Intel: Trump calls on Qatar to work toward resolving Gulf dispute President Donald Trump has asked Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to take steps to resolve the ongoing dispute with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, which blockaded Qatar in 2017. Gulf
Turkey’s S-400 delay is about more than just the economy and COVID-19 Turkey’s deepening economic woes are widely seen as the prime reason behind its decision to delay the activation of the Russian S-400 systems. But an array of other factors have been at play that are forcing Ankara to think twice. Turkey
Kurds shoot down celebratory gunfire after coronavirus victory in Iraqi province Several people were injured by celebratory gunfire after the Iraqi Kurdish province of Duhok declared itself free from the coronavirus. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Saudi-led cease-fire expires in Yemen with no deal in place A unilateral truce in Yemen has expired as aid organizations fear a coronavirus outbreak in the war-ravaged country. Saudi Arabia
Iran unlikely to release women activists during pandemic The coronavirus outbreak is adding to the plight of imprisoned women’s rights defenders in Iran. Iran
Gaza: Love in the time of COVID-19 The requirement that Gaza residents go into quarantine upon returning to the territory has resulted in a number of people meeting their match. Palestine
Emigrants abandon life abroad, flock home to Israel As the coronavirus closes universities and whittles the job market, many Israelis living abroad are now flying home and many more are considering it. Israel
The Takeaway: April 22, 2020 Highlights: Israel’s next move on annexation could depend on Trump; Erdogan may be betting on the impossible in Idlib; Gulf oil exporters caught between Washington, Beijing and COVID-19; UAE launches fatwa-approved lottery; Biden’s Middle East team; and more! Originals
Turkish-backed rebels fight each other in Ras al-Ain, Syria Syrian rebel groups backed by Turkey clashed with each other in the border town they captured from Kurdish forces last year. Syria
Turkey seeks to exploit claims to Iraqi Kurdish village A small village in Iraqi Kurdistan has become a flashpoint for tensions between the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party and its rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, with the PKK also entering the dispute. Iraq
Intel: Trump administration claims Palestinian aid not reaching people who need it Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, explaining the Donald Trump administration’s decision to provide $5 million in COVID-19 assistance to the Palestinians in place of $75 million appropriated overall, said US economic and humanitarian aid for the West Bank and Gaza is being cut in general because it was not reaching the people. Palestine
Erdogan says life in Turkey could return to normal by late May The Turkish president also said the country was facing its biggest economic crisis since World War II. Turkey
Lebanon becomes first Arab country to legalize cannabis farming Despite pushback from Hezbollah, the Lebanese parliament passed legislation Tuesday legalizing cannabis cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes. Lebanon
Intel: Iran launched its first satellite into space. Then Trump threatened to destroy Iranian vessels. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran today on Twitter, saying he has “instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.” Originals
First confirmed coronavirus case in Lebanon Palestinian refugee camp A Palestinian refugee woman tested positive for the coronavirus in Lebanon amid fears that the conditions in such camps could lead to an outbreak. Palestine
How a German court is trying to bring Syrian war criminals to justice Because Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, victims of torture and abuse by the Syrian government are seeking justice in Germany and other countries. Syria
