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
Murder of Iraqi novelist stirs fear, outrage A popular Iraqi writer was killed by unknown gunmen, stoking already rampant fears of violence among educated Iraqis. Iraq
Why did Netanyahu confirm Israeli attack in Syria? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel attacked Iranian targets in Syria on Feb. 11, reflecting the intensified battle by the Israel Defense Forces against Iranian entrenchment there. Israel
Ahead of elections, Israel fears foreign cyber meddling Israeli experts warn against foreign manipulation on social networks ahead of the elections, but also against lack of regulation in the war against cyber-attacks. Israel
Hamas, others say Israel's new border wall can't stop attacks Israel is spending 3 billion shekels to build a steel barrier along the Gaza border that Palestinians and even Israelis believe will not be 100% effective against Hamas-built tunnels. Israel
Navy's reversal on 355-ship goal raises doubts on countering Iran The US Navy will re-evaluate plans to grow its force to 355 ships, a move that could upset the Fifth Fleet’s Middle East strategy. Legacy: Gulf
Ankara, Moscow demand 'decisive measures' in Syria ahead of Sochi summit Turkey's defense minister hosted his Russian counterpart for a preparatory meeting for next week's summit on Syria in a show of the deepening friendship and security ties between the Black Sea powers. Syria
Can Gaza get a handle on its waste problem? With Gaza's waste disposal crisis now affecting Israeli communities across the border, Israel has approved the construction of a UN-funded waste recycling plant in Gaza. Palestine
Why Abbas risks an economic collapse of the PA Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to soon implement the law on deducting terrorists’ salaries, yet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas knows that on the day he stops payments, the Palestinians themselves will bring him down. Palestine
Revolution at 40: Have Iranian regional policies come full circle? Forty years after the Islamic Revolution, the shah’s view of Iran and its role in the region is paradoxically echoed in the foreign policy debate by those with a more revolutionary perspective. Legacy: Gulf
Russia is 'clear eyed' about its Mideast policy Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin discusses the results of his latest tour around the Middle East and Russia’s vision for key regional issues, including Israeli-Iranian frictions, Idlib and the buffer zone in Syria. Iraq
Will Warsaw summit unite US, EU against Iran? Despite a likely Western European snub in terms of level of representation, the Warsaw summit holds the possibility of being a starting point for a European-American consensus against Iran down the line, potentially depriving Tehran of even the minimum benefits of the nuclear deal. United States
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham driving out activists from areas it controls in Syria Since defeating its military opponents in parts of Syria, extremist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has been forcing influential individuals to leave as well. Syria
