For today, links to five reports: from Al-Jazeera, Reuters, Agence-France-Presse, Middle East Eye, and Anadolu Ajansi, and to commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (LEBANON 11-13-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, GAZA, IRAN and MEDIA entries HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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UN peacekeepers say Israeli forces fire on them in southern Lebanon. From Al-Jazeera. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon says Israeli soldiers have shot at its peacekeepers in their latest targeting of UNIFIL as Israel continues to attack Lebanon on a near-daily basis in violation of a yearlong ceasefire in its war against Hezbollah. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters, and HERE for one from AFP in French.

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Israeli army cites ‘poor weather conditions’ as reason for firing at UN peacekeepers. From Middle East Eye. The Israeli army said that its soldiers fired at UN Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeepers from a tank in southern Lebanon due to “poor weather conditions”, which meant they mistook the observers for “suspects.” READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 15  Lebanon to file UN complaint over Israeli wall building in south, by Mohammad Sio | Anadolu Ajansi   ISTANBUL — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has instructed the Foreign Ministry to file an urgent complaint with the UN Security Council over Israel’s construction of a concrete wall in southern Lebanon that extends . . . READ MORE . . .

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Holier than thou, now hollow: Hezbollah, Israel, and Tom Barrack’s ignominious fall, by Jasim Al-Azzawi | Middle East Monitor  The Middle East is once again standing at the lip of an abyss. Hezbollah refuses to disarm. Israel vows it will force the issue. Washington, amplifying its threats through its envoy Tom Barrack, has delivered an ultimatum that sounds less like diplomacy and more like . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (IRAN 11-15-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, LEBANON, GAZA and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Iran’s foreign minister says the nation is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, by Jon Gambrell | AP  TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghachi said today that Tehran is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, a signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program. It was Iran’s most direct response yet regarding its nuclear program following . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others in Spanish.

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FROM NOV. 15  Iran says it seized Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in Gulf. From Middle East Eye. Iran confirmed on Saturday that it had seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf. Local media said . . .READ MORE . . .   Click HERE and HERE for AP / AP report in English and Spanish, and HERE for others in Spanish, and HERE and HERE for report from AFP / AFP.

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For today, links to five reports: from the Cradle (including map from Drop Site News), the Guardian, and Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA 11-14-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, LEBANON, IRAN and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM 

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FROM NOV. 14  U.S. outlines plan for a divided Gaza under Israeli, foreign troop control. From the Cradle. The U.S. is planning the long-term division of Gaza into a reconstructed “green zone” under Israeli and foreign military control and a “red zone” left in ruin,the Guardian reported on Friday. Click HERE for report, HERE for report and map from Drop Site News, and HERE for beginning of report from the Guardian.

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Trump considers skipping disarmament phase of Gaza plan amid deadlock: report. From the Cradle. The U.S. is looking to “forgo” the stage of the Gaza ceasefire initiative, which involves deploying an international security force to the strip to disarm Hamas and other Palestinian resistance factions, Israeli media reported over the weekend. READ MORE . . .

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Ex-UN rapporteur who probed Israeli violations faces interrogation in Canada, by Serdar Dincel | Anadolu Ajansi  ISTANBUL — A former UN special rapporteur who investigated Israel’s violations against Palestinians said he was questioned by Canadian officials on “national security” grounds while traveling to Canada this week to participate in a Gaza-related event. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Anadolu report in French.

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For today, links to two reports from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (MEDIA 11-15-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK, LEBANON, IRAN and GAZA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 15  Right-wing media shrugs off latest Epstein document release. Reported by Shannon Bond | NPR What do thousands of pages of newly released material reveal about the well-documented relationship between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump? Not much of anything, according to some . . . Click HERE to listen and read, and HERE for a Nov. 16 NPR report.

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(NOTE: Lately entries have been fewer, later, and shorter than previously. Perhaps they’ll be back to normal soon. Visitors are encouraged to go to news sites directly for fresher news and commentary.)

NOTE: “So far” means so far.

First, links to a report from National Public Radio and to brief video from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (IRAN 11-14-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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How Iranian authorities target businesses dealing with women not covering their heads. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  Instead of arresting women who shun the hijab head covering, Iran is targeting the cafes where they gather. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM NOV. 12  Women on motorbikes zipping through streets of Iran’s capital are the latest sign of societal change. Video by Saeed Sarmadi of AP. When 38-year-old Merat Behnam first gathered enough courage to drive her yellow motorbike through the gridlocked streets of Iran’s capital to the coffee shop she runs, traffic wasn’t her main worry. Click HERE to read more, and for video.

