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
US gives 'yellow light' to UAE assault on Yemen port A top United Arab Emirates official urged the international community to pressure the Houthi rebels to withdraw from the key Yemeni port city. Saudi Arabia
Moscow’s take on US-Turkey Manbij deal: Wait and see Russia is reserving judgment but also keeping a close eye on an agreement between Turkey and the United States regarding the Kurdish People’s Protection Units in Manbij, Syria. Syria
Turkey touts Iranian support for PKK offensive Ankara claims it has Iran's support for the operation rolling out against the Kurdistan Workers Party in northern Iraq, but Tehran has yet to respond officially. Iraq
Saudi Arabia bails out Jordan In light of Jordan's latest protests that toppled the prime minister, Saudi Arabia initiated a summit June 10 where a $2.5 billion five-year aid program was agreed on to help the Hashemite Kingdom regain a position of stability in the region. Saudi Arabia
Israeli minister offers creative approach to easing Gaza siege Undeterred by objections in the governing coalition, Transportation and Intelligence Affairs Minister Yisrael Katz continues to push his plan to construct an island off Gaza to provide it access to the outside world. Palestine
US loses leverage to stop Yemen operation Congress is calling on the Pentagon to try to prevent a UAE-backed attack against Yemen’s largest Houthi-held port, but analysts said it’s unclear whether the United States has much leverage. Saudi Arabia
Turkish airstrikes hit Iraq as Erdogan calls for draining 'terror swamp' Turkey's president is boasting of new anti-terror operations in northern Iraq, but no reports have emerged of a ground offensive and the consensus is that Erdogan’s latest chest-pounding is more about winning votes than fighting Kurdish militants. Syria
Palestinian teen to serve full sentence for slap Elor Azaria, the IDF soldier who shot a disarmed Palestinian assailant in Hebron, was granted early release while Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi, whose crime was slapping a soldier, was refused. Palestine
Israel squeezes Abu Mazen as West Bank simmers in solidarity with Gaza, Jordan protests Hamas seeks to seize opening to expand protests to the West Bank; Crest Media announces partnership with North Base Media to manage Al-Monitor. Palestine
Congress rebukes Trump over lack of Syria policy Congress called out the Donald Trump administration for failing to provide lawmakers with a US strategy for the conflict in Syria. Syria
Iran faces new threat as Kurdish jihadis join IS in Afghanistan The rise of the Islamic State's branch in Afghanistan poses a new challenge for the Islamic Republic, as it is becoming a magnet for Iranian Kurdish recruits. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Will Libya’s newly signed border security agreement change anything? Libya, Sudan, Chad and Niger signed a security protocol to fight cross-border criminal activities in the Sahel region. Libya
