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
Putin’s Gulf security plan depends on Trump The Russian president plans to roll out his regional initiative to calm Gulf tensions next month — but are the United States and the EU ready to let Putin step up in the Gulf? Saudi Arabia
Turkey, Syrian Kurds remain at odds in safe zone visions The US-Turkish deal on a safe zone in northern Syria has averted the prospect of Turkey fighting the Kurds, but the parties have stepped into a diplomatic minefield, where the interests and objectives do not match. Turkey
Will Iraqi Kurdistan government be able to solve PKK issue? Despite their deep rivalry, both the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) emphasize the importance of dealing with their longstanding conflicts peacefully. Iraq
How will Egypt protect its expats in Libya from IS? The killing and abduction of a number of Egyptian expats in Libya prompted the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to issue warnings not to travel there because of the inability of the Libyan state to provide protection for the Egyptians amid its prevailing state of insecurity and instability. Egypt
Syrian Kurdish commander sets conditions for safe zone talks with Turkey The commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces stated in an interview that a proposed safe zone between Turkey and Kurdish-controlled northeastern Syria must cover the full length of the border between them. Syria
Can Egypt's 'Passage' lead to an Oscar? "The Passage," an Egyptian film on the War of Attrition following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, has received an enthusiastic reception at the box office in Egypt and has raised some eyebrows in its treatment of Egyptian-Israeli relations. Egypt
Former Iraqi premier opens up about PMU, new PM, Iran In an interview with Al-Monitor, former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi explained that his faction's opposition to the current government is a matter of personal responsibility and that any criticism is meant to be constructive. Iraq
Israel's 2005 Gaza disengagement: A turning point for Israel’s right For the Israeli right, the 2005 Gaza disengagement became an ideological and a strategic turning point, which will make it difficult for any Israeli leader to champion a similar move in the West Bank. Palestine
Turks skeptical over accord with US for Syrian 'safe zone' Many Turks fear that Turkey will be left in the lurch again with the new safe-zone agreement, as it was with the Manbij road map. Syria
Families, rights groups demand answers about two more vanished Turks Following the sudden reappearance of four missing men at a Turkish detention site, human rights groups are calling for investigations into the whereabouts of two additional men who vanished in February. Turkey
Iran reaffirms support for Houthis as rift splits Saudi coalition Iran's supreme leader has called on Yemen's Houthi rebels to put up tougher resistance to what he deems a Saudi-Emirati conspiracy to partition the war-ravaged country. Saudi Arabia
What recent purges, promotions mean for Turkey's military This year's meeting of Turkey’s Higher Military Council to decide on promotions for generals and admirals provides some important clues about the direction of US-Turkish ties. Turkey
