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
How will Turkey gain power abroad when it can't protect its borders? Turkey's ineffectiveness in protecting the city of Kilis on the Syrian border points to how unlikely it is that the government will fulfill its ambition to become a regional power. Syria
Who are Syria's Alawites? Alawite doctrine differs in many ways from Sunni and Shiite Islam, but Alawites believe they should be respected and accepted as an independent Muslim sect. Iraq
The one thing Israel could do to avoid another Gaza war For the first time, an official Israeli report links the suffering in the Gaza Strip caused by the blockade and the firing of rockets into Israel. Palestine
How one journalist is going after false news on Syria A Syrian journalist recently launched Verify, an online platform correcting and validating news on Syria. Syria
Saudi king’s Cabinet reshuffle may 'rattle many royal spines' Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince is quickly accumulating power, responsibility — and risks — perhaps at the expense of his cousin, who is currently next in line for the throne. Saudi Arabia
Iranian officials blame Aleppo cease-fire violations for military casualties Iranian officials blame Syrian opposition groups for violating the cease-fire to attack Iranian forces in Syria. Syria
Kurdish conflict reaches Turkish kitchens The Kurdish conflict in southeast Turkey has badly hurt farming in the region, worsening the country’s already acute meat production shortage. Turkey
Why Gaza's militant groups are cozying up to one another Hamas is getting closer with the militias of Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees in an attempt to unify forces and benefit from Iranian support. Palestine
Leaked Gaza war report sparks 'war of generals' in Israel The partially leaked state comptroller report of the 2014 Protective Edge operation triggered political clashes and also a war of mutual accusations amid IDF generals. Palestine
More than 100 Iran MPs ask Rouhani to stop nuclear deal implementation Members of the current conservative-led parliament have signed a written warning to President Hassan Rouhani asking that he return Iran’s nuclear program to previous levels before the nuclear deal if US "obstruction" continues. Iran
Will Hamas respond to Israel's destruction of its tunnels? Israel and Hamas are threatening each other with open warfare over Palestinian factions' tunnels that lead from Gaza into Israel, though military experts are divided on whether either side would take such action. Palestine
Palestine to raise concerns about settlement-based teams at FIFA conference The Palestinian Football Federation is planning to raise the issue of five Israeli soccer teams located in the occupied territories on the grounds that these teams are violating FIFA statutes. Palestine
