Links to TEN-plus reports, analyses, interviews and commentaries (14): from or via the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Middle East Eye, Common Dreams, Consortium News, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 4-13-26 and LEBANON.) — MCM

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Efforts underway for second round of U.S.-Iran talks as ships reported transiting Strait of Hormuz, by Munir Ahmed and Sam Metz | AP  ISLAMABAD — The standoff between the United States and Iran deepened today as the U.S. declared it had blockaded Iran’s ports, Tehran threatened to strike targets across the region, and Pakistan said it was racing to bring the sides together for more talks. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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U.S. and Iran block oil exports as rest of the world takes economic hit. Reported by Greg Myre and Michel Martin | NPR  In the U.S.-Iran showdown in the Gulf, the question is: Who can hold out longer? Both countries are now blocking oil exports through the critical Strait of Hormuz. Click HERE to listen and read; and HERE for links to all four Iran war-related reports today from NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

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Why the Islamabad talks failed, by Sami Al-Arian | Middle East Eye  The Islamabad meeting between the United States and Iran did not collapse because diplomacy failed. It collapsed because the U.S. came with an ultimatum, not an intention to negotiate. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  Araghchi says deal was ‘inches away,’ by Jake Johnson | Common Dreams / Consortium News  Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday that the Trump administration’s representatives derailed marathon talks in Pakistan’s capital with maximalist demands, just as the two sides were “inches away” from a preliminary agreement to end the six-week conflict. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  Trump says U.S. military has blockaded Iranian ports to pressure Tehran, by Samy Magdy, Julia Frankel and Mike Corder | AP  CAIRO — U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday the American military had begun a blockade of Iranian ports as part of his effort to force Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal to end the war that has raged for more than six weeks. Iran responded with threats on . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM APRIL 13  As U.S. blockades Strait of Hormuz, Iran military warns of weapons ‘enemy has no idea about,’ by Jessica Corbett | Common Dreams  As the U,S. military on Monday began a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after the Trump administration’s failed talks with the Iranian government, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a warning to the United States. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  A U.S. military blockade of Iran’s ports takes effect. What does that mean? Reported by Jackie Northam and Tom Bowman | NPR  A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports went into into effect Monday, while President Trump claims Iran wants to make a deal. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM APRIL 13  How many people have the U.S. & Israel killed in Iran? by Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies | Common Dreams / Consortium News  The world must use this pause in the war to push for a permanent ceasefire and peace agreement, but we must also start to assess the true human cost of the war –- something the U.S. is always reluctant to do in its wars, from Vietnam to Iraq to Afghanistan. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  UK, Spain reject Trump’s new scheme to blockade Hormuz Strait. From the Cradle. The UK and others have rejected Washington’s plan to impose a blockade on Iranian ports and target ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz in collaboration with the Islamic Republic. READ MORE . . .

A link to a report from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name as highlighted. (Scroll down for LEBANON 4-11-26.  Scroll up for IRAN.) — MCM

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Israel rejects Lebanon ceasefire during Washington talks: report. From Middle East Monitor. Israel pre-empted a meeting today with Lebanon in Washington by rejecting a ceasefire during preliminary talks, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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Links to SEVEN-plus reports, analyses, interviews and commentary (11): from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, the Cradle, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 4-12-26.) — MCM

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U.S. military is poised to blockade Iranian ports, while Tehran threatens ports in the Mideast, by Samy Magdy, Julia Frankel and Mike Corder | AP   CAIRO — The U.S. military vowed to blockade all Iranian ports starting today in an effort to force Tehran to open the crucial Strait of Hormuz and accept a peace deal. Iran responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, taking aim at U.S.-allied countries. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Retired U.S. Navy admiral on Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Michel Martin of NPR speaks with retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Foggo, dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy, about President Trump’s command to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. Click HERE later to listen and, still later, read; and HERE for links to all five Iran war-related reports on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”  Click HERE for report from Al Jazeera.

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Tehran vows ‘permanent’ control of Hormuz after U.S. announces blockade of Iranian ports. From the Cradle. The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian military today accused Washington of “piracy” while vowing to act “decisively” to control the Strait of Hormuz and secure Iran’s waters — this hours after the U.S. military announced a blockade of Iranian ports. READ MORE . . .

