Links to four reports, from National Public Radio and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (GAZA, UKRAINE and SYRIA entries for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Many in the medical community oppose RFK Jr.’s confirmation as head of the HHS. Reported by Will Stone and Ayesha Rascoe | NPR  Many doctors and public health workers have come out against the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the Department of Health and Human Services. A look at his supporters and detractors. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JAN. 25  The CIA believes COVID most likely originated from a lab but has low confidence in its own finding, by David Klepper | AP  WASHINGTON — The CIA now believes the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic most likely originated from a laboratory, according to an assessment released Saturday that points the finger at China even while . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 24  Trump ends Fauci’s security detail and says he’d feel no responsibility if harm befell him, by Will Weissert and Zeke Miller | AP  FLETCHER, N.C. — President Donald Trump has ended the federal security detail for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the infectious disease expert who advised him on the COVID-19 pandemic, a person familiar with the matter said Friday. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Jan. 20 report from AP.

A link to a chapter in a forthcoming book from Clarity Press via ScheerPost; other articles are accessible by clicking on its name. (GAZA, UKRAINE, SYRIA and COVID ETC. entries for this date, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN.  25  The life and public assassination of President John F. Kennedy, by Edward Curtin | Original to ScheerPost  In light of the news that President Trump has signed an executive order for a “plan” for the release of the JFK assassination files, the following article, that will appear in my upcoming book from Clarity Press, At the Lost and Found, seems appropriate. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to three reports from the Associated Press, Middle East Monitor, and Middle East Eye; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (WEST BANK, SYRIA, LEBANON and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Hamas frees 4 female Israeli soldiers as part of the Gaza ceasefire in exchange for 200 prisoners, by Wafaa Shurafa, Sam Mednick and Samy  Magdy | AP  TEL AVIV — Four female Israeli soldiers who had been held hostage by Hamas returned safely to Israel today after the militants paraded them in front of a crowd of thousands in Gaza City and then handed them over to the Red Cross. In exchange, Israel . . . READ MORE . . . 

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Israel destroys only water desalination plant in northern Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. The Palestinian Water Authority announced that the occupation army destroyed the water desalination plant during its recent ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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Hamas expects another war with Israel – this time in the West Bank, by Mohamed Hassan | Middle East Eye  With the assassination of two of Hamas’s most senior leaders and the devastating human toll in Gaza, its future appears uncertain after 15 months of war. But senior Hamas leaders . . . Click HERE for hourlong interview with Hamas leader Basem Naim.

For today, links to reports from Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, and the Anadolu Agency; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, SYRIA, LEBANON, and UKRAINE entries are HERE,, HERE, LEBANON and HERE.)— MCM

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Hamas expects another war with Israel – this time in the West Bank, by Mohamed Hassan | Middle East Eye  With the assassination of two of Hamas’s most senior leaders and the devastating human toll in Gaza, its future appears uncertain after 15 months of war. But senior Hamas leaders . . . Click HERE for hourlong interview with Hamas leader Basem Naim.

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U.S. officially lifts sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers in Occupied West Bank.  From Middle East Monitor. The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday officially removed sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers and groups, including the Amana Settlement Movement, accused of committing violence against Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank amid a surge in settler attacks, Anadolu Agency reports. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Nov. 18, 2024, report from Anadolu Agency.

For today, links to reports from National Public Radio and Mintpress News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, LEBANON and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JAN. 23  Fighting between rival factions in Syria threatens its fragile stability. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  Fighting between Syrian Kurds — who a decade ago clawed out an autonomous territory in the country’s northeast — and Turkish-backed militias is posing a serious threat to the current stability. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JAN. 23  Israel isn’t leaving Syria: Settlement plans signal a permanent land grab, by Jessica Buxbaum | Mintpress News / Popular Resistance  Within hours of the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria last Dec. 8, Israeli forces seized the buffer zone separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria. More than a month later . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Reuters and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, SYRIA, LEBANON and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.)— MCM

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Israel warns Lebanese against returning to area at border. From Reuters. BEIRUT / JERUSALEM — The Israeli army today warned residents of dozens of Lebanese villages near the border against returning until further notice, a day after Israel said its forces would remain in south Lebanon beyond a Sunday deadline for their departure. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 24  Lebanese long to return to war-damaged homes, but Israeli troops remain — for now. Reported by Emily Feng and Jawad Rizkallah | NPR  TYRE, Lebanon — After more than a year of fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, displaced Lebanese villagers long to return to their homes. But now, there could be further delay. Click HERE to listen and read.

