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
Why Iran stood with Erdogan Even though Iran and Turkey have major differences over many issues in the region, the Iranian government strongly came out in support of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid the coup attempt. The question is why. Turkey
Rouhani supports Erdogan after coup attempt Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone to express his support for the Turkish leader after the failed coup attempt. Syria
What went wrong with Turkey's WhatsApp coup Planners of the coup attempt in Turkey last week were caught off guard and had to accelerate their operation at the last minute when their plot was discovered. Turkey
How long can Turkey's post-coup unity last? Despite notoriously toxic relations, Turkey’s opposition parties have backed the government against last week’s botched coup attempt, but preserving the current climate of solidarity appears an uphill task. Turkey
Fethullah Gulen stirs fresh tensions between Ankara, Washington Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is clamoring for the head of Fethullah Gulen, but Washington says adhering to legal procedures is paramount before Gulen can be extradited to stand trial for masterminding the coup attempt in Turkey. Turkey
What is the real challenge for Yemen's Hadrami Elite forces? After Yemeni government forces took over Hadramaut governorate, which was under the AQAP’s control, the Hadrami Elite’s main challenge is to keep the Islamic State away from the governorate. Saudi Arabia
Iraqi forces in Ninevah eye the ultimate prize: Mosul Iraqi forces are currently battling the Islamic State on the western side of the Tigris River with the aim of liberating Qayyarah after having taken the air base there in their march to Mosul. Iraq
Will Turkey succeed in resolving Gaza’s power crisis? Turkey is working to resolve the Gaza Strip's energy crisis as part of an economic projects package included in Turkey's reconciliation deal with Israel. Palestine
Iraqi laborers facing harsh conditions in holy city of Najaf Due to the economic crisis, thousands of workers, including children from southern provinces, come to Najaf to work under difficult circumstances to support their families. Iraq
Kurdish art, music flourish as regime fades from northeast Syria As the Syrian regime forces have receded from Syrian Kurdistan, Rojava’s artistic scene has been blooming, with Kurdish artists leading a popular revival of Kurdish folklore and history. Syria
Is Arab Knesset member Zoabi on her way out? The Israeli Knesset is expected to approve a bill enabling a three-fourths majority of 90 members to expel another member on the grounds of incitement against the state or relations with a terror organization. Israel
Was Arabic ad on Israeli TV a clever publicity stunt? An Israeli department store probably anticipated the controversy its prime-time Arabic-language commercial would kick off and is now reaping the benefits of notoriety among large swaths of Israelis. Israel