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Trump is returning to a war with Iran that offers no easy victory for anyone, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  It is entirely in keeping with the way he has managed this war that U.S. President Donald Trump’s first reaction to the collapse of talks in Islamabad was to announce a measure that helps Iranmore than it hurts it. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 13  U.S. military says it will blockade Iranian ports after talks ended without agreement, by Munir Ahmed, Josh Boak and Sam Metz | AP  ISLAMABAD — President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would swiftly begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the strategic Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. U.S. Central Command announced the blockade would involve all Iranian ports, beginning . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE and HERE for reports from NPR.

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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First, links to reports from National Public Radio and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for MEDIA 4-10-26 and today’s IRAN so far.) — MCM

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FROM APRIL 12  Iran-U.S. conflict fought amid censorships and digital fog of war. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Geoff Brumfiel and Rob Schmitz | NPR  Amid the war in Iran, countries have been censoring and policing what their citizens are saying about the conflict and what information they have access to. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM APRIL 11  Experts warn of ‘hasbara’ and disinformation in digital battle over Palestine. From Middle East Eye. Researchers, activists and digital rights experts on Tuesday warned of coordinated propaganda and disinformation efforts shaping global narratives on Palestine during a webinar hosted by the Global Alliance for Palestine. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 12  What’s it like to cover the Ukraine war as the world’s attention is focused on Iran? Reported by Gabriel J. Sánchez, Joanna Kakissis and Rob Schmitz | NPR  A look at what it’s like to cover the war in Ukraine, and how the war in Iran is changing that. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM APRIL 8  American journalist kidnapped by an Iran-backed militia released. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  American journalist Shelly Kittleson has been released a week after she was kidnapped by an Iranian-backed Iraqi militant group. Click HERE to listen and read.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For now, links to NINE-plus reports, analyses, interviews and commentaries (11 or so): from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, Middle East Eye, Indian Punchline, Truthout, CNN, Anadolu Ajansi, Consortium News, and MintPress News; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 4-11-26.) — MCM

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U.S. and Iran end ceasefire talks without agreement and blaming each other, by Munir Ahmed, Sam Metz and Samy Magdy | AP  ISLAMABAD — The United States and Iran ended face-to-face talks today without an agreement to end the war, leaving a fragile two-week ceasefire in doubt. U.S. officials said the negotiations collapsed over . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE and HERE for reports from NPR and Middle East Eye.

Watch: The World This Week: ‘Will the war end?’ Joe Lauria of Consortium News talked with fellow journalist Chris Hedges Friday evening to examine the prospects of a deal to end the war on Iran and to remake the Middle East. Click HERE for video and print introduction. 

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FROM APRIL 8  Inside the U.S. F-15E rescue coverup: Contradictions, costs, and a failed mission, by Robert Inlakesh | MintPress News  A triumphant success of biblical proportions, was the way U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth described his nation’s mission to evacuate two fighter pilots, whose F-15E fighter jet was downed over Iran’s Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. Click HERE for Inlakesh’s article and his MintPress News podcast on same subject.

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TO BE CONTINUED

Links to FIVE reports and analyses: from Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on its name as highlighted. (Scroll down for LEBANON 4-10-26 and IRAN.) — MCM

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Israel says it attacks more than 200 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon. From Middle East Eye. Additionally, the Israeli military said it would continue targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese health ministry said today’s death toll from Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon has risen to 10. READ MORE . . .

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Death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 rises to 1,953. From Middle East Monitor. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Friday that another 6,303 were injured, Anadolu reported, but that the figures remain preliminary as rescue teams continue clearing rubble and a large number of remains require DNA testing to confirm the identities of victims.

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What the Lebanese government wants from the talks with Israel, by Adam Chamseddine | Middle East Eye  BEIRUT — Caught between Israeli belligerence, Iranian power projection and lukewarm American attention, the Lebanese government is trying . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ceasefire exemptions and quarries of death, by Binoy Kampmark | Middle East Monitor  In the Devil’s Dictionary, Ambrose Bierce defines peace as a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.  The Israeli version of a ceasefire might be . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 10  U.S. diplomacy’s last breath, by Patrick Lawrence | Special to Consortium News  Israel’s just-announced plan to enter talks with the Lebanese government will come to nothing; whatever is said or agreed, whatever others may insist, the bombing will continue. And Trump, in his regime’s serial dishonesty these past weeks, has reshaped the conventions of American diplomacy in the Israeli fashion. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

ADVISORY  Watch: The World This Week, at 8 p.m.: ‘Will the war end?’ Joe Lauria of Consortium News talks with fellow journalist Chris Hedges to examine the prospects of a deal to end the war on Iran and to remake the Middle East. Click HERE at 8 p.m. EDT to livestream talk, or for subsequent video — and before then for print introduction. 

