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
US, Russia reach partial Syria truce deal The United States and Russia have reached an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Syria, to go into effect Feb. 27, yet the plan excludes both the Islamic State and al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra. Syria
'Special messages' aside, Iran's S-300 missiles still up in air Despite the increasing regional cooperation between Iran and Russia, the Tehran-Moscow relationship is marred by distrust over the long-stalled S-300 air defense missile deal. Russia
How one Kurdish woman went from child soldier to Swedish lawmaker Swedish parliamentarian Amineh Kakabaveh tells Al-Monitor about her remarkable journey from Kurdish guerrilla camps in Iraq’s mountains to the rostrum of European politics. Iraq
Iraq begins construction on Baghdad wall While the central Iraqi government claims that a wall is needed around the capital for security reasons, Sunnis suspect that Baghdad is being isolated in preparation for annexation to a Shiite region. Iraq
Will Saudi Arabia pressure Jordan to join ground offensive in Syria? There is increasing talk about a land war in Syria to combat the Islamic State, but the Jordanians thus far appear reluctant to get involved. Legacy: Gulf
Right wing declares open season on IDF chief of staff Politicians on the Israeli right seeking political advantage have attacked Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot for merely stating IDF rules of engagement. Palestine
Does Hezbollah seek Israel’s elimination? 'Not so,' says Nasrallah Hezbollah leader says group will not open new front against Israel; Turkey’s two-front war; battles for Aleppo “unlike any others”; Saudi military exercise provides distraction. Saudi Arabia
Why did the US really bomb Libya? Does the strike on a neighboring terrorist haven signal a new commitment to the Arab Spring’s golden child Tunisia? Libya
Can Ankara's plans keep up with Syria's escalation? The course of events in Syria offer opportunities but also new threats to Ankara, which still has to deal with structural flaws in its Syrian policy. Saudi Arabia
Is Turkey crushing Kurdish self-rule in Syria? Turkey seems intent on using the Feb. 17 bombing in Ankara as a pretext to crush the fledgling Kurdish self-rule in northern Syria that serves as an inspiration to its own Kurds. Syria
Why is Israel raiding Palestinian universities? As the Israeli army continues to raid Palestinian universities, the schools hope to reveal Israel's aggression to the world. Palestine
Was last week's Ankara attack just the beginning? The suicide bomb in Ankara on Feb. 17 was the first of its kind, and Ankara is now under pressure to make critical decisions. Turkey
