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
French FM speaks out on Middle East crises Newly appointed French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault speaks to Al-Monitor about the link between Europe's migrant crisis and the Syrian conflict, saying the European Union and France must shoulder their responsibilities to help solve the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Lebanon
Does Israel have justification to enter West Bank's Area A? Palestinians and Israelis disagree over the legality of the Israeli army pursuing Palestinian fugitives into Area A of the West Bank. Palestine
OIC conference begins with Iran-Saudi spat Iran’s foreign minister has condemned Saudi Arabia's attempts to introduce anti-Iranian resolutions ahead of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Istanbul. Saudi Arabia
First Turkey-backed operation against IS becomes a fiasco Just days after Turkey-backed groups claimed victory against IS in Syria’s al-Rai, the area has fallen back under the extremist group’s control, supporting claims that cooperation with Kurdish forces is needed to defeat IS. Syria
Why Hamas needs a prisoner-swap deal with Israel Hamas seems to believe the only way to battle the frustration of Gaza residents over their desperate economic situation and corrupt leadership is to announce another prisoner exchange. Palestine
Do Israelis lack empathy for Palestinian suffering? While Israeli Jews have always demonstrated solidarity with Jews around the world, they reject demonstrations of solidarity by Israeli Palestinians toward their brothers under occupation. Israel
Will Iran and Russia join forces on Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict? The renewed fighting over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region has allowed Iran to present itself as a responsible and peace-seeking actor in its northern neighborhood. Russia
Congress ponders next move as Egypt clogs its own funding pipeline Lawmakers question US aid priorities as Cairo blocks projects. Egypt
Cairo tries to reassure citizens and Israel amid island controversy The announcement that Egypt would be ceding control of two disputed Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia has provoked outrage domestically and raised concerns in Israel. Saudi Arabia
Is Israel forming an alliance with Egypt and Saudi Arabia? Israel estimates that strengthening Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and maintaining a dialogue with Saudi Arabia are key elements for the region's stability. Saudi Arabia
Erdogan courts King Salman as new BFF Even if Saudi King Salman Abdul-Aziz Al Saud fails to broker a rapprochement between Egypt and Turkey, he still shares many commonalities with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, not least their irritation with the US leadership. Saudi Arabia
Is Hamas open to direct negotiations with Israel? Hamas leaders say the movement is not against negotiating directly with Israel, but is wary given Israel's failure to abide by its previous agreements with the Palestinians. Palestine
