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
Palestinians to partner with Damascus on refugee camp reconstruction Palestinians in Syria are eagerly awaiting the end of hostilities in the Yarmouk refugee camp and its surroundings so the Syrian regime can begin reconstruction in the area. Palestine
Netanyahu banks on escalation with Iran The Israeli prime minister expects political windfall from revealing "an open secret" about Iran’s past nuclear program. Israel
Turkey gears up military might to host live-fire war games The Ephesus joint combined military exercise — the Turkish military’s most prominent annual display — will reveal much about the operational effectiveness of the country's armed forces in the aftermath of the July 2016 coup attempt. Turkey
US troops on Yemen border ruffle congressional feathers Recent revelations that US ground troops are helping Saudi-led coalition forces target Houthi missile stockpiles in Yemen have renewed calls on Capitol Hill for more congressional oversight in the war. Saudi Arabia
Congress withholds Egypt aid over injured American Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has asked the Donald Trump administration to hold $300 million in military aid unless Cairo pays reparations for a 2015 attack on tourists and meets a series of human rights conditions. Egypt
Prospects dim for Iran entering missile talks The expected collapse of the nuclear deal and the escalated confrontation between Iran and Israel in Syria is minimizing space for negotiations over Iran's missile program. Iran
Iran's FM takes to YouTube to reject renegotiating nuclear deal Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has posted an English-language video to YouTube laying out Iranian positions on the nuclear deal, including why Tehran will not be revisiting the agreement despite threats by US President Donald Trump to exit it if it is not reopened and other issues addressed. United States
Pentagon blows deadline to pry Iraq off US military aid The Donald Trump administration will continue to foot the bill for rebuilding Iraq’s defense institutions amid rising Iranian influence. Iraq
Iran’s FM says Qatar 'brought Saudi Arabia to its knees' Iran’s foreign minister slams the Saudi crown prince over his approach to foreign policy in a speech at a top Tehran university. Saudi Arabia
Israel braces for Iranian military reaction Following attacks in Syria against Iranian targets and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "atomic archive" speech, Israeli officials are debating how to react to an anticipated response from Tehran. Israel
How Netanyahu’s nuclear 'show' could harm Mossad While revelations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iranian nuclear program exposed Tehran's lies about past efforts to reach nuclear capacity, they also revealed involuntarily that Iran has obeyed the 2015 accord. Israel
Europe says Bibi’s ‘atomic archive’ pitch proves need for Iran deal European powers and Russia said Israel’s claimed seizure of documents from Iran’s shuttered nuclear weapons research program proves the need for 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Israel
