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 brides score victory against bullying mothers-in-law In a landmark judgment upending patriarchal traditions, a Turkish appeals court has ruled that sharing a home with a mother-in-law can be considered a legitimate reason for divorce. Turkey
Will 'free financial center' lure foreign banks to Iran? Iranian authorities are weighing whether to launch a free financial center to encourage capital inflow into the economy. Legacy: Gulf
What next for Turkey’s AKP after Davutoglu's exit? Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu could have been a slight nuisance on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s march toward absolute power, but Erdogan has no tolerance for such annoyance. Turkey
Syria’s women prisoners face suffering even after release After their brutal experience in regime detention, freed female detainees are rejected by their society. Syria
Why the PA is distancing itself from BDS movement Israel must understand that the marginal BDS movement is not its main strategic threat — the occupation is. Palestine
Activists hope to bring new life to Israel's old buildings Architects and activists are working to save thousands of deserted buildings throughout Israel. Israel
Why Syria's Kurds can’t count on long-term commitment from Russia Russia appears to be looking ahead to strengthen its post-conflict political position in Syria by exploiting Kurds’ anxiety over America’s role there. Iraq
Khamenei claims US is anti-Iran and anti-Shiite Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has delivered one of his most anti-American speeches in years. Iran
The Davutoglu era is over As Davutoglu has no grassroots support, the prime minister's departure will be smooth. Turkey
How the US caused the Erdogan-Davutoglu divorce Will Davutoglu's departure from the AKP bring about crucial changes in Turkey's domestic and regional policies? Syria
Red Sea island transfer revives Egypt-Sudan border dispute Hot on the heels of Egypt's recent ceding of Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, the country's row with Sudan over the Halayeb and Shalateen triangle has resurfaced. Saudi Arabia
How Israel avoided another escalation with Hamas Israel and Hamas agreed, yet again, to hold fire; yet the misery of Gaza residents will continue as long as the blockade continues. Palestine
