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
Common sense lost in Iranian race for ultimate selfie Like other technologically adept people around the world, Iranians are increasingly becoming fans of the selfie — but to an extent that is truly rare. The question is why Iranians go to the lengths they do to get the ultimate selfie. Iran
Turkey upbeat, nervous as first civilian convoy evacuates Aleppo Turkish media outlets across the political spectrum are reporting on the evacuation of the first group of residents from eastern Aleppo with hope, but also apprehension. Syria
How does Erdogan win with a losing hand? Criminal court cases against Israel over the raid on the Mavi Marmara flotilla are being dismissed due to the agreement Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed, but Islamists lash out against the judge and prosecutor. Palestine
Why Morocco's Islamists struggle to manage economy A stagnant economy, due to a decline in tourism, agriculture and phosphate earnings, is frustrating voters in a country where the long-term economic trend has not been positive. Morocco
Is Turkey turning its stern on the West in the Black Sea? The regional power balance could change if Russia and Turkey carry their rapprochement in Syria to the Black Sea. Turkey
How Turkey's journalists are preserving critical reporting Turkish journalists left jobless by Ankara’s crackdown on the media have launched online broadcast platforms with a growing audience. Turkey
Will Egypt’s Antiquities Ministry restore dilapidated synagogues? The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities is deploying efforts to restore the remaining three synagogues in Cairo’s Jewish Quarter. Egypt
What the 'Russian lobby' in Ankara wants A group of so-called Eurasianists are again whispering to Ankara that Turkey's future lies with Russia and China and have outlined a plan for severing ties with Europe. Russia
Egypt's newspapers face uncertainty after printing price hikes Several Egyptian newspapers may have to shut down following the increase of printing costs. Egypt
Has Fatah abandoned its founding principles? The seventh Fatah congress only further confirmed that Fatah is a ruling party, not a liberation movement. Palestine
How will Tunisia confront jihadis coming home? Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi sparked controversy when he said that authorities will not arrest jihadis that return to the country after fighting abroad. Iraq
Syrian refugee brings taste of Aleppo to Gaza A Syrian refugee opened a restaurant in the Gaza Strip that is similar to the one he owned in Aleppo, Syria, before it was destroyed and he had to flee because of the war. Palestine
