Turkey

Iran, 11-13-26

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Links to six reports and a commentary: from Middle East Eye, the Cradle, the Associated Press, and Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down for this date’s CUBA, GAZA, UKRAINE and ALL OF IT so far, and down for IRAN 11-12-26.) — MCM

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U.S. says it shot down two Iranian drones heading towards Bahrain. From Middle East Eye. The U.S. military today said it had shot down two Iranian attack drones launched towards Bahrain, denying an Iranian claim that its forces had struck a U.S. early-warning radar system in the Gulf kingdom. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 12  Iraq, Turkiye, Pakistan defy U.S. pressure, refuse to seal borders with Iran: NYT. From the Cradle. U.S. efforts to pressure Iran’s neighboring states to close their land borders had failed, stalling Washington’s campaign to cripple the Iranian economy, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 12  Trump bluntly tells JD Vance to shift focus from Iran to targeting ‘corruption and crime’ at home, by Aamer Madhani | AP  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday directed Vice President JD Vance to shift his focus away from the Iran war and instead devote himself to fighting what the president says is corruption and crime in Democratic-controlled cities and states. Vance served as the lead negotiator for a short-lived truce in . . . Report with photos is HERE. Same AP report in Spanish is HERE, and others are HERE.

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FROM NOV. 12  Vance weighs face-to-face meeting with Iranian security chief: WSJ. From the Cradle. U.S. Vice President JD Vance is weighing a direct meeting with Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, after U.S. President Donald Trump requested him to negotiate an end to the war on Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 11  Iran security chief vows to strike U.S. bases in Europe if war restarted. From the Cradle. Major General Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran could strike U.S. bases in Europe if they are used to launch a new attack on Iran during an interview with Al-Mayadeen. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 11  Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah vows to defend Iran, urges probe into PM’s ‘massive financial empire.’ From the Cradle. Kataib Hezbollah security chief Abu Mujahid al-Assaf on Tuesday reaffirmed the group’s commitment to armed resistance and vowed to defend Iran against any new attack. READ MORE . . .

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FROM NOV. 12  As U.S. support for Israel erodes, Iran and Russia play the long game, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The public attitude in the United States toward Israel has undergone a phenomenal shift. This has coalesced with . . . READ MORE . . .

All of it, 11-13-26

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First, links to reports from the Associated Press and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up for this date’s CUBA, GAZA, IRAN and UKRAINE so far, and down for ALL OF IT 11-12-26.) — MCM

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FROM NOV.  12  Leaders of countries already hit hard by climate change tell UN summit that urgent action is needed, by Suzan Fraser, Seth Borenstein, Sibi Arasu and Tammy Webber | AP  ANTALYA, Turkey — Urgent action is needed to help countries hardest-hit by the effects of climate change, small island leaders said Thursday at the United Nations climate talks in Turkey, describing global warming as a life-or-death issue for their people. Click HERE for report with one photo. Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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FROM NOV. 12  Colorado flood victims hope for speedier federal help. Reported by Havalin Haskell | CPR News / NPR  Local and state officials in Colorado say recent floods have outstripped their ability to respond. They’re worried about federal response after Trump delayed flood aid for political reasons in 2025. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM NOV. 12  Dangerous weather, communication difficulties highlighted deadly June wildfire in Colorado, by Tom Hesse | CPR  At 3:19 p.m. on June 27, Rifle Helitack squad leader Emily Barker commanded four other firefighters on her team battling a wildfire in Mesa County to “pull shelters.” Click HERE for report with photos and map.

All of it, 11-12-26

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Links to two reports from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up or down for this date’s LEBANON, YEMEN, GAZA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE, and down for ALL OF IT 11-11-26.) — MCM

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Leaders at the U.N. climate summit urged to get tougher on global warming. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  World leaders are gathered in Turkey for climate talks, after a year of conflict that has frayed international ties and upended global energy markets. One conspicuous absence: the U.S. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Drought threatens Iraq’s marshes, risking one of the oldest ways of life. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  The unique marshes of southern Iraq are beginning to revive after five years of devastating drought. But challenges remain for one of the world’s oldest ways of life. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

All of it, 11-10-26

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A link to a report from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up for this date’s WEST BANK, IRAN, GAZA and UKRAINE, and down for ALL OF IT 11-9-26.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 9  Turkey hosts world climate summit, but some critics call it ‘greenwashing.’ Reported by Thousands of diplomats, executives and leaders are gathering in Turkey for a global climate summit. In recent years, Turkey has moved to be more eco-conscious, but some say that hasn’t been enough. Click HERE to listen and read.

