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
Iranian hard-liners leverage IRGC terrorist designation to kill FATF bills The US designation of the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization has empowered Iranian hard-liners seeking to halt the passage of bills that would have Iran meet international standards for combating money laundering and terrorism financing. United States
Iran FM holds Damascus meeting en route to Ankara Iran and Turkey’s foreign ministers will meet in Ankara tomorrow following the Iranian diplomat’s visit with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, raising speculation that he may be carrying messages from Damascus. Syria
US sticks Iraq in middle by calling Iran's IRGC terrorists Iraqis are divided on the recent US action against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as some back Iran while others fear that a US-Iran conflict will engulf Iraq. Iraq
Will new Sudanese regime stop arms flow to Gaza? The toppled regime of Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir had turned a blind eye to the smuggling of weapons through Sudan to Gaza, and Hamas is hoping that any successor government will adopt a similar attitude. Palestine
US to ask Syrian Kurds to let Turkish forces through the door The United States is requesting numerous concessions from its Kurdish allies in Syria, but the Kurds are pushing back. Syria
Turkey's Erdogan loses ally with Bashir's ouster in Sudan The overthrow of Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir after 30 years in power should be making other autocrats such as Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan nervous. Egypt
Egypt amends law to tighten penalties against 'violence inciters' The Egyptian parliament approved amendments imposing stricter sanctions against anyone who promotes violence or extremist ideas, whether verbally or in writing, further clamping down on freedom of expression. Egypt
Netanyahu needs to cut deal with Hamas now Since Avigdor Liberman won’t allow a Gaza arrangement on his watch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to wrap up a deal before offering Liberman the defense minister position. Palestine
Intel: What ouster of Sudan’s Bashir means for Mideast leaders The ouster of Sudanese strongman Omar al-Bashir by the country’s military yesterday following months of unrest has received a mixed reception in the Arab world. Syria
Turkey exerts its own leverage in F-35 jet standoff with US The latest meeting between Russian and Turkish leaders in Moscow indicates Ankara is poised to escalate tensions by rebuffing US threats over F-35 jets. Turkey
Putin exploits crisis in US-Turkish relations The Russian president has suggested more defense cooperation with Turkey and says Turkey's president may be willing to coordinate with Syria's Bashar al-Assad. Syria
Israel fans flames separating Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank Recent statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are feeding suspicions between Hamas and Fatah and widening the divisions between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Palestine
