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
Is Iran's Rouhani about to ditch his longtime patron? Rumor has is that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is distancing himself from his longtime patron Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Iran
Gazans aren't spared from iPhone frenzy Despite the 10-year siege, iPhone mobile devices still make it into the Gaza Strip, where there is a high demand among the citizens who pay large amounts of money to own smartphones and keep up with technology. Saudi Arabia
Likud cheers as Netanyahu returns, but polls tell another story The Israeli prime minister's triumphant return from New York was topped off by the Likud's festive New Year celebration, leaving Benjamin Netanyahu feeling stronger than ever — at least within his own party. Israel
Why is Congress fighting Netanyahu’s battle? US senators are pressuring the Obama administration to follow policies toward the Palestinians that match those favored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestine
Incitement, tensions rise over Syrian refugees in Lebanon Controversial statements by Lebanese authorities point to growing frustration over the presence of more than 1 million Syrian refugees in their country. Lebanon
Will next US president shift Washington's Yemen policy? To be seen as a legitimate peace broker, the United States must urge all sides in the Yemeni civil war to make necessary compromises. Saudi Arabia
Egypt's former top auditor says his trial is political In an interview with Al-Monitor, the former head of Egypt’s Accountability State Authority, Hisham Geneina, speaks about his controversial statements on corruption that landed him a jail sentence, calling the judiciary “flawed.” Egypt
Iran releases jailed Iranian-Canadian academic Just back from New York, President Hassan Rouhani has been harshly reminded that engagement with the United States should not go beyond the nuclear deal. Meanwhile, Iran releases a detained Iranian-Canadian professor. Iran
Foreign policy mishaps prove costly for Turkish contractors The AKP government’s foreign policy blunders have cost Turkish contractors abroad $16 billion of revenue losses. Iraq
How a kick rattled Turkey Turkish women take to the streets to denounce conservative pressures after a young nurse is assaulted on a public bus for wearing shorts. Turkey
Did US approach Iran about Yemen? Controversy has erupted in Iran over mysterious reports of a secret US letter to Iran on engagement to solve the crisis in Yemen. Yemen
Obama and Israel: It ain’t over till it’s over Those close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fear that if Donald Trump wins the elections, President Barack Obama will use the time left before the end of his term to launch a diplomatic initiative on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Palestine
