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
Senators rebuke Egypt as White House rolls out red carpet for Sisi Congress is pushing the Donald Trump administration to take a tougher line on Egypt amid concerns that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will use this week’s White House visit to legitimize his efforts to extend his rule through 2034. Egypt
Turkey in for 'hard time' following Erdogan election losses Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is likely to find it more difficult to govern effectively after having lost Turkey's major cities in local elections. Turkey
Trump names Iran’s IRGC terror organization, downplaying risks to US troops, Iraq stability Critics warn that the US administration's announcement to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization could escalate risks to US troops and reduce chances for future diplomacy. United States
Iran, Iraq forge ahead with collaboration amid US pressure The Iraqi prime minister’s visit to Iran — his first since taking office — sends important messages to Tehran, Washington and Riyadh alike. Iraq
Iran condemns, reciprocates designation of IRGC as terrorist organization Iran has strongly condemned the US move to label part of its armed forces as a foreign terrorist organization, responding by designating US Central Command and affiliated forces as a “terrorist group.” United States
Will Erdogan court Kurds after his party's election loss? The Kurds' role in Turkey's recent local elections made them both losers and winners. What will their road map be now? Originals
Is debt answer to Middle East economic troubles? The forecast for growth across the Middle East and North Africa is bleak. Unfortunately for the regions, heavy debt appears to be one way out. Saudi Arabia
Can Baghdad's Rasheed Street save its name, glory? Once a cultural and economic hub, Baghdad's Rasheed Street will need a lot of work and investment to return to its days of glory. Iraq
Will al-Qaeda capitalize on IS losses at Iraqi-Syrian border? Al-Qaeda may be posed to make a comeback in eastern Syria and parts of Iraq, exploiting its historic roots in the area after the territorial defeat of the Islamic State. Iraq
Mosul archaeologist aims to reclaim her city's lost heritage Despite occupation, displacement and war, archaeologist Layla Salih never lost hope of rebuilding the Mesopotamian, Jewish, Christian and Islamic cultural heritage of her city, Mosul. Iraq
Tunisians block roads in response to new gas price hikes Tunisian car owners and truckers are blocking major roads in the country in protest of the government's decision to increase gas prices a sixth time, tightening the noose around Tunisia's working class. Originals
