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
Kerry's remarks on Syria trouble Turkey Despite Ankara’s dissatisfaction over suggestions that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has to be part of a settlement, experts say there is little Turkey can do to alter the course of events. Syria
Iran welcomes Russian help to end crisis in Syria Iranian officials have said they welcome Russian involvement in Syria, as Russia builds up its military presence in the country. Syria
Why Israelis are happier than ever Recent surveys indicate that the average Israeli is happy, optimistic and likes having children despite existential security threats from near and far. Israel
Iraq's Kakai minority joins fight against Islamic State Some in Iraq’s Kakai minority group have claimed to be Muslim to avoid persecution, while others are working to form a militia to protect themselves. Iraq
Palestinians learning Hebrew for strategic advantage Increasing numbers of Palestinians in Gaza are studying Hebrew so they can follow Israeli media, understand Israeli thinking and, therefore, better manage the conflict between the two sides. Palestine
Egypt's Coptic cinema on brink of extinction The Coptic film industry in Egypt, where production has dwindled to nearly nothing, is trying to protect what little revenue remains by targeting illegal downloads. Egypt
US offer of anti-Iran bomb lands as a dud in Israel Some in Congress are keen to share the latest bunker-busting technology, but Israel is skeptical. Israel
IAEA chief testifies before Iran parliament committee Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, faced tough questions from parliament members of Iran who are reviewing the final nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1. Pan Arab
Will boycott campaign put the brakes on Iran's auto industry? On the cusp of no longer facing Western sanctions, Iranian carmakers now face a domestic boycott of their vehicles over price and quality concerns. Iran
How voters, not politicians, could be the losers in Turkey's November elections Continued fighting in Turkey is raising security and transparency concerns about the upcoming parliamentary elections. Turkey
The revival of Turkey’s 'lynching' culture Nationalist and religious fervors have revived Turkey’s tradition of physical and political "lynching," with the victims ever unprotected and the assailants ever untouchable. Turkey
The battle for Sanaa looms If a cease-fire is not arranged, the battle for Sanaa will turn into a humanitarian disaster. Saudi Arabia
