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
Pompeo faces Senate buzz saw over stance on Iran, Muslims President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state is in trouble amid a backlash over his administration’s hawkish bent. Congress
Jilted Kurds ignore Western hand-wringing over Syria gas attack The Syrian Kurds have been notably silent on US President Donald Trump’s threat to punish Damascus over a suspected chemical attack on Douma, likely disillusioned and choosing to focus on condemning Turkey's ongoing offensive in Afrin. Syria
Turkey's running out of time to pick a partner in Syria Turkey's been playing the field in Syria, but as the crisis escalates, Ankara may have to make a commitment to either its NATO allies or Moscow. Syria
Netanyahu invokes Holocaust to sow fear, hate As Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day April 12, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is shamelessly exploiting the tragedy against whomever objects to his policies. Israel
Turkey squeezed as US-Russia tensions rise in Syria Since the suspected chemical weapons attack by Syrian regime forces in Douma, Turkey has been producing conflicting messages, visibly torn between its strategic interests in Syria and ties to NATO and the West. Syria
Drones could make Turkey-Greece clashes less risky, but more frequent Disputes between Greece and Turkey over Aegean airspace go back decades, but drones could change the face of their encounters drastically. Turkey
Israel's reluctance to embrace lessons of the Holocaust Against the backdrop of Holocaust Memorial Day, Israelis are debating whether the state should act to defend Syrian citizens from chemical attacks and how it has responded in the past toward genocides and ethnic cleansing. Israel
Palestinian journalist’s killing spurs international condemnation The killing of Palestinian journalist Yasser Murtaja by Israeli soldiers has been widely condemned by Israeli and international press institutions and underscores Israel's refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Palestinian journalists as professionals. Palestine
Iraqi police who fought for tribal PMUs won't return to force Local Iraqi police officers who joined the Popular Mobilization Units to fight the Islamic State seem to have no intention of returning to their old jobs. Iraq
Why viral IDF shooting video should surprise no one With senior Israeli officials encouraging the dehumanization of Palestinians, it's little wonder to see soldiers rejoicing over the shooting of an unarmed demonstrator. Palestine
Israel ‘alone in fight’ against Iran in Syria Although Netanyahu failed to convince Trump to back down on his decision to withdraw US forces from Syria, it won’t change Israel’s policy on Syria. Israel
Erdogan rebuffs Moscow’s call to hand Afrin to Syrian government Russia wants Turkey to hand control of Afrin province to Damascus, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the territory will be returned to local residents at Ankara’s discretion. Syria
