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
Iran operating new advanced centrifuges, nuclear watchdog finds According to an International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran is now using IR-4 centrifuges to enrich uranium in violation of the nuclear accord. Iran
UN says Libya arms embargo 'totally ineffective' A United Nations panel of experts accused several member states, including Turkey and Russia, of fueling the Libyan conflict. Libya
Trump’s 'peace plan' rewards settler violence President Donald Trump's blessing of territorial annexation is nothing less than a reward for government-sanctioned 'Wild West' settler violence and appropriation as illustrated by the small percentage of indictments for criminal acts committed against Palestinians on the West Bank. Palestine
White House sends Congress mixed messages on Iran war votes President Donald Trump told lawmakers to “vote with their hearts” on war powers legislation, but the White House is playing hardball with Republican defectors. Iraq
Alarm as Turkey’s ruling party moves to empower night watchmen A revived nighttime security force in Turkey may soon get the same powers as regular police, drawing protest from lawmakers and civil rights advocates. Turkey
Pentagon: Turkey’s deployment to Libya threatens escalation The United States' top military officer in Africa has warned that Ankara's decision to send troops to Libya "risks a significant escalation." Turkey
Will Turkish-trained Syrian police help restore security in area held by Turkish forces? The situation in Syria’s Operation Peace Spring area in northern Syria does not bode well for refugees wishing to return home from Turkey, with ongoing car bombs and explosions despite efforts by local councils to restore stability. Syria
How this Palestinian initiative helps women deal with their scars Alorkedea, an initiative in Gaza, provides psychological support, health tips and networking opportunities for women with physical disfigurations. Palestine
Erdogan slams Russia as regime offensive sends Idlib residents fleeing for Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Moscow is not upholding the Astana and Sochi cease-fire agreements after Syrian regime forces retook a key city in Idlib Wednesday, sending a new wave of displaced civilians toward the Turkish border. Syria
Intel: Erdogan abandons balancing act in Syria, targets Russia Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Russia directly for the first time in a long while in the wake of the recent escalation in northwestern Syria. Syria
Trump’s Israeli-US deal is not a peace plan Donald Trump's 'deal of the century' may have started out as a peace plan, but his administration's conflict with the Palestinian leadership turned it into a plan to give Israel the green light to annex one-third of the West Bank. Palestine
How long can Abbas hold firm on security coordination with Israel? Israel's security establishment is well aware of the pressure being exerted on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to halt security coordination with Israel, which is why Israel must exert intense efforts to assist him. Palestine
Turks question ‘quake taxes’ after deadly tremor Turkey’s citizens have paid billions of liras in special taxes introduced after a massive quake disaster in 1999, but two decades on, the country still has a long way to go in quake-proofing buildings and other precautionary measures. Turkey
Democratic leaders hold fire on Trump’s Mideast peace plan Pro-Israel Democrats are holding their fire on President Donald Trump’s Israeli-Palestinian peace proposal despite some reservations. Palestine
