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
How Turkey’s recent political shakeup will have wide-ranging impact The resignation of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davutoglu could affect both the country’s economy and anti-IS efforts; new report scrutinizes US military aid to Egypt as human rights abuses persist; Al-Monitor’s reporter in the news. Egypt
What's next for Egypt's journalists? In an interview with Al-Monitor, Khaled El-Balshy, the head of the Freedom Committee of the Journalists' Syndicate, says that he believes the Egyptian security forces are facilitating the insults and abuses journalists have been subjected to. Egypt
US elections 2016: Everything you need to know this week Here’s what happened on the campaign during the week of May 9. Congress
UNESCO steps in to protect what's left of Syria's Palmyra Countless antiquities have been obliterated in the fierce fighting and rampant destruction in Syria, where the famous Palmyra archaeological site has lost a devastating portion of its treasures. Syria
Has IS reached the heart of Cairo? A May 8 attack that killed eight policemen in southern Cairo has sparked fears that the terror group has reached the city's capital, but questions remain about the culprits. Egypt
What's next for Hezbollah in Syria? Hezbollah will have a difficult time finding a replacement for slain commander Mustafa Badreddine. Lebanon
Is Egypt's former ruling party making a comeback? Following Egypt's January 25 Revolution, the ruling National Democratic Party was dissolved, yet prominent faces from the party are making a comeback in parliament. Egypt
How long can Turkey afford growing refugee bill? The monthly bill of hosting the Syrian refugees in Turkey has shot up to $500 million, in a further strain on the country’s already struggling economy. Syria
How Palestinians plan to mark 50 years of occupation For June 2017, Palestinian leadership is planning a major Palestinian and international political and public campaign on 50 years of the occupation. Palestine
How one professor poked Israeli establishment in the eye Despite criticism by the Israeli right, the prestigious Israel Prize has been awarded to David Shulman, the co-founder of the anti-occupation NGO Ta'ayush. Palestine
How politics is redefining 'left' and 'right' in Israel Israel's political right and left were once defined by their approach to the Palestinian issue, but now the distinction is being applied to almost every area of debate. Israel
Despite Arab, US attacks, AQAP still holding out in Yemen Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula recently withdrew from its prosperous base in Mukalla, but with 20 years of investment in the country, the group is unlikely to be defeated while other battles continue to mire the country in chaos and violence. Yemen
