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
Why Jordan's king is criticizing his country's closest allies King Abdullah has made harsh statements against Obama’s war on IS, Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy and Russia’s policy in Syria, yet due to Amman's precarious geostrategic position he doesn't always fully stand by his own comments. Israel
US should ditch 'plan B' for Syria UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura says the fragile cessation of hostilities “continues to give hope” as Syrians anticipate the battle for Aleppo. Syria
Controversy over Italian student's murder threatens Egypt's tourism sector Ambiguity concerning the investigations into the murder of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni in Egypt will further harm the country's already declining tourism sector. Egypt
Former Lebanese PM brings two important messages to Moscow Despite differing views between former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Russia on the makeup of the Lebanese government, Hariri's recent visit to Moscow shows the bond between the two countries. Lebanon
Can Obama wake Saudis from their dream of continued dominance? US President Barack Obama is expected to attempt some delicate diplomacy when he visits Riyadh this month: mending fences with Arab allies while still urging them to pick up the pace in fighting terrorism. Saudi Arabia
Congress cool on Kurdistan bailout KRG leaders’ Capitol Hill trek yields lots of praise but no promises. Iraq
Israeli envoy reflects on time at UN In an interview with Al-Monitor, Israel's envoy to the United Nations, Danny Danon, shares insights into the issue he deals with daily, including cyber warfare, terrorism and raising alarms about Hezbollah. Palestine
Iranian official says Nusra, not IS, main threat to West The tug of war in Syria will grind on as political talks appear to be going nowhere. Syria
Will the true culprits surface in Lebanon's infamous Internet racket? Officials are investigating claims of corruption and espionage in Lebanon's Internet management. Israel
Syria's Kurds take control of oil fields, now what? After Kurdish forces took control of parts of northeastern Syria, they have found themselves facing many challenges, including the management of their oil wells. Syria
Why Israel is staying silent on Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict Despite its strong ties with Azerbaijan, Israel has kept silent on the conflict with Armenia out of wariness of raising the issue of occupation. Israel
Will Sisi, Muslim Brotherhood make peace? The return of an Islamic TV broadcaster who fled after the 2013 coup has raised the question whether reconciliation is possible between the Egyptian government and the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt
