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
Are Turkey’s Christians as 'fine' as they say? Amid a simmering crisis over a detained American pastor, Turkey’s non-Muslim minorities asserted they enjoy religious freedom in the country, but the declaration belies ongoing grievances and fears. Turkey
Cairo breathes sigh of relief as Saudi oil exports resume through Bab el-Mandeb Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Falih announced that his country resumed oil exports via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, amid Egyptian fears that a decrease in traffic in the popular shipping corridor could impact Suez Canal revenues. Saudi Arabia
Syrian rebel groups help fighters earn high school diplomas The Levant Front, an affiliate of the Free Syrian Army, built an institute and is helping members whose educations were interrupted by the war start focusing on their futures by returning to school. Syria
Ankara plans road network to connect Syria with southern Turkey The Turkish government is working with local councils in Syria's Euphrates Shield area to build and improve a road network to connect the area's cities with southern Turkey. Syria
Hebron women turn to at-home businesses to boost self-sufficiency In light of Israeli restrictions on residents of the Old City of Hebron, local women have turned to small projects to strengthen their steadfastness and increase their independence. Palestine
Will new e-payment regulations boost Gaza's gig economy? The Palestine Monetary Authority introduced new regulations and licensing to secure and expand electronic payment services, a step that could allow more Gazans to receive remittances for work conducted online for foreign companies. Palestine
Mainstream Turkish media turn blind eye to country’s worst currency crisis Although Turkey is suffering one of the worst currency crises in its history, no single mainstream Turkish media outlet has covered the development. Turkey
UN reaches out to Ankara as Assad coils around Idlib The United Nations will reportedly ask Turkey to keep its borders open to millions more Syrian civilians fleeing an expected regime offensive on Idlib. Syria
Iranian media stunned by Iraqi PM's compliance with US sanctions Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's decision to cooperate with US sanctions has surprised a number of analysts and media in Iran. Iraq
Israeli bill aims to crack down on those hiring prostitutes Politicians from both right and left supported the bill of Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to fine those who hire prostitutes. Israel
Addressing Jewish refugees' issue vital part of Mideast peace For years, the Arab world and Israeli politicians have ignored the pain and rights of Jews expelled from Arab countries out of neglect or worry that it would muddy the debate on Palestinian refugees. Palestine
Israel’s Nationality Law lays ground for West Bank annexation The recently adopted Nationality Law could indicate that the Netanyahu government is preparing to annex the West Bank. Palestine
