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

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

"The IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir directly challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a recent meeting over Netanyahu's plans to expand the Gaza war, according to Israeli officials. The officials say that Zamir highlighted the potential risks to the 48 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza and the Israeli troops on the ground, and raised objections to the humanitarian and strategic ramifications of the displacement of up to one million Palestinians that would result from the offensive. He also urged ministers to consider the latest ceasefire proposal put forward by Egyptian and Qatari mediators that has been accepted by Hamas. Tal Shalev and Dana Karni report for CNN.

Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh has written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to reconsider his decision to bar Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from attending the U.N. General Assembly and pushing back on Rubio’s rationale in banning Palestinian Authority officials from the United States. Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron described Rubio’s decision as “unacceptable” and called for “Palestinian representation to be ensured in accordance with the Host Country Agreement.” Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Reuters reports.

In an update, the U.N. yesterday said that Iranian-backed Houthis detained at least 19 U.N. employees during Sunday raids on U.N. offices in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. Calling for all of those detained to be immediately released, a U.N. spokesperson said that 18 of those held are Yemeni staffers and one is an international employee. Edith M. Lederer reports forAP News.

Israeli drones yesterday dropped four grenades close to U.N. peacekeepers working to clear roadblocks in southern Lebanon, the U.N. peacekeeping force (UNFIL) said today, describing the incident as “one of the most serious attacks on UNIFIL personnel and assets” since the beginning of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. According to UNFIL, no one was hurt in the attack. AP News reports."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would press for stronger Western pressure on Moscow as he meets European and U.S. allies in Denmark and France today.  Anastasiia Malenko and Olena Harmash report for Reuters.

Putin today thanked North Korea's Kim Jong Un for the courage of North Korean troops who have been fighting for Moscow in Ukraine as the two leaders met on the sidelines of one of China’s largest ever military parades in Beijing. Thomas Mackintosh and Jean Mackenzie report for BBC News.

NATO is working to counter Russia’s jamming of civilian flights, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said yesterday, two days after suspected Moscow interference led a jet carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to lose its ability to use GPS navigation mid-air. Sam McNeil reports for AP News.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the United States was listening to Russia’s justifications for the invasion of Ukraine and claimed that Moscow and Washington had reached a “mutual understanding” about the war.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Putin and Zelenskyy “are not yet ready” for a leaders’ meeting to further discuss ending the war.

Putin told Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, at talks in China that Russia has “never objected” to Ukraine’s membership of the European Union. “As for NATO, this is another issue… Our position here is well known: we consider this unacceptable for ourselves,” Putin said."

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Israel is intensifying its attacks on Gaza City, pushing into one of the urban centre's largest and most crowded neighbourhoods, city residents say. Israeli strikes killed more than 30 Palestinians in the city yesterday, according to local hospitals. The U.N. and aid groups warn that Israel’s operations are already having “horrific humanitarian consequences” for the families sheltering in the famine-struck city. David Gritten reports for BBC News; Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.

The United Arab Emirates has told the White House that an Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank would harm the Abraham Accordsand undermine the prospects for further regional integration, a senior Emirati official told Axios. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich yesterday unveiled a map showing a proposed Israeli annexation of most of the West Bank during a news conference. Barak Ravid reports; Wafaa Shurafa, Sam Metz, and Jon Gambrell report for Axios."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Around 30 leaders are set to take part in a top-level meeting in Paris today, aiming to finalize discussions on the European security guarantees for post-war Ukraine. French diplomats suggest that "technical work” on providing the guarantees is now complete, with the Europeans now waiting on U.S. confirmation that it would act as an ultimate backstop. The meeting is taking place against a backdrop of increasing concern that Russia will mount a new offensive on Ukraine’s Donetsk region, sources suggest. Sarah Rainsford and Paulin Kola report for BBC News; Daryna Krasnolutska, Alberto Nardelli, and Samy Adghirni report for Bloomberg News.

Ukraine is using AI to allow groups of drones to coordinate with each other on when and how to attack Russian positions, according to a senior Ukrainian officer and the company that makes the software. Military experts say that Ukraine’s attacks are the first known routine use of the technology in combat. Alistair MacDonald reports for the Wall Street Journal.

