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
Lebanon’s crisis allows Hezbollah to consolidate power once again Hezbollah's support base seems to be divided on Saad Hariri's sudden resignation from Riyadh and the visit of Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali to Hezbollah members in south Lebanon. Legacy: Gulf
Egyptian school aims to make archaeology fun for youth The Young Archaeologist School in Egypt seeks to educate young students on the importance of antiquities through different activities and field trips. Egypt
Dominos start to tumble in Tunis Several political parties in Tunisia have revoked support for the Carthage Document in what could be the first signs of the national unity government's collapse. Tunisia
Trump moves exacerbate growing US partisan divide over Israel With US public opinion on Israel increasingly divided along partisan lines, Democrats are feeling emboldened to take a stand against President Donald Trump — and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestine
Both sides forced to up casualty estimates as Afrin battles rage The official body counts are rising as Turkey's Operation Olive Branch continues in Afrin, with at least 24 civilians dead so far and both sides exaggerating losses inflicted on the other. Syria
US uncertainty over nuclear deal complicates Iran's economy Far from an unintended consequence of President Trump’s posturing, the uncertainty around the future of the Iranian nuclear deal has slowed the re-entry of Iran's economy into the global market. United States
The female body on display in Haifa At the tiny Mane-Katz Museum in Haifa an exhibition embraces feminine sculptures by Chana Orloff and her artist colleagues. Israel
Rouhani’s first interview after protests backfires Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s first interview after the recent protests fails to satisfy the public. Iran
Islamic State desert bases still headache for Iraq As Iraqi forces continue cleansing the western desert to keep the Syrian-Iraqi border region calm, Islamic State counterattacks in Syria are posing a new risk across the border. Iraq
Erdogan scores big with Afrin operation, but problems remain Military experts say taking Afrin will be a tactical success for Ankara, but Turkey’s Kurdish concerns in Syria appear to be far from over. Syria
Iranian painter's mouthless women speak volumes at Istanbul exhibition Maryam Salahi, an Iranian artist living in Turkey, taps into her "foreignness" for an exhibition in Istanbul exploring identity and freedom in the Middle East. Turkey
Zionist Camp’s Gabbay scrambles to stop poll slide As his poll numbers continue to dive, Zionist Camp leader Avi Gabbay is returning to the party’s traditional electorate. Israel
