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
Intel: How Trump used his missile defense rollout to take shots at Iran President Trump chastised Iran for attempting to launch a satellite earlier this week and pledged the United States would take a harder line on Iran. Legacy: Gulf
IRGC head vows to protect military advisers in Syria The head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has responded to comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about successful Israeli strikes in Syria. Israel
Assad’s reconciliation with Arab world could upend Turkey’s plans As Arab states warm toward Syria, Ankara might end up facing an anti-Turkish Arab bloc that could complicate its planned operations in northern Syria. Syria
Najaf Shiites launch solidarity initiative with Sunni areas Religious figures from Najaf have developed an initiative for dialogue and cooperation with the Sunni provinces liberated from Islamic State. Iraq
Is Israel spying on its visitors? Foreign visitors attending conferences in Israel are being asked to complete a form accounting for their free time and the names and phone numbers of the people with whom they expect to have contact. Israel
Netanyahu’s bravado endangers Israel Ahead of the April elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has broken away from Israel’s traditional policy of ambiguity on military operations in neighboring countries, but his credit-taking could endanger Israeli lives. Israel
Pentagon warns Middle East turning to China for drone needs The Pentagon’s in-house intelligence agency says that China is cornering the market on armed drone sales to the Middle East as the United States is stifled by export rules. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey, US discuss Syria buffer zone as Manbij attack kills American troops Russia's foreign minister calls for Syrian control of areas after US withdrawal; IS suicide bomber kills 16 in Manbij; more worries expressed about election fairness in Turkey. Syria
Intel: Manbij attack may strengthen Turkey’s hand against Syrian Kurds The suicide attack that killed several US service members and civilians in Manbij yesterday may strengthen Turkey’s hand against Syrian Kurdish groups that it sees as a threat. Syria
Four years into Salman's reign, Saudi Arabia more unpredictable than ever Saudi Arabia seems to have taken a number of wrong turns since Salman took the throne four years ago; can he make the decisions to get the country back on track? Saudi Arabia
Israel goes after Hamas in Sinai Recent reports suggest that Israel has been leading a campaign in the Sinai Peninsula to stop arms smuggling to the Gaza Strip. Palestine
New IDF chief faces multiple challenges Israel’s new IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi faces multiple challenges on nearby fronts, further away and also vis-a-vis his boss, Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestine
