For today, links to six reports: from Asharq Al-Awsat, Middle East Monitor, the Cradle, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking their names or initials below. (Scroll down for GAZA 1-14-26 and IRAN and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Ali Shaath appointed head of Gaza administration committee. From Asharq Al-Awsat. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye announced on Wednesday the formation of a Palestinian technocratic committee to administer the Gaza Strip, headed by Ali Shaath. This follows changes to the committee’s membership and broader political maneuvering that point to an imminent transfer of governance from Hamas. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for this and other Asharq Al-wsat reports in Arabic.

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Ali Shaath says rebuilding Gaza is a humanitarian priority, will take 7 years. From Middle East Monitor. Ali Shaath, head of the Gaza Strip Management Committee (the technocrats committee), said his main task is to secure decent living conditions that protect human dignity in Gaza. Based on his professional experience, he said the Strip needs seven years of serious work to return in a better state than it was before. READ MORE . . .

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Palestinian factions discuss ‘phase two’ of Gaza truce as Israel continues indiscriminate attacks. From the Cradle. A senior Hamas delegation and representatives of other Palestinian factions met in the Egyptian capital Cairo on 15 January to discuss the newly announced second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which comes despite Tel Aviv’s continued violations and failure to adhere to the terms of phase one. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu says the announced start of Gaza ceasefire’s next phase is a ‘declarative move,’ by Wafaa Shurafa and Sam Metz | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cast the U.S. announcement that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza would advance to its second phase as largely symbolic, raising questions about how its more challenging elements will be carried out. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

Death and displacement in Gaza months into ceasefire, by Maha Hussaini | Middle East Eye  GAZA CITY, occupied Palestine  With continued Israeli restrictions on border crossings, aid, and goods, residents feel the situation has merely shifted from an intense genocide to a slower-paced one. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. says second phase of Gaza ceasefire has begun, but major challenges remain. Reported by Aya Batrawy and A Martínez | NPR  The White House says the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is moving into its second phase, which includes the demilitarization of Gaza, a key point in President Trump’s peace plan. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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For today, links to two reports, from Middle East Monitor and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Scroll down for IRAN 1-14-26 and up or down for GAZA and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Israel sees U.S. attack on Iran as possible within days. From Middle East Monitor. Israel believes the United States could launch an attack on Iran within the coming days, according to the Hebrew Broadcasting Authority. The report said Israeli estimates suggest Washington would give Tel Aviv a warning several hours before any action. READ MORE . . .

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How the Trump administration’s threats to Iran are stoking tensions in the region. Michel Martin of NPR talks with Vali Nasr, a professor of Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University, about how President Trump’s threats against Iran are escalating regional tensions. READ MORE . . .

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One way to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day is to order James W. Douglass’s new book, Martyrs to the Unspeakable: The Assassinations of JFK, Malcolm, Martin, and RFK, from a bookstore or public library. Below, a recommendation from northern Berkshire County resident Stewart Burns, and a link to a review by southern Berkshire County resident Edward Curtin. (Scroll down for MEDIA 1-14-26, and scroll up for GAZA and IRAN.) — MCM

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‘Crystal clear,’ by Stewart Burns*.  James Douglass’s earlier bestseller, JFK and the Unspeakable, presented an ironclad case that President Kennedy was murdered by the CIA because he turned into a true peacemaker, determined to end the Cold War. Martyrs to the Unspeakable picks up where he left off. Going beyond the how of the assassinations, he makes crystal clear the case for why.

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FROM OCT. 27, 2025  A luminous tapestry, by Edward Curtin** | Behind the Curtain  Douglass’s genius is to cut to the heart of the matter – to find redemptive meaning in the great mishmash of facts and awaken this compassionate spirit in the reader, just as his subjects had to discover it in the circumstances into which life had tossed them. Just as we do. Click HERE for full review.

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* Burns is the author of To the Mountaintop: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Sacred Mission to Save America (2004), and four other books.

** Curtin is the author, most recently, of At the Lost and Found: Personal and Political Dispatches of Resistance and Hope (2025).

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For today, links to eleven reports: from Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, the Cradle, Agencia EFE, Middle East Eye, and National Public Radio; others or at least headlines may be accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Scroll down for IRAN 1-13-26 and UKRAINE, GAZA and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Iran strike on U.S. Qatar base shows ability ‘to respond to attack’: Khamenei adviser.  From AFP. A senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned President Donald Trump today that an Iranian strike in June 2025 on an American base in Qatar had demonstrated its ability to respond to any attack. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for similar report from AFP (with sudouest.fr) in French, and HERE for headlines of others.

