First, a link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s WEST BANK, IRAN, UKRAINE and ALL OF IT so far, and down for LEBANON 8-10-26.) — MCM

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The hidden environmental toll of the Israel-Hezbollah war. Reported by Ruth Sherlock | NPR  Israel’s war against Hezbollah in South Lebanon has poisoned land and destroyed valuable ecosystems for generations to come. NPR takes soil samples of the land. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, and Raidió Teilifís Éireann, to an analysis from Middle East Eye, and to an interview from National Public Radio; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s WEST BANK, LEBANON, UKRAINE and ALL OF IT so far, and down for IRAN 8-10-26.) — MCM

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Pakistan says U.S. and Iran close to ‘some sort’ of deal despite attacks on shipping, by Tala Ramadan and Elwely Elwelly | Reuters  DUBAI — Pakistan said today the United States and Iran were close to “some sort” of deal, and fellow mediator Qatar said talks on managing the Strait of Hormuz were at an advanced stage, despite reports of new attacks on shipping in regional waters. READ MORE . . .

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Trump pivots back to sanctions for Iran as other strategies to end his war fizzle. In updates package edited by Bridget Brown, Michael Warren and Curtis Lee | AP  President Donald Trump on Monday said that since Iran is seeking compensation as part of any peace talks, he now intends to demand the same for the U.S. side. It’s part of a larger pivot this weekend by Trump to . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from RTÉ.

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FROM AUG. 11  Former U.S. diplomat on Iran’s latest demands. Reported by Vincent Acovino, Juana Summers and Patrick Jarenwattananon | NPR  Summers speaks with Wendy Sherman, who has been part of teams negotiating with Iran, about the status of latest negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Inside the growing rift between Iran’s dealmakers and ultraconservatives. From Middle East Eye.  Iran’s political landscape appears to have entered a new phase as two competing camps emerge: those advocating a deal with the United States and those determined to block any agreement. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s WEST BANK, LEBANON, IRAN and ALL OF IT so far, and down for UKRAINE 8-10-26.) — MCM

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Russian attacks kill 10 in Ukraine as Zelenskyy says Moscow is getting more North Korean missiles, by Illia Novikov | AP   KYIV — Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with missiles, drones and glide bombs today, killing at least 10 civilians, officials said, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow is getting new military help from North Korea for its more than 4-year-old. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others. Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM AUG. 11  Why Russia and Ukraine can’t stop each other’s air attacks. Reported by Greg Myre and Charles Maynes | NPR  Russia and Ukraine are both striking farther into each other’s territory, and neither side has a good way to stop the attacks. With no quick fix, the winter ahead could be especially hard. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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Links to a podcast from Judging Freedom and to two articles from Creators Syndicate via USA Today and Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll up for today’s WEST BANK, LEBANON, IRAN and UKRAINE so far, and down for ALL OF IT 8-10-26.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 20  Sachs: How the military industrial complex fuels perpetual war. Andrew Napolitano of Judging Freedom talks with economist and public policy analyst Jeffrey Sachs about undeclared, unconstitutional wars based on a system of a deep state guided by unaccountable intelligence agencies operating in secrecy. Click HERE for video and comments. Click HERE and HERE for related July 23 and Aug. 6 columns by Napolitano from Creators Syndicate via USA Today and Consortium News.

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Links to reports from the Associated Press, the Moscow Times, and the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s IRAN, GAZA, ALL OF IT and LEBANON, and down for UKRAINE 8-9-26.) — MCM

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Ukrainian drone attack on an oil hub deep inside of Russia kills 13, officials say. From AP. Ukraine attacked the petroleum hub of Nizhnekamsk in central Russia’s Tatarstan region today, killing 13 people and injuring 78 others, local authorities said, in one of the deadliest attacks in the country in the 4-year-old war. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine reportedly strikes Russia’s largest petrochemical plant in western Siberia. From the Moscow Times. Ukrainian drones have attacked a facility in western Siberia’s Tyumen region, local authorities said this afternoon, with independent media reporting that Russia’s largest petrochemical plant was struck. READ MORE . . .

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EU scrambles to supply Ukraine with missile interceptors as western arsenal runs dry. From the Cradle. EU governments are scrambling to send Patriot interceptors to Kiev before an expected Russian winter offensive, but the largest donors say their stocks have fallen “too low” to give more without leaving themselves exposed, POLITICO reported on 10 August. From the Cradle. EU governments are scrambling to send Patriot interceptors to Kiev before an expected Russian winter offensive, but the largest donors say their stocks have fallen “too low” to give more without leaving themselves exposed, Politico reported on Monday. READ MORE . . .

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Links to an article from Middle East Eye, and to reports from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE, ALL OF IT, LEBANON and IRAN, and down for GAZA 8-9-26.) — MCM

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Why the Mecca Accord is a necessary show of force, by David Hearst | Middle East Eye  It will be three years in October since Israel started its genocide in Gaza, a war crime it has repeated in the Occupied West Bank, South Lebanon, and Iran. For much of that time, Turkey and the Arab world held up their hands in horror but did nothing. Click HERE for article and two videos.

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A link to an article from Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up or down this date’s IRAN, UKRAINE, GAZA and LEBANON, and down for ALL OF IT 8-9-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 7  A certain schizophrenia, by Patrick Lawrence | Special to Consortium News  Some notes on the D.S.A. phenomenon. READ MORE . . .

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Links to reports from Middle East Eye and L’Orient-le Jour; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up for this date’s IRAN, UKRAINE, GAZA and ALL OF IT, and down for LEBANON 8-8-26.) — MCM

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Lebanon will not take part in next talks with Israel unless demands met: report. From Middle East Eye. Lebanon will not take part in the next round of talks with Israel that are scheduled for early September unless its conditions are met, L’Orient-Le Jour reported citing a source close to the Lebanese delegation’s leadership. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 9   Israeli forces detonate homes in Zawtar Sharqieh, set fires in Bekaa as south Lebanon escalation continues. From L’Orient-le Jour. SOUTH LEBANON — Israeli forces carried out detonations in Zawtar Sharqieh and several other southern towns Saturday night into Sunday, while Israeli drones dropped incendiary materials that sparked widespread fires across forested areas and mountains in the western Bekaa. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same report in French, and HERE for at least headlines of others.

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A link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll down for today’s IRAN, UKRAINE, YEMEN, ALL OF IT and MEDIA, and for GAZA 8-6-26.) — MCM

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Netanyahu rejects Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan, demands Hamas disarm first, by Rebecca Rosman | NPR  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected President Trump’s 15-point peace plan for Gaza, saying Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is “genuinely disarmed.” READ MORE . . .

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