Trump yesterday said he would speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “over the next few days.” According to the White House, the Trump-Zelenskyy call is scheduled for today. Betsy Klein reports for CNN.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Russian soil: “Donald [Trump] asked me for such a meeting, I said: ‘Yes, it’s possible, let Zelenskyy come to Moscow’,” Putin said in Beijing on Wednesday.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded to Putin’s invitation, saying the Russian leader “continues to mess around” by “making knowingly unacceptable proposals”.

Putin made his offer even though he knows there are “serious proposals” from seven countries to host a meeting between the two leaders, which Zelenskyy was ready for at “any point in time”, Sybiha said."

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

"Hamas late on Wednesday expressed readiness for concluding a comprehensive deal to end the Gaza war and release all hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, after Trump called on the militant group to release all living hostages remaining in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the statement as “spin” and “nothing new.” Adam Rasgon reports for the New York Times.

The U.S. State Department yesterday announced it is imposing new sanctions on Al Haq, the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, three non-governmental organizations that in 2023 asked the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel’s actions in Gaza.  Jacob Wendler reports for POLITICO.

The United States “told all these countries … if you guys do this [Palestine] recognition stuff it's all fake, it's not even real, if you do it you're going to create problems,” State Secretary Marco Rubio said yesterday. Reuters reports.

The Lebanese government is running out of time to disarm Hezbollah before risking losing U.S. and Gulf Arab financial support, or a renewed Israeli military campaign, the Trump administration said yesterday. Michael Crowley reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Any Western troops in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Moscow to attack, especially if they appeared now, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today, adding that he does not “see any sense in their presence” in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday announced that 26 countries had formally committed to providing post-war security guarantees to Ukraine, including through the deployment of troops “by land, sea or air” as part of an international peacekeeping force. Vladimir Soldatkin reports for Reuters; Paul Kirby reports for BBC News.

“The day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed,” Macron told a news conference at the Elysee Palace, standing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Macron initially said 26 nations – which he did not name – would deploy to Ukraine. But he later said some countries would provide guarantees while remaining outside Ukraine, for example, by helping to train and equip Kyiv’s forces.

Macron said there is “no doubt” about Washington’s willingness to take part in the security guarantees offered to Ukraine, adding that the relevant planning work needed to be finalised with Washington.

On that call, Trump told European leaders that Europe must stop buying Russian oil that he said is helping Moscow fund its war against Ukraine, a White House official said, striking a combative tone amid slow diplomatic progress to end the fighting.

“The president also emphasised that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official said.

Zelenskyy said after the meeting that “we are working out which countries will take part in which security component”. He added that “26 countries agreed to provide security guarantees. Today, for the first time in a long time, this is the first such serious, very specific substance”.

Germany is ready to step up funding for and training of Ukrainian forces, but will decide on further military commitments, including deploying troops to Ukraine, only after broader conditions are clarified, a government spokesperson said."

lousubcap

From Tom Nichols of The Atlantic and the move to rename the Department of Defense the Department of war:
https://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/09/defense-war-cringe-department/684112/?utm_campaign=one-story-to-read-today&utm_content=20250905&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=One+Story+to+Read+Today
Worth a read.

fishlessman

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “thousands” of foreign troops could be deployed to his country under post-war security guarantees agreed this week with the so-called “coalition of the willing”, led by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would regard foreign troops in Ukraine as legitimate targets. “If some troops appear there, especially now, during military operations, we proceed from the fact that these will be legitimate targets for destruction,” Putin told an economic forum in Russia’s far eastern city of Vladivostok.

Putin also said that if an agreement is reached on “long-term peace” with Ukraine, then he did “not see any sense” in the presence of foreign troops “on the territory of Ukraine, full stop”.

North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Moscow’s forces are not being deployed on Ukrainian territory, only on Russian territory, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.

President Donald Trump said the United States is still working on Ukraine security guarantees that will help bring an end to the country’s conflict with Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov said Trump’s deal-making approach to diplomacy is “quite cynical”, but in a “good sense”. Peskov contrasted Trump’s position with that of Europe, which, he said, was doing everything it could to hinder a peaceful settlement.

“In contrast, Trump is much more constructive. He is, in the good sense of the word, quite cynical. In terms of ‘why fight if you can trade’. And based on these interests of America, he does everything to stop wars,” Peskov said.

Peskov added that Putin and Trump could meet again “very quickly” if the Russian leader deemed it “necessary”."

Comment here:  Putin continues to play CHEETO.  He holds all the cards.  

