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

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FROM NOV. 25  Barred from Gaza for 2 years, international journalist are still fighting for access. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Ailsa Chang | NPR  Israel’s Supreme Court has again pressed the government to explain why, more than two years into the war, it still bars independent journalists from entering Gaza. Click HERE to listen and read.

 

For today, links to six reports: from the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, National Public Radio, and Kyiv Post; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE 11-25-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  MEDIA and GAZA entries are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Kremlin confirms that U.S. envoy will visit as talks on ending war in Ukraine gain momentum, by Illia Novikov and Sam NcNeil | AP  A senior Kremlin official confirmed today that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow next week as efforts pick up speed to find a consensus on ending the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine. But Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for related Nov. 26 report from AP.

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Ukraine’s Naftogaz looks to U.S. lenders and natural gas to close energy deficit, by Isobel Koshiw, Samya Kullab, Vasilisa Stepanenko and Volodymyr Yurchuk | AP  Russia has targeted Ukrainian gas extraction this year in a bid to hurt morale and force Ukraine to import large quantities of gas at market prices which it can ill afford. Without the attacks, Ukraine would  . . . READ MORE . . .

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Two village losses highlight strain on Ukraine’s eastern defenses, by Jared Goyette | The Kyiv Independent  Russian forces have completed the capture of two villages, Promin in Donetsk Oblast, and Vysoke in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukrainian analytical and mapping group DeepState reported today. Both villages sit on two of the most active and contested sectors of the front line, and their loss . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 25  The U.S. plan for Ukraine-Russia peace is shifting. Here’s where things stood yesterday. Reported by Michele Kelemen and Ailsa Chang | NPR  The Trump administration hailed “progress” in peace talks for Ukraine after an initial proposal was changed to address European and Ukrainian objections. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Ukrainians on any acceptable compromises in any peace deal, by Bohdan Nahaylo, Leo Chiu and Sergii Kostezh | Kyiv Post  Most believe compromises are inevitable. READ MORE . . .

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NOTE: The adding of items for today’s entries has been delayed, so a more extensive set has taken extra time. If you have returned: Thank you.

For today, links to nine reports: from the Associated Press, Kyiv Post, the Moscow Times, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE 11-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, LEBANON and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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NEWER  Trump’s peace plan ignites diplomatic flurry, but major hurdles lie ahead, by Jill Lawless and Sam McNeil | AP  LONDON — The Russia-Ukraine conflict has seen almost four years of failed peace plans, blueprints and high-level summits. A new U.S. push to end the fighting has set off the latest flurry of diplomacy, with American, European, Russian and Ukrainian officials all trying to shape the outcome of Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine also taking part in secret Abu Dhabi talks with U.S. and Russia – Axios, by Alisa Orlova | Kyiv Post  A Ukrainian delegation is reportedly taking part in ongoing, low-profile negotiations in Abu Dhabi, where US and Russian officials have been holding high-level discussions, Axios reported today, citing sources. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine agrees to terms of U.S. peace plan – ABC News. From the Moscow Times. Ukraine has agreed with the United States on the terms of a potential deal to end the war, ABC News reported today, citing an unnamed U.S. official who said only “minor details” remain before the plan can be formally presented. READ MORE . . .

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Russian attacks kill at least 7 in Ukraine as talks on peace plan continue, by Isobel Koshiw and Konstantin Toropin | AP  KYIV — Russia launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, overnight, with at least seven people killed in strikes that hit city buildings and energy infrastructure. Authorities said a Ukrainian attack on southern Russia killed three people and . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE to listen to NPR report and, later, read it.

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Big Ukraine drone+missile strike operation torches Russian ‘AWACs,’ oil refineries, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  According to a Ukrainian General Staff statement this morning, an ambitious, complex strike operation overnight simultaneously hammered targets hundreds of kilometers apart when dozens of Ukrainian drones and missiles hit and damaged a Russian military airfield, a bomber repair plant, a kamikaze drone factory, a high-tech air defense unit and a pair of oil refineries. READ MORE . . .

