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
Ultra-Orthodox see chance to retake Jerusalem mayor's office With municipal elections two years away, the ultra-Orthodox are already working to unite behind a candidate as Jerusalem's current mayor, Nir Barkat, considers a run on Israel's national scene. Israel
Iran MP: We’ve created artificial red lines on free speech While official campaigning has not yet begun, Iranian candidates have begun speaking at universities. Iran
How Oman is helping Obama shut down Guantanamo Bay As the primary destination for transferred Guantanamo Bay prisoners, Oman solidifies its role as a diplomatic back channel for the United States. Legacy: Gulf
Erdogan's AKP critics grow bolder Critical voices are getting louder inside Turkey’s ruling party, but can the dissidents mount a real challenge to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan? Turkey
Can Sisi reconcile with Egypt's youth? Does he even want to? Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proclaimed 2016 to be the Year of the Youth, yet young people continue to be arrested and oppressed, which could result in the emergence of secret activities, especially by Islamists. Egypt
Turkey ups the ante in Syria Turkey's shelling of YPG positions in Syria is not only fueling animosity between Ankara and Moscow, but is also causing fresh tensions with the United States. Syria
Did EU meddle with Turkish elections? The leaked minutes of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting with top EU officials contain embarrassing gaffes by both sides. Syria
Sentence 'suspended' for Palestinian journalist on hunger strike Palestinian journalist Muhammad al-Kik has been on a hunger strike for the past three months in protest of his administrative detention, and his life is now in real danger. Palestine
How bragging could backfire on al-Qassam Brigades The Hamas military wing's recent display of a tank may be something Israel could use as a pretext to justify action against Hamas and Gaza. Palestine
Iranians gear up for parliamentary elections Hard-liners have managed to seize control of the conservative camp, but their victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections is not guaranteed. Iran
Arab Knesset members punished for helping their constituency In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Jamal Zahalka explains why he and his colleagues met with families in Jerusalem, claiming he is being punished for doing his parliamentary work. Palestine
Can Iraq separate religion and state? Campaigns against social activity in Iraq call for a state that imposes its own rules and where Islamic factions have no power or influence. Iraq
