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Qatar Top Diplomat in Iran to Discuss Afghanistan

Qatar's foreign minister met his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on Thursday to discuss developments in Afghanistan, the Qatari diplomat and Iranian media said.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held "talks on regional and international issues" with Iran's Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, reported Iran's ISNA news agency.

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Israel to Open Formal Inquiry into Jailbreak

Israel on Thursday announced a formal inquiry into lapses that enabled six Palestinians to escape a high security prison, as it pressed on with a manhunt for the fugitive militants. 

Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev said in a statement that he and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had agreed to form a commission of inquiry led by a retired judge into Monday's jailbreak at Gilboa prison.

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Jordanian Court Upholds Convictions in Royal Plot

A Jordanian court on Thursday upheld the conviction of two former senior officials on sedition and other charges connected to an alleged plot against the kingdom involving the half-brother of King Abdullah II.

Bassem Awadallah, who has U.S. citizenship and once served as a top aide to the king, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a member of the royal family, were sentenced to 15 years in prison in July by a state security court. They were accused of conspiring with Hamzah, a former crown prince, and of seeking foreign assistance.

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Theater Kid Turned Militant Stars in Israeli Prison Break

For nearly two decades, Zakaria Zubeidi has been an object of fascination for Israelis and Palestinians alike, who have seen his progression from a child actor to a swaggering militant, to the scarred face of a West Bank theater promoting "cultural resistance" to Israeli occupation.

Now he has emerged as one of Israel's most wanted fugitives after tunneling out of a high-security prison on Monday with five other Palestinian militants.

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Palestinian Teen Describes Brutal Attack by Israeli Settlers

More than two weeks after the attack, Tareq Zubeidi still spends most of his time in bed, too scared to leave home even if the wounds on his feet allowed him to walk normally.

The 15-year-old is haunted by the memory of what he describes as a brutal attack by Israeli settlers, who he says beat him with clubs, tied him to a tree and burned the soles of his feet.

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German FM Arrives in Libya to Reopen Country's Embassy

Germany's foreign minister arrived in Libya on Thursday to reopen the country's embassy in Tripoli.

"Today, we want to show with the reopening that Germany is and will remain a committed partner of Libya," Heiko Maas said upon his arrival in Tripoli. "We want to have a voice in the Libyan capital again."

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Turkey, Egypt Agree to Further Talks in Bid to Ease Tensions

East Mediterranean rivals Turkey and Egypt have agreed to continue talks aimed at stabilizing relations after the end of a second round of negotiations, the two governments said Wednesday.

A joint statement said that after a two-day meeting in Ankara it was agreed to extend talks, "confirming (the mutual) desire to make progress in areas under discussion and the need for further steps to facilitate normalization" of bilateral relations.

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Qatar's FM to Discuss Afghanistan with Pakistan

Pakistan says Qatar's foreign minister will arrive in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad to discuss the latest situation in Afghanistan.

In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Qatari chief diplomat Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during his day-long visit Thursday will meet with Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other top officials.

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Jailed Tunisia MP Goes on Hunger Strike

A Tunisian MP arrested at the end of July after criticizing the army and President Kais Saied has gone on hunger strike, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Yassine Ayari, a 40-year-old former blogger, is serving a two-month sentence handed down in late 2018 for comments he posted about the army on Facebook.

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Israel Pours Troops into West Bank to Hunt Down Prison Fugitives

Israel flooded the occupied West Bank with reinforcements on Wednesday in the manhunt for six Palestinians who have been on the run for three days after escaping from a top security prison.

The army said in a statement that in order to try to find the men "it has been decided to extend the general closure of Judea and Samaria", Israel's terminology for the West Bank.

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