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
After big win in June, why did HDP lose this time? Voters held the pro-Kurdish party HDP responsible for the violence that affected thousands before the election, turning to the Justice and Development Party to restore order. Turkey
Will religiously divided landfills solve Lebanon's trash crisis? Garbage is piling ever higher across Lebanon as political parties refuse to allow waste from outside their areas to be disposed in their constituency. Lebanon
How will Erdogan solve 'terror problem' that brought him victory? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may face some high-cost moves to put the terror and chaos genie back into the bottle after unleashing it to make up for his party’s June electoral failure. Syria
How Israeli right will be able to hide behind proposed 'transparency law' Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked's proposed "transparency law" burdens NGOs receiving foreign government assistance, but allows politicians and parties unfettered money from foreign organizations and individuals, including evangelical groups and alleged criminals. Israel
Envoys look to gain momentum for peace in Syria As world powers seek to sustain momentum for Syria diplomacy amid divisions on the way forward, a former US diplomat urged moving for a cease-fire first before convening talks on Syria’s political future. Saudi Arabia
Rouhani criticizes IRGC's arrest of journalists Iranian President Hassan Rouhani publicly voiced his objection to the recent arrest of journalists accused of being part of an "infiltration network." Iran
Start studying, it takes more than just good looks to be a model in Iran The Iranian authorities are set to regulate the country's nascent modeling industry. Iran
How Turkey's pollsters missed the mark on election predictions There are several reasons why all the major polling agencies performed so dismally in predicting the results of Turkey's Nov. 1 elections. Turkey
Right-wing minister and IDF clash over Israel's intel assessment Minister Zeev Elkin accused IDF Intelligence Chief Herzi Halevi of faulty assessments, claiming that the military does not take into account incitement by the Palestinian Authority. Palestine
Is Qatar Iran's door to the Gulf? The recent Iranian-Qatari rapprochement has created further controversy in the Middle East but some countries see it as a positive step in alleviating the ongoing conflict. Saudi Arabia
Why Gaza's grooms are looking for a career-focused bride Gazan society’s outlook on women's employment changes amid crippling economic conditions. Palestine
