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
Eastern Ghouta newcomers sweeten Aleppo countryside Familiar sweets with an eastern Ghouta flair are bringing novelty to street food in the Aleppo countryside. Syria
Intel: How Turkey's local elections mark rebuke for Erdogan's one-man rule Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party appears to have lost control of city hall in Ankara and may lose Istanbul as well, where unofficial results put the opposition slightly ahead. Turkey
Cairo sewer covers reveal city’s history Salma Nassar's photos of sewer covers shed a light on Cairo's urbanization and political symbols over the years. Egypt
Egypt targets artists in ongoing crackdown on dissent Two Egyptian actors who decry human rights violations in Egypt before US Congress members are vilified at home, as is an Egyptian singer. Egypt
Syria's Kurds increasingly isolated as Arab tribes cut deals with regime As Damascus recovers more territory, Arab tribes throughout Syria are increasingly open to working with Damascus to restore security. Syria
Iran continues to struggle to keep workers content The Iranian government, members of parliament, employers and labor activists have finally agreed on wage increases to alleviate the burden on workers. But much more remains to be done to shield Iranian workers from rising prices. Iran
Real Madrid plans to open Iraqi soccer academy The popular Real Madrid Football Club plans to establish a training academy for its many young Iraqi fans. Iraq
As tensions rise with Israel, PA halts medical transfers The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah decided to halt the transfer of patients from the West Bank to Israeli hospitals — an expense the PA covers — after Israel slashed the PA's budget amid rising tensions. Palestine
Gaza insurance provider latest casualty in Israel-Hamas escalation Israel has struck the offices of Gaza's Al-Multazem insurance company, claiming it serves the financial activities of Hamas. Palestine
Netanyahu acting responsibly against calls for Gaza war Despite calls for a military operation from critics, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acted responsibly in refusing to engage in another Gaza war. Qatar
Toxic campaigns spread online ahead of Israel’s elections According to President of the Israel Internet Association Karine Nahon, civil society must take responsibility, clean up the toxic discourse on the internet and social media, and restore power to the voters. Israel
New app connects food donors to charities in Egypt The Tekeya app, which enables hotels, restaurants and markets in Egypt to donate or sell their surplus food, could help charities develop sustainable supplies of meals to the poor. Egypt
