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
Hamas silent on Sisi's election Hamas leaders and spokespeople have been instructed not to make any public statements concerning the election of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt, to avoid aggravating the new president. Palestine
Iraqi women make gains in parliamentary elections The strong showing of female candidates during the April 30 Iraqi elections reflect a change in this traditionally male-dominated society. Iraq
Deficit overpowers Lebanon's draft budget Amid political and security crises in Lebanon, the issuance of the 2014 draft budget by the Ministry of Finance was a positive sign, but many questions remain about how major economic problems will be addressed. Lebanon
Foreign investors spark Turkish stock rally Defying expectations, foreign investors buy $705.59 million in Turkish shares in May. Turkey
Participation of Sunnis key to Iraqi reconciliation Iraqi government must recognize the failed policies that led to the Sunnis' displacement and suffering in Mosul. Iraq
In Iran, headlines blame foreigners for ISIS advances As the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham continues to make gains in Iraq, Iran’s right-wing media outlets are running constant updates on the situation and officials are blaming Western and Arab countries for supporting extremist groups. Iraq
Sinai Peninsula remains security headache for Sisi Many Sinai residents blame coercive security practices by the Egyptian military as the cause of instability. Egypt
How Gulf Initiative has worsened Yemen's crisis Yemen has been stuck in a "transitional phase" while the state is collapsing as a result of failing government performance and a decline in basic services for citizens. Yemen
Livni-Herzog alliance a threat to Netanyahu The presidential elections exposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political vulnerabilities. Israel
Russia, Qatar compete in natural gas market Russia and Qatar differ on Syria but are considering means of mitigating their natural gas rivalry in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. Qatar
Women shut out from Fatah-Hamas reconciliation deal Women were absent from the Palestinian reconciliation meetings, which shows the lack of female participation in the affairs of the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Removal of Turkish flag stokes anti-Kurdish sentiments Turkey is in an upheaval over the removal of its flag from a military base. Turkey
