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
Iraqi Kurdistan takes aim at gun control The Iraqi Kurdistan Region has given gun owners six months to register their small firearms and give up heavy weapons. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Zarif’s stock rises with support from Soleimani While Iran’s foreign minister carries the day against hard-liners, Israel hopes to exploit possible cracks in Tehran’s Syria policy. Israel
Has Islamic State returned to Iraq? Despite Iraq’s declaration of victory against the Islamic State in 2017, IS sleeper cells have recently become active across the country. Iraq
US shrugs off Zarif resignation reversal Before Iran’s foreign minister had returned to the job, the Donald Trump administration dismissed Mohammad Javad Zarif’s resignation as essentially irrelevant, as the prospect of getting to the negotiating table looks increasingly remote. United States
Human rights the elephant in the room at Arab-EU summit The first summit of European Union and Arab League leaders exposed existing rifts between the Middle East and Europe, in particular on the human rights front. Legacy: Gulf
IS militants continue to sneak into Turkey despite measures Turkish officials claim they are waging an exemplary struggle against the Islamic State (IS), but their struggle appears ridden with black holes as IS militants are able to sneak into Turkey aided by smugglers, and IS suspects often receive a more lenient treatment than other prisoners. Iraq
Peshmerga’s return to Kirkuk raises Arab and Turkmen fears The good relationship between Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani, has led to an agreement between Baghdad and Erbil that will see the return of peshmerga forces to Kirkuk. Iraq
Syria panel rushes to offer Trump options before clock runs out A bipartisan panel of experts convened by Congress to help sort out the Donald Trump administration’s Syria policy faces a tight time crunch. Syria
Tensions ramp up on Temple Mount ahead of Trump’s peace plan With President Donald Trump set to unveil his much-hyped peace plan and Israel deducting Palestinian tax revenues, the disputed compound of Al-Aqsa or the Temple Mount is crackling with tension. Palestine
US presence in northern Syria serves the Kurds, not Turkey The US decision to keep 200 troops in northern Syria is a blow to Ankara. Syria
Turkey rows against strong currents in northern Syria The latest statements out of Washington and Moscow have again highlighted the difficulties Ankara faces in trying to achieve its aims in Syria. Syria
