The Takeaway: Would Hamas complicate US plans for reset with Palestinians? Also: the back story on the spat between Israel and Jordan; Gulf post-COVID economic trends; Turkey’s Kurds; Egypt and Somalia; and more! Originals
Egypt sentences activist Sanaa Seif to 18 months in prison Seif, who had been in pretrial detention since June, was convicted Wednesday of spreading false news and misusing social media. Egypt
Ukraine rejects Iran's final report on downed passenger plane The Iranian government said last year's shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was the result of a human error. Iran
Palestinians receive first batch of vaccines through COVAX More than 60,000 doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines arrived in Ramallah on Wednesday. Palestine
Syria's Eastern Ghouta faces 'another Aleppo' The monthslong fierce offensive launched by Syrian regime forces on the besieged rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus has left scores of civilians dead and has depleted the resources for medical staff to treat the injured. Syria
Turkey works to secure its future relevance in Syria Turkey’s efforts to make progress in Operation Olive Branch while working on new Syrian de-escalation monitoring outposts east of Idlib may increase military risks, but they keep Turkey in the game. Syria
Conference for Iraq draws investors instead of donors The reported success — and failure — of a fundraising effort for Iraq could become a political football in the May general elections. Saudi Arabia
How my hometown became major smuggling route in Libya Libya's interior has become a hub for human smugglers who utilize the uncontrolled roads to transport migrants wishing to travel to Europe by sea. Libya
Egyptians petition for home schooling recognition An increasing number of families in Egypt are choosing home schooling as an alternative educational approach and are calling on the Ministry of Education to recognize it. Egypt
Has Gaza joined the axis of resistance? Palestinian factions, with the exception of Fatah, are threatening to open a Gaza front against Israel if it goes to war in Syria, Lebanon or Iran. Palestine
Police closing in on Netanyahu With the former director general of the Ministry of Communications, Shlomo Filber, as a state witness, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to be indicted and even convicted. Israel
Makeshift school teaches marketable skills in Cairo slum With paltry government support, the Stabl Antar Dream School is providing both a basic education and vocational training to the children of a shantytown in south Cairo. Egypt
'Bibimania' hits Israel The police investigations against Netanyahu have contributed to an increasingly divisive and corrosive atmosphere in Israel's public and politics. Israel
Egypt training opinion leaders as soldiers to fight 'fake' data The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments is holding courses to teach imams, preachers and other influential leaders how to recognize and confront foreign misinformation — but some argue the plan is actually aimed at imposing the regime's view on citizens. Egypt
Turkey shells pro-Assad militias entering Afrin to aid Kurdish rebels Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s warnings fail to deter groups loyal to Damascus from entering the region where Turkey is fighting Kurdish forces, risking a new front line in the spiraling Syrian conflict. Syria
Pentagon stops budgeting for peshmerga salaries The Pentagon’s fiscal year 2019 budget doesn’t specifically dedicate payments for Iraq’s Kurdish fighting force after it stepped back from the front lines of the fight against the Islamic State. Iraq
