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
Expect change in Iraq when embattled Kurds cast ballots Iraqi Kurds have made it clear in recent protests that they will make their voices heard and their votes count. Iraq
Hamas, Fatah battle over Palestinian public opinion In one deadly protest at the outset of the demonstrations planned for the coming weeks, Hamas has succeeded in positioning itself as a victim. Palestine
Egyptian women take on men in technology As the Egyptian government tries to increase participation of women in the labor market, Egypt’s tech-savvy women aim to get ahead in a sector traditionally reserved for men. Egypt
Israel defends decision to deploy snipers amid Gaza protests Despite having expertise in using nonlethal means to disperse violent demonstrations, the Israeli military chose to use live fire against demonstrators across the border in Gaza. Palestine
As Egypt tightens grip on IS, it's also strangling Sinai residents The Egyptian army has laid siege to the Sinai Peninsula in an effort to combat terrorism, but its actions are disrupting the lives of more than 250,000 residents. Egypt
Egyptian art show pays homage to diva Umm Kulthum An exhibition in Cairo casts a nostalgic look at Umm Kulthum, the great Egyptian diva, and her fans who loved the aesthetic life of the '50s and '60s in Egypt. Egypt
Pentagon sends surplus tanks to Morocco The Pentagon is sending hundreds of extra tanks to Morocco to modernize the country’s aging military. Morocco
Ankara's Afrin plan triggers acrimony among Kurds Turkey is proposing a diverse governing council for Afrin, but some suspect the idea is really a disguise for Turkish rule. Syria
Turkey’s impressive growth rate has dark side Turkey has posted a spectacular 7.4% growth rate for 2017, but other key economic indicators suggest there is little to celebrate. Turkey
Countdown begins to Putin-Erdogan-Rouhani talks Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are set to meet in Turkey, where they will be joined by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for negotiations to end the fighting in Syria. Turkey
Is Iran ready to block Telegram? The popular messaging app Telegram may soon be replaced by Soroush, a domestic messaging service. Iran
5 reasons Iran is staying out of eastern Ghouta Iran’s apparent low profile on the military operations in Afrin and eastern Ghouta has raised questions about its policy toward the Syrian war. Syria
