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
Israelis wary, Palestinians despairing over Tillerson appointment Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson’s ties with Arab countries worry Israeli officials, while Palestinians despair that the Trump administration is an extension of the current right-wing Israeli government. Palestine
Anger as Israel finances Amona relocation while poor go without Outrage is sweeping Israel as the government is set to allocate $34 million to empty the Amona outpost of law-breaking settlers despite the budget cuts that are crippling small municipalities. Israel
Iranian youth join wave of ecotourism Iranian youths, particularly those from affluent backgrounds, join the growing trend of ecotourism, roaming the country’s vast desert, mountains and forests. Iran
Will Iran’s next Oscar-winning film be in Spanish? Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s latest project will be a Spanish-language film featuring power couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. Iran
Why does Rouhani suddenly want to 'rename' Iran’s currency? The Hassan Rouhani administration’s push for currency reform is being met with criticism as economists say the Iranian economy is not yet ready to handle the potential dangers of a redenomination. Iran
Obama administration, allies try to buy time for Iran nuclear deal In its final weeks, the Obama administration and its European allies are trying to convince the emerging Trump team that the deal is working. United States
Iranian media lauds Putin's restraint after assassination Following the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Iranian newspapers praised President Vladimir Putin for his “wise” decisions after the killing. Syria
Turkey’s entanglement in Syria sparks violence, assassination at home As Turkey gets more into the Syrian swamp, the Syrian spillover into Turkey could turn into a flood. Syria
Is Turkey going to reinstate the caliphate? Erdogan’s populist slogan “National will demands this” is pulling the country into a quagmire. Turkey
Eurasia Tunnel overshadows murder of Russian envoy in Turkey The opening of Istanbul's Eurasia Tunnel, the second underwater passageway connecting Europe and Asia under the Bosporus, has been a chance for some pro-Erdogan media outlets to sideline coverage of the murder of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov. Turkey
Battle over Israel’s Labor leadership kicks off Former Defense Minister Amir Peretz is by no means a new face in the Labor Party, but his integrity could help him win the party’s leadership. Israel
Why some are worried about Egypt's new media law Egyptian parliament has passed a new media law that places further restrictions on the press, as some argue Sisi’s reign has become the “worst ever” for freedom of speech. Egypt
