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
Shiite militias open offices in Iraq's liberated Sunni areas The Popular Mobilization Units are expanding their domination in Sunni-majority areas liberated from the Islamic State, raising concerns among the local population. Iraq
Netanyahu's road to Iran runs through North Korea Israel fears that if North Korea continues to develop its nuclear arsenal, Iran will no longer agree to restraints on its nuclear program. Israel
Iranians react harshly to US visa ban Iranian officials and media react harshly to US President Donald Trump’s executive order to ban the entry of Iranian citizens to the United States. United States
Why did Russia offer autonomy for Syria’s Kurds? Draft constitution from Russia seeks to decentralize Syrian state authority, limit presidential powers; Turkish forces struggle in two-front campaign against both the Islamic State and Syrian Kurds; Al-Monitor offers in-depth reporting on Syrian Kurdish region. Iraq
Russia offers outline for Syrian constitution Russia’s three-pronged plan for Syria’s constitution addresses secular and Kurdish concerns, as well as governmental structure, including limits on presidential power. Syria
Ankara concerned by PKK's modernized arsenal The Kurdistan Workers Party's weapons, ammunition and equipment captured by Turkey show a previously unknown diversification and growing sophistication of the group's arsenal. Turkey
Hope and fear for Syria's Kurds In the first of a new series of long-form, in-depth articles, Al-Monitor traveled to the northeastern Syrian town of Derik to explore the transitional and often contradictory nature of the Kurdish-administered territory still commonly called Rojava. Syria
What's behind Israel's decision to welcome Syrian orphans? Right-wing nongovernmental organizations in Israel have launched campaigns in favor of Syrian refugees, calling upon the government to show that Israelis care about their neighbors being massacred daily. Israel
4 reasons Turkey is destined for an imperial presidency President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's April referendum will pass, not because Turkish voters yearn for one-man rule or authoritarianism, but because the system is producing the desired outcomes for those in power. Turkey
Iraq welcomes return of foreign archaeological missions Iraq has signed a contract with a British exploration mission for further excavation at the historic Tell Khaiber site west of Nasiriyah. Iraq
Gaza’s women venture into comedy acting Gaza’s women are rebelling against religious and cultural customs and joining men in comedy shows that are broadcast on social networking sites. Palestine
Why pension funds in Iran could face bankruptcy tsunami Years of mismanagement and populist legislation, coupled with an increasingly ageing population, have driven Iranian pension funds to the brink of mass bankruptcy. Iran
