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
Can Russia, West cooperate on Libya? Moscow sees an opportunity to engage with Europe to help solve Libya’s crisis, and the US president seems ready and willing to stay out of it. Saudi Arabia
Can US calm Turkish nerves over arming Syrian Kurds? The United States seems aware of Turkish sensitivities, but the Americans can't guarantee the arms given to Syrian Kurdish forces won't ultimately fall into hands hostile to Turkey. Syria
How Turkish referendum victory could backfire for Erdogan The close vote in the April 16 referendum has galvanized Turkey’s opposition, but the prospect of the diverse political spectrum agreeing on a joint candidate to confront President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2019 elections remains daunting. Turkey
Iraqis point fingers over spurt of kidnappings Sunni and Shiite officials trade accusations over recent forced disappearances of Iraqi civilians, which has fueled more sectarian strife in the country. Iraq
Journalists in Gaza face intensifying crackdown Several journalists from the Gaza Strip have recently been kidnapped by the Hamas-run security services, beaten and tortured, to finally be released after being instructed not to criticize the movement. Palestine
Will Turkish opposition rally around Erdogan challenger in 2019? If the opposition unifies around a candidate who can attract varied segments of votes, Erdoganism may not become the only game in town by the 2019 presidential election. Turkey
Baptismal unity divides Egypt's Copts An agreement on baptism between Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II has angered some Copts. Egypt
Power cuts, cheap imports fray Gaza's handmade carpet industry Handwoven carpets and rugs are an ancient Palestinian tradition, but few craftsmen are still making them in Gaza, where cheaper goods are flooding the market and the power outages narrow their windows to work. Palestine
What, if anything, will come of meeting between Libyan rivals? The head of Libya's UN-backed government in Tripoli, Fayez al-Sarraj, spoke recently with military strongman Khalifa Hifter in their first-ever meeting, aimed at ending violence and chaos in Libya. United Arab Emirates
Egypt hopes papal trip will be a blessing for tourism industry The two-day visit of Pope Francis to Egypt on April 28-29 was more than just a religious visit. Egypt
Sinai tribes take up arms against IS Tribes in northern Sinai have joined the fight against Wilayat Sinai, raising questions about the state’s monopoly on weapons. Egypt
Protesters gear up as politicians' clock winds down in Lebanon Activists in Lebanon have organized to oppose a third extension of parliament and demand a modern electoral law that would bring in new political candidates. Lebanon
