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
Israel's dangerous game in Gaza The Israeli government has an interest in Hamas staying in power in Gaza, but pressure on the organization from the Palestinian Authority and Egypt could lead it to provoke another war with Israel. Palestine
Water pollution in Lebanon reaching dangerous levels Activists and scientists are increasingly concerned about water pollution in Lebanon and request action from the government, which has not acted on the urgent situation so far. Lebanon
In Jerusalem, secret sale of church land to developers revealed Arabs in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem are calling for the church to remove Patriarch Theophilos III from office for selling church-owned land in West Jerusalem to Israeli developers, but there is no sign their voices will be heard. Palestine
Syrians catch breath as post-IS Dabiq takes shape With the help of its local council, aspects of a normal life are gradually returning to Syria’s Dabiq following the Islamic State's expulsion from the town in late 2016. Syria
Distrust, dehydration rampant amid final Mosul battles As the liberation of Mosul moves ahead after several months of very slow progress, the Iraqi forces face new challenges in very hot weather conditions. Iraq
UNESCO Hebron motion important to all faiths UNESCO's decision to classify the old city of Hebron as a world heritage site, despite Israeli protests, should be seen as a confirmation that the city's heritage is much bigger than disputes between Palestinians and Jews. Palestine
Turkey potential spoiler of US-Russian progress on Syria Turkey may find common ground with Damascus and Tehran in its concerns about Syrian Kurds; UNHCR notes trend of "spontaneous returns" in Syria; Turkey seizes property of ancient Christian community. Iraq
Saudi king shows no signs of slowing aggressive foreign policy Saudi Arabia has overextended itself militarily and economically and it would behoove it to return to a more traditional approach in its foreign policy. Saudi Arabia
Istanbul’s dog days First loved and then massacred during the days of the Ottoman Empire, stray dogs in modern Turkey still can't find much peace. Turkey
Egypt takes action against spread of jellyfish on its Mediterranean shores Nomad jellyfish have been invading Egypt's Mediterranean beaches, affecting tourism; blame is being cast on global warming, pollution and even the new Suez Canal. Egypt
Opposition leader's 'Justice March' will change Turkey's political landscape Millions around the globe hope Turkey's main opposition's "Justice March" will mark the beginning of a new societal movement. Turkey
Referendum on independent Kurdistan puts Iran at crossroads While Iran is the only country that has long enjoyed close ties with Iraqi Kurds, the upcoming referendum on independence for Iraqi Kurdistan puts it at a crossroads. Iraqi-Kurdistan
