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
The collapse of Iraq's Shiite alliance Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr co-opts popular reform movement; Erdogan’s bid for empowered presidency linked to war with PKK; Turkey feels pressure to intensify fight against Islamic State; Backlash over Egyptian government crackdown on media. Egypt
Will Iran's king of singing come back to the Iranian stage? After having been struck by cancer, blacklisted Iranian classical singer Mohammad Reza Shajarian may soon be back on the air in the Islamic Republic. Iran
Who will be Egypt's next 'Hijab Queen'? Young Egyptian designer Aya Mahmoud wants to hold the hijab to a higher standard, while highlighting the value of conservative fashion among Egypt's young women. Egypt
Pro-Erdogan media take precautions against Panama Papers Vladimir Putin and his supporters are not the only ones who see a CIA conspiracy behind the Panama Papers. Turkey
Aleppo sees cautious calm amid cease-fire The truce agreement between opposition and government forces has allowed life to return to many areas in Syria, but many residents worry that it won't last long. Syria
Will US-Saudi 'special relationship' last? Despite what many observers see as a strain in US-Saudi relations over very different if not completely opposite foreign policy postures, the two countries' shared interests remain a firm and unchanging foundation for their cooperation. Saudi Arabia
Syria's withering agricultural sector Five years into the raging revolution, Syria's once-flourishing agricultural system is threatened with complete collapse. Syria
Why the Turkish government seized this Armenian church The Justice and Development Party’s rhetoric and legislation differ on the expropriation of Armenian churches in Sur, causing further frustration among locals and diaspora Armenians. Turkey
Are Amman-Ankara ties in crisis? Deep divisions remain between King Abdullah and President Erdogan, who have not met in more than three years. Jordan
Can Egypt's parliament learn from Israeli Knesset? Egyptian member of parliament Sayed Farag has sparked controversy with his call for a parliamentary delegation to visit the Knesset to discuss pending issues between the two countries and take advantage of Israel's military experience. Egypt
Why Iraq's Kurds are united in Baghdad and divided in Erbil Despite their internal divisions, Kurdish parties are united in the face of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's plan to reshuffle the Cabinet. Iraq
Gaza women revive henna tattoo tradition Traditional henna tattooing has resurfaced among women in the Gaza Strip as a potential source of living. Palestine
