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
As bloodshed plagues Turkey, politicians enjoy full security A wave of terrorist attacks in Turkey has claimed hundreds of innocent lives, but never the armchairs of government and security officials. Turkey
Who’s next in line for Saudi throne? Don’t ask Speculating about Saudi royal succession can result in confusion — and jail time. Saudi Arabia
Forgotten Ottoman Eid traditions make comeback in Turkey Although Turks cannot agree on the name of the holiday, all agree to keep Ramadan traditions alive in modern times. Turkey
The politicization of Syria's soap operas As Syrian drama series gain popularity in the Arab world, the Syrian regime seeks to promote its vision through these series produced inside the Syrian territory. Syria
IS turns its attention to Jordan Some analysts say the Islamic State attack in Jordan’s Rukban border area was designed to increase IS’ popularity within certain segments of Jordanian society. Jordan
Did Turkey abandon Hamas in Israel deal? As Hamas absorbs the aftermath of the Turkish-Israeli agreement, some wonder whether Turkey should be blamed for failing to lift the siege on Gaza. Palestine
Why Iranian Kurdish party is stepping up fight against Tehran The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan broke the two-decade cease-fire by launching attacks on IRGC forces, which triggered Iranian attacks against Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraq
Bus Map Project to untangle Beirut's bewildering transit routes To address the heavy traffic and disorganized public transportation in Lebanon, a small team of volunteers is working to create an interactive bus map and encourage commuters to take advantage of the redeveloping services. Lebanon
Fed up with talk, Iranians demand action on jobs Three years into his term, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is running out of time to fulfill his campaign promise of lowering unemployment. Iran
Battle for Syria's Manbij may redraw local alliances The Syrian Democratic Forces are leading the battle to liberate Manbij, close to the Turkish border, which pushed Turkey to warn the Kurds about expanding their influence in their areas of control. Syria
What Israel's payoff for Turkish civilians means for Palestinians Now that Israel has agreed to compensate the families of the Mavi Marmara casualties it calls terrorists, Palestinians are hoping to advance their own claims for compensation. Palestine
How rotten fish became a favorite delicacy in Gaza On the first day of Eid al-Fitr, Gazans buy and eat a salted and fermented fish called fesikh, which has a long tradition in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
