and snipers killed at least 79 Palestinians and wounded hundreds yesterday, with “massive crowds of hungry civilians [coming] under gunfire” as they mobbed a U.N. convoy carrying aid into the territory, according to witnesses, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, and the U.N. World Food Programme. 

The Israeli military yesterday issued evacuation orders for Deir al-Balah, stating that it is “expanding its activities” to target “terrorist infrastructure” in the area, which has not been a target of an Israeli ground offensive to date. According to the Medical Aid for Palestinians group, several humanitarian organizations’ offices and clinics have also received evacuation orders. The U.N. warned that any damage to the humanitarian infrastructure in the area “will have life-threatening consequences.” Wafaa Shurafa, Fatma Khaled, Melanie Lidman, and Samy Magdy report for AP News; BBC News reports.

The World Central Kitchen charity yesterday announced that it has halted its provision of hot meals in Gaza after running out of supplies, with aid trucks stuck at the Gaza border. The charity will continue to bake bread and distribute water in the territory, its statement added. The Hamas-run health ministry said that 19 people, including eight children, have died of a lack of food in Gaza in the last 24 hours. Nurit Yohanan reports for the Times of Israel; Rushdi Abualouf reports for BBC News.

The director of Israel’s Mossad spy agency, David Barnea, visited Washington last week seeking U.S. help in convincing countries to take in Palestinians from Gaza, sources say. Barnea told U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff that Israel has been speaking in particular with Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Libya, a source added. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Syria and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire in a deal “embraced” by Turkey, Jordan, and other neighboring countries, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said on Friday. Mitchell McCluskey and Gul Tuysuz report for CNN.

The Syrian government misread how Israel would respond to a deployment of Syrian troops to Suweida, encouraged by U.S. comments that Syria should be governed as a centralized state, Syrian officials, regional security sources, and diplomats say. Israel’s attacks took Syria by surprise, the sources add. Timour Azhari, Suleiman Al-Khalidi, and Maya Gebeily report for Reuters."

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Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday called for talks with Russia to be held next week, saying that “the dynamics of the negotiations must improve” and that Ukraine is ready for a meeting “at the leadership level.” Ollie Ieltsov and Max Saltman report for CNN.

The “main thing” for Russia “is to achieve [its] goals” in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday, telling state television in an interview that reaching a peaceful settlement in the war “is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy.” AP News reports.

A sustained Ukrainian drone attack on Russia yesterday caused Moscow’s four major airports to close temporarily, with at least 140 flights canceled, according to Russia’s aviation watchdog. Kathryn Armstrong reports for BBC News.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia had launched 426 drones and 24 missiles in an overnight air attack on Ukraine. It said it downed or jammed 224 drones and missiles, while another 203 drones disappeared from radars, most likely having been jammed by electronic warfare.

In total, Ukraine’s Air Force said it shot down 18 of 57 Russian drones overnight into Sunday.

In Russia, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin posted eight separate updates over 24 hours on Telegram saying that several Ukrainian drones “flying towards Moscow” had been shot down. “Emergency services are working at the site of the debris fall,” he said in each case.  In total, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that Russian forces shot down 216 Ukrainian drones in the 24 hours to 11:20pm Moscow time (20:20 GMT) on Sunday."

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Tuesday Middle East update:

"In a joint statement, nearly 30 Western nations and the EU yesterday condemned Israel’s “drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians” in Gaza, describing Tel Aviv’s aid delivery model as “dangerous, fuel[ing] instability and depriv[ing] Gazans of human dignity.” The statement, calling for an end of the war and for Israel to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid” to Gaza, has been signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as well as the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management. Israel's foreign ministry rejected the statement, saying it is “disconnected from reality” and “sends the wrong message to Hamas.” David Gritten reports for BBC News.

Pope Leo XIV yesterday condemned the “indiscriminate use of force” and any “forced mass displacement” of people in Gaza during a conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Vatican said. Reuters reports.

Israeli tanks yesterday advanced into Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza previously largely spared by the war, amid heavy air and artillery strikes, according to local journalists. The U.N. said that Israel’s evacuation orders for the area affected tens of thousands of Palestinians and dealt “another devastating blow” to humanitarian efforts. Rushdi Abualouf and David Gritten report for BBC News.

The Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) charity yesterday said that Israel’s displacement order has impacted “one of the main lifelines for water distribution in southern Gaza” and forced 36 of the organization’s Palestinian colleagues to abruptly leave a busy health facility that had been treating an influx of patients from aid distribution sites, in order to evacuate their families. Louisa Loveluck and Hazem Balousha report for the Washington Post.

The Syrian government yesterday said it was evacuating hundreds of Bedouin tribal families from the southern Sweida province as part of the ceasefire agreement. Separately, the government also said that it had deployed security forces across the province to secure the area and protect civilians. Raja Abdulrahim and Muhammad Haj Kadour report for the New York Times."

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Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to hold a new round of peace talks in Istanbul tomorrow, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced yesterday. Russia's RIA news agency, quoting a source, said the talks would take place over two days, on Thursday and Friday. Stuart Lau reports for BBC News.

Frontelligence Insight, a Ukraine-based open-source intelligence organization, this month reported that amid an intensifying drone campaign, Russia fired 10% of all the drones it used since the invasion began in June alone. Illia Novikov reports for AP News; Max Hunder and Olena Harmash report for Reuters; AP News reports.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday participated in a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, after skipping the June meeting of the roughly 50 nations supporting Kyiv. John Ismay and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.

Ukraine’s Air Force said it downed or jammed 224 Russian drones and missiles, while another 203 drones disappeared from radars.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said that Russian air defence systems downed 132 Ukrainian drones on Monday."

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Wednesday Middle East update:

"More than 110 aid and rights agencies today issued a joint statement “sounding the alarm to allow life-saving aid” into Gaza due to “mass starvation” spreading across the territory. “With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes,” the statement reads, as “tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sit untouched with humanitarian organisations blocked from accessing or delivering them.” Daphne Psaledakis reports for Reuters.

The Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the largest independent aid organisations in Gaza, yesterday told Reuters that some of its staff in the territory are starving, with the Council’s secretary-general accusing Israel of “want[ing] to paralyse our work” by blocking the entry of aid. Separately, the head of the U.N. aid agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) said that its staff, as well as doctors and humanitarian workers, were fainting on duty in Gaza due to hunger and exhaustion. Olivia Le Poidevin reports.

Gaza is seeing “a level of death and destruction without parallel in recent times,” with “starvation knocking on every door” as the humanitarian system “built on humanitarian principles … is being denied the conditions to function,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told the U.N. Security Council yesterday. BBC News reports.

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff will meet with Qatari and Israeli officials in Rome tomorrow to continue negotiations over the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, sources say. The meeting will take place in parallel with indirect Hamas-Israel negotiations in Qatar. If sufficient progress is made, Witkoff will travel from Rome to Doha to try and seal the deal, U.S. and Israeli sources add. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

“All options remain on the table” if Israel does not deliver on its pledge to expand aid access to Gaza, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said yesterday, adding that she spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar “to recall our understanding on aid flow and made clear that IDF must stop killing people at distribution points.” Reuters reports.

The Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency yesterday called on Israel to allow the immediate evacuation of its freelance contributors and their families from Gaza, citing the “appalling situation” in the territory and the “extreme difficulty of leaving a territory under strict blockade.” Reuters reports.

Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks are stalled over control of humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza, with Hamas insisting that the U.N. and the Palestinian Red Crescent control all the aid supply into the territory and the GHF is cut out entirely from distribution, Arab mediators say. Summer Said, Jared Malsin, and Saleh al-Batati report for the Wall Street Journal.

 avoid new crises and reach security understandings on southern Syria, according to a U.S. official and another source. The meeting, chaired by the U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, would be the first between the parties since the crisis in Suweida province began. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Special Envoy Barrack yesterday told Reuters that he had advised Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach to integrating minorities into governance or risk losing international support for Damascus. Samia Nakhoul and Maya Gebeily report."

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Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine urgently needs the United States and Europe to transfer more air defense systems and missiles to Kyiv, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, told the Washington Post. Russia is targeting “virtually everything,” Syrsky said, so Ukraine needs “supplies of ballistic missiles … to give the enemy a fitting rebuff.” Siobhán O'Grady and Serhii Korolchuk report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to sign a bill that critics say weakens the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies yesterday sparked the biggest anti-government protest since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022. In an address today, Zelenskyy said that the anti-corruption agencies would still “work” but needed to be cleared of “Russian influence.” Vitaly Shevchenko reports for BBC News.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that there is “no reason to expect” any “miracles” in ceasefire negotiations, as Moscow has yet to confirm if it will participate in peace talks in Istanbul on Wednesday, which were proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week.