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TO BE CONTINUED

(NOTE: Lately entries have been fewer, later, and shorter than previously. Perhaps they’ll be back to normal soon. Visitors are encouraged to go to news sites directly for fresher news and commentary.)

NOTE: “So far” means so far.

First, a link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (UKRAINE 11-14-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  IRAN and MEDIA entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Some updates on the conflict in Ukraine. Reported by Scott Simon and Joanna Kakissis | NPR  As Ukrainian troops struggle to defend a key city in Ukraine’s east, a widening energy corruption scandal in Kyiv implicates a close associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and forces resignations in his cabinet. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

(NOTE: Lately entries have been fewer, later, and shorter than previously. Perhaps they’ll be back to normal soon. Visitors are encouraged to go to news sites directly for fresher news and commentary.)

For now, links to three pieces of commentary: from Caitlin’s Newsletter via Consortium News, and from Drop Site News and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (MEDIA 11-14-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  IRAN and UKRAINE entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 14  Burying the real Epstein story, by Caitlin Johnstone | Caitlin’s Newsletter / Consortium News One of the craziest things happening right now is how there’s been report after report confirming that Jeffrey Epstein really was an Israeli intelligence operative, based on publicly available documents, and yet it’s had no measurable impact on mainstream media or politics. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 11  Israeli spy stayed for weeks at a time with Jeffrey Epstein in Manhattan, by Ryan Grim and Murtaza Hussain | Drop Site News  With the looming end of the U.S. government shutdown amid a deal in the Senate, the House will soon be swearing in Adelita Grijalva to her rightful seat from Arizona, after a historic delay at the hands of Speaker Mike Johnson, taking direction from President Donald Trump, all aimed at . . . READ MORE . . .

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Pope Leo’s hope-inspiring favorite films. Commentary by Scott Simon | NPR  The pope meets movie stars and directors at the Vatican today, including . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to three reports: from Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (WEST BANK 11-13-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, UKRAINE, IRAN and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Israeli forces storm town near Ramallah, occupied West Bank. From Middle East Eye. Israeli forces stormed the town of Sarda, north of Ramallah, today, Wafa news agency reported. READ MORE . . .

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UN chief condemns Israeli settlers attack on mosque in West Bank. From Middle East Monitor. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has condemned an attack by settlers on a mosque in the north of the occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 14  Unchecked Israeli violence displaced 30,000 West Bank Palestinians in 2025: UNRWA. From the Cradle. Over 30,000 Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank have been internally displaced by the Israeli army and settlers since January of this year, UNRWA reported on 13 October, amid a spike in settler violence in recent weeks. READ MORE . . .

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For now, links to reports from Middle East Eye and Middle East Monitor, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA 11-13-25 is HERE, or scroll down. WEST BANK, UKRAINE, IRAN and MEDIA entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Fears of ‘catastrophic consequences’ in Gaza as rain floods tents. From Middle East Eye. Heavy rain flooded the tents of displaced Palestinians in Gaza today, as forecast thunderstorms threaten “catastrophic consequences” for nearly two million people without shelter. READ MORE . . .

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Report: 25 countries supplied Israel with oil during Gaza war. Middle East Monitor. A new report released on Thursday by the non-governmental organisation Oil Change International says that 25 countries supplied Israel with oil during the war in the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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Indonesia says 20,000 troops trained for Gaza ‘stabilization force.’ From the Cradle. Indonesia announced today it has trained up to 20,000 troops for the International Security Force envisioned in U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘peace plan’ for the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, links to just two reports: from the Associated Press and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 11-13-25 is HERE, or scroll down. IRAN and MEDIA entries are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv kills 6 people and injures at least 35, by Hanna Arhirova, Samya Kullab and Vasilisa Stepanenko | AP  KYIV — Russia unleashed a major missile and drone barrage on Kyiv early today, killing six people, leaving gaping holes in apartment buildings and starting fires as the sound of explosions boomed across the city and lit up the night sky. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Major Ukrainian drone strike halts oil deliveries at Novorossiysk terminal. From the Moscow Times. Oil deliveries to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk were suspended after Ukrainian strikes damaged key energy infrastructure in one of the most disruptive overnight attacks on the Krasnodar region in recent months, Reuters reported today, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter. READ MORE . . .

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