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
Saudi Arabia’s Quiet Transition Although the ascension the next generation of Saudi Arabia's princes is not a sign of reform, it is a major transformation in the kingdom’s leadership. Saudi Arabia
Israeli Report Claims Labeling Would Hurt Palestinian Economy A report initiated by Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin explains why labeling products made in Israeli settlements may harm, first and foremost, the Palestinian economy. Palestine
Does Al-Qaeda in Iraq Have Chemical Weapons? Iraq's Defense Ministry says al-Qaeda was caught producing chemical weapons; some believe the claim was made to distract from authorities’ mismanagement of the security situation. Iraq
Hamas-Hezbollah Ties Deteriorate Over Syria The second segment of a three-part series on Hamas reveals a sharp deterioration in its ties with a former close ally, Hezbollah. Palestine
Pro-Hezbollah Sunni Sheikhs Face Assassination Attempts in Lebanon As tensions stemming from the Syrian crisis continue to mount in Lebanon, two pro-Hezbollah Sunni sheikhs become the target of assassination attempts. Lebanon
Europe Stays on Sidelines As Syria Conflict Unfolds Europe keeps to the sidelines while Russia and the United States work on the Syrian conflict, while Syria’s neighbors wait quietly, holding the real leverage over the opposing sides. Syria
Iranian Candidate’s Wife An Electoral Asset Hamideh Moravvej, wife of reformist presidential candidate Mohammad Reza Aref, is pushing boundaries in her frequent campaign appearances and style of dress. Iran
Erdogan Must Face The Limits of His Power Erdogan’s policies have resulted in divisions and strains in Turkish society. Turkey
Ultras: The Surprise Kids Of Turkey’s Uprising The hard-core fans of Istanbul’s three archrival football clubs joined hands in the resistance against police at Gezi Park. Turkey
Lebanese Parliamentary Extension A Setback for Democracy Lebanese parliamentarians fail to consider the consequences of extending their terms of office. Lebanon
Erdogan's Sin of Hubris Israel's national security leaders struggle with predicting the future of the region. Israel
