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
Two Futures for Egypt Clash In the Conflict of the Squares The war of the squares, or the mass rallies organized by Egypt's opposition and the Islamists, show each ideology trying to flex its muscles by mobilizing the street. Egypt
Secret Israel-Palestine Talks Might Yield Results Little information was revealed during US Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent visit to the region, which suggests a lot might be happening behind the scenes. Palestine
'Arab Idol' Victory Polarizes Hamas The euphoria surrounding Mohammed Assaf's "Arab Idol" victory has sparked debate within Hamas circles over whether it conflicts with their Islamic outlook. Palestine
What's Next for Egypt? Where do the June 30 protests leave President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood? Egypt
Millions of Egyptians Demand Morsi’s Downfall Demonstrations against President Mohammed Morsi appear larger and more widespread than those that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak. Egypt
Palestinian Interaction Committee Fails To Interact With Israelis The Palestinian Interaction Committee to address the Israelis is another excellent initiative that has failed before even getting started. Palestine
Rouhani calls for Moderation In First Speech as President-elect In his first speech as president-elect of Iran, Hassan Rouhani said Iran should avoid extremism. Lebanon
Rouhani May Offer Way Out Of Nuclear Tensions With Iran The election of Hassan Rouhani as president is an opportunity for a more conciliatory approach by the regional and global powers. Iran
Deadly Violence Breaks out in Egypt Ahead of June 30 Protests Violence erupts in Alexandria, Cairo and Port Said ahead of Egypt's June 30 protests against President Mohammed Morsi; nine legislators resign. Egypt
In Egypt, Elections Still Matter As the expected June 30 protests approached, Egyptians were expressing a mix of hope, fear — even resignation — that the nation's military would have to intervene in government. Egypt
New Syrian Institution Helps US Deliver Humanitarian Aid A senior US aid official tasked with coordinating humanitarian assistance to Syria says he is “all for” prolonging the Syria war if it leads to a “democratic Syria.” Syria
