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
London summit exposes Turkey’s isolation, lack of clout in NATO Seasoned diplomats say despite Ankara’s tarnished image in the alliance, Turkey has confirmed its Western orientation. Syria
Israel must set conditions for Hamas over Palestinian elections Israel should agree to the Palestinian demand of enabling elections also in East Jerusalem, but it should not agree for terror group Hamas to participate in the electoral process. Palestine
What’s behind Abbas’ demand for voting stations in Jerusalem? The insistence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Israel enabling East Jerusalem residents to vote in the upcoming Palestinian elections might hide his fear of a Hamas victory. Palestine
Cairo hosts Islamic Jihad summit as incentive for truce talks Egypt has hosted critical meetings for Hamas and now the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's political bureau both to promote its own role as mediator and as a reward for participating in cease-fire agreements. Palestine
Israeli citizen stands trial in Jordan as tensions simmer Jordanian-Israeli relations have grown increasingly tense as Jordan tries an Israeli accused to illegally crossing the border and holds a military exercise simulating an Israeli invasion. Israel
Iran's regional peace initiative faces major challenges While Oman and Iran may have high hopes for the Hormuz Peace Endeavor, regional security arrangements have typically needed great-power backing to hold them together. Saudi Arabia
US set to lean on Saudi Arabia in Florida shooting probe The FBI will rely on Riyadh as it looks into last week's deadly shooting at a naval base. Saudi Arabia
Will political crises lead to a Hamas-Israel prisoner swap? A desire by Hamas to improve it's standing among Palestinians and the current political predicament of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might make a prisoner swap more inevitable in the near term. Palestine
Will Israel-Hamas arrangement divorce Gaza from West Bank? According to recent statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, Israel and Hamas are close to reaching a long-term agreement, including over control of Gaza. Palestine
Oil trail reveals Turkey funding Syrian Kurdish rivals Through oil, Turkey is helping to indirectly subsidize the very same Syrian Kurdish administration that it's seeking to crush. Syria
Turkish-backed forces loot Ras al-Ain Some residents of Ras al-Ain braved the ongoing chaos there to check on their houses, but found them destroyed or confiscated by opposition and pro-Turkish factions. Syria
Turkey’s Kurdish sweep backfires President Erdogan’s Syria plan has had unintended ramifications: Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now cozying up to the Kurds, the Kurds are uniting, and the Russians are guiding the solutions on the ground. Syria
