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
Ex-Obama adviser: Missile defense may avert GCC proliferation Retired Gen. James Cartwright, a former commander of US Strategic Command, says that missile defense could persuade Persian Gulf states to forswear nuclear weapons despite their concerns about an upcoming nuclear accord with Iran. Legacy: Gulf
What's ahead for Saudi Arabia? Saudi's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has made a number of crucial changes during his first months in power, from taking military and policy risks to a reshuffling of parliament. Saudi Arabia
Former Ahmadinejad vice president arrested Hamid Baghaei, former vice president for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is the second Ahmadinejad era Cabinet member to be arrested on alleged corruption charges. Iran
The last of Iraq's hand-woven carpets Once an Iraqi trademark and a sought-after speciality, it seems like the handmade carpet industry in Iraq is drawing its last breath. Iraq
Pro-government media blame 'external forces' for AKP’s loss Unable to accept defeat, journalists who supported Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party see foreign and domestic plots behind Sunday’s elections. Turkey
Diyarbakir celebrates after HDP election breakthrough The historic Kurdish breakthrough in Turkey’s parliamentary elections sparks boisterous celebrations across the southeast and boosts hopes for a negotiated settlement of Kurdish grievances. Turkey
Will Israel’s Erez crossing supersede Rafah? It looks like Israel is allowing more people to cross into the West Bank from Gaza through the Erez crossing, which has raised questions about the possibility of the Erez crossing replacing the Rafah crossing. Palestine
Likud MK: Any concession could empower Hamas In an interview with Al-Monitor, newly elected Likud Knesset member Yoav Kish argues that any territorial concession under current circumstances will end up with Islamic extremists taking control of that land. Palestine
Street vendors expelled from downtown Cairo Authorities in Egypt are clamping down on street vendors, imposing fines and expelling them to spaces outside the main commercial areas in cities. Egypt
Anti-boycott call rings hollow as village awaits demolition Israeli plans to demolish the Palestinian village of Susiya and other similar acts will not generate support for the government's campaign to stanch the growing movement to boycott settlement products and in some cases products made in Israel. Palestine
Ultra-Orthodox protest businesses open on Sabbath The ultra-Orthodox sector is rallying thousands of consumers in its battle against businesses that operate on Saturdays. Israel
South African Jews, not Israel, suffer from boycott The BDS movement has been active in South Africa for years, but it's the local Jewish community, not Israel-South Africa bilateral trade relations, that are paying the price of the boycott calls. Palestine
