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
Israel, Bahrain sign air travel agreement The two countries agreed to establish weekly passenger and cargo flights between each other. It follows a similar arrangement between Israel and the UAE. Bahrain
Senate praises Library of Congress for agreeing to use term 'Armenian genocide' The national library refers to the killings of Armenians in early 20th-century Turkey as "massacres," but agreed to call them "genocide" after being urged to do so by Senate Democrats. Originals
Turkey blasts Greece, Cyprus, Egypt for 'baseless' Mediterranean accusations The three countries accused Turkey of threatening regional stability with its renewed exploratory mission in the contested waters. Turkey
Turkish lira hits new record low as central bank holds rates The currency tumbled after policy-makers disappointed expectations they would raise the benchmark rate, while geopolitics and the possibility of new coronavirus measures hitting the economy also weigh on the embattled lira. Turkey
US government says Iran behind emails threatening Democratic voters in Florida The emails purportedly sent by the pro-Trump Proud Boys group were actually an Iranian operation, according to US intelligence, though Iran has denied the allegation. United States
Lebanon’s Hariri again tapped as prime minister Lebanese President Michel Aoun has tasked veteran politician and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to form a new government. Lebanon
Turkey’s withdrawal in Idlib may be omen of war Turkey’s decision to evacuate military posts in regime-held areas in Idlib is hardly reassuring when considered against the backdrop of its continued military buildup elsewhere in the region. Syria
43 Iranian cities, including Tehran, under ‘severe restrictions’ because of COVID-19 With rising coronavirus case numbers, Iran is set to implement new restrictions in Tehran and other cities until Nov. 21. Iran
Israeli delegation visits Sudan in sign of possible normalization A top Israeli delegation's visit to Sudan could mean that the rapprochement process is moving quickly and the establishment of diplomatic ties is imminent. Israel
Israel-Turkey inch closer in trade, culture While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to slam Israel, commercial and cultural ties show signs of growth. Israel
Why women in Egypt continue to face violence The killing of a young woman during a robbery in the streets of Cairo has raised the ire of activists, who continue to call for legislation to protect women against violence. Egypt
Eritrea shifts course on Egypt-Ethiopia dispute over Nile dam The visit of the Eritrean president to the site of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam shows a change of position in Eritrea, which had always backed Egypt in the Nile dam issue. Egypt