The Kremlin said it hoped talks could be held “this week”, with Peskov adding: “As soon as we are ready, we will make an announcement regarding the dates.”

Outlining potential topics for discussion with Moscow in Istanbul, Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was ready to “secure the release of our people from captivity and return abducted children, to stop the killings, and to prepare a leaders’ meeting”."

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Thursday Middle East update:

"Over 800 aid trucks are waiting to be collected by agencies in Gaza, Israel said today, adding that 70 trucks were unloaded at aid crossings yesterday and over 150 were collected by the U.N. and aid organizations on the Gazan side. A further 10 people have died from malnutrition, the Hamas-run health ministry said yesterday, with the U.N. humanitarian agency, OCHA, warning yesterday “that the hunger crisis in Gaza has never been so dire … All too often, civilians approaching U.N. trucks are shot at.” Israel accuses OCHA of bias, with the Israeli ambassador to the U.N. saying this week there was “clear evidence of Hamas affiliations within OCHA’s ranks.” BBC News reports.

Israel is reviewing a revised response from Hamas to a ceasefire and hostage release proposal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said today. Hamas confirmed it provided a new proposal after a previous version, submitted on Tuesday, was rejected by mediators without it even passing to Israel, sources say. Crispian Balmer and Nidal Al-Mugrhabi report for Reuters.

Iran will host a delegation from the U.N. atomic agency program in the next few weeks, a senior Iranian official said yesterday, marking the first sign from Tehran that it may resume talks with the international inspectors after withdrawing cooperation following the U.S.-Israeli strikes against its nuclear sites last month. Michael R. Gordon and Laurence Norman report for the Wall Street Journal."

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Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia and Ukraine yesterday discussed further prisoner swaps at brief talks in Istanbul for the first time since last month, but both sides remained distant on ceasefire terms and a meeting of their respective leaders. Ukraine closed the talks with a proposal to hold a “leaders’ summit” by the end of August with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and President Trump. Mert Ozkan and Emin Caliskan report for Reuters; Sarah Fortinsky reports for The Hill.

Russia’s air defence systems destroyed 33 Ukrainian drones overnight in six regions, the Russian Ministry of Defence said.

US Department of State said it approved $322m in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine to enhance its air defence capabilities and provide armoured combat vehicles. The potential sales include $150m for the supply, maintenance, repair and overhaul of US armoured vehicles in Ukraine, and $172m for surface-to-air missile systems.

Chinese-made engines are being covertly shipped via front companies to a state-owned drone manufacturer in Russia, labelled as “industrial refrigeration units” to avoid Western sanctions, according to three European security officials and documents reviewed by the Reuters news agency."

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Friday Middle East update:

"France will recognize Palestine as a state, French President Emmanuel Macron announced yesterday. In a social media post, Macron said that he would formalize the decision at the U.N. General Assembly in September and that “the urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved.” Separately, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he would hold an emergency call with France and Germany over the situation in Gaza. Angela Charlton reports for AP News; Reutersreports.

The United States is recalling its negotiating team from Doha, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said, as the latest response from Hamas “clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire.” The United States “will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff added. Israel has also recalled its negotiating team to put additional pressure on Hamas, an Israeli source said, adding that the talks “did not collapse.” Jennifer Hansler and Kylie Atwood report for CNN; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

The United States “strongly rejects” France’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday, stating that France’s “reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace.” Jennifer Hansler reports for CNN.

The United States will not attend the upcoming U.N. conference on the Israel-Palestine two-state solution, a State Department spokesperson said yesterday. Reuters reports.

Senior Israeli and Syrian ministers yesterday met in Paris for a four-hour-long discussion on deescalating tensions, brokered by the United States. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Saudi Arabia yesterday announced it would invest $6.4 billion in Syria, in a sign of deepening relations between Riyadh and Damascus. Christina Goldbaum and Ismaeel Naar report for the New York Times."

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Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine and Russia have attacked targets on each other’s territory after brief direct talks between the two sides in Istanbul failed to make any progress on steps to end nearly three-and-a-half years of war.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said Russia launched 103 drones and four missiles during its overnight attack, hitting civilian infrastructure, including seaports, transport hubs, and residential areas.

