NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to four reports: from the Moscow Times, Reuters, and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll down for today’s IRAN, MEDIA, GAZA, SYRIA and YEMEN, and for UKRAINE 8-23-26.) — MCM

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CIA director arrives in Moscow for ‘meetings,’ reports say. From the Moscow Times. CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow today aboard a U.S. military transport plane, Axios and CBS News reported, with sources saying . . . READ MORE . . .

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Senior Vatican official calls for peace in Ukraine after meeting with Lavrov in Moscow. From Reuters. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, whose position at the Vatican is analogous to a foreign minister, said today that as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, it “creates new victims . . . and renders future reconciliation ever more difficult.” READ MORE . . .

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Deadly Ukrainian strikes in southern Russia force oil refinery to shut down. From the Moscow Times. At least two people were killed in a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks in southern Russia that targeted two oil refineries, forcing at least one facility to halt operations, regional officials said. READ MORE . . .

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Putin decree allows Russia to take control of key sites hit by Ukrainian drones. From AP. Russian President Vladimir Putin has decreed that the state can temporarily seize control of critical infrastructure facilities if private owners fail to protect them from Ukrainian drone attacks or rebuild them after the strikes. Click HERE for report including video and photos. Click HERE for most of same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to six reports: from the Cradle, Middle East Eye, Reuters, and the Associated Press; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, MEDIA, GAZA, SYRIA and YEMEN, and down for IRAN 8-24-26.) — MCM

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Tehran announces discovery of massive new gas field. From the Cradle. Iran said on Sunday that it discovered a new gas field in the country’s waters worth over 200 billion cubic meters, coinciding with U.S.-Israeli threats to attack Iranian energy infrastructure and following the announcement of Washington’s plans for an economic war against Tehran. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. promises ‘asphyxiation’ of Islamic Republic as it imposes new sanctions, by Alex MacDonald | Middle East Eye  The U.S. has promised the “asphyxiation” of the Islamic Republic as it imposed harsh new sanctions on Iran and threatened those who traded with it. READ MORE . . . Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters and AP.

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FROM AUG. 24  Iran blacklists 45 vessels for ‘violating’ Hormuz regulations. From the Cradle. Iran announced on Sunday that it has blacklisted nearly two dozen tankers it said violated its new regulations in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that it will continue to take action against ships failing to adhere to the demands of its naval forces. READ MORE . . . 

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to reports from the Associated Press and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, IRAN, GAZA, SYRIA and YEMEN, and down for MEDIA 8-23-26.) — MCM

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here is a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, IRAN, MEDIA, SYRIA and YEMEN, and down for GAZA 8-21-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 24  Israel kills three Palestinians in Gaza after kites cross border fence. From the Cradle. Israeli forces killed three Palestinians in Gaza, including a four-year-old child, on Sunday, in response to several kites that harmlessly floated across the border fence into Israel. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here are links to reports from the Cradle and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, IRAN, MEDIA, GAZA and YEMEN, and down for SYRIA 8-23-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 24  Syria, Israel hold U.S.-mediated talks in Jordan following Israeli strikes. From the Cradle. Syria and Israel held high-level, U.S.-mediated talks in Jordan on Sunday, allegedly aimed at reducing tensions following recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 24  Trump removes Syria from ‘terrorism list,‘ by Yasmine El-Sabawi | Middle East Eye  WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Monday formally removed Syria from the State Sponsor of Terrorism blacklist, in a landmark move that unlocks export restrictions and allows for the U.S. to supply military aid to the country. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: Nobody reads this blog. But . . .

Here is a link to a report from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up for today’s UKRAINE, IRAN, MEDIA, GAZA and SYRIA, and down for YEMEN 8-12-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 24  Yemen’s Houthis claim strikes on Saudi oil tanker, troop concentrations. From Middle East Monitor. The Houthi group said Monday that it had carried out three operations targeting a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea and Saudi troop concentrations in eastern Yemen, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to the first of a pair of essays from the Floutist; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll down for today’s ALL OF IT and for IRAN 8-23-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 18  Why can’t we see ourselves as we are? by Patrick Lawrence | The Floutist  The other night I watched a documentary called “Coup 53,” a brilliant treatment of the Anglo–American operation that deposed Mohammad Mossadegh as prime minister of Iran in the year the film notes in its title. Taghi Amirani, the director, has produced a superb piece of work, narrated in part by the estimable Steve Kinzer. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up for today’s IRAN so far, and down for ALL OF IT 8-19-26.) — MCM

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A link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll down for today’s SYRIA, IRAN and UKRAINE, and for MEDIA 8-19-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 22  In which ‘Winnie the Pooh’ turns 100. Reported by Samantha Balaban | NPR  A kids’ book celebrates its 100th anniversary and the relationship between author A.A. Milne and illustrator Ernest H. Shepard. It’s called How a Bear Became a Book: The Collaboration That Created Winnie-the-Pooh. Click HERE to listen and read.

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A link to a discussion from Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up or down for today’s MEDIA, IRAN and UKRAINE, and down for SYRIA 8-22-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 22  Neo-Israelites vs. neo-Ottomans. Joe Lauria of Consortium News talks with retired CIA analyst Ray McGovern and former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter — for more than two and a half hours — about the nature of Ukraine’s defense industry; who’s “really in charge” in Washington; the Western media; the Stars and Stripes and the firing of its publisher, its editor and a Middle East correspondent; interrelations between Turkey, Israel, Syria, Russia, Gaza, Hamas; and other topics. Click HERE before for text of intro by Lauria and video of talk.

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