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
Saudis trumpet Trump Saudi Arabia gives US President Donald Trump the fully rolled out red carpet treatment in hopes of getting heightened US action against Iran. Legacy: Gulf
What’s behind Damascus’ claim of 'invasion from Jordan'? The Russian media has been closely following Damascus’ claims on military movement on the Jordanian-Syrian border, looking at the goals behind certain claims and how they may impact a political settlement. Iraq
Bahrain’s ongoing political crisis threatens stability The Bahraini government is taking a strong stand against the militant Shiite opposition factions that have become more radical in the past few years. Saudi Arabia
Is Trump holding a Russian card in the Middle East? Trump visit launches new US-Saudi partnership, but the endgame in the Middle East still depends on Moscow and Tehran. Saudi Arabia
Will Egypt jail rogue clerics? The draft law criminalizing public fatwas without a license in Egypt has started a discussion, with some arguing that it could lead to a further rise in radicalism and terrorism. Egypt
Iraq's Christians demand reconstruction of religious sites Iraqi Christians demand the reconstruction of the Mar Mattai and Mar Behnam monasteries in the Ninevah Plains. Iraq
Iraqi Kurdistan rife with unlicensed guns, gun violence Though the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq is slowly waning, gun violence still riddles Iraq's Kurdistan Region where firearms are readily available and licensing is easily bypassed. Iraq
Morocco cracks down on fighters returning from IS The Moroccan authorities are deploying all efforts to curb the phenomenon of former Islamic State fighters returning to their home country by arresting them. Iraq
How lucrative is Turkey’s defense industry? A permanent agenda item of Erdogan’s foreign travels is military cooperation and finding markets for Turkey’s defense industry products, but it's sometimes difficult to tell how much of the achievement touted in this area is real. Turkey
Did Erdogan leave Trump meeting empty-handed? After the meeting between the Turkish and US presidents, it seems that the two country's diplomatic problems will continue, but there could be some slight improvements in military cooperation. Turkey
Would Israel's Knesset support a Trump Mideast deal? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot claim that his coalition will fall apart if he supports a peace initiative by President Donald Trump. Palestine
DC treated to Turkish-style crackdown on pro-Kurdish demonstrators In a replay of last year's violence, the Turkish president's security detail was filmed beating up peaceful Syrian Kurdish protesters in Washington. Turkey
