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
Cairo attempts to quell anger following spate of protests In the wake of protests, the Egyptian government OKs some small price reductions and may allow a little greater press freedom. Egypt
Rights now: Why Palestinian women do not want to wait for liberation Outraged that Palestinian men are getting away with murder, women of Palestine take to the streets and to cinema halls to push for their rights. Palestine
Why women in this Lebanese refugee camp opt for trade, not aid A group of Syrian and Palestinian women from a refugee camp in Lebanon transitioned a struggling project into an enterprise that aims to export around the world. Palestine
Tunisians back new faces in parliamentary polls The city of Sidi Bouzid, the birthplace of the Jasmine Revolution, has emerged as a barometer of Tunisia's progress in the decade following the toppling of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Tunisia
Israel hampering Palestinian economy at its own risk Under the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, the Palestinian economy, which was supposed to grow and bolster peace and security in the process, has become a source of utter despair for Palestinians. Palestine
Iraqi youth to government: We’re not going to take it As young Iraqis vent against their government, Iran is already positioning itself for the fallout, as its proxies hit the streets. Iraq
Religious right opinion leaders call on Netanyahu to step down In a rare article, religious-right influencer Dudu Sa’ada calls upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down and enable the appointment of a replacement, so that Israel would get a government. Israel
Iraq protests continue despite calls for calm Protests continue in Iraq for the fourth day in a row despite the prime minister's and other figures' efforts to calm the streets. Iraq
Liberman’s secular campaign turns him into kingmaker Many right and center-left voters liked what Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman offered them in the last election campaign: a secular unity government that would end religious coercion. Israel
How teachers plan to overcome EU funding cuts to Idlib schools The EU has cut some educational funding allocated for Idlib province, citing interference by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the sector. Syria
How Egypt responded to Erdogan’s rant at UN In his speech at the UN General Assembly where he attacked Egypt and its president, Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan has made it clear that his anger at Cairo will not fade any time soon. Egypt
Palestine no longer a safe environment for investments Economic indicators show an increase in Palestinian investment outside Palestine, stirring fears about the Palestinian economy. Palestine
