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Hamas Accuses Palestinian Govt of Failing Gaza

The Palestinian consensus government has failed to meet its commitment to rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip, former Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya has said.

Speaking late on Monday shortly after a ministerial delegation from the West Bank arrived in Gaza, Haniya accused the government of failing "to keep its commitments, by not carrying out reconstruction, nor unifying institutions under the Palestinian Authority nor organizing elections."

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IS Publishes 'Interview' with Captured Jordan Pilot

The Islamic State group has published what it says is an interview with a Jordanian pilot it captured after his plane crashed in Syria last week.

In the comments attributed to the pilot, he says his plane was hit by a heat-seeking missile, endorsing the jihadist group's version of events, which has been rejected by both Jordan and the United States.

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Egypt Court to Hear Jailed Jazeera Reporters' Appeal

Egypt's top court hears an appeal Thursday by three jailed Al-Jazeera journalists as expectations of their release grew amid a thawing of Cairo's ties with Qatar, the channel's base.

Australian Peter Greste, Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian Baher Mohamed of the satellite news broadcaster's English service were arrested in December 2013 in a case that triggered global outrage.

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Five Arrested in Morocco on 'Terror' Charges

Morocco has indicted five people on charges of plotting "terrorist acts" and belonging to an illegal religious group, the official MAP news agency said on Monday.

The suspects were referred to the prosecutor who leveled the charges against them ahead of their trial, it said without adding when the first hearing will be held.

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Tunisia's New President to be Sworn in Wednesday

Newly elected Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi will be sworn in Wednesday at a ceremony in parliament, which is dominated by his anti-Islamist Nidaa Tounes party, officials said.

The election of Essebsi, an 88-year-old who served under previous regimes, is seen as a landmark for the birthplace of the Arab Spring that toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali four years ago.

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Demos in London, Hague as Journalists Mark Year in Egypt Jail

Rallies were held in London and The Hague on Monday in support of three Al-Jazeera journalists as they marked a year in prison in Egypt.

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Palestinians Seek to Move Forward on U.N. Resolution

The Palestinian leadership on Monday presented changes to a U.N. draft resolution on statehood that could come up for a vote at the Security Council as early as this week.

The United States again rejected the text that would pave the way to a Palestinian state by setting a 12-month deadline to reach a final peace deal and calling for Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territory by the end of 2017.

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'Qaida' Ambush on Yemeni General Kills Two Soldiers

Two Yemeni soldiers were killed and 11 wounded Monday when al-Qaida militants ambushed a regional army chief in southeastern Hadramawt province, a military official said.

"Members of al-Qaida" set an ambush for the convoy of General Abdulrahman al-Hulaili, the head of the First Military Region, the official told Agence France-Presse.

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Ministers Arrive in Gaza to Kickstart Reconstruction

Around 50 Palestinian unity government officials, including eight ministers, arrived in Gaza Monday to kickstart reconstruction of the territory devastated by a 50-day war with Israel, officials told Agence France-Presse.

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Ali Salman, The Bahrain Dissident Promoting Peaceful Protest

Sheikh Ali Salman, the cleric detained by Bahraini authorities, is the charismatic leader of the Shiite opposition in the Sunni-ruled Gulf monarchy who has been a vocal advocate of peaceful protests.

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