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
Tillerson leaves Ankara with no new enemies — or friends The US secretary of state seems to have made little progress on his first official trip to Turkey, where Rex Tillerson is believed to have confirmed the administration’s decision to press ahead with plans to capture Raqqa with the help of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces. Turkey
Ahmadinejad retakes spot on Iran's political stage, despite ‘advice’ Even though Iran's supreme leader has publicly "advised" him not to run for office, former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appears to think that it doesn't apply to his inner circle. Iran
The surprising rise of the head of Iran's most influential charity Ebrahim Raisi, head of one of Iran’s wealthiest organizations, appears to be using his position to put himself in the national spotlight ahead of presidential elections. Iran
Ultra-Orthodox leadership silent over violent demonstration Much like the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox community, Israeli politicians and ministers are afraid to condemn the violent demonstrations against the summoning of ultra-Orthodox students to IDF induction centers. Israel
Will US keep military bases in Iraq after IS? The Iraqi prime minister's recent visit to the United States indicates both parties are interested in maintaining a US presence in Iraq after the Islamic State is forced out. However, Iran-backed militias strongly oppose the idea. Iraq
Turkey recruits youth hackers to boost cybersecurity Increasingly susceptible to cyberattacks, Turkey is recruiting former hackers and tech-savvy citizens for training in cyber affairs, but some worry the Turkish government will use these new capabilities to monitor its own citizens. Turkey
How Egypt's government plans to save sea turtles Cairo is preparing to launch a nationwide program to end the slaughter of sea turtles, which are becoming an endangered species. Egypt
PA, Jordan compete for aid at Arab League Summit Both the Palestinian and Jordanian governments took advantage of the Arab League Summit in Amman to present their cases for why they deserve more financial aid from the rich Gulf countries. Saudi Arabia
Dinosaurs come to life at Bethlehem exhibit Bethlehem is now home to an exhibit of animatronic dinosaurs, which is proving popular with Palestinian schoolchildren. Palestine
Will zealots ignite another firestorm on the Temple Mount? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes the Supreme Court will resolve the issue of Knesset members’ visiting the Temple Mount so he doesn't have to. Palestine
Is Turkey trying to bypass Abbas in Gaza? Hamas says it has not succumbed to Turkish pressure to negotiate with Israel, but the exchange raises discussion about Turkey’s role in accelerating the peace process between the adversaries. Palestine
Congress cautiously takes on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps A bipartisan Senate bill to slap terrorism sanctions on the Iranian military raises questions about its practical impact. Congress