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The European Union votes to deepen defense industry ties with Ukraine, by Sam McNeill | AP  BRUSSELS — European Union lawmakers voted today to deepen integration of the bloc’s defense industry with Ukraine as a U.S. peace plan remains in flux and Russia’s unconventional warfare operations rattle the 27-nation bloc. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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What Russia wants from the peace deal with Ukraine. Michel Martin of NPR asks Russia-U.S. relations expert Julia Ioffe what Russia is seeking from a peace deal with Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM NOV. 24  Peace talks in Geneva to end Russia’s war in Ukraine have ended. What’s next? Reported by Eleanor Beardsley and Juana Summers  | NPR  Ukrainians feel relief after Geneva talks helped soften the U.S.-proposed peace deal seen as siding with Russia. Click HERE to listen and read.

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NOTE: The adding of items for today’s entries has been delayed, so a more extensive set of them will take more time. Please return. Thank you.

For today, belatedly, links to three reports: from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (LEBANON 11-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down. GAZA, UKRAINE and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Pope’s visit rekindles hope in war- and crisis-ridden Lebanon, by Kareem Chehayeb and Abby Sewell | AP  BEIRUT —The visit to Lebanon by Pope Leo XIV set to begin on Sunday comes as part of his first official foreign trip and as the fulfillment of a promise made by his predecessor, Pope Francis, to visit the Muslim-majority country where about a third of the population is Christian. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM NOV. 24  Thousands mourn Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli airstrike, by Fadi Tawil | AP  BEIRUT — Thousands of people on Monday attended the funeral organized by the militant Hezbollah group for its top military commander. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 24  Israel assassinates a Hezbollah commander, by Jane Arraf | NPR  Hezbollah is vowing a response after Israel killed its No. 2 commander in a Beirut neighborhood — an assassination the group calls a “red line.” Click HERE to listen and, later, read

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NOTE: The adding of items for today’s entries has been delayed, so a more extensive set has taken extra time. If you have returned: Thank you.

For today, one link: to a report from the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (GAZA 11-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, LEBANON and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Winter rains in Gaza bring new misery for Palestinians, by Wafaa Shurafa and Megan Janetsky | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Children and families in Gaza scooped muddy water from their tents on Tuesday, trying to protect the few belongings that remain after two years of war. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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NOTE: The adding of items for today’s entries has been delayed, so a more extensive set has taken extra time. If you have returned: Thank you.

First, links to four reports from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its initials below. (MEDIA 11-24-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, LEBANON and UKRAINE entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Just one week off social media can improve young adults’ mental health, study finds. Reported by Rhitu Chatterjee | NPR  A new study shows that cutting social media use for just one week can reduce mental health symptoms, like anxiety and depression, in young adults. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM NOV. 24  What teens in New Jersey think about schools’ cell-phone restrictions. Reported by Janet W. Lee | NPR and Student Podcast Challenge  Many states and school districts now ban or restrict the use of cell phones in schools. But what do the kids think about this? Student journalists in New Jersey brought this question to their classmates and teachers. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM NOV. 24  NPR staffers’ favorite nonfiction books of 2025. Reported by Andrew Limbong and Michel Martin | NPR  Books We Love returns with about 380 titles handpicked by NPR staff and critics. Reporter Andrew Limbong shares this year’s nonfiction favorites with Michel Martin. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM NOV. 24  NPR’s 2025 Books We Love is not your average year-end list. Reported by Andrew Limbong and Scott Detrow | NPR  On Monday, NPR launched its end-of-the-year books guide. But Books We Love isn’t a “top 10” list. Instead, it’s more that 380 books that were personally recommended by members of the NPR staff. Click HERE to listen and read.

