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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First, a link to a report from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (IRAN 11-13-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE and MEDIA entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Iran seizes tanker in Strait of Hormuz, U.S. official says, as tensions remain high in region, by Jon Gambrell | AP  DUBAI — Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker as it traveled through the narrow Strait of Hormuz today, a U.S. official said, turning the ship into Iranian territorial waters in the first-such interdiction in months in the strategic waterway. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, a link to an article of commentary from Consortium News; then links to three reports from the Associated Press and National Public Radio (two of them reconstructed here from a deleted Nov. 13 entry); other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below.

(MEDIA 11-13-25  * WAS * HERE, or scroll down. In a first that I can remember in the more than seven-year existence of this website, an entry was somehow removed without my involvement or knowledge. It contained the bottom two items, both about Google; the language of the first has been softened by the news service as it appears below.  

(UKRAINE and IRAN entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 12  CN celebrates 30 years of independence, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  In terms of the internet, November 1995 is ancient history. That’s when former AP investigative reporter Robert Parry founded this website as an alternative to the repressive consensus of the mainstream media, all of which at the time was still available only on paper. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 13  EU investigates Google over concerns content is unfairly demoted in search results. From AP.  BRUSSELS — European Union regulators said Thursday they’re investigating whether Google is unfairly demoting some content from media publishers in search results under a policy the company says is aimed at combating scammers. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for a selection of other AP reports in Spanish.

MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, links to six reports from the Associated Press, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, the Moscow Times, Tass, and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 11-12-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  MEDIA, IRAN, WEST BANK, GAZA and LEBANON entries for this date are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 12  Top Ukrainian ministers submit their resignations as the country is rocked by a corruption scandal, by Samya Kullab | AP  KYIV — As Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure cause rolling blackouts ahead of winter, a major embezzlement and kickbacks scandal involving the state-owned nuclear power company has put top officials under scrutiny including a close associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same report in Spanish, and HERE for others in Spanish, and HERE and HERE for related Oct. 13 reports from Kyiv Post and the Kyiv Independent.

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Ukraine’s top general denies encirclement claims in battle for Pokrovsk. From the Moscow Times. Ukraine’s top military commander on Wednesday denied claims that his troops were encircled in the city of Pokrovsk, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky left open the possibility of a tactical withdrawal to protect soldiers. READ MORE . . .

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Most Kharkov residents waiting for Russian army to liberate them — official. From Tass. LUGANSK — The majority of residents in the Kharkov Region who currently find themselves under Ukrainian control are waiting for the Russian Armed Forces to liberate them, according to Vitaly Ganchev, head of the regional military-civilian administration. READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin says Ukraine will have to negotiate with Russia ‘sooner or later,‘ by Dmitry ‌Antonov | Reuters  MOSCOW — The Kremlin said today Ukraine would ​have to negotiate with Russia “‌sooner or later” and predicted that Kyiv’s negotiating ‌position would get worse by the day. READ MORE . . .

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