Lebanon, 11-18-25

First, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (LEBANON 11-17-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

Washington cancels Lebanese army chief’s visit for condemning Israeli attacks: reports. From the Cradle. A scheduled visit by Lebanese Armed Forces commander Rudolphe Haikal to Washington was canceled over a recent army statement condemning Israel for its violations and attacks, Lebanese media outlets reported today. READ MORE . . .

   

TO BE CONTINUED

West Bank, 11-18-25

For now, links to three reports: from the Associated Press and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK 11-17-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON, GAZA and UKRAINE entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

   

1 Israeli killed and 3 wounded in West Bank stabbing as UN approves Trump’s Gaza plan, by Julia Frankel | AP  JERUSALEM — Palestinian attackers stabbed an Israeli to death and wounded three more in the West Bank today before being shot down by troops in the latest violence to rock the occupied territory, the Israeli military said — following a spate of settler attacks on Palestinians across . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

   

Israeli settlers torch homes and fields in fresh West Bank attack, by Mera Aladam and a correspondent | Middle East Eye JAB’A, Bethlehem, occupied Palestine — Israeli settlers set fire to Palestinian homes, vehicles and farmland in the latest attack in the occupied West Bank on Monday. READ MORE . . .

   

Israeli forces shoot Al Jazeera cameraperson and child in the occupied West Bank. From Middle East Eye. Israeli forces have opened fire on journalists in the occupied West Bank, shooting Al Jazeera cameraperson Fadi Yassin while he covered a Palestinian protest in Tulkarem. READ MORE . . .

   

TO BE CONTINUED

Gaza, 11-18-25

For now, links to six reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, Middle East Eye, Anadolu Ajansi, the Cradle, and Middle East Monitor; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 11-17-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

   

1 Israeli killed and 3 wounded in West Bank stabbing as UN approves Trump’s Gaza plan, by Julia Frankel | AP  JERUSALEM — Palestinian attackers stabbed an Israeli to death and wounded three more in the West Bank today before being shot down by troops in the latest violence to rock the occupied territory, the Israeli military said — following a spate of settler attacks on Palestinians across . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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After UN vote, Netanyahu calls for Hamas’ expulsion from the region, by Alexander Cornwell and Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  TEL AVIV / CAIRO — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today called for Hamas to be expelled from the region, a day after the U.N. Security Council endorsed President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war that offers the Palestinian militant group amnesty. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM NOV. 17  UN adopts U.S. plan for Gaza, including line on Palestinian statehood. From Middle East Eye. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday adopted a US-backed draft resolution outlining US President Donald Trump’s plans for Gaza’s future, including a line that envisions a future Palestinian state. The vote came down to . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Anadolu Ajansi.

   

Palestinian resistance rejects UNSC approval of U.S. ‘occupation plan’ for Gaza. From the Cradle. Palestinian resistance factions condemned the passing of the UN resolution approving U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan for Gaza, saying Washington’s initiative amounts to a “new form” of occupation. READ MORE . . .

   

Palestine welcomes UN Security Council resolution on Gaza. Palestine today welcomed the UN Security Council’s adoption on Monday of a U.S.-drafted resolution authorizing a Board of Peace and an International Stabilization Force in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Ukraine, 11-18-25

For now, links to eight reports: from the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, Kyiv Post, Tass, Reuters, and Anadolu Ajansi, and to  commentary from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 11-17-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON, WEST BANK and GAZA entries for today, so far, are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

   

Zelenskyy will visit Turkey in a new bid to jump-start talks with Russia over the war in Ukraine, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today he will travel to Turkey this week in an attempt to jump-start negotiations on ending Russia’s invasion. A senior Turkish official told AP the U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

   

160 Ukrainian energy workers have been killed as Russia pummels the power system, by Hanna Arhirova, Julia Demaree-Nikhinson, Volodymyr Yurchuk and Dmytro Zhyhinas | AP  Almost four years into Russia’s invasion, keeping Ukraine’s lights on has become a battle of its own. At least 160 energy workers have been killed, and more than 300 others wounded. Yet dozens of engineers repeatedly . . . READ MORE . . .

   

Ukrainian strikes leave majority of occupied Donetsk without power for second night, proxy leader says. From the Moscow Times. Nearly two-thirds of energy customers in eastern Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk region were left without power today following a second consecutive night of Ukrainian strikes on local energy infrastructure, Kremlin-installed officials said. READ MORE . . .

   

Blackouts may last all winter as Ukraine’s power generation losses overtake 30%, by Korbinian Leo Kramer | Kyiv Post  Ukraine may face rolling power outages “throughout the entire winter,” as Russian attacks continue to degrade the country’s electricity system and force increasingly severe consumption limits, Ukrenergo head Vitaliy Zaichenko said in an extensive interview published this week. READ MORE . . .

   

Russia is creating a devastating doom loop inside Ukraine’s energy system, by Dominic Culverwell and Luca Léry Moffat | The Kyiv Independent  Renewed Russian strikes on the energy system this fall are worse than ever, and after nearly four years of attacks, spare parts in Europe are scarce. Meanwhile, manufacturing new parts . . . READ MORE . . .

   

Russian troops liberate two communities in Ukraine operation over past day — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated two communities in the Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk Regions over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 17  EU’s von der Leyen says three options or combination could finance Ukraine, by Lily Bayer | Reuters European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a letter to European Union members on Monday that there are three options for meeting Ukraine’s financing needs, including a loan using frozen Russian assets, but a combination is also possible. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report in French from Anadolu.