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For today, links to eight reports: from the Kyiv Independent, Kyiv Post, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, the Moscow Times, and Agence France-Presse; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 11-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down. LEBANON, GAZA and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 23  Ukraine, U.S. draft updated peace plan during ‘productive’ Geneva talks, by Volodymyr Ivanyshyn, Sonya Bandouil and Martin Fornusek | The Kyiv Independent  Ukraine and the U.S. praised the opening round of peace consultations in Geneva as “productive” and said they were encouraged by the pace of progress in a joint statement on Sunday. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine, U.S. agree on most points of peace plan; territories and NATO to be decided by Zelensky, Trump, by Korbinian Leo Kramer | Kyiv Post  Ukraine and the United States have agreed on the majority of provisions in a proposed US peace plan, while the most politically sensitive issues — including territorial status and Ukraine’s NATO accession — have been set aside for direct discussion between . . . READ MORE . . .

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European officials welcome progress in talks on U.S. proposals to end Russia-Ukraine war, by Barry Hatton | AP  European officials said today they were comforted by the outcome of discussions on U.S. peace proposals for Ukraine that they had viewed as tilted in Russia’s favor, but they didn’t disclose details of the weekend talks and warned of a long road to peace in Ukraine. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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Ukrainians express concerns about a peace plan drafted by the U.S. and Russia. Reported by Eleanor Beardsley | NPR  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was given a Thursday deadline to accept a new peace plan drafted by the U.S. and Russia that Ukraine had no input in, causing concerns for residents. Click HERE to listen and, later read.

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Kremlin says it’s waiting for more details about U.S. peace plan after Geneva talks. From the Moscow Times. The Kremlin said Monday that it has received no further details from the White House about its latest peace proposal following talks between Ukrainian and U.S. officials in Geneva, but added it would wait to see how discussions evolve before offering a response. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 23  Ukraine says new draft of U.S. plan reflects its ‘key priorities.’ From AFP. The latest version of the U.S. draft plan for ending the war in Ukraine now includes most of Kyiv’s “key priorities,” its negotiator said Sunday, after holding a few rounds of talks in Geneva. READ MORE . . .

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European nations want more input in U.S.-backed plan to end Russia-Ukraine war. Reported by Rob Schmitz and Michel Martin | NPR  Top U.S. and Ukrainian officials said Sunday that they made progress toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war. But European allies feel they’ve been left out of the plan, which they say placates Russia.. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Head of the Munich Security Conference on the U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine. Steve Inskeep of NPR speaks with Wolfgang Ischinger, a longtime German diplomat and head of the Munich Security Conference, about the U.S.-brokered plan to end the war in Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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For today, links to reports from the Associated Press and Anadolu Ajansi; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (LEBANON 11-22-25 entry is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, GAZA and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 23  Israel says it killed a senior Hezbollah official in first strike on Beirut in months, by Fadi Tawil and Kareem Chehayeb | AP  HARET HREIK, Lebanon — Israel on Sunday struck Lebanon’s capital for the first time since June, saying it killed Hezbollah’s chief of staff Haytham Tabtabai and warning the Iran-backed militant group not to rearm and rebuild a year after their latest war. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others, and HERE and HERE for report from Anadolu / Anadolu in English and French.

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For today, one link: to a report from National Public Radio. (GAZA 11-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, LEBANON and MEDIA entries are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the ceasefire deal. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Michel Martin | NPR  Over the weekend, Israel and Hamas both accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement in Gaza that has been in place for a little over six weeks. Click HERE later to listen and read.

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A link to an episode of Throughline from National Public Radio; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (MEDIA 11-23-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, LEBANON and GAZA entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 21  The mother of Thanksgiving. Reported by Ramtin Arabloue, Rund Abdelfatah, Casey Miner, Julie Caine, Sarah Wyman, Devin Katayama, Anya Steinberg, Lawrence Wu, Cristina Kim and Irene Noguchi | Throughline / NPR  The dominant Thanksgiving story is about friendship and unity. That’s what magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale had on her mind when she sat down to write to President Lincoln. This more comprehensive story includes a handwritten letter, books, a Boston oration, and an oil painting. Click HERE to listen.

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