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
Israel, Hamas swap blame for failed prisoner exchange talks Both Hamas and Israel want to reach a prisoner exchange deal, but talks appear to be at an impasse over a group of Palestinian prisoners released in a previous exchange but later rearrested. Palestine
What's behind calls to close Shiite media outlets in Egypt? An Egyptian court has delayed ruling on cases related to shutting down TV stations and websites considered to be Shiite and accused of blasphemy or inciting against the Sunni ideology. Egypt
How far is Egypt willing to go to have strong grip on media? Egypt's former armed forces spokesman is now the head of a media outlet, which is sparking much controversy and raising questions about the Egyptian state's tight grip on the media. Egypt
Will Saudi Arabia expel Egyptian workforce? The fate of 2 million Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia is on the line in light of Saudi measures to charge expat fees amid several political crises between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, including the dispute over Sanafir and Tiran islands. Saudi Arabia
How Trump's economic policies could hurt Egypt In a time of global economic uncertainty, Egypt is worried about how US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement will affect the Suez Canal. Egypt
Palestinian singles find love through matchmaking service Although a marriage matchmaking service is a novel idea for the traditional Palestinian society, a new center in Ramallah that matches couples has no problem finding clients. Palestine
What is Merkel's Mideast role in Trump-Putin era? Against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s nationalistic policies, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is being viewed by many as the new leader of the free world and a future key player in the Middle East. Palestine
Trump no savior for Iraq's Christian minority Many Iraqi minorities supported Donald Trump's candidacy for president, but his visa ban has changed minds. Iraq
Israeli left regroups to survive Trump era Israeli progressives fear that the spirit of the new US administration not only will encourage settlement construction, but threaten liberal values and tolerance within Israeli society. Israel
The colonels shaping Trump's Middle East policy Who’s who in the Trump NSC: The retired military intelligence officers who helped David Petraeus with the surge in Iraq are now shaping policies for a president who says the United States should have never invaded Iraq. Iraq
How Trump could spark 'national reconciliation' in Iran Former President Mohammad Khatami, sensing that the threat from US President Donald Trump is real, called for national reconciliation. United States
All eyes on Pompeo as CIA chief arrives in Ankara Though Turkish hopes for a closer US alliance are soaring as CIA Director Mike Pompeo meets with top Ankara officials, it's unlikely that the US administration will agree to weaken its ties to the Kurdish groups it depends on badly in Syria. Syria
