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
Iraqi journalists face attacks by politicians' bodyguards As attacks on journalists are on the rise in Iraq, part of the problem lies with politicians' bodyguards who are also assaulting journalists. Iraq
Erdogan's plans for Afrin might not sit well with Syria Turkey's president is talking about settling Syrian refugees in Afrin, suggesting that Kurds are not the dominant community there, and handing over the region to anti-regime groups. Syria
Nine Lebanese women murdered by partners in single month As sexual and domestic violence complaints mount, Lebanese women's rights activists fear that violence against women in the country may be rising as women grow emboldened to resist abuse. Lebanon
Local official's insult to Upper Egypt spurs development plans A comment by Local Development Minister Abu Bakr al-Gendy concerning citizens of the Upper Egypt governorates has shone a light on the area's extreme poverty and highlighted the need to pursue economic development. Egypt
How Israel created a Palestinian heroine By arresting Ahed Tamimi for slapping an IDF soldier, Israel turned her into a symbol of Palestinian resistance to the occupation. Palestine
Iran’s Interior Ministry outlines 3 reasons for recent protests Iran’s Interior Ministry has issued a report on both the makeup of the Iran protests and reasons for them. Iran
Saudi Arabia uses aggression abroad to calm clerics at home Saudi Arabia's leaders have become more sectarian and anti-Iran than ever, much to the pleasure of the Wahhabi clerical establishment, which has remained quiet about sweeping social reforms. Saudi Arabia
4 factors affecting Turkey's new operation in Syria As Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria nears the end of its first week, circumstances affecting the scope, progress and duration of the operation are complicated and full of risks. Syria
Libyan slave trade feeds on endless supply of migrants Heavy migration from sub-Saharan Africa combined with rampant lawlessness and poverty in the northwestern and southern regions make the smuggling business irresistible to some Libyans. Libya
GCC's silence on Turkey’s Afrin adventure is telling The Sunni Gulf states have failed to make a unified statement on Turkey's Operation Olive Branch in Syria, a sign of their competing interests. Legacy: Gulf
Russia’s role in Turkish incursion into Syria is tricky Turkey’s ironically named Operation Olive Branch, its latest quest to crush the Kurds on its border, will likely affect Moscow’s carefully engineered Syrian peace process. Syria
Most Turks welcome army’s incursion into Kurdish-controlled northern Syria Many Turks are rallying behind the military operation launched over the weekend to undo the Syrian Kurds’ advances across the border, while activists accuse the government of criminalizing dissent. Syria
