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
Is West Bank, Gaza unrest a prelude of things to come? Attacks on Israeli security forces in the West Bank and Jerusalem after the release of President Donald Trump's peace plan have led security officials to view a recent escalation on the Gaza border in a new light. Palestine
Tough talk plays well, but Netanyahu can't afford actual fighting Diplomacy and security are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest suits, but escalation right before the election could hurt him. Israel
Is France irked by Erdogan’s passion for Africa? Erdogan’s efforts to boost Turkey’s economic role in Africa have been marked by outbursts maligning France’s colonial past, but there is more to Turkey’s Africa opening that fuels the bilateral spats. Turkey
Erbil court acquits pro-polygamy cleric despite women's protests An Erbil court acquitted a Kurdish cleric who called Kurdish women "dinosaurs." Iraq
Khamenei calls on Iranians to participate in parliamentary vote Iran's supreme leader urged the people of Iran to vote in the upcoming parliamentary election out of duty to their nation as President Hassan Rouhani warned about the concentration of power in the country. Iran
Three die after Turkish plane skids off runway A fatal crash during poor weather at an Istanbul airport comes on the heels of other recent disasters, including an avalanche and earthquake, raising fears about safety in Turkey. Turkey
Egypt stays out of renewed Israel-Gaza escalations In an unusual move, Egypt has failed to intervene in Israel's latest military escalation on the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Publishers, writers watch from behind bars as Cairo Book Fair wraps Egypt's restrictive cultural environment marred this year's Cairo International Book Fair with the recent arrests of publishers and closures of community libraries and bookstores. Egypt
Dawn of protest: Palestinians stand against 'deal of century' at prayers Palestinians flock to holy sites in the Great Fajr Campaign, to protest the "deal of the century" and its implications for Haram al-Sharif. Palestine
Iranian actors call on Rouhani to allow cinema legend to come home Many of the Iranian actors who have supported President Hassan Rouhani are now calling in their favors by asking for veteran actor Behrouz Vossoughi's return to Iran after 40 years in the United States. Iran
The Takeaway: February 5, 2020 Highlights: Falling-out between Putin, Erdogan creates opportunity for US; Iran says it remains committed to Damascus; Raspberries from Iran for Trump Mideast plan; and more! Originals
Intel: Space Force tracked Iranian missile strikes Members of the Space Force helped track and detect the Iranian ballistic missiles that struck an Iraqi air base last month. Iraq
