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
Oil dispute reignites Baghdad-Erbil tensions Baghdad and Erbil's relations have largely normalized following the Kurdistan Regional Government's failed independence referendum in 2017. However, the Kurdish failure to commit to the federal budget law risks tarnishing those relations. Iraq
New urban forest planted to save Beirut's river Local and international civil groups came together in Beirut to create an urban forest as part of a larger project to restore the heavily polluted Beirut River. Lebanon
Palestinian Authority gearing up for unrest amid financial crisis Israel has approved the transfer of light armored military vehicles to the West Bank amid fears of the Palestinian Authority's economic collapse. Palestine
Arrest of Ultras members casts pall on Afcon 2019 As Egypt prepares to host Afcon 2019, the government is taking stringent measures to control access to the games and ensure there is no repeat of the violent confrontations that have taken place in recent years. Egypt
Syrians head home from Turkey for holiday The Bab al-Salama border crossing in Aleppo’s countryside opened for Syrian refugees coming from Turkey to spend Eid al-Fitr at home with their families. Syria
Why can't an Arab Israeli couple find a home in Jerusalem? Jewish landlords are refusing to rent an apartment to a couple after determining that they are Arabs. Israel
Can Russia, France work together to settle Idlib? Moscow, Paris and Berlin have recently intensified talks over Syria's Idlib, but so far there's been more disagreement and defeated expectations than consent and progress. Jordan
PMU economic offices undermine fragile stability in Mosul The Popular Mobilization Units are spreading their economic influence in Mosul after playing a main part in the city's liberation. Iraq
Aleppo beekeepers no longer feel sting of war Honey production, a long tradition in the Aleppo countryside, is showing signs of recovery. Syria
Who cares about Israel’s polluted air? According to environmental groups, one is more likely to die from pollution in Israel rather than by a rocket, terror attack and road accident combined. Israel
The genesis of a Palestinian medical boycott While the decision to stop new Palestinian referrals to Israeli hospitals will save the government $100 million a year, the call was a middle-ground agreement and will not be easy on the most vulnerable. Palestine
Palestinians fear Israel moving to annex occupied West Bank The Israeli Likud Party says it wants to extend the powers of some Israeli ministries in West Bank settlements, which could set the stage for Israel to annex some parts of the Palestinian territories. Palestine
