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
Will Abbas reconcile with Hamas over Dahlan? Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is under Egyptian pressure to achieve reconciliation with dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, but it might push the president to agree on reconciliation talks with Hamas instead in Doha. Palestine
Why renewable energy is booming in Iran Unshackled from crippling nuclear-related sanctions but faced with low oil prices, Iran turns to renewable energy in preparation for the future. Iran
Can new police force halt Egypt's rising divorce rates? A number of parliamentarians have proposed creating a "family police" to address domestic disputes, yet some argue cash-strapped Cairo can't afford such a measure at this time. Egypt
US gives up on working with Russia on Syria The United States announced Oct. 3 it was suspending bilateral engagement with Russia on Syria, saying there was nothing more to talk about as Russia intensified its air attacks on Aleppo. Syria
Furious Zarif defends Iran's foreign policy to critic In his first appearance since the Islamic Republic’s 10th parliament was inaugurated in May, Iran’s foreign minister lashed out at a political opponent for questioning the intentions of the country’s foreign policies. Iran
Will state of emergency become the new normal for Turkey? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to be contemplating extending the state of emergency in Turkey beyond 12 months. Turkey
Turkey-US ties could fray further as Pentagon mulls arming YPG Already rocky relations between Turkey and the United States are likely to worsen if the White House approves an expected Pentagon request to provide more weapons to the People's Protection Units. Syria
Why is the Turkish government now targeting cartoons? The Turkish government’s onslaught on small broadcasters with predominantly Kurdish, Alevi and leftist audiences sparks fears beyond the issue of press freedom. Turkey
Will PMU attack US troops in Iraq? Factions of the Popular Mobilization Units are threatening to target US troops taking part in the battle for Mosul, but the Iraqi government is working to smooth over tensions. Iraq
Who will be Hamas' next leader? Hamas is expected to hold internal elections that will likely result in a new political bureau head, but the movement has yet to officially announce any plans. Palestine
Celebrated abroad, Oscar-winning Iranian director comes under fire at home Award-winning director Asghar Farhadi’s latest film to be chosen as Iran’s Oscar submission has come under fire from conservative critics at home. Iran
Why did Egypt really back down on Russian wheat import ban? While Cairo claims its decision to allow trace amounts of ergot fungus in wheat imports complies with earlier regulations, some in Egypt are questioning the motives. Egypt
