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
Is COVID-19 pushing women in Egypt out of workforce? With schools reopening and many shifting to partial online learning because of the coronavirus crisis, working moms in Egypt are facing the challenging task of juggling work and supporting their children’s education. Egypt
Gantz calls Netanyahu’s bluff on budget showdown Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s partner and rival Benny Gantz has called his bluff, forcing him to compromise on extending the budget deadline that would have forced new elections. Israel
Turkey tries to settle scores with Palestinian leader backed by the UAE Interpol recently rejected Turkey’s request to arrest dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates, but analysts believe this will not stop Ankara from pursuing Dahlan through other means. United Arab Emirates
Israeli foreign minister in Berlin pushes arms embargo on Iran After meeting with his German counterpart in Berlin, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said that Germany supports Israel on arms embargo on Iran. Israel
Agreement with UAE reveals Mossad chief's ambitions As the world learns more of Israel’s agreement with the United Arab Emirates and other contacts with Gulf states, the central role and lofty ambitions of Mossad chief Yossi Cohen are also emerging. Israel
French armed forces minister visits Iraq following turnover of US base French Defense Minister Florence Parly's visit coincides with discussions between Iraq and the United States on the future of American troops in the country; France is a part of the US-led anti-IS coalition in Iraq. Iraq
Harris says Biden presidency will not condition aid to Israel The Democrats' vice presidential pick, Sen. Kamala Harris, sought to distance the Biden campaign from emerging party criticism of Israel in recent years. Israel
What’s next for Russia-Iran military partnership? If the arms embargo on Iran ends in October, what arms might Tehran buy from Moscow? Russia
Libya's Tripoli authorities mandate 24-hour curfew to stem protests A round-the-clock lockdown underway in Libya follows days of anti-government protests in the capital city. Libya
COVID-19 cases increasingly rapidly in northeast Syria The Kurdish-led autonomous region's high population of displaced people and isolation following the UN closure of a border crossing is contributing to the virus' spread. Syria
Turkey’s tilt toward Pakistan provokes India’s ire An Indian intelligence reports sees Turkey as becoming a hub for anti-India activities second only to Pakistan. Turkey
Turkey plans new naval drills in eastern Mediterranean The Turkish navy will hold live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean next week amid rising tensions with Greece. Turkey
