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
Turkish spy chief headed for Erbil, whisper KRG officials Rumor has it that the head of Turkish intelligence is planning a trip to Erbil, where he would face an uphill struggle to free Turkish operatives allegedly held there and perhaps discourage the upcoming referendum on independence. Turkey
Iran, Turkey to send aid to Myanmar’s Muslims Iranians condemn the inaction of the United Nations with respect to the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Turkey
Shiite iconography electrifies Iranians on Syria The beheading of an Iranian fighter on the Syrian frontier is proving to be a watershed moment in the Iranian public’s view of the country’s military intervention in Syria. Syria
Iraqi Kurds’ referendum fever spills over to Turkish cousins As Iraqi Kurdistan’s independence vote nears, some Turkish Kurds are making efforts to thaw Turkish opposition to the referendum. Iraq
Naguib Mahfouz to finally get his Palace of Desire Despite repeated promises, the Egyptian government has postponed the opening of a museum honoring the Nobel laureate — until now. Egypt
‘Earth is flat,’ pro-Erdogan youth leader argues The conspiratorial mindset that led an AKP youth leader to doubt that the Earth is round is the signal of a powerful ideological drive in today’s Turkey. Turkey
Will Russia tolerate Israeli actions in Syria? The large IDF drill near Israel’s northern borders, sends a clear message to Hezbollah: if the organization decides to attack Israel, Israel won’t hesitate to destroy Lebanon’s infrastructure. Israel
Egypt unwavering to US pressure over North Korea The cooperation between Egypt and North Korea under Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has continued despite calls from Washington to freeze the relationship. Egypt
Sabbath summit unites Israel's rival ultra-Orthodox parties The leaders of Israel's distinct ultra-Orthodox sectors united for a unique summit on Sabbath observation in the public space and formulated a joint political strategy. Israel
FSA relocating to outside Syria's liberated areas The Free Syrian Army factions in areas liberated in northern Syria are moving their forces out of cities and towns to the outskirts in an effort to end clashes with civilians and ease the minds of returning residents. Syria
Will Abbas confront Trump? Ahead of the annual UN General Assembly meeting, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is planning a speech that some suspect will denounce Benjamin Netanyahu and anger Donald Trump. Palestine
Abbas turns to Turkey for Fatah-Hamas reconciliation help Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara to discuss Turkish assistance in the Palestinian reconciliation process. Palestine
