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
Why Turkish government turned a blind eye to draining, excavation of Ice Age lake Turkish authorities allowed an excavation and draining of the 12,000-year-old Fathomless Lake in pursuit of a rumor that there was Roman treasure on the lake bottom. The lake was drained, revealing no treasure. Turkey
Algeria’s government and protesters on track for collision Algerian protesters are stepping up pressure against the ruling regime as the Dec. 12 elections near, with complete rejection of the candidates. Algeria
Desperate times bring out Erdogan in camouflage President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s biggest promise was to minimize the role of the military in politics. Did he keep his promise? Turkey
Questions arise about Hamas' absence in fight with Israel Hamas and Islamic Jihad are touting their unity following a brief dust-up after Hamas sat out the most recent battle between Israel and the resistance. Palestine
Riyadh agreement neglects Yemen’s 'manmade' humanitarian crisis Since the Saudi-led coalition intervened against Houthis in Yemen in 2015, both warring sides have deliberately targeted medical facilities, while few if any projects are being carried out to revive the health care system in a country where millions are suffering. Saudi Arabia
Smuggling crackdown highlights resilience of northeast Syria’s oil trade Despite a joint Kurdish-US crackdown against oil smugglers from northeast Syria toward government-controlled territories, trade continues. Syria
Coalition talks: Why Netanyahu jumped off the wagon According to the Blue and White party, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bolted out of the coalition talks at the very last moment over the issue of his immunity. Israel
Demolition of Palestinians' Jerusalem homes surges Israeli authorities have picked up the pace of destroying Palestinian homes in Jerusalem, which Palestinians blame in part on US officials' statements. Palestine
With Israel politically paralyzed, Hamas wants deal now The IDF is recommending relief measures for the Gaza Strip, but with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicted and with new Defense Minister Naftali Bennett preparing for elections, there is no one to make the call. Palestine
Iraqi government responds to protests by digging in After nearly two months of protests in Iraq, the government is using excessive force on demonstrators and not giving in to their demands. Iraq
IRGC head calls Iran protests 'world war' The commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps called the nationwide protests an "international plot." Iran
How Iran's protests could impact foreign policy Critical comments from France and Germany about the Iranian protests could further accelerate the dismantling of the Iran nuclear deal. Israel