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Links to ELEVEN-plus reports, analyses, commentaries and interviews (about 20): from or via the Associated Press, National Public Radio, the Cradle, Peoples Dispatch, Consortium News, Indian Punchline, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, and Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 4-10-26.  Scroll up for LEBANON.) — MCM

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U.S.-Iran talks begin in Pakistan as war’s fragile truce holds, by Munir Ahmed, Sam Metz, E. Eduardo Castillo and Samy Magdy | AP  ISLAMABAD — The United States and Iran began negotiations today in Pakistan, days after a fragile, two-week ceasefire was announced, as the war that has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets entered its seventh week. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE and HERE for reports from NPR and Middle East Eye.

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Pressure builds on Iran to ‘drop’ Lebanon ceasefire demand as Islamabad talks hang in balance. From the Cradle. Pakistani officials are pressuring the Iranian delegation in Islamabad to enter talks with their US counterparts by “dropping” demands for a ceasefire in Lebanon, according to information obtained by Lebanese journalist and the Cradle columnist Dr. Mohamad Hassan Sweidan. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 10  Iran does not seek war but will never abandon its rightful demands, claims Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, by Abdul Rahman | Peoples Dispatch  Millions of Iranians took to the streets Thursday to mark the 40th day of the mourning of the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, various other leaders, and the school children of Minab. READ MORE . . .

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Lebanese journalist Kim Ghattas shares likely outcome of U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan. Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Lebanese journalist Kim Ghattas. Click HERE to listen and, later, read; and HERE and HERE for all nine Iran war-related segments on NPR’s “All Things Considered” Friday and “Weekend Edition Saturday.”

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FROM APRIL 10  U.S. diplomacy’s last breath, by Patrick Lawrence | Special to Consortium News  Israel’s diplomatic credibility has long been nonexistent for the simple reason the Zionist state has no interest either in the truth or in negotiating anything with anybody — certainly not with any of its West Asian neighbors. And Trump, in his regime’s serial dishonesty these past weeks, has reshaped the conventions of American diplomacy in the Israeli fashion. He has turned the United States into the same sort of pariah. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 10  The Iranian billionaire negotiating with Trump, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline / Consortium News  Glaring differences between the United States and Iran notwithstanding, the talks beginning in Islamabad Saturday have a fairly good chance of being a success. READ MORE . . .

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Islamabad and the end of easy power, by Junaid S. Ahmad | Middle East Monitor  History, when it chooses to humiliate power, does not bother with elegance — it stages spectacle. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 10  Could the Islamabad talks end 48 years of hostility between the U.S. and Iran? by Seyed Hossein Mousavian | Middle East Eye  After 40 days of military confrontation, the ceasefire between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other emerged from a combination of military, strategic, political, and economic realities. READ MORE . . .

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Former U.S. secretary of state says Netanyahu repeatedly pressed U.S. presidents to strike Iran, only Trump agreed, by Merve Berker | Anadolu  Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had repeatedly urged U.S. administrations to carry out military strikes on Iran, but previous presidents declined. He spoke in an interview on The Briefing with Jen Psaki on Friday. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to ELEVEN-plus reports, analyses, interviews and commentaries (21): from or via the Cradle, the Associated Press, Middle East Monitor, ScheerPost, CraigMurray.org.uk, Consortium News, the Glenn Deisen Show, National Public Radio, and Informed Comment; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for IRAN 4-9-26 and today’s WEST BANK, LEBANON and MEDIA so far.) — MCM