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"The Israeli military on Friday and Saturday destroyed two high-rise blocks in Gaza City, according to social media footage and a video posted by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. The IDF claimed one of the towers was being used by Hamas, without offering evidence. It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties. Rushdi Abualouf and Wyre Davies report for BBC News.

The topic of Israel's annexation of the occupied West Bank has been abruptly removed from the official agenda of a high-level consultation among Netanyahu and several senior ministers last week, following the United Arab Emirates’ warning that such a move would be a “red line” and “foreclose on the idea of regional integration,” sources say. Gerry Shih and Lior Soroka report for the Washington Post.

Israel’s plan to force Gazans to flee to the territory’s north ahead of Israel’s offensive on Gaza City is raising tensions between Egypt and Israel, with Cairo concerned that Israel will try to push Palestinians into its territory,the New York Times reports. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday described Israel’s actions as aiming “to push the residents out of their land,” stating that it would be “absurd to call this voluntary migration.” Aaron Boxerman reports. 

A Gaza deal could come “very soon,” Trump asserted yesterday, telling reporters that “we're working on a solution that may be very good” and “you’ll be hearing about it pretty soon.” Earlier in the day, Trump claimed that “the Israelis” have accepted “his terms” and “it is time for Hamas to accept as well.” Jeff Mason and Maayan Lubell report for Reuters.

The U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, last week sent a new ceasefire and hostage deal to Hamas through an Israeli peace activist, sources tell Axios. Barak Ravid reports."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia struck a major government building in Kyiv for the first time yesterday, as it launched its largest aerial assault of the Ukraine war to date. The attack also struck several residential buildings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that across Ukraine, the attack killed four people and injured 44 others, adding that the strikes “are a deliberate crime and an attempt to prolong the war.” Svitlana Vlasova, Victoria Butenko, Todd Symons, Nadeen Ebrahim, and Laura Sharman report for CNN; Sarah Rainsford, Rachel Hagan, and Jaroslav Lukiv report for BBC News.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 810 drones and 13 missiles during the attack, which caused damage across the country, including the cities of Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, as well as in the Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

After Russia’s strike on one of Ukraine’s main government buildings, Trump yesterday said he was “not happy with the whole situation” and that he was prepared to move to the “second phase” of sanctions against Moscow. He did not elaborate further. Separately, the U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, said that Moscow appears to be escalating the war and that the weekend attack “was not a signal that Russia wants to diplomatically end this war.” Jonathan Josephs and Rachel Hagan report for BBC News; Samantha Waldenberg reports for CNN.

The United States is prepared to partner with European countries to impose sanctions on purchasers of Russian oil in a bid to “collapse” the Russian economy and bring Putin to the negotiating table, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday. Alexandra Marquez reports for NBC News.

By hosting the Russian leader in Alaska, Trump “gave Putin what he wanted,” Zelenskyy told ABC News in an interview aired yesterday. The Ukrainian president suggested that Putin “wants very much to meet with the president of the United States, to show everybody video and images that he is there” and that “it’s a pity” that he achieved this goal. Nicholas Kerr and Julia Cherner report."

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Israel has carried out air strikes on central and western parts of Syria,Syrian state news agency SANA reported late yesterday. It did not provide further details. Damascus’ foreign ministry condemned the strikes as “a blatant infringement” of Syria’s sovereignty and regional stability. Chris Graham reports for BBC News; Reuters reports.

The Israeli military early today issued an order for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in Gaza City to “evacuate immediately,” stating that remaining in the area would be “extremely dangerous.” Gaza City is currently home to nearly half of the territory’s population. Many displaced Palestinians sheltering in the city say they do not know where to go in order to escape the strikes. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli attacks killed 83 people in the territory in the last 24 hours. Anat Peled and Feliz Solomon report for the Wall Street Journal; Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Nayera Abdallah report for Reuters; BBC News reports.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani yesterday pressed Hamas to “respond positively” to a new U.S. proposal for a Gaza ceasefire, according to an official familiar with Al-Thani’s meeting with Hamas’ chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya. Becky Anderson, Jeremy Diamond, and Oren Liebermann report for CNN."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"EU Sanctions Envoy David O'Sullivan yesterday met with a team of experts to discuss a joint imposition of further sanctions against Russia with U.S. counterparts, the European Commission said. Kevin Liptak reports for CNN; Reuters reports.

“No sanctions will be able to force the Russian Federation to change the consistent position that our president has repeatedly spoken about,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Kremlin reporter Alexander Yunashev.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said that its forces shot down 195 Ukrainian drones and two aerial bombs in a 24-hour period, TASS reported.

