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
How Iran helped Baghdad seize back Kirkuk The Iraqi government’s rapid recapture of Kirkuk from Kurdish forces was made possible by Iranian intervention. Iraq
Turkey pledges to back Baghdad against Kurds Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim praised the capture of Kirkuk by Iraqi forces as Turkey continues to express outrage over the Kurdish vote for independence. Iraq
Turkey's return riles Syria: It's 'blatant aggression' Turkey's army has entered Syrian territory ostensibly to implement and ensure a de-escalation zone near Idlib, but some wonder what else the military might have in mind. Syria
Will Turkish-Iraqi alliance against Kurds hold? Ankara is happy that the Baghdad government has regained control over Kirkuk, but questions remain whether Turkey and Iraq can agree on the city’s future status. Iraq
Saudi Arabia’s call for international coalition against Hezbollah faces obstacles A Saudi politician called for the establishment of an international coalition to confront Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a suggestion that did not garner much support, namely in Europe. Saudi Arabia
How will Hamas’ new deputy head influence events? The election of Saleh al-Arouri as deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau reflects a shift in the movement toward leaders with strong local ties in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
Israel should practice what it preaches to the Palestinians Instead of risking a three-front war with its current policy of settlement expansion, Israel would do better if its leaders followed through on previous peace initiatives and the commitments it has made in negotiations with the Palestinians. Palestine
Israel's center-left fears opposing Netanyahu on Iran The center-left's flaccid leadership on security and diplomatic issues is once again on display, with pronouncements in line with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's agenda. Israel
Congress threatens to withhold arms from Baghdad Allegations that Shiite-majority militias allied with Iraq’s central government have used US military equipment against Kurds in the disputed Kirkuk province has sparked outrage among US lawmakers. Iraq
Turkish deployment may redraw battle lines in Syria's Idlib The Turkish military deployment in Idlib has a direct impact on armed factions in the region, some of which have already accused Turkey of implementing Russia’s plans. Syria
Turkey claims 'no need' for US, EU as Western ties deteriorate After a week of sparring with the United States, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused European allies of undermining Turkey and dared them to walk away from EU membership talks. Turkey
Hamas, Fatah ignore elephant in the room, for now Egypt believes that building trust between Hamas and Fatah should precede clarifying the remaining difficult issues between them, such as what to do about Hamas’ military wing. Palestine
