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
Islamic group OKs fund to support Palestinians via UN A new endowment fund established by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation with the participation of the Islamic Development Bank will support UN efforts to help Palestinians, who have been cut off from US funding. Palestine
Comics expo draws crowds in Beirut A Beirut comic and graphic novel exhibition promoted the educational and journalistic values of the art form in the Middle East. Egypt
Iraq set to try Islamic State detainees according to local laws Iraq has received hundreds of Islamic State detainees from Syria and is preparing to try them in Iraqi courts. Iraq
Decades after discovery, Jerusalem’s Byzantine masterpiece may open to public The underground vaults of Jerusalem’s Nea Church, a large complex erected by Emperor Justinian in the sixth century, have remained closed to visitors since their excavation in the 1970s. Israel
Tunisia ends decadeslong agreement with France Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed decided to terminate an agreement with a French company exploiting sea salt, ending France’s monopoly over Tunisia’s salt market, which has been ongoing since the colonial era — but is this move part of an early electoral campaign? Tunisia
Abbas picks Fatah heavyweight Shtayyeh to lead government President Mahmoud Abbas appointed Mohammad Shtayyeh, a veteran politician and member of the Fatah Central Committee, as prime minister, placing on his shoulders the heavy burden of forming a government that pleases all Palestinians. Palestine
Netanyahu, King Abdullah in bind over Temple Mount Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordanian King Abdullah II share a similar dilemma: They both need for tensions on the Temple Mount to calm down, but cannot afford to appear as the weak side in this affair. Palestine
Where Cairenes go just for laughs Stand-ups in Cairo ease the sometimes grim reality of everyday life in their chaotic megalopolis. Egypt
GOP blocks Trump administration’s bid to save Palestinian aid The Donald Trump administration has pushed Congress to preserve Palestinian security aid only to find resistance from the president’s Republican allies. Palestine
Pentagon seeks $2 billion cut for Islamic State fight The new US defense budget would cut funding to defeat IS by 20% as President Trump targets a withdrawal from Syria by the end of April. Iraq
Erdogan basing campaign on ploy of 'fake it till you make it' Candidates representing the ruling party in Turkey's upcoming local elections are depending heavily on the president's popularity, which appears to be waning. Turkey
Profiteering, smuggling push Iran to consider ‘electronic’ food stamps Rampant profiteering and smuggling are forcing Iranian authorities to move toward a revamped system of direct subsidies for essential goods. Iran
