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
Tunisia Nobel Peace Prize resonates across Middle East After the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet won the Nobel Peace Prize, democracy activists drew solace as regional leaders remained silent. Egypt
Iranian stocks continue two-year slump Despite the July 14 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and six world powers, Iranian shares continue to drop. Iran
Iranian government official promises better economy after nuclear deal An official with the Rouhani administration tells reporters that "there is no doubt" that the economy will improve after Iran's parliament approved the nuclear deal. Iran
PKK declares unilateral cease-fire, hopes the 10th time's a charm Heeding calls by Kurdish politicians and civil society, the PKK announced a unilateral cease-fire ahead of the Nov. 1 elections, but Ankara continues to target the militants. Turkey
Why is Turkey's government choosing to protect itself instead of its citizens? The Turkish government is so busy trying to protect itself, it might be neglecting to protect its citizens adequately. Turkey
Knesset of despair At the opening of the Knesset's winter session, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the usual suspects for the current wave of violence, but offered no indication of how to stop it. Palestine
Egypt, Tunisia at a loss for how to deal with Libya Relations between Tunisia and Egypt have improved, but leaders still can't agree on how to resolve the crisis in Libya. Egypt
Why some Israeli parents want to push back summer vacation Some parents are calling for the Israeli school year's summer vacation to be moved from July-August to August-September, to include more of the Jewish high holidays. Israel
The high price for neglecting Palestinians in Israel Growing frustration after years of discrimination and neglect is leading Israeli Arabs to identify with their West Bank brothers even as they attack their countrymen. Palestine
Cairo University bans veil for instructors The president of Cairo University has declared that faculty may not teach while wearing the veil, a move that many call unconstitutional and fear will create more problems. Egypt
British film tells a Syrian love story ‘A Syrian Love Story,' an acclaimed documentary by Sean McAllister, takes a unique look at the personal cost of the ongoing Syrian civil war away from the battlefield. Syria
The 'smartphone intifada' Social media is playing a vital role in the current Palestinian protests. Palestine
