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
Israeli judiciary’s double standard on Jewish, Arab terrorists The Israeli justice system appears to have a double standard on collective punishment for the families of Arabs who commit acts of terror and those of Jews who do the same. Palestine
Pentagon: Rebel forces taking heavy casualties in Raqqa fight The United States confirmed today that the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are taking heavy casualties in an effort to push the Islamic State out of its stronghold in Raqqa. Syria
Turkish-YPG clashes rage around critical sites in northern Syria Turkey and its allies among the Syrian rebel forces have intensified attacks on Syrian Kurdish fighters in northwest Syria as Turkey's buildup continues. Syria
Israeli-Arab town's residents fear speaking out after Temple Mount attack Residents of Umm al-Fahm, an Israeli-Arab town that was home to the three perpetrators of Friday's Temple Mount attack, claim that ever since Islamic Movement’s northern branch leader Sheikh Raed Salah was elected mayor, the town has been turning extremely religious. Palestine
Doomsday averted on the Temple Mount, for now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas set aside their mutual loathing to calm tensions when Israeli Arabs launched a short-lived attack on the Temple Mount. Palestine
Syrian cease-fire a delicate balance of vastly different goals Iran welcomes the Russian/US truce initiative in southern Syria, but will Russia be able to keep juggling the broad, and often conflicting, interests of the various players? Syria
Turkey's divisions on display on 'Day of National Unity' Turkey's "Day of Democracy and National Unity" marking the defeat of last year's July 15 coup attempt turns into a celebration of the president and his Justice and Development Party. Turkey
Abu Mazen plays losing hand badly in Gaza Strip The Palestinian president faces a challenge from a bitter rival backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates; what is Saddam Hussein’s family doing in Qatar?; Russia and the United States wary of Turkish military intervention in Syria. Saudi Arabia
Envoy to US says Turkey was ready to provide ‘tens of thousands of troops’ for Raqqa offensive Ambassador Serdar Kilic tells Al-Monitor that Turkey was willing to offer broad military support to the US-led operation to liberate the Islamic State's Syrian stronghold. Syria
Incessant scandals threaten US-Russia progress on Syria Moscow and Washington will need to safeguard any progress in their relations against fresh controversies and those opposed to cooperation. Syria
Turkey’s ‘great wall’ nearing completion Having finished most of the 435-mile-long wall on the Syria border, Turkey is to erect walls on its borders with Iran and Iraq. Turkey
Understanding Iranian threat perceptions Rather than perpetuating mantras about Iranian expansionism, the United States and its regional allies should take a closer look at the origins of Iranian threat perceptions. Iran
