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
Gaza's fishermen struggle to keep afloat Gazan fishermen keep up the tradition of making their nets by hand, although fishing is becoming more and more difficult under the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Europeans: Trump can win on Iran without ending nuclear deal Envoys to Washington say trans-Atlantic cooperation against Tehran needs to build on the 2015 nuclear accord, not undermine it. United States
As Iraqi Kurds vote for independence, Turkey dials up hostility Kurds in northern Iraq are holding a historic vote for independence, but opposition from their neighbors, especially Turkey, has ratcheted up regional tensions. Turkey
Can Iranian threat shield Netanyahu from police investigations? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a master at using his UN speeches to convince his Israeli electorate that he is the only person capable of defending the country from the Iranian threat. Israel
Fed’s road map threatens to jolt Turkey The US Federal Reserve’s plan to trim its balance sheet and keep hiking interest rates could spell trouble for Turkey by changing the direction of global funds and pushing up the price of the dollar. Turkey
Arab identity at heart of Beirut Art Fair At the eighth annual Beirut Art Fair, contemporary artists were given free rein to create works that explore sensitive topics such as Arab identity, politics and conflict. Lebanon
Turkey hopes to pounce on big piece of Mosul reconstruction Despite their government's past gaffes, Turkish firms want, even expect, substantial contracts to help rebuild Iraq's Mosul, which was reduced to rubble during the long battle to exorcise the Islamic State. Iraq
What's next after Kurdish independence vote? Millions in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region voted in today's independence referendum, despite threats by Iraq, Turkey, Iran and the United States. Iraq
Iran’s oil minister has big plans for likely last term Having begun yet another — and likely his last — term as Iran’s minister of petroleum, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh faces surmountable challenges in pushing the country’s energy sector into the 21st century. Iran
Iran reacts to Kurdish referendum The Iraqi Kurdistan referendum on independence received top coverage in Iranian media, drawing condemnation from both sides of Iran's political sphere. Iraq
Jordanians brace for tough times ahead amid tax changes under IMF deal Under an agreement signed with the IMF, Jordan is seeking to raise additional revenues, raising fears about the worsening economic situation in the kingdom. Jordan
Egyptian TV network's sale concerns free press advocates Private Egyptian security company Falcon acquires Al-Hayat TV network, sparking concerns over the state’s grip on the media. Egypt
