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
Israel uses Qatari grant to pressure Hamas In the wake of the military escalation between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Israel has frozen the third transfer of the Qatari grant to Gaza, thus breaching understandings reached with Hamas. Qatar
Iran plays Hamas card ahead of Israeli elections Hamas insists on Qatari money; Iran offers training for Palestinian factions; Russia wrestles with its limits in Syria; UAE leads GCC rapprochement with Damascus. Legacy: Gulf
As US exits Syria, what will define Moscow's Mideast policy in 2019? The US exit from Syria means the set of challenges facing Moscow in the region is significantly changing. Syria
France weighs its Syria presence, cooperation with Russia As the United States leaves Syria, France seeks an appropriate balance between its own military presence, relations with Russia and maneuvering between Turkey and the Kurds. Legacy: Gulf
Israel erects underground, underwater barriers to thwart Hamas attacks Israel’s sea and land barriers were built to stave off Hamas attacks and prevent tunnels from being dug. Palestine
Is Turkey losing ground in Idlib? An offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the western Aleppo countryside has forced the Turkey-backed National Liberation Front to retreat. Syria
Jihadis rout Ankara's allies, complicating Turkey's Idlib mandate The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadi coalition has overpowered Turkish-backed rebel groups in Syria’s flashpoint province of Idlib, upending the essence of the de-escalation deal developed by Turkey and Russia. Syria
Does China endanger Israel’s security? Israeli security experts warn that growing Chinese involvement in infrastructure projects could endanger the country’s security. Israel
Pompeo's Cairo speech panned as ‘tone-deaf,’ ‘hyper-partisan,’ ‘offensive’ Former diplomats and regional experts say Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Cairo address fell short on substance and policy vision, while inappropriately taking domestic partisan arguments to foreign soil. Egypt
Turkey says Syria offensive does not depend on US troop withdrawal Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has warned against attempts to delay Turkish plans to fight a Kurdish militia in Syria when the United States pulls its forces out. Syria
Debate over Syrian refugees gathers steam in Turkey Young Syrians celebrating New Year’s Eve in public Istanbul squares ignited false claims that Syrians are enjoying life in Turkey while Turkish soldiers die for their country. Syria
Syria’s Kurds seek outside help to negotiate with regime Though the Syrian military recently came to the aid of Kurds in the face of a Turkish attack, the Kurds still have differences to settle with the regime and are hoping for external mediation. Syria
