For today, links to two reports, both from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (Scroll down for WEST BANK 12-16-25 and scroll up for GAZA and LEBANON.) — MCM

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Israeli army arrests 40 Palestinians in West Bank raids. From Middle East Monitor. At least 40 Palestinians were rounded up by the Israeli army in military raids across the occupied West Bank, a prisoners’ rights group said today, Anadolu Agency reports. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 16  Palestinian shot dead by illegal settler in occupied West Bank. From Middle East Monitor. A Palestinian was killed in a new attack by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Palestinian authorities said, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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Links to two reports and to an article of commentary — from Middle East Monitor and Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Scroll down for WEST BANK 12-13-25 and for GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Israeli settlers burn olive trees near Ramallah. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli settlers raided Burqa village, east of Ramallah, on Monday evening and set fire to several olive trees. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli premier storms Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque to celebrate Jewish Hanukkah holiday, by Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem today to celebrate the Jewish Hanukkah holiday. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu: I am the law, and Israel is Über alles. When leaders treat accountability as optional, by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  When a leader insists on operating as though the rules did not apply to him, it isn’t simply an affront to a set of abstractions. READ MORE . . . 

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Links to two reports and to an article of commentary — from the Cradle, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Scroll down for GAZA 12-15-25 and up or down for WEST BANK, UKRAINE and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Hamas rejects foreign presence in Gaza, says ISF to ‘only monitor border.’ From the Cradle. A senior Hamas official said today Palestinians will be responsible for security in post-war Gaza, as Washington continues to struggle to assemble the International Stabilization Force envisioned in U.S. President Donald Trump’s “peace plan.” READ MORE . . . 

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FROM DEC. 15  Trump says U.S. to investigate Israel’s assassination of Hamas official as ceasefire, by Sean Mathews | Middle East Eye  The U.S. is examining whether Israel violated a Gaza ceasefire by assassinating a senior Hamas official, President Donald Trump said on Monday. READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu: I am the law, and Israel is Über alles. When leaders treat accountability as optional, by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  When a leader insists on operating as though the rules did not apply to him, it isn’t simply an affront to a set of abstractions. READ MORE . . . 

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Links to five reports: from Reuters, the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Scroll down for UKRAINE 12-15-25 and up or down for WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA.) — MCM

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Europe launches international commission for Ukraine war damages, by Anthony Deutsch and Stephanie van den Berg | Reuters  THE HAGUE — Europe launched an International Claims Commission for Ukraine today in an effort to ensure Kyiv is compensated for hundreds of billions of dollars in damage from . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy says proposals to end the war in Ukraine could be presented to Russia within days, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says proposals being negotiated with U.S. officials for a deal to end the fighting in Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion of his country could be finalized within days, after which American envoys will present them to the Kremlin before possible further meetings in the U.S. next weekend. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Zelensky says Russia continues to demand all of Donbas, adding that Ukraine will not withdraw, by Oleksiy Sorokin | The Kyiv Independent  President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian negotiations position “has not changed yet,” and that “they want our Donbas. And we do not want to give away our Donbas.” READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops liberate Novoplatonovka in Kharkov Region over past day — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated the community of Novoplatonovka in the Kharkov Region over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Moscow to assess EU leaders’ statement on guarantees to Kiev once it sees text — Kremlin. From Tass. MOSCOW — Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin had seen only media reports about the joint statement by EU leaders on security guarantees for Kiev. READ MORE . . .

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Links to an article of commentary from ScheerPost and to a report from Ken Klippenstein on Substack; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (Scroll down for MEDIA 12-15-25, and scroll up for WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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FROM DEC. 13  Trump’s ‘end of history’ moment, by Patrick Lawrence | Original to ScheerPost  As of last weekend we know how Pam Bondi, Trump’s patently fascistic AG, intends to interpret National Security Presidential Memorandum 7. This is by way of a Justice Department memorandum Ken Klippenstein, the exemplary investigative journalist, reported on. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Dec. 6 report from Ken Klipperstein titled “Trump’s Enemies List Meets Media Blackout.”

