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
As US disengages in North Africa, France's Macron looks to boost his profile During his visit to Tunisia, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to bolster the country’s faltering economy. Tunisia
Israeli lawmakers use provocation to win popularity With provocation becoming the new media’s lifeblood, the Knesset’s ethics committee is struggling to chastise outrageous behavior by Israeli lawmakers. Israel
With countering migration in mind, Italy to deploy troops to North Africa As elections are approaching in Italy, questions arise about why parliament approved the increase of Italian troops in North Africa. North Africa
Hamas chief's inclusion on US terror list will further derail peace efforts By adding moderate Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to its terror list, the United States is signaling further escalation in the political brinkmanship game that aims at imposing a political solution to the Palestinian conflict rather than negotiating one. Israel
Beirut's movie boycott hurts Lebanon more than Israel Several big-name films have been banned in the past two years in Lebanon, and some say the censorship is outdated, haphazard and harmful to the country's own film industry. Israel
Are Iraqi Mandaeans better off in Jordan? Because of discrimination, Iraq’s Mandaeans practice their religion in secrecy in Jordan. Iraq
Al-Bab transformed by influx of Syria's displaced A large number of displaced Syrians from all over the country have fled to al-Bab, bringing with them their diverse cultures and traditions. Syria
Israel presses Russia to help contain 'Iranian threat' Israel is looking to Russia to help dial back Iran's ambitions to expand its presence and influence. Israel
Gaza youth debate political, social issues Several youth debate initiatives in the Gaza Strip are encouraging young Palestinians to question partisan thinking, collect facts and consider other points of view. Palestine
Girls of Jerusalem ensemble gets Palestinian voices heard A girls’ ensemble in East Jerusalem uses both traditional and Western musical instruments to perform traditional songs of Palestine. Palestine
Saudis see opportunities in helping to rebuild Iraq Riyadh's role in restoring Iraq's war-torn areas will play up Saudi Arabia's presence there and, the Saudis hope, help stop the spread of Iran's influence. Saudi Arabia
US warns of renewed Syria gas attacks The White House has warned it could take action against Damascus if reported gas attacks continue. Syria