For now, links to reports from Reuters and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, SYRIA and LEBANON entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM   

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Zelenskiy hopes Europe, U.S. will be involved in Ukraine peace talks, by Max Hunder | Reuters  KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hopes Europe and the United States will be involved in any talks about ending his country’s war with Russia, he said today. READ MORE . . .

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Europe considers sending troops to Ukraine if there’s a ceasefire. But would Russia accept? by Samya Kullab and Emma Burrows | AP  With Russia wearing down Ukraine’s stretched forces and new U.S. President Donald Trump pressuring the two sides to end their nearly 3-year-old war, Kyiv and some of its European allies are discussing how that might be achieved in a way that would guarantee Ukraine’s future security. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Middle East Eye and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, WEST BANK, IRAN and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israel says it will continue to occupy Lebanon beyond ceasefire deadline, by Nader Durgham | Middle East Eye  BEIRUT — Israel will not completely leave Lebanese territory by the end of the 60-day truce with Hezbollah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said today. The agreement, signed by . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

For today, links to three reports: from the Anadolu Agency, Reuters, and Middle East Eye, and to commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, LEBANON, IRAN and UKRAINE entries are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli army escalates 4th day of offensives in occupied West Bank, by Qais Abu Samra | Anadolu Agency  RAMALLAH, Palestine  The Israeli military intensified its offensive in the city of Jenin and the adjacent refugee camp today, marking the fourth consecutive day of attacks on Palestinians in the northern occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

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West Bank violence imperils Gaza ceasefire, UN human rights office warns. From Reuters. LONDON — Israeli operations in the West Bank have killed at least 12 Palestinians since Tuesday and could threaten the newly agreed ceasefire in Gaza, United Nations Human Rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said today. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli raid forced 1,800 Palestinians out of Jenin: Haaretz. From Middle East Eye. The Israeli raid in Jenin has forced 1,800 Palestinian residents to leave the Jenin refugee camp through crossings put in place by the Israeli army since the army began its operation in the area, according to a report by Haaretz. READ MORE . . .

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In the West Bank, Trump is giving Netanyahu a free hand to blow up the region, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  Anyone who imagined that U.S. President Donald Trump would be the Stop the War president the Middle East had been waiting for, should have a look at what is currently underway in the Occupied West Bank. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to four reports: from Middle East Monitor, Reuters, the Anadolu Agency, and the Associated Press and to commentary from Indian Puchline; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (LEBANON, WEST BANK, IRAN and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Hamas releases names of 4 captives to be released from Gaza on Saturday. From Middle East Monitor. Hamas today released the names of four Israeli captives —  Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Naama Levy and Guy Gilboa-Dalal — it is due to release on Saturday under the terms of the ceasefire deal. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JAN. 23  Israel kills 2 Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire, by Hosni Nedim | Anadolu Agency  GAZA CITY, Palestine  Two Palestinians were killed and others injured on Thursday in Israeli attacks in the southern and central Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire agreement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 23  How the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will unfold — and why it is so precarious, by Lee Keath, Samy Magdy and Abby Sewell | AP  CAIRO — Israeli troops have pulled back to the edges of Gaza, the first hostages have been released, and many Palestinians have returned to what remains of their homes. If the ceasefire deal goes according to plan . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 19  Trump bends the arc of history in West Asia, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  Trump’s choice of Steve Witkoff, a Jew and an unknown political newcomer, as his special envoy for West Asia, went relatively unnoticed. Witkoff is a self-made billionaire (son of a maker of ladies’ coats in New York City) with no previous experience in . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for Part 1, posted on Jan. 17.