Egypt stays out of renewed Israel-Gaza escalations In an unusual move, Egypt has failed to intervene in Israel's latest military escalation on the Gaza Strip. By Rasha Abou Jalal In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Publishers, writers watch from behind bars as Cairo Book Fair wraps Egypt's restrictive cultural environment marred this year's Cairo International Book Fair with the recent arrests of publishers and closures of community libraries and bookstores. By A correspondent in Egypt
Dawn of protest: Palestinians stand against 'deal of century' at prayers Palestinians flock to holy sites in the Great Fajr Campaign, to protest the "deal of the century" and its implications for Haram al-Sharif. By Ahmad Melhem In Ramallah, reporting on politics
Iranian actors call on Rouhani to allow cinema legend to come home Many of the Iranian actors who have supported President Hassan Rouhani are now calling in their favors by asking for veteran actor Behrouz Vossoughi's return to Iran after 40 years in the United States. By Rohollah Faghihi
The Takeaway: February 5, 2020 Highlights: Falling-out between Putin, Erdogan creates opportunity for US; Iran says it remains committed to Damascus; Raspberries from Iran for Trump Mideast plan; and more! By Andrew Parasiliti In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, national security
Intel: Space Force tracked Iranian missile strikes Members of the Space Force helped track and detect the Iranian ballistic missiles that struck an Iraqi air base last month. By Jack Detsch
How Iranian hard-liners helped Reformists ahead of elections Hard-liners are finding ways to ban Reformist candidates from elections, but this may play into the Reformists' hands. By Rohollah Faghihi
US envoy presses Russia to halt Syrian offensive on Idlib A top US envoy today pressed Russia to get the Syrian regime to halt a military offensive into the northwestern Syrian enclave of Idlib that has driven some half a million people to flee their homes since December. By Laura Rozen
Iranian Kurdish rebels hire law firm to lobby Trump administration The Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan now has lobbyists covering both the executive and legislative branches. By Aaron Schaffer
Intel: Trump touts eliminating Soleimani, Baghdadi at State of the Union President Donald Trump focused on his removal of Iran’s Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi from the Iraqi and Syrian battlefields during his State of the Union address on Tuesday. By Bryant Harris In Washington, reporting on Congress
Intel: Pentagon pauses program that helps Turkey target PKK The United States has suspended providing real-time intelligence to Ankara that helped it target militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Iran’s Khamenei defends pre-election purge of Reformists Iran’s supreme leader called for high turnout in the country’s upcoming parliamentary vote despite wide public discontent with the candidate-vetting process. By Al-Monitor Staff
Has Netanyahu given up on annexation before the election? Right-wing parties and settlers are pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to defy the Trump administration and annex Israeli settlements on the West Bank now rather than after the March 2 elections. By Danny Zaken In Ma'ale HaHamisha, reporting on Israel
Erdogan threatens Assad forces, seeks de-escalation in Idlib Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will retaliate if Syrian regime forces do not pull back from Turkish observation posts in Idlib by the end of the month. By Diego Cupolo
PMU factions reluctant to target US interests in Iraq directly Following the assassinations of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Shiite armed factions are reluctant to engage in direct war with the United States due to the lack of military balance between them and their fear of US reactions. By Mustafa Saadoun
Turkey’s AKP stumbles in efforts to restore economic confidence Turkey’s economic confidence indicators show the government has a long way to go in overcoming the credibility erosion it has suffered over the past two years. By Mustafa Sonmez In Istanbul, reporting on economics