European countries should “adjust” their interests “without false nostalgia” and “expand and strengthen existing [partnerships] even more aggressively than we have done so far,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, regarding Europe’s changing relationship with the United States.

A German government spokesperson said that Russia’s “ongoing escalation of the war” on Ukraine shows that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not want to negotiate”, and the war “can only be stopped by enabling Ukraine to maintain its defence and not allowing Putin to succeed”."

lousubcap

An update regarding Israel bombing raids today-

Israel strikes Qatar

Breaking: Israel’s military carried out an attack inside Qatar’s capital city on Tuesday, which is more than 1,000 miles away, including “a precise [air] strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization,” the Israeli Defense Forces announced on social media.    Targets inside Doha included Khalil al-Hayya, the top negotiator for Hamas,according to Reuters, citing Israeli media. The IDF says those it sought to kill “are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.” Unnamed sources told Reuters separately that the negotiating team survived the Tuesday strikes in Doha; the claim has not been verified at press time.     Bibi: “Today's action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on social media. “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” he added. According to Axios, “The assassination attempt in the Qatari capital comes amid a renewed U.S. effort to reach a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.”

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Israel Defense Forces Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Mossad chief David Barnea questioned the plan for Israel to carry out a strike targeting the Hamas negotiating team while the United States was pushing to restart negotiations, according to three Israeli sources. Tal Shalev and Eugenia Yosef report for CNN. 

“No one is talking” about the Gaza ceasefire proposal at the moment, a senior Hamas official told CNN. According to a diplomat briefed on the talks, prior to the Israeli strike, Hamas was due to give its response to the U.S. truce proposal later yesterday. Ibrahim Dahman reports.

Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, yesterday claimed responsibility for a Jerusalem bus stop shooting that killed at least six people and wounded several others. Lara Jakes reports for the New York Times.

Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, yesterday described Israel’s attack on Doha as “state terrorism”and said that Qatar would take the “necessary measures to respond.” “Nothing will deter [Qatar] from continuing” in its role as a mediator in the Israel-Hamas war, Al Thani added. Mohamad El Chamaa and Sammy Westfall report for the Washington Post.

Trump yesterday said the United States learned of Israel’s planned attack on Qatar “too late to stop” the strike and that he “feels very badly about the location of the attack” and is “very unhappy about every aspect” of the strike. Trump added that he has assured Qatar’s emir and prime minister that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil.” According to Al Thani, U.S. officials notified Doha of the attack only 10 minutes after it occurred. The White House initially claimed that the United States gave Qatar advance warning of the strike. Sammy Westfall reports for the Washington Post; Tal Shalev reports for CNN.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today announced she would seek sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel over the war in Gaza. The Commission will also “set up a Palestine donor group next month,” von der Leyen added. AP News reports."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"For the first time since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Poland early today directly engaged with Russian assets, shooting down at least four Russian drones that “repeatedly” violated Polish airspace, the Polish armed forces said. The drones flew deep enough into Poland to force the closure of four airports, including Warsaw’s main international aviation hub. According to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, no casualties have been recorded. A Polish interior ministry spokesperson said that the authorities have found seven drones and the remains of an unidentified object in various sites across the country. Russia’s top diplomat in Poland said there is “no evidence that these drones are of Russian provenance.” Stuart Lau, Chris Graham, and Thomas Mackintosh report for BBC News; Rebecca Falconer reports for Axios.

At least two dozen Russian drones could have entered Polish airspace today, with at least two drones entering through the Belarusian airspace,Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that Kyiv is working on verifying the precise scale of the incursion. BBC News reports.

A Russian bomb strike killed at least 23 people and injured 18 others in an eastern Ukrainian village yesterday, the majority of whom were retirees queueing to pick up their pension payments, the Ukrainian authorities said. The head of the Ukrainian postal service said the strike was the first time Russia had hit a pension distribution site. Maria Varenikova reports for the New York Times.

The Russian cruise missile that struck a government building in Kyiv on Sunday had at least 35 components manufactured in Western countries,including U.S. chips and other electronic parts, Ukraine’s presidential commissioner for sanctions policy said yesterday. Ivana Kottasová, Daria Tarasova-Markin, and Victoria Butenko report for CNN."

