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
Intel: How Russia and Iran are drawing closer on Gulf, Syria The Russian and Iranian foreign ministers met in Moscow to discuss regional issues and opportunities for cooperation. Russia
Rouhani says he doesn’t want photo-op with Trump — but maybe he should French President Emmanuel Macron, the man in the middle, is appealing to both sides for compromise. Russia
Interview Former PM Olmert: 'Netanyahu is finished' In an exclusive Al-Monitor interview, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will fail to form a government after the Sept. 17 elections and will be cast aside by Likud before a third round of elections.
Gaza explosions leave Hamas exposed The two terrorist explosions that rocked the Gaza Strip despite Hamas’ tight security measures triggered questions about the movement’s capacity to stand up to the Islamic State. Palestine
Will Iran retaliate after recent Israeli attacks? Israel seems to be provoking Iran by striking the latter's proxies in Iraq and Lebanon. But Tehran is not showing willingness to directly engage in an all-out war with Tel Aviv. Iraq
Pentagon touts Space Command as boon to Middle East role The Donald Trump administration's launch of a Pentagon command to defend US space orbiting satellites could give Middle East commanders a boost in protecting their eyes and ears on the battlefield. Legacy: Gulf
Will rancor or realism prevail in Turkish-Israeli ties? While there continues to be a large political gap between Turkey and Israel, economic ties continue to be strong despite the lack of a gas pipeline deal. Israel
Iran's nuclear chief promises 'good news' on heavy water reactor As Iran’s third step in reducing its nuclear commitments approaches, the head of its atomic energy agency says that Iran's nuclear program is far from suspended. Iran
Uighurs no longer feel safe in Turkey Despite the brotherhood accorded to them as kinsmen and coreligionists, Uighurs in Turkey increasingly live in fear of deportation to China. Turkey
Iraqi decision to remove Shabak PMU from Ninevah Plains stirs conflict A dispute over the presence of Popular Mobilization Units in the Ninevah Plains raises concerns about the recurrence of conflict in the area. Iraq
Brotherhood detainees feel their leaders abandoned them A group of Muslim Brotherhood detainees have signed a letter from inside prison, asking the authorities to pardon them as they are ready to quit political work after feeling abandoned by the group’s leadership. Egypt
