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
Will Hamas respond to Israel's destruction of its tunnels? Israel and Hamas are threatening each other with open warfare over Palestinian factions' tunnels that lead from Gaza into Israel, though military experts are divided on whether either side would take such action. Palestine
How Turkey plans to boost halal tourism The second international halal tourism conference, held in Konya, gave a boost to Turkey’s determination to improve its performance in the growing Muslim travel market. Turkey
Palestine to raise concerns about settlement-based teams at FIFA conference The Palestinian Football Federation is planning to raise the issue of five Israeli soccer teams located in the occupied territories on the grounds that these teams are violating FIFA statutes. Palestine
The story behind the general who will likely shape Libya's future Gen. Khalifa Hifter's speculative role in Libya's future is as captivating as his intriguing past. Libya
Ancient Palestinian monastery under UNESCO consideration The 1,500-year-old Mar Saba Monastery in Palestine has been nominated for inclusion among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Palestine
How Cairo was able to stop April 25 protests Although mass protests had been planned following Egyptian popular anger at an agreement to cede the Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia, efforts by the security forces seem to have thwarted major demonstrations. Egypt
Is Egypt-Sudan border dispute new thorn in Renaissance Dam negotiations? Although claiming to be independent, some suggest Sudan may in fact be on Ethiopia’s side with regard to the latter’s dispute with Egypt over the Renaissance Dam. Egypt
What’s left of Turkish democracy? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues his assault on the media while accusing political opponents of abetting terrorists. Syria
How Russia sees Kurdish quest for autonomy Russia is carefully crafting its policies regarding Kurds, seeking to take a leadership role in the Syrian situation without actually offending anyone. Iraq
In battle for rights, Egypt's journalists face off with parliament Egypt's parliament is offering a weak show of support for its country's journalists following a raid on the Press Syndicate May 1. Egypt
Why Egypt's ministries are on the move Egypt is moving several state institutions out of downtown Cairo in what some say is a way to avoid the protests that have long centered in the area. Egypt
Is Washington enabling despotism in Turkey? Washington's muted response to growing authoritarianism in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is spurring accusations that it is empowering him. Turkey
