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
Coding academy opens new opportunities for Moroccan youth 3W Academy Maroc aims at addressing youth unemployment in Morocco through accessible tech education. Morocco
Israel's economy faces uncertain future Employment and wage figures are excellent, inflation is low and the country’s credit rating is high, but the growing deficit will require Israel’s next government to cut expenditures or raise taxes — or both. Israel
Right-wing infighting: A warning sign for Netanyahu By firing Education Minister Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu angered his loyal partners, the national-religious camp. Israel
After 50 years, Israel opens up 'Land of the Monasteries’ Israel was late in recognizing the potential of the Qasr al-Yahud site, but it hopes to do better now that the region is cleared of landmines and will open to the public. Israel
Will the AKP reinstate Kurdish peace talks to win Istanbul elections? Ruling party officials have adopted the Kurdish issue as a campaign strategy in the upcoming Istanbul elections. Turkey
Meet Iraq's human rights advocate who lived through two genocides Dr. Widad Akreyi, who lived through the 1980s Anfal genocide and the 2014 Yazidi genocide, has become one of the major defenders of human rights in Iraq and beyond. Iraq
Iran frees 'American-Lebanese spy' Tehran has freed Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese national and American resident, who was serving a 10-year jail term in Iran for espionage, but there is no clear indication of a wider prisoner swap deal with the US government. Iran
Ex-Tehran mayor's murder case stirs infighting among Reformists Confession to murder by Tehran's ex-mayor was perhaps the last thing Iran's already troubled Reform Movement needed ahead of key parliamentary polls next year. Iran
Istanbul mayoral candidates to debate in rare TV face-off Turkey will have its first major political debate since 2002 as the ruling party takes extraordinary measures ahead of the second vote for Istanbul mayor. Turkey
Iran’s concert tax infuriates artists, music fans Iran’s musicians worry that a new tax that chips away 10% of concert revenues would deliver a blow to their stage performances. Iran
Egypt's parliament considering banking system draft law Egypt’s new Central Bank of Egypt draft law could raise the minimum capital requirement for banks tenfold. Egypt
Pentagon official says 'campaign' of Iranian threats caused US Middle East surge A “campaign” of Iranian threats against US and allied forces pushed the Pentagon to send fresh troops and weapons to the Middle East last month, a top Defense Department international policy official said at an Al-Monitor breakfast today. United States
