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
Is Israel at fault for surging Arab crime? Israeli security forces invest time and effort to track weapon factories in the West Bank but neglect to deal in depth with illegal weapons of Israeli Arabs. Palestine
Kerry, Lavrov will meet to finalize Syria deal US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva on Aug. 26 to try to finalize a deal on Syria that has been complicated by an escalation of fighting in Aleppo. Syria
Did Turkish government see Gaziantep attack coming? Turkish officials apparently ignored intelligence information that warned of the Aug. 20 wedding massacre in Gaziantep. Syria
Uncertain future for Syrians as EU-Lebanon migration deal looms Increasingly harsh conditions for Syrian refugees in Lebanon may present new problems for a prospective deal with the European Union. Lebanon
Security unrest continues in Nablus Palestinian security forces have launched a broad campaign against armed individuals in Nablus, leading to clashes resulting in the killing of five people, including two security team members. The apparent extrajudicial killing of one suspect has deeply angered Nablus residents. Palestine
Al-Aqsa Mosque back in the eye of the storm with renewed clashes, arrests Various minor infractions have once again increased tensions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, where Palestinians complain that restoration work has been disrupted and Israeli visitors have exceeded agreed-upon limits. Palestine
Why did Russian use of Iranian air base stir up controversy? Despite controversy, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says Russian planes in Iran left according to a previously designated agreement. Syria
Will Turkey's military turn East or West? After Turkey's massive military purge following the failed coup, the new leadership may push for a differing military strategy. Turkey
Resetting Turkey’s Syria policy Ankara is trying to regain its lost influence over Syria with a radical change in policy, but its past mistakes make that a difficult challenge. Israel
How Erdogan spins flaws into gold Turkish people are falling in love with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan all over again in the post-coup era despite the emergency decrees, increasing terror attacks and continuous purges. Turkey
Sunni fear grows as PMU participation in Mosul battle confirmed Iraqi government approved officially the participation of the Popular Mobilization Units in the Mosul battle, which is supported by the United States and Iran; however, Sunni parties are afraid of this decision. Iraq
Could Liberman's West Bank plan play into Hamas' hands? Palestinians say the benefits and punishments plan introduced by Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman is doomed to fail because it seeks to replace President Mahmoud Abbas with other leading Palestinians. Palestine
