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
Theater on wheels to reach Palestinian children in isolated areas The Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation launches a mobile theater to reach children who have never seen a show before. Palestine
A perilous journey home for Raqqa residents In the former self-proclaimed capital of the Islamic State, two months after the end of the battle, Raqqa residents are already attempting to rebuild their war-battered city — a colossal challenge that has also proven to be lethal. Syria
Syria’s internally displaced in dire need of aid Amid the lack of basic services in the camps for displaced people in Aleppo’s northern countryside, officials are calling on local and humanitarian organizations to step up and provide aid. Syria
Russian-Egyptian military cooperation on the rise Russia and Egypt have recently signed an agreement on the shared use of air bases, amid other signs of strengthening military ties. Egypt
Turkey’s top religious body okays divorce via text message Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs has issued several controversial opinions, most recently one stating that men may divorce their wives via a telephone call, fax, text message or email. Turkey
Sinai tribes say IS’ end is near in the area In an interview with Al-Monitor, the head of the Sinai Tribal Union discussed a future Sinai free of Wilayat Sinai and developing through investment. Egypt
Can Sisi rival gain support of Egypt's Copts in 2018 elections? Ever since former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq announced his intention to run in the 2018 Egyptian presidential elections, many observers and analysts have been speculating about his ability to win those elections. Egypt
Houthis broach talks after Saleh slain, but war continues Yemen's civil war demonstrates that despotism leads to more of the same, no matter who's in power. Saudi Arabia
Gaza fashion house combines tradition, style A female-run fashion house in Gaza boasts two boutiques that sell its original designs melding traditional Palestinian aesthetics with modern tastes. Palestine
Trump’s Jerusalem move accelerates Fatah succession war Rivals of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas within the Fatah movement are using the US president's Jerusalem proclamation to advance themselves ahead of the succession battle. Palestine
Is Trump’s Jerusalem decision winner for Iran? Islamic Jihad gains momentum in the Gaza Strip, US-Jordan relations are shaken, US-Turkey relations worsen and Iran reaps the benefits without lifting a finger. Palestine
Will Bahrain, Israel establish formal relations in 2018? Bahrain could become the first Gulf Cooperation Council member to establish official diplomatic and trade relations with Israel, though this may largely depend on the GCC states' response to the Jerusalem crisis. United Arab Emirates