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Some personnel at key U.S. base in Qatar advised to evacuate. Edited by Bridget Brown and Sara Aboubakr | AP  Some personnel at Qatar’s Al Udeid, a key U.S. military base, have been advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening, a U.S. official said. The decision came as a senior official in Iran brought up an earlier Iranian attack there. READ MORE . . .

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Iran signals fast trials and executions for protesters as crackdown death toll exceeds 2,500, by Jon Gambrell | AP  DUBAI — Iran’s judiciary head said today there would be fast trials and executions ahead for suspects detained in nationwide protests despite a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for a Jan. 13 report from AP.

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Israeli, Arab officials urge Trump to ‘hold back’ on striking Iran: report. From the Cradle. Israeli and Arab officials are urging US President Donald Trump to “hold back” on attacking Iran until the Islamic Republic has been further weakened by unrest, sources told NBC News on Tuesday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 13  Russia rejects possibility of a U.S. attack and increased tariffs on Iran’s partners. From EFE. Moscow — Russia on Tuesday rejected both the threat of a potential United States military attack on Iranian territory and the possibility of increased tariffs on the Islamic Republic’s trading partners. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same EFE report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM JAN. 13  Iranian intelligence says seizes U.S.-made weapons, explosives smuggled by western-backed rioters.  From the Cradle. Iranian intelligence has announced the seizure of guns, ammunition, and over 200 kilograms of explosives from foreign-backed cells that participated in the instigation of riots across the country. READ MORE . . .

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How the internet blackout in Iran opened the door to a deadly crackdown on protests. From Middle East Eye. It has been 18 days since the first demonstrations began in Tehran, sparked by economic woes that have gravely impacted Iranians’ ability to afford the very basic necessities. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 13  Trump calls on Iranians to keep protesting but the death toll is rising. Reported by Rob Schmitz and Jackie Northam | NPR  Help is on its way. That was President Trump’s message on social media today to anti-government protesters in Iran as he urged them to continue taking to the streets. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JAN. 13  How Trump may act on Iran — and why. Rob Schmitz of NPR speaks with former National Security Adviser John Bolton about the protests in Iran. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JAN. 13  Iran expert talks about the Trump administration’s strategy with Iran. Steve Inskeep of NPR speaks with Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Inskeep asks if this feels like a moment when Iran’s longtime government could fall. Click HERE to listen and read.

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For today, links to two reports from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (Scroll down for UKRAINE 1-13-26, and up or down for IRAN, GAZA and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Ukraine’s new defense minister reveals scale of desertions as millions avoid the draft, by Illia Novikovy | AP  KYIV — Wide-scale desertions and 2 million draft-dodgers are among a raft of challenges facing Ukraine’s military as Russia presses on with its invasion of its neighbor after almost four years of fighting, the new defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said today. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM JAN. 13  Russia attacks Ukraine’s power grid again in freezing temperatures, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Russia launched a second major drone and missile bombardment of Ukraine in four days, officials said Tuesday, aiming again at the power grid amid freezing temperatures — almost 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles and seven cruise missiles at eight regions overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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For today, a link to a report from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (Scroll down for GAZA 1-13-26, and up or down for IRAN, UKRAINE and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Trump administration ‘to unveil’ U.S.-led Palestinian committee to run Gaza, by Elis Gjevori | Middle East Eye  The United States is preparing to unveil a committee of Palestinian technocrats to govern the Gaza Strip, according to Arab and American media reports today. According to Al Araby TV, a senior Hamas source said the group has no objection to the proposed names for membership of the committee. READ MORE . . .

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Two links: to a report from Middle East Eye, and to an article of commentary from Behind the Curtain via ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Scroll down for MEDIA 1-11-26, and scroll up for IRAN, UKRAINE and GAZA.) — MCM

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How the internet blackout in Iran opened the door to a deadly crackdown on protests. From Middle East Eye. A media battle has also intensified alongside the unrest. Both the government and Persian-language media linked to monarchists, backed by Israel and the United States, are circulating fake and inaccurate news, as well as photos and videos created by AI. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 12  Swinging on a double action heinous hinge with Donald Trump, by Edward Curtin | Behind the Curtin / Original to ScheerPost   He is screen culture personified. And the digital internet media — it must be emphasized — are controlled by the telecommunications corporations working with the government to control the people’s minds and quash dissent. READ MORE . . .

