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
Terror plot accusations undermine Iran-Europe engagement at worst possible time Iran’s alleged involvement in bomb and assassination plots in Europe is putting pressure on the Rouhani administration as well as on Iranian engagement with Europe more broadly. Iran
What's behind Qatar’s Cabinet shuffle? With a recent Cabinet shuffle, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani appears to be positioning his country for long-term economic success by taking advantage of short-term realities. Legacy: Gulf
Sudan, Egypt mend fraying ties Sudan decided to lift the ban imposed on Egyptian imports more than a year ago, which raises questions about the impact of this decision on the Egyptian economy in the coming period. Egypt
Muslim family will not give up keys to iconic Jerusalem church despite pressure The controversy over the key to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City says more about the lack of political leadership in Jerusalem than about the current custodian's suitability for the role. Palestine
Will Idlib buffer zone agreement see the light? The second item of the Turkish-Russian agreement on Syria’s Idlib providing for the withdrawal of jihadist organizations from the heavily demilitarized buffer zone is facing serious obstacles. Syria
Iraq halts oil exports to Iran as new US sanctions begin Iraq has announced that it will stop the export of oil to Iran from Kirkuk fields to abide by the new wave of US sanction on Iran imposed Nov. 5. Iraq
School bells ring again at Mosul's Christian school Shimon Safa Elementary School has welcomed students of many faiths for years, and now the Christian school has opened again, thanks to the residents of the city. Iraq
The second assassination of Yitzhak Rabin Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates encouraged and benefited from the incitement that led to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, but are now portraying themselves as the real victims. Palestine
East Jerusalem students clean up city An EU-sponsored project called "My Green Jerusalem" has students from nine East Jerusalem schools cleaning up the city and recycling waste into artwork. Palestine
Beirut vendor's growing business bears fruit The popular store Fadi Fruits, a family business in Beirut, has expanded rapidly over the years with a combination of local and exotic produce. Lebanon
US gives Iraqis an out on Iran sanctions Although Iraq continues to accuse Washington of meddling in its internal affairs, both countries have made concessions on Iran sanctions. Iraq