Iran, 11-2-26

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Links to two reports: from National Public Radio and the Associated Press, and to commentary from the Cradle; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or intitials. (Scroll up or down this date’s LEBANON, UKRAINE and ALL OF IT, and down for IRAN 11-1-26.) — MCM

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FROM NOV. 1  Gulf leaders meet in Qatar in effort to stave off new escalation in U.S and Iran war. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Sacha Pfeiffer | NPR  Qatar has been leading intense mediation efforts over the past 72 hours to prevent a new round of possible U.S. attacks on Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections. The uncertainty has the entire Gulf region on edge. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM NOV. 1  United Arab Emirates says military solutions offer no quick off-ramps to crisis with Iran, by Sarah El Deeb | AP  MANAMA — The United Arab Emirates’ presidential adviser said Sunday his country hopes a diplomatic breakthrough in Qatar-led mediations is possible to avert a new round of confrontation between the U.S. and Iran. Report with locator map is HERE.

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FROM OCT. 28  Regional security runs through Iran, by Peiman Salehi | The Cradle  The presence of Saudi, Turkish, and Pakistani officials in Tehran on Oct. 26 reflected a growing recognition that Iran cannot be excluded from any serious regional security arrangement. Despite the U.S.–Israeli war against Iran, Tehran remains . . . READ MORE . . .

Iran, 10-28-26

Links to five reports and analyses: from Middle East Eye, the Cradle, Informed Comment, Middle East Monitor, and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up or down this date’s YEMEN, UKRAINE, ALL OF IT and WEST BANK so far, and down for IRAN 10-27-26.) — MCM

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U.S. warns Gulf of intense strikes on Iran after midterms: WSJ. From Middle East Eye. The U.S. has warned several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military offensive against Iran after the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3, the Wall Street Journal reported today. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM OCT. 27  Officials of Mecca Pact nations gather for talks in Tehran, defying Trump, by Juan Cole | Informed Comment  ANN ARBOR — Al Jazeera reports that on Monday, the three members of the Mecca security pact visited Tehran. Field Marshal Asim Munir of Pakistan, Saudi Minister of Defense Khalid Bin Salman, and Turkish Director of the National Intelligence Organization Ibrahim Kalin met  with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for an analysis from Middle East Monitor.  

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FROM OCT. 27  Russian satellites help Iran’s allies strike Saudi Arabia, data and officials say, by Sarah El Deeb and Samy Magdy | AP  BEIRUT — Iranian-backed militias carried out a precision strike last month, hitting the pumping stations of Saudi Arabia’s most important oil pipeline. Days later, another attack hit a Saudi military air base, damaging an Italian fighter jet inside a hangar. Click HERE for report with photos. Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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MAY BE CONTINUED

Gaza, 10-5-26

For now, links to three reports: from the Cradle and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll up or down for today’s SYRIA, YEMEN, UKRAINE, IRAN and ALL OF IT so far, and down for GAZA 9-28-26.) — MCM

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FROM OCT. 4  Israel assassinates director of Turkish aid group in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. From the Cradle. An Israeli strike killed an aid worker in central Gaza on Sunday, following several other deadly strikes against civilians in the besieged strip over the past 24 hours. READ MORE . . .

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Israel occupation forces near completion of ‘massive trench’ to partition Gaza: report. From the Cradle. The Israeli military is expanding its blockade, occupation, and partitioning of Gaza by nearly “completing” the formation of a massive “earthen embankment” or trench across the strip, the Ynet news site reported today. READ MORE . . . 

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The strangest items Israel still bars from Gaza, by Maha Hussaini | Middle East Eye  GAZA CITY, occupied Palestine — Following the imposition of its blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2007, Israel barred or restricted the entry of numerous items, classifying them as “dual-use” goods that could potentially be used for military purposes. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED