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
Syrian perfume-makers scent success in Egypt Syrian perfume-makers have continued their longstanding tradition of crafting fragrances in Egypt. Egypt
Netanyahu’s shortsighted Mideast policy Israel prefers to ignore the changes surrounding it, such as threats by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel the Oslo Accord and Iran’s change of stance on the Arab Peace Initiative. Palestine
Hardcore Likud stands by Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support from Likud members runs deep, and it is related to the role played by the Likud Party in battling Mizrahi discrimination. Israel
Ultra-Orthodox women fuel change in traditional communities Ultra-Orthodox demographics are changing, with less children per family and more educated and employed women. Israel
Abbas lifts Gaza tax exemption, threatening further economic woes After taking over administrative control of the Gaza Strip, President Mahmoud Abbas has abolished tax exemptions in a bid to get more revenue from Gaza to balance expenses, disregarding the harsh economic conditions in the besieged enclave. Palestine
Jordan tones down rhetoric in response to US move against UNRWA Amid US threats to cut funding for UNRWA, Jordan appears to have opted for quiet diplomatic engagement with the United States rather than a confrontational approach. Palestine
Egypt grounds unlicensed drones Security concerns have led Egypt to regulate the use of drones, even as the country strives to become a leading manufacturer of the unmanned aerial vehicles. Egypt
Rivals may team up to defeat Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has expressed his solidarity with Iraqi Kurdistan, indicating the possibility of an alliance with his former rival Massoud Barzani. Iraq
Syrian stars look to shine at Egyptian soccer academy An academy that helps gifted Syrian kids play in big soccer clubs sees talent and hope in Egypt. Egypt
Yazidis in Turkey camp wish for IS captives to return home Yazidis who have been in a camp near Mardin wish for their women and children to return home safely from IS captivity. Turkey
Egyptians continue book swap despite theft The street library initiative launched by an Egyptian-German businessman offers novels, poetry and nonfiction books in the busy streets of Cairo. Egypt
Russia, Iran in sync on preserving nuclear deal Russia's UN ambassador says the United States has "an irrational allergy" to Iran and should stop trying to constrain Tehran's influence in the Middle East by undermining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Russia