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For today, a link to a report from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (Scroll down for SYRIA 12-13-25 and for today’s GAZA, MEDIA, UKRAINE and COVID ETC,.) — MCM

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Israeli military expansion in Syria raises tensions as they carve out a buffer zone, by Kareem Chehayeb | AP  BEIRUT — An Israeli army raid last month in the village of Beit Jin in southwestern Syria and similar recent Israeli actions inside the country have increased tensions, frustrated locals and also scuttled chances — despite U.S. pressure — of any imminent thaw in relations between the two neighbors. Click HERE for report, a map and photos.

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For today, a link to an article of commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (Scroll down for GAZA 12-14-25 and for SYRIA, UKRAINE, MEDIA and COVID ETC..) — MCM

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In Gaza’s ruins, winter storms become a fight for survival, by Tasnim Nazeer | Middle East Monitor  Winter has arrived in Gaza not as a change of season, but as a new and deadly phase of suffering. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to seven reports: from the Kyiv Independent, the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, National Public Radio, Kyiv Post, and Tass; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (Scroll down for UKRAINE 12-14-25 and up or down for SYRIA, GAZA, MEDIA and COVID ETC..) — MCM

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Ukraine hails ‘real progress’ toward peace after talks with U.S. envoys in Berlin, by Martin Fornusek and news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Kyiv and Washington made “real progress” toward peace in Ukraine during two-day talks in Berlin, top security official and negotiator Rustem Umerov said today. READ MORE . . .

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Latest round of talks between Ukraine, U.S. conclude as Trump seeks swift peace, by Stefanie Dazio | AP  BERLIN — The latest round of talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. envoys ended Monday as they and European allies seek an end to Russia’s nearly four-year war. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Russia’s Central Bank seeks $230bln from Euroclear over frozen assets. From the Moscow Times. Russia’s Central Bank has filed a lawsuit seeking 18.2 trillion rubles ($229 billion) in damages from Europe’s largest securities depository Euroclear, the Interfax news agency reported today. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian president meets with U.S. envoys in Berlin, continuing peace talks. Reported by Joanna Kakissis and A Martínez | NPR  Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with Trump administration negotiators in Berlin today in continued talks on how to end war between Russia and Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

For today, links to five reports from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, and ABC News, and to an article of commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Scroll down for MEDIA 12-13-25 entry, or up or down for SYRIA, GAZA, UKRAINE and COVID ETC..) — MCM

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Entertainment industry remembers Rob Reiner’s six-decade career in TV and film. Reported by Mandalit del Barco and Steve Inskeep | NPR  Rob Reiner’s career as an actor and director spanned six decades. The entertainment industry is honoring his legacy and mourning the reported deaths of Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for later, mid-morning, report from AP.

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FROM DEC. 14  From asbestos to soap to paper, Hollywood has used many tricks to let it (fake) snow over the years. Reported by Danny Hensel | NPR  Many beloved holiday movies share this one special effect: fake snow. We look at the history of fake snow and the technology behind crafting it has evolved. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM DEC. 13  Pink Floyd’s drummer Nick Mason reflects on 50 years of ‘Wish You Were Here.’ Reported by Ryan Benk and Rob Schmitz | NPR  Schmitz speaks with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason about the band’s epic album “Wish You Were Here” — reissued 50 years after its release. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM DEC. 13  Affable comedy acting legend Dick Van Dyke turns 100 years old. From AP. Comedy icon Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, hitting the century mark some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in “Mary Poppins” and starred in his self-titled sitcom. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for Dec. 12 report from ABC News.

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Why WSJ amplifies collaborators instead of Palestinian voices, by Ahmed Asmar | Middle East Monitor   Once again, the Wall Street Journal has chosen to offer its pages not to genuine Palestinian voices, but to figures who align explicitly with Israeli agendas in Gaza. READ MORE . . .

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For today, a link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (COVD ETC., 12-1-25 is HERE or scroll way down.  Scroll up for SYRIA, GAZA, MEDIA, and UKRAINE.) — MCM

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FDA commissioner on public’s growing mistrust in the government’s health advice. Steve Inskeep of NPR asks FDA Commissioner Marty Makary about recent controversies around the COVID and Hepatitis B vaccines, and the lack of trust in the government’s medical advice. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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