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
Local intelligence key to Anbar anti-IS operations As Islamic State fighters flee eastern Syria, Iraqi forces in the Anbar desert are conducting operations to rout out remaining fighters. Iraq
Why Algerian protesters aren't satisfied with Bouteflika's latest 'concession' After protesters rejected President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s offer to step down after one year should he be re-elected, his latest announcement that he will extend his fourth term is being met with more anger. Algeria
Record corruption scandal puts spotlight on Iranians in Iran, US The revelation of perhaps the biggest corruption scandal in Iranian history has exposed domestic political fault lines and is already reverberating as far away as Washington, DC. Iran
Kushner's clues to peace deal raise more questions than answers White House senior adviser Jared Kushner recently talked about the administration's long-awaited Mideast peace plan, saying Gaza and the West Bank must be united under one leadership, which raised speculation and doubt in Palestinian circles. Palestine
Israel’s Central Election Committee, at the service of the right? Members of the Central Election Committee knew that their disqualification of certain candidates was a mere formality, which is why they took the liberty of inflicting a blow on democracy and minority rights Israel
Would Israeli unity government advance Trump’s plan? The Likud Party prefers a broad coalition after the election, and only Blue and White could present that potential. Israel
Do clothes make the woman? An Iranian artist's search for identity The works of Mona Hakimi-Schueler, an Iranian artist based in Berlin, depicts Iranian women not as victims but strong individuals whether in a hijab, summer dress or armor. Iran
Russia's plan for IS returnees no better than that of others Moscow criticizes the Europeans for refusing to assume their share of responsibility for their nationals who ended up with the Islamic State, but Russia's own practice is flawed, too. Iraq
Salih: Iraq can be a 'bridge to the economies of the region' Iraqi president charts new direction for Iraqi foreign policy based on "interrelated interests" at Sulaimani Forum; Iraq-Jordan trade deal should help address Jordan’s unemployment crisis; Rouhani arrives in Iraq to boost trade; US shifted arms from Iraq to Syria in second half of 2018. Iraq
Plan to charge allies for US troop presence carries risks for Americans in North Africa US President Donald Trump’s reported plan to charge allies for US military bases could make it harder to protect diplomats and embassies throughout Africa. Libya
Rouhani goes to Iraq to boost trade, assert authority at home President Hassan Rouhani’s landmark visit to Iraq is not just about expanding trade to deflect US pressure on the Iranian economy, but also to boost his administration’s standing in Tehran. Iraq
Egypt celebrates its own Women's Day As Egyptian women celebrate the 100-year anniversary of their participation in the first march during the 1919 revolution, the National Council for Women sheds light on their achievements. Egypt