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update;

"Trump on Tuesday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel’s strike on Hamas political leaders in Qatar was "not wise," according to senior U.S. administration officials. During a heated phone call, Trump told Netanyahu that he was angry to learn about the strike on a U.S. ally mediating the Gaza ceasefire negotiation while the attack was already underway, and to learn about it from the U.S. military rather than Israel. According to the officials, Netanyahu told Trump that “he had a brief window to launch the strikes and took the opportunity.” A later call between the two men was more cordial, the sources added. Alexander Ward and Josh Dawsey report for the Wall Street Journal.

Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Doha “killed any hope” for the Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani told CNNyesterday. Al-Thani described the attack as a “barbaric action” and indicated that Qatar is “reassessing everything” about future ceasefire talks and Israel’s commitment to the peace process.  Asked about the whereabouts of Hamas’ chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, Al-Thani said that “until now … there is no official declaration.” Hamas has claimed that Israel failed to kill any of its negotiators. Max Saltman, Caitlin Danaher, Mitchell McCluskey, and Mostafa Salem report.

If Hamas leaders survived the Doha strike, Israel will succeed in killing them in the future, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, said yesterday. In a speech at the U.S. Capitol complex, Leiter also accused Qatar of “financing and supporting terrorism by playing host to Hamas.” Maayan Lubell, Alexander Cornwell, and Patricia Zengerle report for Reuters.

Israel yesterday launched a round of airstrikes at Yemen, killing at least 35 people and wounding more than 130 others, according to a tally by the Houthi-run health ministry. The ministry said that most of those killed were in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, and Lorne Cook report for AP News."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Trump yesterday offered an ambiguous response to Russian drones’ incursion into Polish airspace, saying, “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones? Here we go!” Polish President Karol Nawrocki said that he spoke with Trump yesterday, and their conversation “confirmed allied unity.” Separately, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said that the United States stands by its NATO allies “and will defend every inch of NATO territory.” Aamer Madhani reports for AP News; Elena Giordano reports for POLITICO.

On Poland’s request, the U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting to discuss Russian drones’ incursion into Polish airspace, the Polish Foreign Ministry said today. Reuters reports.

Russian forces launched a “massive” attack across Ukraine, with 415 drones and 40 cruise and ballistic missiles, Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Wednesday.

Ukrainian forces destroyed more than 380 Russian drones, including at least 250 Shahed drones, Zelenskyy added in a later post.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said that its forces shot down 225 Ukrainian drones and a guided missile in a 24-hour period, TASS reported."

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

"All U.N. Security Council members, including the United States, yesterday issued a statement condemning the Israeli strike on Qatar. The UNSC members “expressed their condemnation of the recent strikes in Doha” and “underlined their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar, in line with the principles of the U.N. charter,” the statement reads. The United States has historically shielded Israel from statements of condemnation, which have to be issued unanimously. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times.

Trump is expected to discuss the aftermath of Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Doha with Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani later today, sources say. U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is also expected to be present at the meeting in New York, the sources add. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

The Trump administration’s frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deepened after the Doha strike, with Trump and some top aides coming to doubt whether Netanyahu is trying to sabotage the talks, according to a person close to the president’s national security team. “Every time they’re making progress, it seems like he bombs someone,” the person opined. Eli Stokols and Nahal Toosi report for POLITICO.

Germany will support a U.N. resolution for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though it does not believe the time has come to recognise a Palestinian state, a government spokesperson said yesterday. Reuters reports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday signed an agreement to proceed with a controversial settlement expansion plan that would cut the occupied West Bank in half and pose a major obstacle for the functioning of a Palestinian state. “There will never be a Palestinian state. This place is ours,” Netanyahu said. Steven Scheer reports for Reuters."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The intelligence services of NATO countries have concluded that Russian drones’ Wednesday incursion into Polish airspace was most likely a deliberate attack after conferring to discuss their findings on the incident,sources say. Thomas Grove, Bojan Pancevski, and Max Colchester report for the Wall Street Journal.

The Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Germany, and France have announced they are moving some of their troops, artillery, and air defense systems closer to NATO’s eastern flank. One of the alliance’s biggest weaknesses is a shortage of air-defense systems, as several such systems have been provided to Ukraine, a NATO general tasked with air defense said. Poland on Wednesday requested Article 4 consultations under the NATO charter to discuss a potential joint response to the security concern. The U.N. Security Council is also set to hold a session on the incident later today. Laura Gozzi reports for BBC News; Thomas Grove, Bojan Pancevski, and Max Colchester report for the Wall Street Journal.

