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
Netanyahu accused of spying on own staff Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lives in constant fear of eavesdropping, digging a destructive chasm between his office and Israel's security services. Israel
Upcoming protests will test Hamas' ability to calm Gaza Hamas would have to end both the rocket fire and the border demonstrations to achieve a real truce with Israel. Palestine
Trump missing piece in Putin’s Syria plan The Russian president needs the United States to stabilize Syria, but expects sanctions relief in return. Israel
US hopes for a quick Syria exit run into a minefield in Raqqa The Donald Trump administration faces significant hurdles getting the centerpiece of its reconstruction efforts back on track. Syria
Moscow updates playbook on making Israel, Iran happy Russia faces the conundrum of figuratively finding common ground between Iran and Israel in Syria while literally keeping distance between them. Israel
Concern mounts as coalition forces advance on key Yemeni port Has the United States lifted its “red light” on an Emirati- and Saudi-backed military operation to take the key Yemeni port? Saudi Arabia
Arab towns in Israel witness increased crime, violence against women The crime rate in the Palestinian towns of Israel is on the rise and likely to continue, as Israeli security forces face accusations of not enforcing their laws there and letting the perpetrators roam free. Palestine
Is it true that Afrin's natives can't go home again? The battle appears to be over in Afrin, Syria, but a war of words, and worse, continues there as the Kurdish People’s Protection Units accuse the Turkish army and its affiliated militias of forcing demographic change. Syria
How Israel’s ongoing violation of Oslo Accord threatens security Under the pretext of security interests, the IDF violates the Oslo Accord nearly every night by entering West Bank areas nominally under Palestinian control, humiliating Palestinian police and threatening ongoing security cooperation. Palestine
Idlib could be trump card or time bomb for Turkey Turkey may be pushing its luck by expanding its operational field into Latakia province, provoking skirmishes with the Syrian army. Syria
Iraq's pro-Iran factions shrug off congressional sanctions push Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the Hezbollah Brigades have dismissed the effectiveness of possible new US sanctions against them and claim they might even be helpful. Iraq
Forces in Iraq's Anbar unite for cross-border anti-IS operation As the second phase of the operation to retake the last major pocket of territory held by the Islamic State across the border continues, local Iraqi forces in the western Anbar city of Qaim are wary but hopeful that some of their disappeared may soon be found. Iraq