The Kremlin said it was hard to see how Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet Zelenskyy before the end of August, RIA reported. Earlier, a Ukrainian official suggested that Kyiv had proposed a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting in August, within the 50-day deadline set by the US for both sides to reach a ceasefire deal.

The European Union has expressed its expectations that China will respond to the EU’s concerns and use its influence to urge Russia towards accepting a ceasefire in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said following her meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing."

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Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Acting US ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, urged all countries, specifically naming China, to stop exports to Russia of dual-use goods that Washington says contribute to Russia’s industrial base and enable its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.

In response, China’s deputy UN ambassador, Geng Shuang, said China did not start the war in Ukraine, is not a party to the conflict, has never provided lethal weapons, and has always “strictly controlled dual-use materials, including the export of drones”. Geng also urged the US to “stop shifting blame” in the conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he may speak to Trump and President Putin this week to see if a leaders’ meeting in Istanbul is possible to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a summit between Putin and Zelenskyy could only happen as a final step to seal a peace deal, adding that it was unlikely that such a meeting could occur by the end of August, as Ukraine had proposed."

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States Where People Spend the Most & Least on Health Insurance

Adam McCann, WalletHub Financial WriterJul 10, 2025

https://wallethub.com/edu/states-where-people-spend-the-most-least-on-health-insurance/145713

lousubcap

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia downed 99 drones overnight over 12 Russian regions, the Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea, the Russian Ministry of Defence said. 

Meanwhile, Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles in an overnight attack that killed three people in Ukraine’s Dnipro and the nearby region on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 183 drones and 17 missiles, but hits from 10 missiles and 25 drones were recorded in nine locations.

Russia will launch direct passenger flights from Moscow to North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, on Sunday, Russian authorities said, as the two former communist bloc allies move to improve ties following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The start of regular flights between the capitals for the first time since the mid-1990s, according to Russian aviation blogs, follows the resumption of Moscow-Pyongyang passenger rail service, a 10-day journey, in June.

Pope Leo discussed the war in Ukraine on Saturday with Metropolitan Anthony, a senior cleric in the Russian Orthodox Church, in a possible effort to ease ties between the churches strained by Russia’s invasion.

Peace talks and a settlement in Ukraine have never been on the real agenda of the West, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday, in her first comments on negotiations since Russian and Ukrainian officials held talks on Wednesday. If the West wanted “real peace” in Ukraine, it would stop supplying Kyiv with weapons, Zakharova said in comments reported by the TASS news agency."

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Monday Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military yesterday announced Israel would suspend its armed activity in parts of Gaza from 10AM to 8PM “until further notice” to allow in a “minimal humanitarian supply.” The military also said that safe routes for aid convoys will be opened. The U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, yesterday confirmed that over 100 truckloads of aid were delivered to Gaza. 

The Israeli military never found proof that Hamas had systematically stolen aid from the United Nations, according to two senior Israeli military officials and two other Israeli sources. The U.N. aid delivery mechanisms were largely effective in providing food to Gaza’s population, the military officials added. For the past two years, the Israeli government has relied on Hamas’ alleged aid theft as its main rationale for restricting food from entering Gaza, with the claim echoed by President Trump as recently as yesterday. This news follows Friday’s report that an internal U.S. government review found no evidence of widespread theft by Hamas of the U.S.-funded aid. Natan Odenheimer reports for the New York Times; Maureen Chowdhury reports for CNN.

Trump on Friday said that he believes that Israel should “fight” and “clean it up” to “finish the job” and “get rid of Hamas,” stating that he thinks that Hamas “want to die.” Yesterday, Trump also said Washington would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza, but wanted other countries to participate as well. Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a group of hostage families on Friday that the United States needs to “do some serious rethinking” of its Gaza strategy. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Andrew Gray, Andrea Shalal, and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters.

Hamas’ Qatar-based lead negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya yesterday blamed Israel and the United States for stalling Gaza ceasefire talks, saying that Hamas demonstrated “every possible flexibility” and the starvation crisis in the territory meant there is “no point in continuing negotiations” at present. Abeer Salman and Mohammed Tawfeeq report for CNN."

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Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The Kremlin on Friday ruled out any meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the last stages of signing a peace deal, rebuffing Zelenskyy’s Thursday call for a meeting. Robyn Dixon, Natalia Abbakumova, and Alex Horton report for the Washington Post.