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FROM NOV. 15  U.S.-Russia summit in Budapest is back on track, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The G7 foreign ministers meeting in Niagara, Canada, on November 11-12 turned out to be a significant event at a juncture when a pall of uncertainty had descended on the presidential dialogue between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. One may even sense . . . READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

Ukraine, 11-17-25

For today, links to five reports: from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, the Moscow Times, Agence France-Presse, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE 11-15-25 is HERE, or scroll down. LEBANON, WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

Ukraine plans to buy up to 100 Rafale warplanes and air defense systems from France, by Sylvie Corbet | AP  PARIS —  Ukraine today signed a letter of intent to buy up to 100 Rafale warplanes, drones, air defense systems and other key equipment from France over the next 10 years, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s long-term security. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

   

Ukraine’s $100 million energy scandal triggers resignations and tests Zelenskyy. Reported by Joanna Kakissis and A Martínez | NPR  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will reform state-owned energy companies after investigators accused his close associates of skimming millions from the country’s nuclear power company. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

   

Novorossiysk oil terminal resumes operations after Ukrainian attack. From the Moscow Times. Oil shipments from Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk have resumed, energy officials in Kazakhstan said on Monday, just days after a Ukrainian air attack damaged terminal infrastructure in the area. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM NOV. 16  Russia claims to have seized 2 new villages in southern Ukraine. From AFP. The Russian army on Sunday claimed to have captured two more villages in southern Ukraine, where its troops are slowly gaining ground against outnumbered Ukrainian forces. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AFP report in French, and HERE for headlines of others.

   

FROM NOV. 16  U.S., western states reject Russia-backed UN resolution condemning Nazism. From the Cradle. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Friday condemning the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism, and related practices promoting racism and intolerance. It received 114 votes in favor, 52 against, and 12 abstentions. READ MORE . . . 

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Lebanon, 11-17-25

For today, a link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (LEBANON 11-16-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

FROM NOV. 16  Her phone alarm still rings in Lebanon, days after an Israeli strike killed her. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  An Israeli air strike killed three children and their father weeks before they were due to emigrate to the U.S. Click HERE to listen and read.

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West Bank, 11-17-25

For today, a link to a report from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (WEST BANK 11-16-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, LEBANON, GAZA and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

   

FROM NOV. 16  Unpopular and politically weak, 90-year-old Palestinian leader struggles for a role in Gaza, by Lee Keath | AP  CAIRO — In office for 20 years, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas now holds authoritarian power in tiny pockets of the West Bank — for nearly the entire time failing to hold elections. He struggles for a say in a postwar Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Gaza, 11-17-25

For today, links to six reports: from Middle East Monitor, Anadolu Ajansi, the Associated Press, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 11-16-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, LEBANON, WEST BANK and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

   

Israeli army chief warns of rapid shift toward expanded aggression on Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Sunday that the Israeli army must be prepared to shift swiftly from defensive operations to a large-scale offensive aimed at occupying territory beyond the so-called “Yellow Line” in the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for Anadolu report in French, and HERE for others.

   

Most of Gaza’s schools are destroyed and hundreds of thousands of children cannot go back to class, by Wafaa Shurafa and Kareem Chehayeb | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip —More than 600,000 Palestinian children in Gaza have missed the past two years of school. Instead of studying and socializing, they  . . . Click HERE for report and photos.

   

Israel destroys Gaza’s historical palace, with over 20,000 artifacts looted, by Mohamed Majed and Betul Yilmaz | Anadolu Ajansi  GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL — Gaza’s historical and cultural heritage has not been spared Israeli bombardment during Tel Aviv’s two-year war, with over 20,000 rare artifacts spanning from prehistoric eras to the Ottoman period missing and looted. READ MORE . . .

   

FROM NOV. 16  Unpopular and politically weak, 90-year-old Palestinian leader struggles for a role in Gaza, by Lee Keath | AP  CAIRO — In office for 20 years, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas now holds authoritarian power in tiny pockets of the West Bank — for nearly the entire time failing to hold elections. He struggles for a say in a postwar Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

   

FROM NOV. 16  Palestinian coalition rejects U.S. ‘colonial’ plan for Gaza, by Elis Gjevori | Middle East Eye  The National Commission for Palestinian Popular Action issued a forceful statement on Sunday rejecting U.S. proposals to place Gaza under an externally imposed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Media, 11-17-25

For today, a link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (MEDIA 11-16-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, LEBANON, WEST BANK, and GAZA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

   

Former Meta exec Nick Clegg talks about his new book, How to Save the Internet. of NPR speaks with Nick Clegg, Meta’s former president of global affairs, about the book. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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West Bank, 11-16-25

For today, links to reports from Middle East Monitor and Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK 11-14-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON, IRAN, GAZA and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

   

FROM NOV. 15  Israel closes Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, imposes curfew on Palestinians for Jewish holiday. From Middle East Monitor.  Israeli forces have maintained a curfew on Palestinians in the Old City of Hebron in the southern West Bank and closed the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshippers to allow illegal settlers to mark a Jewish holiday, local activists said Saturday. READ MORE . . .

   

Israeli army kills Palestinian teen during northern West Bank raid: report, by Rania Abu Shamala | Anadolu Ajansi  ISTANBUL — A Palestinian teenager was killed and another wounded early Sunday during an Israeli military raid on the Askar refugee camp east of Nablus, northern West Bank, the Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported. READ MORE . . .

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