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
Russia steps up its game in Mideast diplomacy The heavy traffic between Moscow and the Middle East after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Russia last week signals that Russia is looking to quickly solidify its relationships with regional partners. Saudi Arabia
Israeli politicians continue silence over settlers attacking IDF Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ignored extreme-right incitement for many years, including a recent attack by the Hilltop Youth group against the Israel Defense Forces. Israel
Mattis' Mideast trip holds promise, reality check for Israel The US defense secretary's visit to Israel is expected to strengthen an already solid relationship while making sure both parties are on the same page. Egypt
Can Iran stop Iraqi Kurdistan independence? Iraqi Kurdish political forces have recently increased their calls for a referendum on Kurdish independence, but Iran may try to prevent this from happening. Iraq
Syrian rebel group just trying to get home Jaish Usud al-Sharqiya, an internationally backed armed opposition group active in southern Syria, has made significant gains recently against the Islamic State in the south, but they eventually want to return to Deir ez-Zor. Syria
Another Hamas leader added to US terror list Ahmed Ghandour recently became the fifth Hamas leader to be added to the US State Department's terrorist list in a continuation of a long-established US policy being enforced by the Trump administration. Palestine
Where is Israel's place in US-Russia struggle? Israel has a golden opportunity to cement a global anti-jihad alliance with the United States and pragmatic Sunni states as Russia continues to side with Iran. Palestine
Nuclear deal critics silent as Trump says Iran complying Lawmakers who once insisted Iran was cheating aren’t taking the administration to task for saying otherwise. United States
Is Trump learning to live with Iran nuclear deal? In certifying that Iran is complying with the nuclear deal, the Trump administration appears to be discovering the merits of the accord. United States
How does Muslim world view Erdogan's referendum win? Turkey's referendum, which gave rise to fresh debate with the West, is also likely to affect Turkey's relations with the East, especially the Middle East. Turkey
Erdogan charts victory lap in Washington Even as controversy rages in Turkey, newly empowered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to already be gaining international legitimacy and is making plans to visit Washington for formal talks. Syria
Why Israel will warmly welcome Mattis Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and Secretary of Defense James Mattis are expected to discuss the threat of Iran's presence in Syria at a time when Israel is pleased with the United States' involvement in the region. Israel
