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
Is Saudi Arabia 'ready to turn page' on Iran? A shifting regional landscape may force a reset in Riyadh and Tehran; armed groups backed by the United States and Turkey battle outside Aleppo. Saudi Arabia
US looks to Russia to avoid run-ins with Syrian troops in Deir ez-Zor The Pentagon is considering expanding its de-confliction agreements with Moscow as Bashar al-Assad’s forces and US-backed rebels both turn their attention to eastern Syria. Iraq
Will Abbas be forced to choose war against Israel? Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is starting to understand that the current situation cannot go on for much longer and soon he will have to choose between peace and war. Palestine
Palestinian refugees to return to Damascus camp after four years in the dark While the return of civilians to Damascus’ Sbeineh refugee camp has already begun, the road to full recovery for these camps remains long. Syria
Israel's construction sector deadly for Arab workers Lawyer Hadas Tagari is collecting and publishing data on the troubling number of deaths in Israel's construction sector, mainly among Arab laborers, to bring attention to the problem. Palestine
Egypt busts organ trafficking network As Egypt fields more reports of organ trafficking, parliament boosts punishments. Egypt
Senate panel slashes military aid to Egypt Frustrated appropriators vote to cut military assistance to Cairo by $300 million. Egypt
Crashes force US Navy to review Gulf operations A string of deadly accidents in the Asia-Pacific Theater could have major impacts on US Navy operations in the Persian Gulf. United States
Gauging aftermath of Turkey’s great intelligence gaffe Turkey's government and media are keeping mum about what appears to be the biggest blunder in the recent history of Turkish intelligence. Turkey
Turkish drone bombs picnickers without cause, says pro-Kurdish opposition A Turkish air force drone bombed four men picnicking in a remote province sympathetic to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), as authorities claim they were assembling with terrorists. Turkey
Ankara must go through US, Russia to get to YPG Recent developments on the ground suggest that any new Syria incursion by Turkey could encounter unexpected obstacles. Syria
Palestinian artist gives voice to unrecognized villages Mohamed Badarne has trained his lens on the children from unrecognized villages in the Negev. Palestine
