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
Erdogan plays Syrian refugee card against Europe Turkey has relaxed its harsh policies on Syrian refugees while it reaches out to Europe for more assistance, but the move does not mean Ankara has given up on expelling as many as it can. Syria
Why does Erdogan want nuclear weapons? President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has for the first time made his nuclear ambitions public, arguing that it is unacceptable for Turkey to not have nuclear weapons while other countries do. Israel
UN nuclear watchdog confirms Iran installing advanced centrifuges The IAEA has confirmed Iran’s third step of reducing its limitations on nuclear research and development under the JCPOA. Iran
Intel: Why Russia boosts Iran even as Tehran pares nuclear deal commitments Despite their differences on Syria, Russia needs a stronger Iran as its partner. Russia
Iraq shuts down US-funded TV station over corruption report Iraqis are divided over the government's three-month closure of Alhurra’s Baghdad office for a controversial report alleging corruption in religious institutions. Iraq
Syrians ready to flee to Turkey as soon as border opens Syrians recently protested in Idlib, calling on Turkey to open a humanitarian corridor so they can escape the government shelling. Syria
What did Sisi discuss in Kuwait? Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah during a visit to Kuwait, to discuss economic and security cooperation as well as regional developments. Kuwait
Tunisian presidential candidates saying it with music Tunisian presidential candidates are using an arsenal of musical to try to woo the young as well as evoke nostalgia for past in their campaigns for the elections scheduled for Sept. 15. Tunisia
Why Turkey's rappers can no longer stay silent In a 15-minute-long song aptly titled "#ICannotBeSilent," Turkish rappers take turns expressing their woes on issues such as justice, freedom, environment, abuse and exile. Turkey
Egyptian woman's egg-freeze decision creates debate on taboo subject A woman's public confession that she had her eggs frozen has shocked Egypt and prompted public debate about an issue rarely discussed in the highly conservative society. Egypt
Struggle for water continues in Palestine’s Jordan Valley Israel seems to be trying to drive Palestinians out of the Jordan Valley by denying them access to water. Palestine
Putin can’t save Erdogan from Idlib quagmire The Russian president ultimately sees Bashar al-Assad as the solution to Turkey’s border crisis, but is playing a long game. Syria