The European Union on Friday said that it would suspend the payment of 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) in good governance aid to Ukraine due to Kyiv falling short on three of 16 governance benchmarks. The suspension was not directly connected to the Ukrainian lawmakers’ passing of a bill that would impede the independence of two anticorruption agencies. Andrew E. Kramer reports for the New York Times.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said that air defence units downed a total of 291 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones on Sunday, below the record 524 drones downed in attacks on May 7, ahead of Russia’s Victory Day parade on May 9."

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Tuesday Middle East update:

"The “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out” in Gaza, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) global hunger monitor said today, citing “mounting evidence” showing that “widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths.” The alert, which does not constitute a formal famine declaration, warns of “widespread death” if immediate action is not taken. Michelle Nichols and Olivia Le Poidevin report for Reuters; Sam Mednick and Cara Anna report for AP News.

All 55 U.N. aid trucks that entered Gaza on Sunday were unloaded by crowds before reaching their destination, a spokesperson for the U.N. World Food Programme told AP News. Another U.N. official stated that nothing on the ground had changed, and no alternative routes were opened. Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy report.

There is “real starvation” in Gaza, President Trump said yesterday, adding that civilians “have to get food and safety right now” and that the United States would work with its European allies to distribute more aid to Gaza, including by setting up “food centers” without barriers. Trump’s statement breaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that there is no starvation in the territory. Amy B Wang reports for the Washington Post; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

The United Kingdom government is now more actively weighing the recognition of a Palestinian state, prompted by public revulsion at the images of starving children in Gaza and intense cross-party pressure from lawmakers on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, according to two senior government officials. Mark Landler reports for the New York Times.

Germany will immediately launch an airlift to deliver aid into Gaza and “closely coordinate with France and the UK, who are also willing to provide such an airlift for food and medical supplies,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz said yesterday. Sarah Marsh reports for Reuters."

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Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia must agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine in “ten or twelve days” or face U.S. sanctions and secondary tariffs, Trump said yesterday, stating that there was “no reason” to wait any longer as no progress towards peace had been made. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Trump for his “clear stance” delivered “right on time.” Laura Gozzi reports for BBC News; Reuters reports.

A pro-Ukrainian hacker group and a Belarusian hacker activist group have claimed responsibility for yesterday’s cyberattack that caused Russia’s national air carrier, Aeroflot, to cancel more than 100 flights and delay others. The group also threatened to release “the personal data of all Russians who have ever flown Aeroflot.” The Russian prosecutor's office confirmed there had been “a failure in the operation of the Aeroflot information system as a result of a hacker attack.” Laura Gozzi and Joe Tidy report for BBC News; AP News reports.

Ukraine’s Air Force said it downed 309 drones and two missiles, while 15 drones and two missiles hit targets in three locations, without specifying where. The attack started a fire in Kropyvnytskyi, in central Ukraine, local officials said, but no injuries were reported.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed the attack hit a Ukrainian air base and an ammunition depot containing stockpiles of missiles and components for drone production."

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Wednesday Middle East update:

"The United Kingdom will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza,” that include agreeing to a ceasefire, allowing the U.N. to restart aid supplies, and committing to a long-term sustainable peace that delivers a two-state solution, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced yesterday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the move as “reward[ing] Hamas’s monstrous terrorism,” a characterisation later rejected by a U.K. minister. Becky Morton reports for BBC News; Reutersreports.

In a declaration setting out a phased plan to end the Israel-Palestine conflict, a high-level U.N. conference yesterday urged Israel to commit to a Palestinian state and gave “unwavering support” to a two-state solution.The conference plan would have the Palestinian Authority governing all Palestinian territory, followed by a transitional administrative committee and a U.N. stabilization mission. Israel and the United States boycotted the conference. Edith M. Lederer and Farnoush Amiri report for AP News.

Malta will declare recognition of a Palestinian state during the September U.N. General Assembly, Prime Minister Robert Abela said yesterday. Reuters reports.

There is “no break between the prime minister of Israel and the president,” with their relationship “stronger than it’s ever been,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said yesterday. Huckabee also called European leaders’ decisions to recognise a Palestinian state “very foolish,” arguing they amount to support of Hamas leaders. Jacob Wendler reports for POLITICO."

