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
G-20 summit could be last exit before all-out US-Turkey crisis Turkey doesn’t know “how to reply” to US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan’s letter, a senior security source tells Al-Monitor. Turkey
Greek Cyprus calls for arrest of Turkish drilling crew Ankara has vowed to continue gas exploration activities in disputed waters near Cyprus after Greek Cypriot authorities issued arrest warrants for workers on Turkey's gas-exploration ship. Turkey
The Syrian funeral that divided Turkey A funeral ceremony for a controversial Syrian militant, known as “the singer of the revolution,” has sparked indignation in Turkey. Syria
Five years later, calls for accountability over fall of Mosul continue On the fifth anniversary of the fall of Mosul, people decry that no one has been held accountable for the tragedy. Iraq
Pentagon official says 'campaign' of Iranian threats caused US Middle East surge A “campaign” of Iranian threats against US and allied forces pushed the Pentagon to send fresh troops and weapons to the Middle East last month, a top Defense Department international policy official said at an Al-Monitor breakfast today. United States
Summer could be 'hot' in Palestine, PM warns Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has warned that this summer could be a “hot” one, but it is unclear whether Israel or the United States will take steps to keep temperatures down. Palestine
Ex-FSA fighters recruited by Damascus to fight opposition in northern Syria Syrian government forces are resorting to former Free Syrian Army fighters who reached reconciliation agreements with the regime, in its offensive in northern Syria. Syria
Ankara plays down US ultimatum on S-400 Despite the US announcement that Ankara will be excluded from the F-35 fighter jet program if it goes ahead with its purchase of a Russian missile system, Turkish officials continue to behave as if Washington is bluffing. Turkey
Trump leaves Congress in dark on Mideast deployment to counter Iran The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee says Congress has yet to hear back from the Donald Trump administration on how long a fresh rotation of troops, ships and planes sent to counter Iran will remain in the Middle East. Congress
Tempered hopes for US-Iran breakthrough as Japan’s Abe travels to Iran Though President Donald Trump has encouraged the visit, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has limited room to maneuver as he visits Iran this week to try to advance US-Iran dialogue. United States
Iran focuses on political solution while keeping military option open in Syria While Iran’s plan to overcome the current challenges in Syria focuses on diplomatic and political measures, Tehran is preparing for all scenarios, including military escalation. Syria
Why interim government supports Hifter in Libya In an interview with Al-Monitor, the foreign minister of the interim Libyan government, Abdul Hadi al-Hweij, discusses what he sees as the international community’s perplexing stances toward Libyan groupings in addition to speaking about the battle for Tripoli and other developments in the Libyan arena. Libya
