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
Iraqi Islamist MPs' proposal would allow child marriage Iraq's parliament is considering an amendment that opponents say would severely violate the rights of women and children and send the country's legal system back to a "primitive era." Iraq
Turkey's homemade booze boom here to stay The Turkish government’s drive to discourage alcohol consumption through high taxes has led to Turks home brewing as an alternative. Turkey
Lebanon’s Sunni community 'shocked' by Hariri’s resignation In Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city, the Sunni community has been watching the latest regional developments with growing unease. Saudi Arabia
Sisi goes shopping for arms in Paris Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been exploring a number of arms deals with France, yet critics argue this is aimed at buying European support at the expense of Egypt's economy. Egypt
Ride-sharing app forced off road in West Bank Only five months after the launch of the Dubai-based ride-sharing app Careem in the West Bank, the company announced that the Palestinian Authority had halted its services. Palestine
Trash situation still stinks as Lebanon leans on 'temporary' landfills The Lebanese Cabinet has requested a study on the possibility of expanding the Costa Brava and Bourj Hammoud landfills, which were intended to be temporary but filled before their time. Lebanon
Israeli right’s anti-democratic laws penetrate everywhere The accumulation of anti-democratic, anti-coexistence and nationalistic laws threatens the fabric of Israel’s society. Palestine
Israeli parents reject religious indoctrination at schools Some Israeli parents blame Education Minister Naftali Bennett for inserting Jewish ideology into the curriculum of public schools. Israel
New Iran law set to radically decrease executions A new law in Iran has been written to reduce the death penalty for drug smugglers carrying smaller amounts. Iran
Old friends steer Iran's Rouhani to the right Iran’s president appears to be turning right on the political stage as his friends gain more prominence in his second-term Cabinet. Iran
Turkish aid arrives in Kurdistan Region following earthquake After at least 400 people were killed and nearly 7,000 people were hurt in a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit the Iran-Iraqi Kurdistan border yesterday, Turkey has pushed aside its anger over the Kurdish independence efforts and stepped in to help. Iraq
Putin, Trump follow winding path to latest Syria agreement Logistic challenges apparently detoured a definitive Washington-Moscow statement on Syria, but haven't derailed it — so far. Syria
![Yellow capped new bottles of Turkish liquor of "Yeni Raki" remain packed at a alcohol sales spot in Istanbul March 9, 2005. A Turkish alcohol company on Tuesday ordered the recall of millions of bottles of Turkish liquor as the death toll from a bootleg version of the drink rose to at least 22.[ Galip Yorgancioglu, chief executive of Mey Drinks, said the firm was recalling all 0.7-litre bottles of Tekel brand raki, a popular anise-flavoured drink. Other sizes and brands would remain on shelves. ] - PBEAHUOC](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2017/11-1/RTXNAY7.jpg/RTXNAY7.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=UQholvmN)
