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
Hamas losing deterrence against IDF Hamas' decision to deploy snipers against Israeli soldiers after months of border protests and growing international attention highlights the internal divide in the movement and threatens to shatter previous achievements. Palestine
Russia key to reset of Jordanian-Syrian ties With fighting appearing to wind down in Syria, talk has begun of normalizing ties between Jordan and Syria, but the matter is not so straightforward for Amman. Jordan
Will Iran, Russia step up energy cooperation to blunt US sanctions? Amid rising US pressure, Tehran and Moscow might be on the cusp of a new era of economic cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. Russia
Palestinian plan to form local councils faces daunting odds Palestinian authorities approved creating a local council to provide basic services for the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, which lies in Area C under Israeli security and administrative control. Palestine
The art of the deal in Helsinki – the next chapter More than 11% of internally displaced people have returned to areas retaken by Syrian government forces this year. Syria
Advancing technology unearths 'lost city of ancient Israel' A military zone has long inhibited exploration of the ancient and massive site of Beit Lehi, but archaeologists are using technology to share its secrets with the world. Israel
Violence against women at center of debate on landmark bill in Iran A landmark bill to expand the legal definition of violence against women remains stalled amid objections from the Iranian judiciary. Iran
How Turkish exporters plan to avoid impact of US trade wars Turkish businesspeople have outlined an investment plan to duck US tariffs and increase sales to the world’s largest consumer market. Turkey
Moscow steadily promoting its 'Helsinki agenda' in Syria Following the Helsinki summit, Russia is working to deliver what each party is expecting from it: security to Israel, cooperation with Iran and engagement with the West. Syria
Iraq's Salahuddin province launches war on alcohol The ban on alcohol shops in Salahuddin, which was recently liberated from IS control, shows the growing influence of clerics and tribal leaders. Iraq
Iraqi refugees in Egypt denounce lack of protection, services Iraqi refugees in Egypt face challenges relating to security and access to basic services, with migrant funding often earmarked for other groups. Egypt
Palestinians outraged at Jewish nation-state law Palestinians and Israelis expressed their anger at the Israeli Knesset for passing the Jewish nation-state law that strips the Arab citizens of Israel of their rights. Palestine
