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
Why Iraqi women are turning to the Internet to buy books Iraqi women are ordering books from the comfort of their own homes, overcoming the crippling security conditions. Iraq
New hotline offers support to Gaza’s blackmail victims Gaza's all-female police unit has launched a campaign to offer women support and protection from emotional blackmail, a crime many are afraid to report. Palestine
After 52-year ban, Syrian Kurds now taught Kurdish in schools Schools in Syrian regions controlled by the Kurdish PYD and its allies are for the first time teaching the Kurdish language, a practice prohibited under Baathist rule. Syria
Will Egypt trash its latest waste-sorting initiative? The latest initiative to encourage households to sort waste has been unsuccessful due to mismanagement at the government level. Egypt
How Internet censorship protects Iranian businesses Contrary to popular perceptions, more than political considerations inform Iran's Internet filtering policies. Iran
Congress wants to make Iran, Palestinians pay terror verdicts Senators are weighing a slew of legislative proposals to ensure terrorism victims get compensated. Palestine
Mystery continues over Iran's missing ambassador The case of Ghazanfar Roknabadi, Iran's former Lebanon ambassador missing since the September hajj stampede, will be taken to the United Nations, according to Iranian officials. Saudi Arabia
Should Israel use 54 Palestinian prisoners as bargaining chip? Releasing the 54 Shalit deal prisoners could not only help in returning the bodies of IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin; it could also assist in calming down the current wave of violence. Palestine
Lapid renews push to draft ultra-Orthodox, is it worth it? Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid has relaunched a campaign over ultra-Orthodox drafting that the Knesset is about to change. Israel
After failing to find work, many Gazan medical professionals 'lease' their degrees to others Haunted by a skyrocketing unemployment rate, medical graduates in the Gaza Strip are leasing their degrees to businessmen to make a living. Palestine
Palestinian olive oil sector squeezed by production shortfalls Olive oil is the main source of income for 100,000 Palestinian families, yet authorities keep ignoring warning signs in the struggling sector. Palestine
Take me back to Gaza! The author visits Jerusalem for the second time in her life and shares her feelings when she sets foot in the city. Palestine
