Turkey-Egypt row escalates as Anadolu Agency staff detained in Cairo Tensions are rising between Turkey and Egypt after four Turkish state news agency employees were detained in Cairo. Egypt
Iran's Rouhani takes on powerful Guardian Council as elections approach President Hassan Rouhani has criticized the conservative Guardian Council for disqualifying Reformist and moderate candidates from running the upcoming elections. Iran
Will Iraq's Sunnis form semi-autonomous region if US troops leave? Sunni politicians are said to be discussing the formation of a semi-autonomous Sunni region in Iraq following a parliamentary move supporting the expulsion of US troops from the country. Iraq
Will political merger mania save or topple Netanyahu? In Israel, the goal of toppling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has driven center and left-wing parties to unite through"technical linkages," but with no guarantee their alliance will survive the day after March 2 elections. Palestine
Why some Israelis criticize Putin’s imminent visit The upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his participation in the ceremony commemorating 75 years to the liberation of Auschwitz and his inauguration of the monument commemorating the Leningrad blockade stir up mixed emotions. Israel
What, no connection? Internet outage further darkens life in Yemen Yemenis have long suffered a humanitarian crisis, but a severed wire makes it even worse when they can no longer connect. Yemen
Egypt promotes local products More factories are ready to join the Egyptian president’s initiative to promote local products, which economists believe will boost the economy and fight unemployment. Egypt
Why the UAE is paying for America’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai The UAE contribution comes after Expo 2020 Dubai organizers signed a $1 million lobbying contract to promote the world’s fair in the United States. United Arab Emirates
Will Russian government shake-up impact Moscow’s Mideast policy? The surprise resignation of the Russian Cabinet and a possible new role for Putin when his presidential term ends in 2024 raise questions about possible changes in Russian foreign policy. Russia
The Takeaway: January 15, 2020 Highlights: ‘No Idlib for Idlib:’ endgame in Syria strands city; Muqtada Al-Sadr plays the angles; Soleimani’s daughter expects Hamas leader to avenge father’s death; Turkey takes up for Australian camels. Originals
Iran issues warnings after Europe triggers nuclear deal dispute mechanism A European decision to trigger a dispute mechanism in the Iran nuclear deal has been received with defiance, rage and threats in Tehran. United States
Court restores Turks' Wikipedia rights in censorship case The top Turkish court's decision that the three-year ban on Wikipedia violated freedom of expression should have gone into effect after its official publication made it binding on Wednesday, but the website is still inaccessible in Turkey. Turkey
Intel: How many US troops do 2020 Democrats want to keep in the Middle East? Democratic presidential hopefuls started Tuesday’s debate by slamming President Donald Trump’s Iran policy and articulating their own vision for the future US force posture in the Middle East. Iraq
Pentagon considering reinforcing missile defenses after Iranian strikes After Iran's Jan. 8 ballistic missile attacks on an Iraqi air base housing US forces, the Pentagon is now challenged with preventing a repeat occurrence. Saudi Arabia
Who gains if Trump publishes peace plan before Israeli election? While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be pushing for the Trump administration to publish its "deal of the century" ahead of the March elections, the candidate who might gain the most from such a situation is Blue and White leader Benny Gantz. Palestine
Mergers, divisions change little in Israel’s political map Even after the parties submitted their Knesset lists for the March elections, there is no significant change in the breakdown of power between the two blocs. Israel
