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
Will Trump bring better future for Iraqis? Many Iraqi officials and citizens have welcomed Donald Trump's presidential victory due to his stances against terrorism and in favor of a secure region. Iraq
Turkey insists on exclusion of Kurdish forces from Raqqa battle Washington prefers to work with the Kurds to oust the Islamic State from Raqqa, but it still wants to keep Turkey involved. Syria
One bomb, three suspects: Who was behind latest Diyarbakir attack? A vehicle-borne bomb attack against a police compound in Diyarbakir left behind 11 fatalities and unanswered questions when three organizations were blamed for the carnage. Turkey
Thousands of civilians at risk in Mosul crossfire Civilian casualties are mounting during the Mosul operation, as thousands of people are stuck on the battlefield. Iraq
Ankara denies torture accusations as prisons fill with dissenters There has been an alarming spike in allegations of ill-treatment and torture in Turkish prisons, and although the claims are backed by a damning EU Commission report, Turkish journalists are scarcely covering the story for fear of their own detention. Turkey
How IS is trying to thwart progress in Mosul operation Islamic State militants are trying to find security breaches in various areas to distract the Iraqi forces from the operation to liberate Mosul and thus slow down their advance. Iraq
Middle East will quickly teach Trump rules of the game As US president, Donald Trump will have little option but to engage in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and when he does, judiciously. Palestine
Is this the beginning of the end for the Iran deal? Proponents of the nuclear pact fear the worst under a Trump administration. United States
Why Turkey's hostile stance doesn't worry PYD leader PYD leader Salih Muslim told Al-Monitor they are not worried about Ankara's hostile stance toward the PYD and YPG, and ruled out Turkish military action targeting al-Bab in Syria. Iraq
US order to evacuate dependents worries Turks Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems indifferent to Western countries' warnings about the increased likelihood of terror attacks in Turkey, but citizens there are taking note. Turkey
Will Mosul remain under military rule after liberation from IS? Iraqi politicians have proposed appointing a military governor for Mosul after its liberation to prevent the city from falling back into the hands of terrorists. Iraq
Is it time for a national settlement in Iraq? The predominantly Shiite National Alliance that constitutes the majority of the Iraqi parliament released a document for national reconciliation for the post-Islamic State phase, though it is far from being implemented on the ground. Iraq
