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
Post-Paris: perilous future for Turkey, Muslims A grave future is waiting for Turkey and Muslims after the Charlie Hebdo shootings on Jan. 7 in France. Turkey
Turkish cartoonists threatened after Charlie Hebdo attacks Turkish satirical journalists and cartoonists have been warned via phone and over social media to "learn" from the attack on Charlie Hebdo and be careful who they antagonize. Turkey
Bahraini Shiite leader arrested The detention of Sheikh Ali Salman mirrors the marginalization of Sunnis in Iraq over the past decades and is likely to lead to further religious tension. Bahrain
Arab world insists on support of West for Palestinian statehood Egyptian and Palestinian officials stress that it will be easier for Arab countries to cooperate with the United States and Europe on fighting the Islamic State if their people see that the West promotes Palestinian statehood. Palestine
Egypt’s buffer zone expansion hurts Hamas’ arms supplies Egypt’s decision to expand its buffer zone along its border with the Gaza Strip is a sign that relations with Hamas are no closer to improving. Palestine
Traditional Jewish stew warms Israeli winter Hamin, a traditional Shabbat stew, was once a staple of older generations, but this year, it has become immensely popular among young Israelis and in fashionable restaurants. Israel
Al-Qaeda challenges Islamic State with Paris attack Al-Qaeda's deadly terror attack in Paris may have been an attempt to restate its relevance and effectiveness in its global jihadist struggle with the Islamic State. Near East
Lebanon’s economic outlook for 2015 The economic situation in Lebanon does not bode well for the coming year, but hope remains if governing political forces move away from the region's conflicts. Lebanon
Hamas leaders prefer Turkish exile to Gaza hardships Following Qatar's ousting of Hamas' political bureau from the emirate, the group is in search of a new home. Qatar
Who are the Kharijites and what do they have to do with IS? Many Islamic authorities, including Saudi Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al ash-Sheikh, consider the Islamic State to be an extension of the Kharijites, a group of the first Muslims who rebelled against authority during the early Islamic centuries. Saudi Arabia
Israelis wonder how Europe will change after Paris attack Many Israelis think that the terror attack in Paris could be a watershed moment, when the Europeans have to change their human rights approach in the face of fighting radical Islamic terrorism. Palestine
Paris attack rekindles debate over freedom of expression US officials' united show of support for slain journalists hides bipartisan ambivalence over Western governments' role in standing up for unpopular speech. Congress
