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
Why Egypt is moving forward on free trade Experts consider Egypt's recent actions supporting the Agadir Agreement significant, as Egypt has the largest market among the free-trade agreement's member countries, which will enjoy greater trade and investment opportunities with the help of Egyptian labor and investment opportunities. Saudi Arabia
Why Netanyahu won’t attend this year's AIPAC conference Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is afraid that US President Donald Trump is determined to close "the ultimate deal" between Israel and the Palestinians, and that he will not let anyone stand in his way to such a deal. Palestine
How did humanitarian funds end up in Hamas' pockets? Israeli authorities are accusing Hamas of stealing funds from humanitarian organizations working in the Gaza Strip, but any action to stop the embezzlement could harm the Gaza population the aid is intended for. Palestine
Iraq PM visits White House amid debate over post-Mosul strategy With the liberation of Mosul in sight, the Trump administration is internally divided on what formula might bring long-term stability. Iraq
Khamenei warns against questioning of election results In his annual Nowruz speech, Iran’s supreme leader urged the government to ramp up domestic production, while calling on ordinary Iranians to purchase locally made goods. Iran
Nowruz becomes opportunity for dialogue in Iraq During Nowruz this year, the Baha’i community in Iraq has launched a social dialogue initiative to establish a foundation of dialogue and coexistence in all components of society. Iraq
Are Ankara’s prospects in Syria dimming? Turkey is hemmed in by the United States and Russia in Syria, unable to achieve its aim of blocking Kurdish gains. Syria
Patriarch election saga drags on for Turkey's Armenians Turkey’s Armenian community has remained without an active patriarch for years as Ankara uses a legal vacuum to interfere in its religious affairs. Turkey
On Nowruz, massive pro-Kurdish rallies flood Turkey's Diyarbakir Despite the wide repression their politicians have faced, Turkey's Kurds seem unintimidated as thousands gathered in Diyarbakir to celebrate Nowruz and raise their voices in defiance. Turkey
European court ruling on headscarves sparks ire in Ankara Turkey to provide legal assistance to women affected by a European ruling that allows companies to ban employees from wearing headscarves. Turkey
Are women the solution to Egypt’s economic problems? Many economists and experts expect women to boost the Egyptian economy by assuming more leadership positions. Egypt
Israeli police raid map center outside East Jerusalem Though past Israeli ministers promised the Palestinians their Jerusalem institutions would be preserved, the venerable Orient House has been closed and the map department it once housed has been raided outside the city limits. Palestine
