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
PA opens new TV station in Damascus The Palestinian Authority’s official TV station inaugurated its new headquarters in Damascus, a move that was seen as paving the way for normalizing ties with the Syrian regime. Palestine
Can the Shin Bet stop hilltop youths' march to Armageddon? Shin Bet sources admit that they have little means to tamp down the young extremist settlers known as hilltop youth, who carry out violent attacks against Palestinians in the hopes of sparking a conflagration. Palestine
Qatar sinks into Gaza quagmire Qatar wanted to please the United States and help Gaza residents with aid money, but has found itself trapped in a standoff between Hamas and Israel. Qatar
Netanyahu’s archrival before elections: the attorney general To save himself from an indictment before the April elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argues that the political left is pressuring Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to indict him. Israel
The (de-)evolution of Turkey's Foreign Ministry Career diplomats and Foreign Ministry bureaucrats have been shoved aside and demoralized by the conduct of Turkey's foreign policy under Justice and Development Party governments. Turkey
Congress poised to put Saudi Arabia on the hook for millions in military training Lawmakers estimate ending security assistance could cost Riyadh up to $30 million. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon’s Iron Dome buy raises questions on US troop protection The Pentagon has agreed to acquire Israel’s Iron Dome to intercept cruise missiles, but experts are questioning whether the system can effectively defend US troops. Israel
Erdogan urges Maduro to 'stand tall' Turkey’s president remains a strong defender of Venezuela’s embattled leader, calling Nicolas Maduro a democratically elected leader who must be respected. Turkey
Can mayor's push for 'car-free Tuesdays' tackle Tehran's air pollution? Tehran's new mayor has joined an eco-friendly campaign aimed at cutting the megacity's air pollution and traffic congestion by encouraging residents to use public transportation. Some have criticized the move as a mere public relations gesture. Iran
Iran’s former envoy to Germany slams ‘rogue operations’ abroad The former Iranian ambassador to Germany suggested the possibility that rogue actors could be behind attempts to carry out alleged assassination operations in Europe. Iran
Ramallah's got talent: A new platform presents it Sard, a Ramallah-based creative initiative, provides budding celebrities and inspired amateurs with a stage to present their talent and tell their stories. Palestine
Egypt's stock exchange starts off 2019 on wrong foot After a punishing 2018, Egypt’s stock exchange started 2019 on a downward path amid fears of repercussions from the US-China trade war and the emerging markets crisis. Egypt
