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
Russian foreign minister heads to Turkey to seal visa deal The Turkish and Russian foreign ministers will meet in Antalya Friday to discuss a range of topics as a controversial missile deal between Ankara and Moscow threatens to further deteriorate Turkey-US ties. Turkey
Intel: How Trump administration is using loophole to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia
Putin, Aoun discuss Syrian refugee crisis, regional issues President Putin and President Aoun hold wide-ranging talks, including about the return of refugees to Syria, and Lebanon indicates that despite its issues with Washington, strong US-Lebanese government ties are going to continue. Lebanon
Border wall fight could jeopardize funding for US bases in the Middle East The fight over funding for President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall could impact key US bases in the Middle East. United Arab Emirates
Turkey relying on events to turn tide against Kurdish YPG A Turkish military operation in northern Syria does not appear to be in the cards, but Ankara is determined to use the threat of one to curb Kurdish aspirations. Iraq
Iraq begins painful task of identifying IS victims in mass graves With help from the United Nations, the Iraqi government has begun exhuming the mass graves of thousands of Yazidis killed by the Islamic State. Iraq
Israel should see Abbas as a partner for peace Israeli right-wing politicians actually hope for an outburst of violence in the West Bank, even if all politicians know that there is a path to peace with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine
Why Israelis ignore 40th anniversary of peace with Egypt Forty years after Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed the peace treaty, Israelis sideline this achievement and prefer to ignore that relations with an Arab nation can change. Egypt
Gaza rocket rattles Netanyahu’s campaign The rocket that hit a home in the center of Israel and wounded seven citizens also shook Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Mr. Security image and rocked his election campaign, yet he's far from defeated. Israel
Gaza and Blue and White put Netanyahu on the defensive As Israel’s most experienced campaigner, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to realize that the days leading up to the election could be lethal to his image as Mr. Security. Palestine
Syrian Kurds remain wary of US plan for Turkish safe zone While the United States is pushing for a safe zone along the Turkish border in Syria to protect both sides, analysts warn that meeting their conflicting needs may prove impossible. Syria