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Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Financial penalties “may or may not” affect Russia because Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to, obviously, probably keep the war going,” Trump told reporters yesterday. Trump reiterated that the United States will “put on tariffs and the various things you put on.” Russia must agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by Aug. 8 to avoid the measures, Trump added. Erica L. Green and Zolan Kanno-Youngs report for the New York Times; Nicole Markus reports for POLITICO.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia had “taken note” of Trump’s deadline, which was shorter than the 50 days he had set out earlier in the month.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday it had summoned Norway’s charge d’affaires to protest over restrictive measures introduced by the Nordic country in July against Russian fishing vessels."

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Thursday Middle East update:

"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday outlined a plan for Ottawa to recognise a Palestinian state at a September U.N. conference.Carney said that he discussed the conditions that would have to be met for the recognition to take place with the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, including a condition that the Authority holds elections without Hamas’ participation next year. Nadine Yousif reports for BBC News; Max Saltman and Laura Sharman report for CNN.

President Trump early today said that it would be “very hard” for the United States to strike a trade deal with Canada in light of Carney’s announcement, while Israel’s foreign ministry described the move as a “reward for Hamas.” Francesca Regalado reports for the New York Times.

In an unprecedented step, all 22 Arab League states on Tuesday for the first time issued a joint call for Hamas to disarm and relinquish power in Gaza, backing a declaration signed by several states at a U.N. conference. Nadeen Ebrahim reports for CNN.

The U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has landed in Israel, Israeli media report. According to U.S. officials, Witkoff is expected to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during the trip and may also visit the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid centers. BBC News reports; Barak Ravid reports for Axios."

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Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"An overnight barrage of Russian missiles and drones that struck several districts of Kyiv killed at least six people and wounded more than 80, Ukrainian officials said today, adding that the death toll could rise. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 300 drones and eight missiles and hit residential buildings in the capital. James Chater and Jonathan Beale report for BBC News; Anastasiia Malenko and Vladyslav Smilianets report for Reuters.

Ukrainian troops are struggling to contain Russia’s summer offensive, with Moscow’s drones penetrating deep into areas Kyiv’s forces once relied upon as oases of calm, according to frontline reports from CNN journalists. Nick Paton Walsh, Natalie Wright, Kosta Gak, and Brice Laine report.

U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Jim Risch (R-ID) yesterday proposed legislation laying out the most detailed outline yet of how European countries could finance donations of U.S. weapons and military equipment to Ukraine. The proposed bill would establish a fund at the U.S. Treasury to accept money from allies, which the Defense Secretary could use to replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles as the Pentagon sends weapons packages to Kyiv. Lindsay Wise and Robbie Gramer report for the Wall Street Journal.

Moscow said it continues to monitor President Trump’s latest threat to impose sanctions against the country if it does not end its war on Ukraine within days, but that Russia had acquired immunity to such economic measures thanks to long experience."

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

"Senior Trump administration officials told the U.S. Congress this month that Israel has agreed to match the U.S. award of $30 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), according to sources. Apart from the U.S. award, announced in June, the sources of the GHF’s funding have not been disclosed to date. Jonathan Landay, Humeyra Pamuk, and Daphne Psaledakis report for Reuters.

The State Department yesterday imposed U.S. visa bans on the members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority officials, citing claims that the groups are “continuing to support terrorism” and “undermining the prospects for peace.” It is unclear whether the sanctions would bar senior Palestinian Authority officials from traveling to the U.N. conference where France said it would recognize a Palestinian state. Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing and Felicia Schwartz report for POLITICO; Michael Crowley reports for the New York Times.

Steve Witkoff has arrived at a GHF aid site in Gaza, according to an Israeli source. A White House spokesperson yesterday said Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee would “inspect the current distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food” as well as “meet with local Gazans.” Trump will “approve a final plan for food and aid distribution” in Gaza after Witkoff and Huckabee brief him on their findings, the spokesperson added. Ibrahim Dahman reports for CNN; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Berlin will be “compelled to respond “to any “unilateral actions” taken by Israel on Palestinian territory, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said yesterday, pointing to the “open annexation threats from parts of the Israeli government” that led a “growing number of countries” to prepare to recognise a Palestinian state “even without a prior negotiation process.” Sarah Marsh reports for Reuters."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A Russian barrage of drones and missiles yesterday killed at least 28 people and injured some 159 others in Kyiv, Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said today while providing an update on the attack’s death toll. Jonathan Beale and Paul Kirby report for BBC News; Reuters reports.

