First, links to a Congressional hearing via ScheerPost and to a report from the Associated Press; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or inititials. (Scroll down for COVID ETC 8-4-26, or click HERE.) — MCM

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AUG. 12 and MAY 13  CIA whistleblower alleges officials manipulated Covid-19 origins assessment. Via ScheerPost. Subpoenaed former senior CIA official James Erdman III tells the Senate Homeland Security Committee that agency managers suppressed the judgments of experienced scientists and pressured analysts to abandon conclusions supporting a possible laboratory origin of Covid-19. Click HERE for print intro and video of hearing.

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FROM APRIL 19  How the search for the origins of Covid-19 turned politically poisonous, by Dake Kang and Maria Cheng | AP  BEIJING — The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has gone dark in China, the victim of political infighting after a series of stalled and thwarted attempts to find the source of the virus that killed millions and paralyzed the world for months. Click HERE for report including photos.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to three reports: from the Cradle and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll down for today’s UKRAINE, IRAN and MEDIA so far, and for YEMEN 8-9-26.) — MCM

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Yemen targets Saudi assets with ballistic missiles, inflicts ‘dozens of casualties.’ From the Cradle. The Yemeni Armed Forces announced a series of new missile and drone strikes targeting Saudi troops and assets in southwestern Yemen, detailing the operations in a statement released on its official page late on Tuesday. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye, and HERE for Aug. 11 report from the Cradle.

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to a report from the Associated Press and the Moscow Times, and to a commentary from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on its name. (Scroll down for today’s IRAN and MEDIA so far, and for UKRAINE 8-11-26.) — MCM

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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says a nighttime blitz damages Russia’s Black Sea naval stronghold, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian anti-ship missiles, jet-powered aerial drones and sea drones blitzed a major Russian naval base on the Black Sea coast in a “unique” nighttime operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today. Click HERE for report including photos. Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HEREfor others.

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Russia forced to import gasoline from India amid domestic shortages. From the Moscow Times. Russia last week received its first shipment of gasoline from India to offset domestic fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on its oil refineries, Bloomberg reported today, citing ship tracking data. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 6  Trump returns to peacemaking in Ukraine but war must mature first, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline The Russian President Vladimir Putin fired the political equivalent of Oroshnik hypersonic missile on Aug. 5 to scatter the recent pot shots by hawkish factions at the Russian “power vertical,” never a unified construct actually, over the future directions of Ukraine war.READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to six reports: from Reuters, National Public Radio, the Cradle, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up or down for today’s UKRAINE and MEDIA so far, and for IRAN 8-11-26.) — MCM

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New attacks on shipping as Iran war talks hit fresh impasse. From Reuters. DUBAI — The United States and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have reported separate attacks on shipping, as prospects for ending the Iran war appeared to dim, with Tehran saying the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless Washington accepts its conditions. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for earlier report from Reuters.

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FROM AUG. 11  Trump touts big peace deals in Iran and Gaza but struggles to follow through. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Franco Ordoñez | NPR  Iran has set a high price for President Trump to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel’s prime minister has rejected his Gaza plan. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM AUG. 11   Author Max Boot says Trump’s approach to Iran is ‘guaranteed to fail.’ Leila Fadel of NPR speaks with author Max Boot about President Trump’s recent foreign policy setbacks. Boot writes that Trump’s “zigzagging” approach to Iran is “guaranteed to fail.” Click HERE to listen and read.

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Iraq’s new prime minister promises Trump he’ll disarm Iran-backed militias. Reported by Jane Arraf and Leila Fadel | NPR  Iraq’s new leader wants to disarm Iran-backed militias, but the move risks opening a new front in the Mideast. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM AUG. 11  IRGC Quds Force chief in Baghdad for high level talks with govt, resistance. From the Cradle. The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, visited Iraq’s capital on Tuesday and met with several political and resistance leaders. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 11  Trump claims U.S. controls Iranian money. From Middle East Monitor. President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that the US has “total control” over Iran’s money, with Washington effectively acting as Tehran’s banker as the two countries remain locked in a military conflict, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

First, links to two reports from National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on its name or initials. (Scroll up for today’s UKRAINE and IRAN so far, and down for MEDIA 8-9-26.) — MCM

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FROM AUG. 11  New book explores the cultural impact of Paul Simon’s signature album, ‘Graceland.’ A Martínez of NPR  speaks with Ashley Kahn, author of Days of Miracle and Wonder, a new book that celebrates the 40th anniversary of Paul Simon’s signature album, “Graceland.” Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM AUG. 9  Regal Cinema CEO comes out in support of Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. Reported by Ayesha Rascoe and Mandalit del Barco | NPR  CEOs of the country’s two biggest theater chains say they support the merger of Paramount-Skydance with Warner Brothers-Discovery. Click HERE to listen and read.

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to reports from the Cradle and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names. (Scroll down for today’s LEBANON, IRAN, UKRAINE and ALL OF IT so far, and for WEST BANK 8-7-26.) — MCM

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Settler attacks on Palestinians surge by 63 percent in occupied West Bank during first half of 2026. From the Cradle. Israeli authorities have documented a drastic 63 percent rise in attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank in the first half of 2026, Israel’s Public Broadcaster (KAN) reported on Monday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 10  Israeli occupiers establish illegal settlement outpost in yard of Palestinian home in West Bank. From Middle East Monitor. Israeli occupiers established an illegal settlement outpost in the yard of a Palestinian home in the northern occupied West Bank, with Israeli soldiers filmed sitting and praying alongside them, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Monday, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

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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