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
Iranian media: Sochi summit step toward 'new Middle East' Iranian media reported on the trilateral meeting between the presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey in Sochi as a step toward a new Middle East. Syria
Why UK-US divide on Iranian nuclear deal matters Rather than France or Germany, it is Britain that could prove essential in determining the fate of the nuclear deal with Iran. United States
What Turkey's halal ambitions mean for the average Turk The Turkish government says it will bring in more revenue with the newly created Halal Accreditation Authority, but the move raises questions about discrimination, disappearing secularism and rising food prices for citizens. Turkey
Turkey’s feuding with allies hits financial markets Turkey's lira has sunk to a record low as the government lashes out at NATO and implies the United States is out to harm the Turkish economy. Turkey
Foreign investors flee Turkey Turkey’s domestic political tensions and mounting rows with Western allies have fueled the flight of foreign investors, exacerbating the country’s economic woes. Turkey
Turkish lawyers join clients in prison The arrest of a well-known Turkish lawyer has fueled concerns that judicial authorities are trying to disable the defense in politically charged cases by criminalizing attorneys. Turkey
Netanyahu's mixed messages to Israeli Arabs Inaugurating two police stations in the Arab sector is a tiny step in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have done many years ago to assist the Israeli Arab population. Israel
IDF prepares for 'new' Syria Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman is asking for an increased budget for the Israel Defense Forces to prepare itself against new threats developing along its northern border with Syria. Israel
Iraq steps up efforts to stop smuggling of rare species Smuggling rare animal species out of Iraq has become common due to lax enforcement of laws and the country's security situation, but the federal government is making renewed efforts to halt the smuggling. Iraq
Palestinian popular movement to press Hamas, Fatah on reconciliation Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank have launched a popular movement to push their political leaders to prioritize reconciliation and meet demands for improving life in Gaza. Palestine
Pentagon reports troop surge in Middle East Newly released Pentagon figures show a surge in US troops deployed across the Middle East this summer. Saudi Arabia
Young Egyptian artists reflect social problems through their lens "Cairographie," a major photo and video festival in Egypt, provides a platform for young artists to show the world what they see through the camera’s lens. Egypt
