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
Israeli settlements continue as Palestinians prep ICC submission Even as Palestinians commemorate the 39th Nakba Day, Israel is still expanding its settlements in a bid to undermine the two-state solution. Palestine
Differences emerge in US, Iran interpretations of nuclear deal The statements issued by Iran and the United States after the Lausanne agreement have important discrepancies on key issues that need to be resolved before the June 30 deadline. Iran
Syrian radio station examines role of women in war With a series of special programming, Radio Souriat has focused its listeners on UN Resolution 1325, which advocates for empowering women. Syria
Turkey reluctantly welcomes Iran deal Observers say Iran deal will increase Tehran’s regional influence at a time when Ankara’s influence has waned. Turkey
IRGC supports nuclear framework deal The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has thrown his support behind Iran's nuclear negotiators and the framework deal announced on April 2, despite expressing doubts about the United States. Congress
Hungry bears threaten Turkey's villages Starving bears have been ravaging cemeteries in Turkey, digging up and devouring the dead and forcing villagers to place barbed wire around tombs. Turkey
Israel, Republicans clash with Obama over Iran deal Israeli officials reject the US assumption by which a deal with Iran would draw it closer to the West and assist in resolving other Middle East conflicts. Israel
Hamas election call could put UN initiative at risk Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas knows that if elections go on as stipulated in the reconciliation agreement, Hamas will become an official part of the Palestinian government, making it hard for him to win international support for his UN bid. Palestine
Egypt's ambassador to Yemen won't rule out ground troops In an interview with Al-Monitor, Egyptian Ambassador Youssef al-Sharqawy says that despite his country's participation in Operation Decisive Storm, it will not play a political role in resolving the conflict in Yemen. Legacy: Gulf
What is behind UAE deportation of Lebanese nationals? Although UAE authorities maintain that the recent decision to deport dozens of Lebanese nationals was made over security concerns, others believe that political alignments may have played a role. Legacy: Gulf
Iraqi army sets sights on Fallujah, Mosul The battle for Mosul will be complicated by the Kurdish factor and the city's remaining population. Iraq
Zarif defends nuclear framework deal While most officials and media in Iran have been supportive of the framework deal, some have expressed opposition. Iran
