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
Sinai festival tackles Egyptian issues through theater The second annual Sharm el-Sheikh International Festival for Youth featured theater performances covering topical issues in Egypt such as illegal immigration, the Islamic State, terrorism and war. Egypt
Syrian regime evacuates civilians from last rebel-held area in Homs After a deal was struck between the Syrian regime and opposition forces in the al-Waer neighborhood of Homs, waves of newly displaced are headed for Jarablus, al-Bab and Idlib. Syria
Who is behind new round of violence in Lebanon refugee camp? The Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon has witnessed heavy clashes between factions linked to a jihadi cell and the Palestinian Joint Security Force. Palestine
Is Saudi Arabia really willing to normalize ties with Iraq? Despite some progress in Saudi-Iraqi ties, further improvement is hindered by Iranian influence in Iraq and Baghdad's inability to control Shiite militias. Legacy: Gulf
Tillerson: Russia has 'best means' to convince Assad to go On his first trip to Russia as secretary of state, Rex Tillerson met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow to discuss steps to try to reverse the decline in relations between the United States and Russia. Syria
Is Israel prepared for all missile threats? Israel's now-operational David Sling’s medium-range missile defense system, along with the rest of its arsenal, should assist the country in protecting itself against any coordinated attack by Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Iran. Palestine
What it's like to use Facebook from inside a Gaza prison It's more than just liking photos and online check-ins; the Gaza Central Prison recently granted access to Facebook for 10 of its prisoners. Palestine
Israel warns that Gaza will face power supply crisis An Israeli major general has said that Gaza will face an imminent humanitarian crisis because of a shortage of diesel fuel that is needed to run its only power station. Qatar
Israel moves forward with barrier to block Hamas tunnels As Israel prepares to erect underground barriers to prevent Hamas from digging tunnels, some worry that the movement will act to obstruct its construction. Palestine
Will US missile strike shift Iran-Russia partnership in Syria? The US military strike on a Syrian air base has created room at the table for more Russian and Iranian cooperation in Syria as the last allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad standing. Syria
Cairo takes urgent measures to combat terrorism after church bombings In the wake of the Palm Sunday church bombings, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and parliament took several steps amending internal laws that confront terrorism, but many doubt the ability of these measures to halt terrorist attacks. Egypt
Ankara welcomes US action in Syria, but doubts remain Opinion in Turkey is divided after Washington’s missile strike on Syria, reflecting a mix of enthusiasm, wishful thinking and realism. Syria
