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
COVID-19 and the marginalization of Iranian women COVID-19 has adversely impacted many segments of society across the globe, including Iranian women. Some fear the damage will be permanent. Originals
Second wave of virus ravages Israel's Arab population According to health experts, weddings and conspiracy theories are behind the high number of new infections in Arab-Israeli society. Palestine
Hotels in the Emirates explore turning kitchens kosher Israeli business people are already in contact with hotels at the United Arab Emirates, who wish to accommodate their kitchens to the Israeli tourists. United Arab Emirates
Wagner has already crashed two Russian fighter jets in Libya, AFRICOM says Russian regular forces are likely present in Libya, AFRICOM's intelligence director said Libya
Jordan explosion reportedly caused by overheated ammunition The large blast took place in an uninhabited area in Zarqa near the capital, Amman; no injuries were reported. Jordan
Israel's home demolitions in West Bank spiked during pandemic: UN From March to August, 389 Palestinian-owned structures were razed in the West Bank, the United Nations said. Israel
How a second Trump term could shift Russia’s stance on Syria Bahrain, UAE peace deals compel Palestinian rethink on strategy. United Arab Emirates
Biden endorses lower troop levels in Iraq, fight against IS in interview Joe Biden told Stars and Stripes he wants to stop "forever wars" but keep some troops in Iraq and Syria. His opponent, Donald Trump, also pledges to withdraw more troops. United States
Netanyahu hails Bahrain-Israel normalization deal Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi thank US President Donald Trump and his team for their engagement in the region and the announcement of an agreement with Bahrain to normalize relations. United Arab Emirates
Bahrain will establish ties with Israel, Trump says Bahrain follows Kosovo and the United Arab Emirates in normalizing ties with Israel. United Arab Emirates
Iranian fuel tankers reported off coast of South Africa The tankers are reportedly bringing oil to Venezuela and may be taking the longer African route to avoid US forces following a seizure in August. Iran
Netanyahu gives up on private-plane ride to Washington With criticism pouring in from all sides, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abandons his plan to travel to Washington on a private plane. Israel
