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 court drops mask on support of occupation A ruling by the Jerusalem District Court legalizes the theft of Palestinian lands for the purpose of constructing homes in a Jewish settlement. Palestine
Will Jordanians, Palestinians accept a confederation? Any deal that doesn’t include an end to the Israeli control of areas it occupied in 1967 will not succeed, including the creation of a Jordanian-Palestinian confederation. Palestine
Turkish military’s tradition of secularism facing tough test A recent controversy over who should lead prayers at mosques and prayer halls in military facilities shows the Turkish military is still a long way from striking a true balance between religious freedom and freedom from religion. Turkey
Egypt announces massive budget to develop Sinai The Egyptian government announced a plan to develop the Sinai Peninsula, with the aim to eliminate terrorism that is widespread in this volatile area. Egypt
Egypt to invest in restoration of war-torn countries Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly recently issued a decree to form an action group aimed at investing a great deal of effort in the reconstruction of five Arab countries. Egypt
Egypt’s festivals fear future amid new funding regulations As Egypt's cultural season starts in September, many festival organizers worry that they will be unable to go on after recent additional bureaucratic measures and cuts in state aid. Egypt
Bumpy road ahead for Egypt's first female Coptic governor Women's rights activists and Christian figures rejoiced as Egypt appointed its first Coptic Christian woman as governor, but not everyone in the city of Damietta was delighted with the appointment. Egypt
Will Iran merge banks owned by military institutions? Though the merger of lenders affiliated with Iranian security institutions is an important step toward military divestment, the process faces many obstacles. Iran
Ahmadinejad squawks louder as Tehran cracks down on loyalists The Islamic Republic and its former president are caught in a feedback loop as his incessant attacks on top officials prompt further action against his remaining friends. Iran
Is 'The Wedding' new beginning for LGBTQ cinema in Egypt? Film director Sam Abbas' "The Wedding," which tells the story of a gay man forced into a heterosexual marriage, will be screened privately and by invitation only in the Middle East, making the already controversial movie even more controversial. Egypt
Entrepreneur brings blueberries to Lebanon Talal Nassereddine's Tout Berry Farms aims to make berry cultivation a big business in Lebanon and the broader Middle East. Lebanon
Why are Syria's IDPs returning home? UNHCR Filippo Grandi visits Douma, Syria; Jabhat al-Nusra dead-enders and foreign fighters face last stand in Idlib. Saudi Arabia
