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
'Precarious calm' in southwest Syria amid cease-fire In an interview with Al-Monitor, the spokesman for the Southern Front, Maj. Issam al-Rayes, talks about the recent cease-fire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan in southern Syria, the regime’s violations and the boycott of the Astana talks. Jordan
Pentagon wants to build new US facilities in Iraq, Syria The Trump administration has asked Congress for the authority to build new “small-scale,” “temporary facilities” to help defeat the Islamic State. Iraq
Ankara-Islamic State story emerges between lines of Turkish report A new report by Turkey’s Interior Ministry takes a kindly look at the country's fight against Islamic State. Syria
Turkey waiting … and waiting … to intervene in Afrin Ankara's pro-government media are blaming the United States and Russia for delaying Turkey’s move on Kurdish forces in Afrin, which was to begin July 5. Syria
Jordan sees big gains in south Syria cease-fire The cease-fire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan for southern Syria seems to be holding, for now. Jordan
Liberated Mosul residents take moment to breathe As the Iraqi forces declare the total liberation of Mosul, its residents rediscover the pleasures of freedom, for a moment forgetting about the past and the challenges ahead. Iraq
Trump and Macron seek common ground on Syria, terrorism Despite tensions over the Paris climate change accord, the two leaders have common interests in the Middle East. Syria
House rejects Trump’s Middle East aid cuts The House spending bill calls for far more assistance to North Africa. Egypt
Pentagon braces for Islamic State insurgency after Mosul The top US commander in Iraq and Syria warned of a hard-fought insurgency but ruled out a US troop surge. Iraq
Ankara may be counting on US-Russian rivalry in Syria Unable to make its own mark, Ankara continues to vacillate between Moscow and Washington in an apparent effort to secure support to roll back gains by Syrian Kurds it considers terrorists. Turkey
Is Iran running Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units? Some leaders and members of Iraq's PMU are heavily swayed by Iran, which is pressuring Iraq to distance itself from the United States. Iraq
Rise of new Saudi crown prince stirs serious concerns in Iran While the elevation of Mohammed bin Salman was no surprise to many observers in Tehran, his de facto rule over Saudi Arabia is raising serious concerns in Iran. Saudi Arabia
