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
Video: Gaza's first food truck rolls on Al-Monitor met with brothers Moath and Mahmoud al-Hasnat, who introduced Gaza to Karmoshty, the coastal enclave's first mobile food cart. Originals
Iranian opposition unwelcome at Pompeo’s anti-Iran bash Iranian opposition gets left out of meeting on Iran taking place in Poland next week. Legacy: Gulf
Egyptians split as lawmakers pave way for Sisi to be 'president for life' Proposed amendments to the constitution would allow the current president to remain in office until 2034. Egypt
How US sanctions could be boosting Iran's presence in Iraq Reimposed US sanctions have encouraged an active Iranian geo-economic agenda in neighboring Iraq, a profitable market where Tehran can ease the pressure coming from Washington. Iraq
Iranians praise Iraq’s rejection of US presence to 'watch' Iran President Donald Trump's controversial remarks about maintaining the US military presence in Iraq to "watch" Iran have sparked warm exchanges between Iran and Iraq. Iraq
Turkey faces serious odds in Manbij and Idlib Despite many rounds of talks with Washington and Moscow, Ankara has still made little headway regarding its plans for northern Syria. Syria
Despite AKP hype, foreign trade scores should worry Turks Turkey’s exports increased and its imports decreased last year, but government critics see little reason to celebrate, pointing out the gloomy dynamics underlying the shifts in foreign trade. Turkey
Hasty Jordan meeting augurs dissonance at upcoming Arab League summit Arab foreign ministers' surprisingly brief meeting in Jordan likely signals disagreement over regional issues such as the return of Syria to the Arab League and a US-proposed coalition against Iran. Jordan
Likud members determine party’s Knesset list The composition of the Likud Knesset list, elected yesterday, reflects the color of the upcoming succession battle when and if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indicted. Israel
Odds are stacked against Palestinian businesswomen Women are working to advance their presence in the Palestinian business world and level the playing field with their male counterparts. Palestine
Netanyahu rival wins big in Likud primary Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's concentrated efforts to stifle Gideon Saar, the former minister has managed to win a top spot on the Likud’s list for the April 9 elections. Israel
Will Iraq ask US troops to leave the country? US President Donald Trump's recent statement about the role of US troops in Iraq — to keep an eye on Iran — has caused a strong backlash among Iraqi politicians who see this statement as an interference in Iraqi matters. Iraq
