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
Islamic Restrictions Hinder Artists, Singers in Gaza Unlike their counterparts in the West Bank, Palestinian artists in Gaza are unable to use their talents because of restrictions imposed by Hamas, writes Hazem Balousha. Palestine
Iraq Set to Expand Free-Trade Zones Iraq is preparing to expand existing free-trade zones and create new ones throughout the country, writes Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Why Khaled Meshaal Should Thank Israel The Israeli military operation in Gaza positioned Khaled Meshaal, head of the Hamas political bureau, to be re-elected to the leadership of Hamas, writes Shlomi Eldar. Palestine
Iraq’s Arab-League Presidency: Wasted Opportunity? Iraq's term as president of the Arab League left no mark, writes Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. Iraq
Nude Feminism Challenges Islamist Discourse Nude protests are not an expression of women's freedom, but an extreme form of action that feeds the oppression of women in the Arab world, writes Yasmine Nagaty. Egypt
Solana: Syria War May Be Obstacle to Iran Nuclear Talks Javier Solana, former NATO secretary-general and foreign policy chief for the European Union, warns that the Syria war is threatening the unity of nations negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program. Syria
Did Erdogan Really Accept Netanyahu's Apology? Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accepted the Israeli apology for the Mavi Marmara incident, but sticks to the same anti-Israeli rhetoric as before, writes Arad Nir. Israel
Al-Qaeda Attempts to Woo Unemployed Protesters in Algeria In the vulnerable southern regions of Algeria, where unemployment rates are soaring, the Committee for the Defense of Unemployed Rights is fighting to keep al-Qaeda from taking advantage of impoverished populations, writes Kaci Racelma. Culture & Society
Turkey's Nationalists Threaten Inter-Communal Fighting The peace process between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has given raise to a nationalist backlash, writes Cengiz Candar. Turkey
Will Non-Muslims Return to Turkey? Although Turkey's Minister of Culture Omer Celik of the AKP is inviting Turkey's non-Muslims to return to their country, many do not feel welcome because of a complicted history, writes Orhan Kemal Cengiz. Turkey
Book Addresses Forgotten Palestinians of Israel An updated version of Atallah Mansour's book provides a unique, first-hand look into the experiences of Arab citizens of Israel. Palestine
Sunday in the Persian Kitchen With Chef Najmieh Batmanglij At a time of growing tension between the United States and Iran, Persian cuisine can be a bridge between cultures, writes Barbara Slavin. Iran