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Conflicting reports emerge over arrival of Iranian delegation for Islamabad truce talks. From the Cradle. Conflicting reports emerge over arrival of Iranian delegation for Islamabad truce talks. From the Cradle. No Iranian delegation has arrived in Pakistan’s capital for talks with the U.S. on 10 April as Tehran continues to demand a ceasefire in Lebanon before participating in the negotiations, according to Persian and Arabic media reports. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. and Iran prepare for ceasefire talks as Netanyahu authorizes negotiations with Lebanon, by Jon Gambrell and Sam Mednick | AP  DUBAI — Negotiators from Iran and the U.S. prepared for high-level talks with their ceasefire still shaky today, as Israel and Hezbollah traded fire and Tehran maintained its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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U.S. reinforces military presence in Middle East despite ceasefire. From Middle East Monitor. The United States is reinforcing its military presence in the region despite the ceasefire with Iran, with navigational data showing ongoing movements of cargo and refueling aircraft toward the Middle East. READ MORE . . .

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How aligned are Israel and the U.S. under the ceasefire? Leila Fadel of NPR talks with Danny Citrinowicz, senior researcher at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies. Click HERE to listen and, later, read; and HERE and HERE for all 10 segments related to the Iran war from NPR’s “All Things Considered” Thursday and “Morning Edition” today.

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Pakistan defence minister calls Israel ‘a curse for humanity.’ From Middle East Monitor. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif‘s post on X, in which he also criticised those who established Israel on Palestinian land, prompted a swift response from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reportedly was later deleted. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  Spain orders reopening of Tehran embassy, condemns Israel’s carpet bombing of Lebanon. From the Cradle. Spain is reopening its embassy in Tehran in hopes of achieving “peace” in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares declared on Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  Pakistan’s diplomatic ‘success’ and the illusion of peace in the Muslim world, by Faraz Fateh | Middle East Monitor  This moment of apparent calm should not blind us to a bitter historical pattern: ceasefires offered to Muslim nations are rarely acts of justice. More often, they . . . READ MORE . . .

* Among the news organizations with frequent war updates, photos and occasionally maps are Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Monitor: HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. AP and El País reports in Spanish are HERE and HERE. *

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to reports from the Cradle and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for WEST BANK 3-24-26, and up or down for today’s IRAN, LEBANON and MEDIA so far.) — MCM

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Israeli cabinet ‘secretly’ greenlights dozens of illegal West Bank settlements. From the Cradle. Israel’s cabinet has secretly approved a record number of new Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank amid the war with Iran, Israeli media reported today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 2  Radical Israeli settlers have stepped up attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Israeli settlers have increased their attacks on Palestinians, while the military suspends a battalion that assaulted a CNN reporting team. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to FIVE reports: from the Cradle, National Public Radio, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials as highlighted. (Scroll down for LEBANON 4-9-26, and up or down for today’s IRAN, WEST BANK and MEDIA so far.) — MCM

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Heavy clashes rage in south Lebanon as Hezbollah confronts invading troops. From the Cradle. According to reports from Al Mayadeen, fighting remains active in and around the southern Lebanese city of Bint Jbeil, despite Israeli media claims that forces have taken control of the city and killed hundreds of fighters. READ MORE . . .

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Israel and Lebanon agree to hold ceasefire talks. Reported by Carrie Kahn and Steve Inskeep | NPR  These first direct ceasefire talks decades would be a bid to halt the violence in southern Lebanon. Click HERE to listen and, later, read; and HERE and HERE for all 10 segments related to the Iran war from NPR’s “All Things Considered” Thursday and “Morning Edition” today.

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Survivors recount Israel’s massacre in Beirut, by Rita Kabalan | Middle East Eye  BEIRUT — Simultaneous strikes by Israeli warplanes on densely populated areas on Wednesday — including in Beirut, its southern suburbs, the eastern Beqaa governorate and southern villages — killed more than 300 people and wounded over 1,150, according to the Lebanese health ministry. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  Spain orders reopening of Tehran embassy, condemns Israel’s carpet bombing of Lebanon. From the Cradle. Spain is reopening its embassy in Tehran in hopes of achieving “peace” in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares declared on Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 9  White House ‘signed off’ on Pakistan’s declaration that Iran ceasefire included Lebanon: report. From the Cradle.  The White House was directly involved in “shaping” the ceasefire announcement by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, having reviewed and approved it before publication, according to a New York Times report on Wednesday. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED