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
Hydroponic farming finds its way to Egypt Amid severe water shortages and concerns over pesticide use, some Egyptians are hoping to transform the country's agriculture sector by relying on hydroponics to grow healthy and pesticide-free crops. Egypt
Chemical attacks and narrow streets complicate fight for Mosul’s Old City The fight against the Islamic State in western Mosul has reached the level of door-to-door fighting, with many challenges and dangers regarding the safety of civilians and the use of chemical weapons by IS. Iraq
Why is Khulafa Mosque's minaret on verge of collapse? The minaret of the historic Khulafa Mosque in Baghdad is on the verge of collapse, which may spark sectarian tension in the city. Iraq
Jordan’s photography festival captures snapshot of country's history For the sixth year, Jordanian photographer Linda al-Khoury is holding the international Image Festival in Jordan to create a cultural exchange and promote photography. Jordan
What's in Palestine's first ever education law? The Palestinian Education Ministry announced the ratification of their first law on education to bring significant changes to the educational and academic process in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
Library train brings books to Gaza children A train serving as an library visits children in the Gaza Strip to encourage reading and learning. Palestine
Syria chemical attack unsettles Iran's chemical weapons survivors The use of chemical weapons in Syria has led members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a fighting force that remembers the horror and uncertainty of the Iran-Iraq War, to be both angry and cautious about blame. Syria
Russia steps up its game in Mideast diplomacy The heavy traffic between Moscow and the Middle East after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Russia last week signals that Russia is looking to quickly solidify its relationships with regional partners. Saudi Arabia
Israeli politicians continue silence over settlers attacking IDF Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ignored extreme-right incitement for many years, including a recent attack by the Hilltop Youth group against the Israel Defense Forces. Israel
Turkey's AKP claims Kurdish support for referendum, Kurds say otherwise As Turkey continues to roil in the aftermath of the referendum, the ruling party is now claiming the Kurds helped President Recep Tayyip Erdogan win in what Kurdish leaders call "blatant disinformation." Turkey
How Abbas is prepping for expected surge in nationalist sentiment Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is pinning his hopes on Egyptian and Jordanian pressure on the Trump administration to engage in a two-state solution process within a regional framework. Palestine
Ancient Egyptian martial art enters modern world, opens to women As the first Egyptian woman certified to teach and compete in the discipline of tahteeb, Rania Medhat is training others in the ancient Egyptian sport. Egypt