Germany will provide two Patriot interceptor missile systems to Ukraine after reaching an agreement with the United States that Berlin would be prioritised in the Patriot delivery pipeline, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said today. Reuters reports.

U.S. Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff will travel to Russia in the coming days, ahead of the U.S. deadline for imposing sanctions on Moscow, President Trump said yesterday. Trump also described Russia’s bombing of Kyiv as “disgusting” and a “disgrace,” adding that the United States is “going to put sanctions” on Russia. Separately, a source said that Witkoff's trip to Russia and a possible meeting with Putin have yet to be fully finalized. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

The US reiterated its Ukraine war ceasefire deadline to the United Nations Security Council, with senior US diplomat John Kelley telling the 15-member council that “both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace”. Kelley said: “It is time to make a deal. President Trump has made clear this must be done by August 8. The United States is prepared to implement additional measures to secure peace”.

Trump also told Dmitry Medvedev to “watch his words” after the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council said Washington’s threats of hitting Moscow and buyers of its oil with punitive tariffs were “a game of ultimatums” and a step closer towards a war between Russia and the US.

In response, the former Russian president said Trump should remember that Moscow possessed Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities of last resort."

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"NATO countries, Ukraine and the United States are developing a new mechanism that will focus on getting US weapons to Ukraine from the Priority Ukraine Requirements List, known under the acronym PURL, the Reuters news agency reports, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

As part of the PURL mechanism, Ukraine would prioritise the weapons it needs in tranches of roughly $500m, and NATO allies would then negotiate among themselves who would donate or pay for items on the list.

Germany said it will deliver two Patriot missile defence systems to Ukraine after reaching an agreement with the US that Berlin will be first in line to receive the latest Patriot systems to replenish the weapons donated to Kyiv.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Zelenskyy welcomed US President Donald Trump’s new deadline for Russia to make progress towards ending its more than three-year-long war on Ukraine. Zelenskyy said he had discussed with Starmer the potential formats for a summit of leaders to discuss peace in Ukraine.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said Moscow hoped for more peace talks with Ukraine but that the momentum of the war was in Moscow’s favour, signalling no shift in his stance despite a looming sanctions deadline issued by Trump. Putin also said that the first batch of mass-produced Oreshnik ballistic missile systems had been delivered to the Russian army."

lousubcap

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The Defence Ministry in Moscow said in its daily report that its defence units downed a total of 338 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday morning. It did not say how many Ukrainian drones were launched.

Ukraine’s air force said it had downed 45 of 53 Russian drones launched towards its territory overnight into Saturday morning.

Russia launched 6,129 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine in July 2025, the Kyiv Independent reported, 14 times more than the 423 drones it launched during the same month last year."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"A 47-truck U.N. convoy was wholly overrun and ransacked within three hours last Wednesday, with “hundreds of thousands” of aid seekers surging towards the entry checkpoint as Israeli troops fired rifle and artillery rounds, according to an internal U.N. World Food Program mission security report seen by the Washington Post. A U.N. official and the security report said more than 50 people were killed and more than 600 injured during the mission. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry has recorded at least 209 deaths among people seeking aid since last Saturday. Gerry Shih, Abbie Cheeseman, Miriam Berger, and Louisa Loveluck report.

Israel has told multiple journalists reporting from aid flights that they are prohibited from filming Gaza from above, the Washington Post reports. A Washington Post photojournalist who was not initially given such instructions last week captured rare low-altitude aerial views of the scale of destruction and displacement in the territory. Sammy Westfall, Evan Hill, Joshua Yang, and Heidi Levine report. "

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"In his first public remarks since Trump called on him to end the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that people disappointed with the lack of quick progress toward peace have “inflated expectations.” Russia’s conditions for ending the war "certainly remain the same,” Putin added. Nataliya Vasilyeva and Paul Sonne report for the New York Times.

The Ukrainian air force said on Sunday that Russia launched 76 drones and seven missiles against Ukraine. It said 60 drones and one missile were intercepted, but 16 drones and six missiles hit eight different locations across Ukraine.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said its air defence units destroyed 93 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Krasnodar region and 60 over the waters of the Black Sea. It did not specify how many drones were fired in total."