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For today, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (Scroll down for YEMEN 1-9-26 and for GAZA, IRAN, VENEZUELA and PHOTO.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 12  Revenues of Israel’s Eilat Port ‘drop to zero’ due to Yemen’s pro-Palestine operations. From the Cradle. The port of Eilat, Israel’s strategic southern anchor, is “almost completely paralyzed,” Israeli media reported on 12 January, following more than two years of disruptions to Red Sea shipping lanes, attacks on vessels, and geopolitical uncertainty caused by the Yemeni Armed Forces. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to five reports: from the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, National Public Radio, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking their names or initials below. (Scroll down for GAZA 1-11-26 and up and down for YEMEN, IRAN, VENEZUELA and PHOTO so far.) — MCM

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Howling winds collapse walls on Gaza tent camps, killing 4. A 1-year-old boy dies of hypothermia, by Waffa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — At least four people died overnight in Gaza from walls collapsing onto their tents as strong winds lashed the Palestinian coastal territory, hospital authorities said today. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Gaza ‘dying slowly’ amid collapsing buildings and severe cold, by Mera Aladam | Middle East Eye  The Ministry of Health director general called the current situation the “engineering of slow death”: “When genocide is managed through starvation, genocide in Gaza is no longer carried out by bombs alone.” He said medicine, vitamins, healthy food and infant formula are mostly denied entry to the strip. READ MORE . . .

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Markets and restaurants return to Gaza, but few can afford the expensive price tag. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Anas Baba | NPR  New eateries are popping up in Gaza after months of famine, but it’s pricey and many people still rely on aid to survive. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JAN. 12 Israel demolishes 2,500 buildings in Gaza after October ceasefire. From the Cradle. Israel has demolished more than 2,500 buildings in Gaza since the start of the so-called ceasefire with Hamas two months ago, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing analysis of satellite imagery from Planet Labs. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 12  Leaked documents reveal UAE proposal to back Israel’s genocide in Gaza ‘by all means necessary.’ From the Cradle. A leaked document obtained by the EmirateLeaks outlet has revealed an Emirati government proposal to use UAE bases in the Red Sea to provide direct military, intelligence, and logistical support to Israel throughout its war on Gaza. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, the Cradle, and Middle East Eye; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Scroll down for IRAN 1-12-26, and up or down for YEMEN, GAZA, VENEZUELA and PHOTO.) — MCM

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Death toll from nationwide protests in Iran spikes to at least 2,000, activists say, by Jon Gambrell | AP  DUBAI — The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran spiked today to at least 2,000 people killed, activists said, even as Iranians made phone calls abroad for the first time in days after authorities severed communications during a crackdown. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for a second Jan. 13 report from AP.

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At least 734 people killed In Iran protest crackdown: rights group. From AFP. At least 734 people are confirmed to have been killed in an Iranian security force crackdown on protests, though the actual death toll is likely in the thousands, a rights group said today. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for similar AFP report in French, and HERE for headlines of others.

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FROM JAN. 12  Millions take to the streets of Iran in mass counterprotests against riots, foreign interference. From the Cradle. Millions of Iranian citizens have taken to the streets across Iran to reject the violent riots taking place across the country and take a stance against foreign interference, following continuous threats of war from the U.S. and Israel. READ MORE . . .

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Iranian protesters reject U.S. and Israeli interference, by correspondent in Iran and Alex MacDonald | Middle East Eye  TEHRAN / LONDON  Since June 2025, when Israel launched air strikes that killed around 1,000 people in the country, speculations over a military operation to oust the Iranian government have been growing — bolstered by the U.S. kidnapping of Iran ally Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. READ MORE . . .

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Trump announces 25 percent tariff on countries doing business with Iran. From Middle East Eye. U.S. President Donald Trump said he was imposing a tariff rate of 25 percent on any country that does business with Iran, as an anonymous Iranian official reportedly said 2,000 protesters have been killed in the crackdown. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 12  European Parliament bans Iranian diplomats from all premises. From the Cradle. The European Parliament has formally banned all Iranian diplomatic staff, government officials, and representatives from entering all of its buildings, Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced on Monday. READ MORE . . .

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