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
Sisi supporters turn to stars to boost campaign While sports, art and media celebrities have announced their support for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's second presidential term, some question whether dissent is really an option. Egypt
Iranian women must remain united to advance rights The recent anti-compulsory hijab protests in Iran have forged both unity and division among women activists. Iran
Grieving Syrians forced to dig graves at night in besieged Ghouta As regime airstrikes pummel Eastern Ghouta, petrified residents rush to bury their loved ones in the dark for fear of joining their lost relatives. Syria
Ahmadinejad condemns prison 'suicides' Facing his own judicial problems, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has criticized the recent number of so-called prison suicides. Iran
Egyptian women tell their story in 'Colored Dress' An Egyptian docudrama seeks to highlight the success stories of real women who have battled with social norms and economic difficulties to pursue the lives they want. Egypt
Deportation of African migrants angers Israeli restaurateurs Israeli restaurateurs call upon the government to drop its plan of massive deportation of African migrants and offer them residence status. Israel
Female storyteller brings new twist to old Jordanian tales Sally Shalabi, a Palestinian-Jordanian storyteller, reinterprets the folk tales of the past to suit the events of the day, where women take on a more prominent role and are no longer bystanders. Jordan
Tribal disputes flare in southern Iraq over water scarcity The water crisis in Iraq's southern regions has led to several conflicts between tribes as they fight over the depleted resource, and the Iraqi government appears unable to stop it. Iraq
Questions abound as Iranians claim US Treasury licensing plane sales to Iran The US Treasury Department is reportedly finally moving on issuing the necessary licenses for airplane sales to Iran after a long period of inactivity. United States
Iran’s police step in to contain foreign currency debacle Iranian police enter the fray to contain an emerging foreign exchange crisis. Iran
Greece sees Turkish 'provocation' in Aegean crash Tempers are flaring between old foes Turkey and Greece after their patrol boats collided in a contested area of the Aegean Sea. Turkey
International pressure on Israeli settlements renews push for US anti-boycott laws Pro-Israel advocates trying to fight boycotts of Israel's settlements face a new urgency as the UN turns its spotlight on the West Bank, but legal challenges to federal and state laws are creating significant hurdles. Palestine
