* Palestinian Authority Ministry of Religious Affairs top dog: Jews ‘descendants of the apes and pigs’ Good thing Biden’s handlers are going to start sending these good people billions of taxpayer dollars, eh?
* Palestinians: EU Facilitating Hamas Victory Facing pressure from the European Union, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas last month set dates for holding general elections for the first time in 15 years.
* Biden called Netanyahu amid White House flurry over US Iran stance at Munich President Joe Biden made his first phone call to PM Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday night, Feb. 17 amid intense White House preparations for the president’s first multilateral appearances on his administration’s foreign policy.
* U.S. rescinds Trump White House claim that all U.N. sanctions had been reimposed on Iran The United States on Thursday told the United Nations Security Council it was rescinding a Trump administration assertion that all U.N. sanctions had been reimposed on Iran in September.
* US says it’s ready to restart talks with Iran on its nuclear program State Department says it will accept invitation from European Union to meet with deal’s original participants, including Tehran; US reportedly told Israel of move ahead of time.
* Israel: US paving path to Iranian nuclear bomb with push to rejoin JCPOA "Israel believes that going back to the old agreement will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal."
* US-Saudi alliance: Major reset under way This week President Joe Biden's administration has given a further indication of how it plans to distance itself from the Middle East policies of his predecessor, President Donald Trump.
* NATO to Send 3,500 More Troops to Iraq Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), announced on Thursday that another 3,500 troops will be sent to Iraq, joining 500 NATO forces already in the country.
* Mary, A Model For Faith And Life For Christianity And Islam Starting on February 18, ten weekly conferences will be given jointly by Catholic and Muslim speakers who will seek “dialogue, knowledge and cooperation” regarding themes such as “Mary, a woman of faith,” “God who is love and faith,” prayer, purity, hospitality and non-violence, fasting and penitence, fraternity and citizenship.
* NASA's astrobiology rover Perseverance makes historic Mars landing "Touchdown confirmed," Swati Mohan, the lead guidance and operations specialist announced from the control room. "Perseverance safely on the surface of Mars."