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
Why sanctions relief has not been enough to kick-start Iran's industry Iran's industrial sector continues to sag despite the implementation of the nuclear deal, but there are some ways the government could shore up domestic production and stimulate the economy. Iran
Is Erdogan's university diploma forged? Allegations regarding the authenticity of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's diploma, and therefore his position, are gaining substance. Turkey
The battle for Hagia Sophia in Istanbul escalates The Turkish conservative movement’s demand to turn the Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque is gaining strength. Turkey
Palestinian TV series proving popular at Ramadan Palestinian dramas are making inroads in the Arab drama world despite the lack of funds and high-tech facilities. Palestine
Hamas elections will mark end of Meshaal era Support for Hamas' political leader Khaled Meshaal has long been eroding in the Gaza Strip, and he may not even run in the upcoming leadership elections from his refuge in Qatar. Palestine
Turkey huffs and puffs at genocide vote, but it's business as usual with Germany Ankara is angry after Berlin adopted a nonbinding resolution recognizing the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 as genocide, but Turkey is wary of undermining important ties with Germany. Turkey
Will Iran’s most popular general enter politics? With the presidential election one year away, the Iranian press is already speculating about Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani entering the race. Iran
Has Israeli left lost battle over public opinion? The vicious attacks by Likud members against Amir Peretz of the Zionist Camp and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai reflect the refusal by Israeli public opinion to accept any linkage between the occupation and terror attacks. Palestine
Can US-backed offensive bring back residents to Syria's Manbij? The citizens of Manbij, which is northeast of Aleppo, have high hopes of returning to their hometown in light of the US-backed offensive against the Islamic State in their city. Syria
Why Turkey is making a return to Libya Given economic troubles at home, it is no surprise that Ankara has decided to reopen its embassy in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, which had been closed since 2014. Turkey
Massive reshuffle of judges, prosecutors is new blow to Turkish judiciary Judicial independence in Turkey has suffered a severe blow earlier this month as thousands of judges and prosecutors were reassigned overnight. Turkey
Palestine hopes to join Interpol this fall Palestinian officials are working with EU officials to apply for Interpol membership, a major step toward full international recognition. Palestine
