For today, links to three reports: from the Cradle, Middle East Eye, and Reuters; others or headlines of other should be accessible within a few minutes by clicking on their names below. (GAZA, IRAN, YEMEN and UKRAINE entries, so far, are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA 4-16-25 is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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U.S. reinforces Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria amid reports of troop withdrawal. From the Cradle. The U.S. military deployed heavy reinforcements to Kurdish-controlled areas of western Hasakah governorate today, after yesterday reportedly shuttering three of its eight “small operating bases” in Syria’s resource-rich northeast, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. READ MORE . . .

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Syria seeks Azerbaijan’s help to develop oil and gas fields, by Ragip Soylu | Middle East Eye  ANKARA — The presidents of Syria and Azerbaijan discussed how Baku could play a role in restoring Syria’s oil and gas sector in their first-ever meeting in Turkey last weekend, according to sources familiar with the issue. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev . . . READ MORE . . .

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IMF-World Bank meetings to discuss restoring support for Syria, UN official says, by Maya Gebeily and Timour Azhari | Reuters  DAMASCUS — Officials will discuss major steps to restore support for Syria from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund at spring meetings next week, though sanctions remain a major obstacle to rebuilding the country, a UN official said today. READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED