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
Has ultra-Orthodox war against Israel's supreme court ended? Shas leaders have been accusing Israeli judges of evil and persecution for years; yet in their battle against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's associate Rami Sadan, they have turned to the court for assistance. Israel
Has 'Bibi, the Magician' lost his magic? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has uncharacteristically made one misstep after the other. Palestine
Obama administration lays out $56 million plan for Libya The United States is boosting its commitment to the new coalition government in Libya. Libya
How empty water bottles are helping Western Sahara refugees beat desert heat Energy expert Tatah Lehbib is putting his college education to use at home, combining old and new building methods and materials to improve housing conditions for refugees in Algeria. Algeria
What role will Egypt play in Palestine-Israel peace path? Palestinians and Israelis can’t even agree on how to approach peace talks. Palestine
Why Iran still doesn’t trust Russia on Syria Despite its close collaboration with Russia in Syria, Iranian political and military officials are growing increasingly suspicious about Moscow's intentions and long-term strategy. Russia
Rouhani targets Iran's conservative media Iran's justice minister has accused the country premier conservative paper of publishing lies against the administration. Iran
Boeing deal would reverse 1993 decision to sell to Saudis, not Iran A $17 billion deal by Boeing to sell Iran more than 100 civilian airplanes has major ramifications for US-Iran relations, say American and Iranian analysts. Saudi Arabia
Is Tel Aviv attack revival of the Jerusalem intifada? The latest Tel Aviv attack has raised questions about the Palestinian party standing behind it, as some claim it was an individual operation. Palestine
Minor blast in Beirut bank will have major repercussions The bombing of the BLOM Bank in Beirut could have repercussions for Lebanon’s banking, financial, economic, political and security stability. Lebanon
As external threats recede, Jordan left to face inner demons Though attacks from across the border with Syria and Iraq are becoming less of a concern, experts say that the political, economic and cultural conditions in Jordan are perfect for home-grown extremism, a risk the government seems reluctant to address. Jordan
Why Israel fears Orlando-style attack Israeli security experts point out that despite severe restrictions on arms sales, Palestinian terrorists can manufacture their own submachine guns and could launch massive attacks — like in Orlando. Palestine