A representative of President Donald Trump told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that the US wanted to reopen its embassy in Minsk and normalise ties between the two countries, after Washington closed the embassy in 2022, the State-run Belta news agency reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has still not decided on attending the APEC summit in South Korea next month, the Kremlin said."

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The number of Polish airspace violations by Russian drones this week may be higher than previously reported, with further analysis revealing that there may have been 21 incursions over Poland, the country’s defence chief said.

More than 40 nations, including the United States, participated in a joint statement at the UN for stronger international action over Russia’s drone incursion into Polish airspace.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk contradicted US President Donald Trump’s assessment that the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace may have been a mistake.  Writing on X, Tusk said: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”

NATO is preparing a new operation, dubbed Eastern Sentry, to add military equipment from France, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom to its existing air and ground-based defences on its eastern European flank bordering Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, NATO Supreme Commander General Alexus Grynkewich said.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal said he met with US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv. The pair discussed “the possibility of Ukraine’s Defence Forces receiving new Patriot systems and ammunition for them”, he wrote on X."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"The Israeli military yesterday announced it had struck multiple high-rise buildings in Gaza City, in what appeared to be an accelerating assault on the metropolitan area. Hospital officials in Gaza say Israeli strikes have killed more than 130 Palestinians since Saturday. According to Israeli officials, the military ground operation into Gaza City could begin as early as today. Ibrahim Dahman, Eugenia Yosef, Tim Lister, Eyad Kourdi, Oren Liebermann, and Mostafa Salem report for CNN.

Israel gave the United States notice of last week’s strike on Qatar minutes before the attack, “so close to actual launching of missiles that there was no way to reverse or halt the order,” a senior U.S. defense official tells the Wall Street Journal. Israel launched the long-range missiles on a high trajectory that avoided Saudi Arabia’s airspace, U.S. officials add. Shelby Holliday, Michael R. Gordon, Lara Seligman, and Summer Said report.

Qatar will today host an emergency summit of Arab and Islamic heads of state in response to Israel’s attack on Hamas officials in Doha. A draft resolution reviewed by Reuters condemns what it describes as Israel’s “genocide, ethnic cleansing, starvation, siege, and colonizing activities and expansion policies.” Arab foreign ministers met in Doha yesterday to lay the groundwork for today’s summit, the New York Times reports. Hugo Bachega and Jaroslav Lukiv report for BBC News; Jana Choukeir and Andrew Mills report; Vivian Nereim and Aaron Boxerman report.

The U.N. General Assembly on Friday voted 142-10 to endorse a declaration outlining “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” toward a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel ahead of the Sept. 22 meeting during which the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, and Belgium are expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state. Reuters reports."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President Trump on Saturday said he will only impose new sanctions on Russia if all NATO members do the same, stop buying Russian oil, and collectively impose tariffs of 50% to 100% on China. On Friday, Trump also suggested his patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin is “running out fast.” Maggie Haberman reports for the New York Times; Lauren Kent and Darya Tarasova report for CNN.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, yesterday accused Moscow of “reckless escalation,” describing a Russian drone’s incursion into Romania’s airspace as “yet another unacceptable breach of an E.U. member state’s sovereignty.” Jin Yu Young and Anton Troianovski report for the New York Times.

The Group of Seven states’ finance ministers on Friday discussed further sanctions on Russia and potential tariffs on countries “enabling” Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to a statement from Canada. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that during the call, he had invited the ministers to join the United States in imposing tariffs on countries that purchase Russian oil. David Lawder reports for Reuters.

NATO has launched a new mission to bolster the alliance’s eastern defenses following Russia’s incursion into Polish airspace, Secretary-General Mark Rutte has announced. The new operation, named Eastern Sentry, will draw on resources France, Germany, Denmark, and the United Kingdom provided in recent days, Rutte added. Laurence Norman and Michael R. Gordon report for the Wall Street Journal."

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"There are reasonable grounds to conclude Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said in a new report published today. The report cites statements by Israeli leaders and patterns of conduct by Israeli forces as evidence of genocidal intent, and singles out the former Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Isaac Herzog for inciting genocide. Israel’s foreign ministry said that it categorically rejects the report. David Gritten reports for BBC News; Jeremy Bowen reports for BBC News.

