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
UN report: West Bank house demolitions up 25% The number of Palestinian homes demolished by Israel has sharply increased this year, leading experts to question Israel's agenda. Palestine
Jordanians worry over new Syria front The statement by US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter about opening a new anti-Islamic State front in southern Syria raised mixed reactions among Jordanians, with some expecting more refugees to flock through the borders between both countries should new clashes occur. Jordan
Why Abbas-MEK meeting made waves everywhere but Palestine Though many observers fret that the meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi was a sign that Abbas is taking sides in the region, the event was barely on the Palestinian radar. Palestine
How Turkey is reforming its military Turkey is undertaking revolutionary military reforms, but they can’t yet be characterized democratic. Turkey
Was Israel's Iran deal-Nazi agreement comparison step too far? Amid an effort to quickly conclude a US military aid deal, the Israeli Defense Ministry issued a statement comparing US President Barack Obama to Neville Chamberlin and the Iranian deal to the Munich Agreement. Israel
Saudi Arabia's moment of truth in Yemen Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has three options to choose from on Yemen, none of them good. Saudi Arabia
Why Russia doesn't want Aleppo to fall Could Russia be seeing a stalemate in Aleppo as playing to its advantage? Syria
Obama: no safe haven for al-Qaeda in Syria The United States to continue "intense fire efforts" against terrorist group as US-Russia talks appear stalled; Is Muqtada al-Sadr losing the Iraqi street? Nouri al-Maliki plots his return. Iraq
No end to the militias in Iraq Every once in a while a new militia emerges in Iraq, increasing the chance of instability in the country. Iraq
Political leg of Gulenist network in Turkey remains obscure Pressure mounts on the Turkish government to assume political responsibility for Gulenist entrenchment in the state. Turkey
Prices of illegal weapons in West Bank on the rise The Palestinian police have been leading wide-scale efforts to crack down on gun manufacturing and illegal trade in a bid to reduce the phenomenon of tribal and family shootings, while prices of illegal weapons have been soaring. Palestine
Jabhat al-Nusra’s rebranding is more than simple name change By separating from its parent organization, Jabhat al-Nusra — now Jabhat Fatah al-Sham — could attract members who had been hesitant to be associated with al-Qaeda. Syria
![Palestinian teenagers handle a nine millimeter semi-automatic pistol in the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem January 4, 2001. The Dheisheh refugee camp hosts thousands of Palestinian refugees since the 1948 Israeli occupation. [Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat began consulting Arab leaders in Cairo on Thursday on U.S. President Bill Clinton's peace proposals before announcing whether he accepts them. ] - RTXK7RJ](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2016/08/RTXK7RJ.jpg/RTXK7RJ.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=w_WI4Z_F)
