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
US recognition of Jerusalem backfires on Israel Argentina's cancellation of a soccer match over the match’s relocation to Jerusalem is a clear sign that most of the world considers large parts of Jerusalem to be occupied land. Palestine
US loses leverage to stop Yemen operation Congress is calling on the Pentagon to try to prevent a UAE-backed attack against Yemen’s largest Houthi-held port, but analysts said it’s unclear whether the United States has much leverage. Saudi Arabia
Can Egyptian families be persuaded that less is more? Egypt's recent family planning policies are educating couples on the number of children to have, debunking the idea that having many children means a source of income now and later in life. Egypt
Iran could become collateral damage of OPEC decision If OPEC decides this month to increase oil output, it will probably be the result of a simple economic decision and not any desire by Riyadh and Moscow to cater to the United States. Saudi Arabia
Turkish airstrikes hit Iraq as Erdogan calls for draining 'terror swamp' Turkey's president is boasting of new anti-terror operations in northern Iraq, but no reports have emerged of a ground offensive and the consensus is that Erdogan’s latest chest-pounding is more about winning votes than fighting Kurdish militants. Syria
Iran highlights ‘multilateralism,’ warns North Korea in Shanghai summit Iran highlights the role of multilateralism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, while a Foreign Ministry official warns North Korea to "be careful" when it comes to a deal with the US. Iran
Is Ankara trying to change demographics in Turkey's Kurdish regions? The Turkish government’s decision to grant citizenship to Meskhetian Turks deported during the Soviet era pleases the Meskhetians, but raises the question of whether it constitutes intentional demographic change in Turkey’s Kurdish regions. Turkey
How foreign investors force Ankara to toe the line With nearly $700 billion in various assets in Turkey, foreign investors represent a crucial factor of pressure on Ankara's economic policies. Turkey
Palestinian social security institution rolls out its services The board of directors of the Palestinian Social Security Institution announced that the agency has been launched and has a three-step plan to gradually carry out its duties based on the provisions of the Social Security Law. Palestine
Did hard-liners dupe Reformists in struggle for Iran's parliament? While the Reformists again failed to win the speakership in the Iranian parliament, their maneuvering displayed a willingness, for better or for worse, to forge a partnership with the hard-liners. Iran
Sadr welcomes return of Iraqi Jews Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr has spoken out in favor of allowing Iraqi Jews to return home after decades in exile. Iraq
How much freedom do Egypt's female preachers really have? The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments recently decided to permit female preachers to give lessons and meet with women across the country as part of its reforms to renew religious discourse. Egypt