The Israeli military early today launched a ground offensive on Gaza City,Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed during a hearing in his corruption trial today. Palestine's foreign ministry has called for “urgent international intervention to protect civilians in Gaza City” in response to the offensive. According to the Israeli military’s estimates, there are up to 3,000 Hamas militants in the city, comprising less than 1% of its population, CNN quotes a military official as saying. Isabel Kershner reports for the New York Times; BBC News reports; Eugenia Yosef and Nadeen Ebrahim report.

Netanyahu spoke to President Trump in advance of Israel's strike on Qatar last week, Axios reported yesterday, citing three Israeli officials. Trump and Netanyahu both rejected the report, with Trump stating that Netanyahu did not directly speak to him and Netanyahu's office reiterating the attack was a “wholly independent” Israeli operation. Separately, Netanyahu yesterday said that the “American-Israeli alliance has never been as strong as it is now.” Barak Ravid reports; Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters; Michael Crowley reports for the New York Times.

“Time is running out” for a negotiated end to the war in Gaza, U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio said today, as he departed Israel for Qatar. Michael Crowley reports for the New York Times."

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Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called on NATO countries to properly consider a no-fly zone over Ukraine in an interview published by the Frankfurt Allgemeiner yesterday. Sikorski said that “we as NATO and the EU could be capable of doing this, but it is not a decision that Poland can make alone.” Kate Brady and David L. Stern report for the Washington Post.

EU officials announced today that the European Commission will delay presenting its next sanctions package against Russia to prepare a response to the Trump administration’s demand that EU member states stop purchasing Russian oil and gas. Jan Strupczewski and Julia Payne report for Reuters."

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Wednesday Middle East update;

"Several European countries yesterday condemned Israel’s launch of a ground offensive on Gaza City. U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the offensive “utterly reckless and appalling,” while Germany’s Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, said that Israel was “on the wrong path.” Lynsey Chutel reports for the New York Times.

Japan will, for now, not recognize a Palestinian state, with the decision likely taken to preserve Tokyo’s ties with the United States, the Japanese newspaper Asahi reported today, citing unidentified government sources. Reuters reports.

The Israeli army today pushed deeper into Gaza City, on the second day of a ground offensive in the metropolitan area. According to hospital officials, Israel’s overnight strikes killed at least 16 people, with more than half of the deaths occurring in Gaza City. Separately, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said that multiple Israeli strikes hit the Rantisi Hospital for children in Gaza City late yesterday. Julia Frankel and Samy Magdy report for AP News.

The Israeli military yesterday claimed that 350,000 Gaza City residents have now evacuated from the city, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is “making efforts … to open additional routes to facilitate a quicker evacuation.” BBC News cites Gaza City residents as describing overnight Israeli airstrikes as “hell.” Separately, Tess Ingram, a UNICEF spokesperson, said that it is “inhumane to expect nearly half a million children” to evacuate to coastal refugee camps that are unsafe, overcrowded, and ill-equipped to receive them. Aaron Boxerman, Lara Jakes, Isabel Kershner, Liam Stack, and Michael Levenson report for the New York Times; Rushdi Abualouf reports; Reuters reports.

Satellite imagery captured yesterday shows Israeli armored vehicles gathered on nearly all sides of Gaza City, according to analysis from Planet Labs, a commercial satellite company. Josh Holder and Samuel Granados report for the New York Times.

Israel’s military said yesterday that it had struck targets in the Hudayah port in Yemen which it claimed were linked to the Houthi rebels. Houthi-linked broadcaster al-Masirah TV reported at least 12 strikes had hit the port. Ismaeel Naar reports for the New York Times.

Under U.S. pressure, Syria is speeding up talks with Israel on a security pact that Damascus hopes would roll-back Israel’s recent land seizures, sources briefed on the talks told Reuters. The pact would fall short of a full peace treaty, the sources say. An Israeli security source said “the U.S. is pressuring Syria to accelerate a security deal – this is personal for Trump,” but that “Israel is not offering much.” Some sources said Trump is pushing for progress ahead of the U.N. General Assembly this month. Suleiman Al-Khalidi reports.

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani and U.S. envoy Tom Barrack plan to discuss Israel’s proposal for a new security agreement, presented to Damascus a few weeks ago, in London today. The Israeli proposal asks Syria to agree to a broad demilitarized zone and a no-fly zone on its territory with no changes to be made on the Israeli side of the border, two sources told Axiosyesterday. Barak Ravid reports."

