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
UN Syria envoy's last Astana meeting ends with mixed results While the UN envoy to Syria lamented the 11th meeting of the Astana talks as a "failed possibility" to make progress, other participants felt differently about the results. Jordan
US sanctions unlikely to crack Iran’s support for Syria Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have perfected low-budget warfare; Putin draws his own red line with Israel and Iran; Erdogan’s zero-sum approach to Syrian Kurds. Israel
Why US sanctions won’t ‘starve’ Iran of means to pursue its regional policy The Trump administration’s stated aim to “starve” Iran of the financial resources to conduct its regional policy is unlikely to succeed for many reasons, including the fact that Tehran has honed inexpensive hybrid warfare. United States
Villagers on KRG-Turkey border welcome new road, troops to protect it As Turkey's hunt for the Kurdish resistance group claims victims who have no ties to or sympathy for the Kurdistan Workers Party, locals hope a new border post protected by peshmerga can establish security and end the bombing of innocent villagers. Turkey
Iran’s shift of tactics endangers Israel Israel Defense Forces are confronted with a new reality in which Hezbollah receives weapons from Iran by air cargo landing in Beirut and not by truck convoys from Syria. Israel
Can Turkey mediate Russian-Ukrainian conflict on the Black Sea? President Erodogan has been on the phone with the Ukrainian, Russian and US presidents and has called for Ukraine and Russia to peacefully resolve their conflict. Turkey
Will Erdogan, MBS meet at G-20? The Turkish president hasn't ruled out meeting with the Saudi crown prince in Argentina, but what could the de facto Saudi leader offer for Turkey to bury the Jamal Khashoggi murder case? Saudi Arabia
Syria seeks to integrate myriad paramilitaries The Syrian government faces a "what now?" dilemma as it struggles to deal with all the militant groups it recruited to fight for the regime, along with rebels who have surrendered. Syria
Egypt proves itself a reliable mediator to Palestinians Maj. Gen. Ahmed Abdel Khalek, the Egyptian intelligence officer in charge of Cairo's Palestinian portfolio, made an unprecedented appearance to pay respects to the families of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigade fighters killed in clashes with Israel. Palestine
Netanyahu plays high-stakes game with defense portfolio Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enjoys his role of defense minister, though he must worry that if any security crisis emerges, he will be perceived as solely responsible. Israel
