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
One year into Palestinian uprising: What’s the status today? The popular uprising in the West Bank has significantly waned, but not disappeared, in recent months in the absence of organized political support. Palestine
How Kurdish-Arab strife is hindering work of Syria's 'White Helmets' The negotiations for a new office of the Syrian Civil Defense in areas liberated by the Islamic State in Syria have been interrupted by major skirmishes between the Arab and Kurdish forces in these areas. Syria
Hamas hampering persistent press The Foreign Press Association accused Hamas of imposing restrictions on foreign journalists entering the Gaza Strip, which the government denied. Palestine
Turkey reaches critical crossroads in Syria Turkey has an important decision to make now that it has helped Free Syrian Army troops win a major battle for border control in northern Syria. Syria
Is Abdullah Ocalan key to peace between Turkey, PKK? Many Kurds believe Abdullah Ocalan holds the key to peace between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers Party, but does he retain the power to deliver? Syria
How US cash payments story played out in Iran While Washington’s $1.7 billion payment to Iran caused controversy in the US, it was a non-story in Iran. United States
Does Iranian law green light encounters with US warships? The legal arguments underpinning US and Iranian views on the Law of the Sea should not be overlooked as tensions once again mount over the passage of US military vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. United States
Elusive US-Russia deal on Syria may again prove out of reach US Secretary of State John Kerry had been expected to travel to Geneva to try to finalize a deal with Russia for a nationwide cease-fire in Syria this week, but hopes for concluding the accord appear once again to have been lowered. Syria
US backing ensures Arab-Kurd alliance in Syria will survive Liwa al-Tahrir walking out of its alliance with the Kurdish People's Protection Units caused plenty of excitement in Turkey, but did it really change anything in Syria? Syria
Why Turkey’s Gulenist purge is going way too far The Gulenist threat to Turkish democracy was not a myth, yet the anti-Gulenist purge itself is now also a major threat if it continues along the same path. Turkey
EU tries to mend fences with Turkey following attempted coup European officials stream to Turkey to overcome tensions that are putting arrangements such as the migration agreement at risk, but serious differences remain. Turkey
Ultra-Orthodox arms dealer faces extradition to US Israel's Supreme Court has rejected Eli Cohen's appeal to stop his extradition to the United States for violating sanctions against Iran after a long history of evading prosecution for such offenses. Israel