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Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced yesterday that the Commission will propose to speed up the phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports, following a call with Trump. The bloc previously intended to end purchases of Russian oil and gas by 1 January 2028. Ananya Palyekar, Lili Bayer and Julia Payne report for Reuters.  

U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby has approved the first U.S weapons aid packages for Ukraine, and the supplies could be shipped soon, two sources told Reuters yesterday. This is the first use of a new mechanism for providing arms to Ukraine which uses U.S. weaponry stocks and funding from NATO countries. Jonathan Landay and Mike Stone report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia had launched more than 3,500 drones and nearly 190 missiles against Ukraine so far in September, describing the onslaught as an “aerial terror” operation."

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Thursday Middle East update:

"Dozens of Israeli tanks yesterday entered Sheikh Radwan, a major residential district of Gaza City, according to local residents and eyewitnesses. The district is considered one of the city's most densely populated areas. Israeli strikes have also cut off phone and internet services in the city, making it harder for Palestinians to call for help, the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said. The Israeli military said that it is looking into the incident and does not deliberately target public communication networks. Rushdi Abualouf reports for BBC News; Julia Frankel and Samy Magdy report for AP News.

No food aid has entered northern Gaza since Friday, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said yesterday, saying that Israel’s military had closed an important border crossing, Zikim, on that date. According to the office, aid groups have “grave concerns over fuel and food stock depletion” due to the closure. Separately, the Israeli military agency that manages aid to Gaza, COGAT, said that 230 aid trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday, including through the Zikim crossing. COGAT declined to explain the discrepancy between its account and the U.N. report. Cassandra Vinograd, Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, Gabby Sobelman, and Liam Stack report for the New York Times.

The destruction in Gaza could be turned into a “real estate bonanza” under a plan that is currently on Trump’s table, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said yesterday. Smotrich also said that he has “started negotiations with the Americans” because Israel “paid a lot of money for this war, so we need to divide how we make a percentage on the land marketing later in Gaza.” Babak Dehghanpisheh and Omer Bekin report for NBC News.

Edit to add:

The United Kingdom will this weekend formally recognise Palestine as a state ahead of the U.N. General Assembly next week, the Times reports, adding that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is delaying an announcement on the issue until after Trump’s visit concludes his state visit to Britain. Steven Swinford reports."

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Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz arrived in Ukraine today for talks on developing Poland’s drone capabilities, following the Russian incursion last week. “We will be signing an agreement concerning cooperation between the ministries, but also acquiring capabilities when it comes to operating drones”, Kosiniak-Kamysz said. AP News reports.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced yesterday that Denmark will acquire long-range precision weapons in response to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Frederiksen called it “a paradigm shift in Danish defense policy” and said “there is no doubt that Russia will be a threat to Denmark and Europe for many years.” Maya Tekeli and Jeffrey Gettleman report for the New York Times.

King Charles seemed to gently nudge US President Donald Trump on standing firm in Ukraine’s corner, during a lavish ceremony for Trump during his visit to the United Kingdom, when the British monarch recalled the US-UK alliance during World Wars I and II. “Today, as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace,” the king said. The comments came amid questions over whether Trump has put sufficient pressure on Putin to negotiate a peace deal.

Ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly “high-level” week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he would meet with Russian and Ukrainian delegations but was “not optimistic about the short-term progress in the peace process in Ukraine”. The two sides’ positions are too different, he said, with Ukraine driven by “a legitimate interest to preserve its territory” and Russia “determined to [do] something that would mean the occupation of large parts of Ukraine”."

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Friday Middle East update:

"The situation in Gaza City is “nothing short of cataclysmic,” a spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Olga Cherevko, told BBC News. Cherevko said that she witnessed “a constant stream of people crossing from the north to south [Gaza], many on foot” and multiple Israeli strikes “very close” to a U.N. convoy. Many people are unable to comply with Israel’s orders to evacuate the city, Cherevko added. David Gritten reports.

Israel today shut the land crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan until further notice after a driver bringing humanitarian aid from Jordan for Gaza opened fire and killed two Israeli military personnel there yesterday, according to the Israeli Airports Authority. The Israeli military said that a “terrorist arrived in a truck transporting humanitarian aid from Jordan, and opened fire.” Jordan condemned the incident and said it had launched an investigation. Raffi Berg reports for BBC News; Reutersreports.

The United States yesterday vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a dignified release of all hostages. It was the sixth time the United States has used its UNSC veto powers over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters."