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
Jewish lawmakers rip Trump over two-state walkback Jewish Democrats warn that the Israeli right's push for a one-state solution risks endangering bipartisan support for the Jewish state. Palestine
Will Raqqa be site for clash of titan generals? Two admired military heroes of Iran and Turkey, both commanding elite military units in Iraq and Syria, could wind up confronting each other in northern Syria. Syria
Turkish puppy saga draws in politicians, public A shaken and polarized Turkey desperate for good news has been elated by a happy ending to the story of a puppy trapped in an Istanbul borehole. Turkey
Iran's Khamenei strikes down Reformist call for ‘national reconciliation’ In Iran, a call by Reformists for “national reconciliation” receives a stern response from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran
What’s next for Turkish Kurds' political movement? Hit by an unprecedented crackdown, representatives of Turkey’s Kurdish political movement explain their vision for the future. Turkey
Why some in Israel are wary of Hamas’ new Gaza boss Israeli security experts disagree whether the new Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, will escalate tensions with Israel or adopt a pragmatic approach. Palestine
Why Israeli tourists are returning to Sinai despite warnings Israeli official warnings about security threats are not stopping young Israelis from heading down to Sinai beaches. Egypt
Palestinians launch massive appeal to Trump Palestinians enthusiastically respond to a letter-writing campaign designed to draw US President Donald Trump's attention to their cause. Palestine
Gaza barber plays with fire A Palestinian barber in Gaza is giving his clients a unique haircut by straightening and styling their hair with fire. Palestine
Will Trump turn Rouhani into hawk? Caught between US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and calls for a harsher stance at home, Iran’s moderate president must sooner rather than later find a way to solve this dilemma. United States
Displaced Iraqis leave camps as smoke clears in east Mosul Hundreds of displaced Iraqis are returning home to eastern Mosul, though the liberated districts still suffer from a lack of security and public services. Iraq
Why Netanyahu won't abandon two-state solution Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has done nothing to advance a two-state solution, his repeated assertions in support of it have nonetheless shifted thinking in the Likud Party. Israel
