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
Turkey touts Iranian support for PKK offensive Ankara claims it has Iran's support for the operation rolling out against the Kurdistan Workers Party in northern Iraq, but Tehran has yet to respond officially. Iraq
'Authorized protest venues' approved in aftermath of Iran protests The administration of President Hassan Rouhani approved a list of locations for what it brands as "authorized rallies" in Iran's capital, drawing mixed responses. Iran
Saudi Arabia bails out Jordan In light of Jordan's latest protests that toppled the prime minister, Saudi Arabia initiated a summit June 10 where a $2.5 billion five-year aid program was agreed on to help the Hashemite Kingdom regain a position of stability in the region. Saudi Arabia
Egyptian MPs open Pandora's box on popular soccer team's finances An exchange of accusations between Saudi soccer boss Turki al-Sheikh and Al-Ahly's board opens Pandora's box on the Egyptian soccer team's donations. Saudi Arabia
Erdogan's not doing Turks in Europe any favors Turkish supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Europe have served him well, but whether it serves them well is another matter. Turkey
West Bank stands in solidarity with Gaza The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and Great March of Return have given rise to a new movement in the West Bank protesting President Mahmoud Abbas' sanctions on their fellow Palestinians. Palestine
New online platform helps Turkish immigrant women abroad The "Immigrant Women’s Solidarity Platform" connects Turkish women who are planning to move or have moved abroad, assisting them in settling down in their host countries. Turkey
Turkey delays dam plans, granting Iraq brief reprieve Ankara puts off filling its Ilisu Dam for the second time to temporarily ease Iraqis' fear that their water shortage will worsen. Iraq
Disputes over election results flare after Baghdad ballot fire Following the arson attack on the ballot storage center in Baghdad, the government faces no easy choices, as some demand a rerun of the election and some others warn of a civil war if that happens. Iraq
Iranian nationalism grows amid rising US pressure The US administration and its regional allies' policies toward the Islamic Republic appear to be fueling a rise in nationalist sentiment in Iran. Syria
Israeli minister offers creative approach to easing Gaza siege Undeterred by objections in the governing coalition, Transportation and Intelligence Affairs Minister Yisrael Katz continues to push his plan to construct an island off Gaza to provide it access to the outside world. Palestine
Syria's not waiting for peace to rebuild, and Iran wants to help There's a lot of talk about reconstructing Syria, but at the moment, Iran seems to be the only country actively working toward that end. Syria
