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
Will US retaliate against Iran for detaining sailors? The Obama administration has repeatedly challenged Iranian restrictions on freedom of navigation. Will that continue after the nuclear deal? Iran
Popular Turkish TV host attacked for supporting Diyarbakir teacher In an illustration of Turkey's increasing polarization amid ongoing clashes in the southeast, Turks are split over whether popular media personality Beyaz spread "terrorist propaganda" by encouraging applause for a concerned caller from Diyarbakir. Turkey
Is a witch hunt underway against Turkish intellectuals? Following the arrests of Turkish academics who had signed a petition in support of the Kurds in southeastern Turkey, the country is facing an unprecedented 'civil war.' Turkey
Turkey's distractions make it vulnerable Many questions still surround the recent suicide bombing in Istanbul, but it nevertheless points up Turkey's limited understanding of IS and the country's need to develop a strategy and assets to deal with terrorism. Syria
Can Egypt’s tourism industry get back on track after Sinai crash? In an interview with Al-Monitor, Egypt's Tourism Minister Hisham Zazou expresses optimism that this vital sector of the country’s economy will recover. Egypt
Terrorism tops Turkish citizens’ list of concerns in 2015 A recent survey polled Turks and found that they are not united in their perception of the identity of terror suspects in the country. Turkey
Hagel says Obama 'paralyzed' Syria policy around Assad ouster Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says President Barack Obama erred in calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to go and declaring a red line over Syria’s use of chemical weapons, and also compared Republican presidential candidates to a "mass gong show" and urged them to be less divisive. Syria
FSA adviser: IS cannot be eliminated without us In an Al-Monitor interview, Osama Abu Zeid, legal adviser for the Free Syrian Army, discusses the FSA's return to the forefront in light of Russia’s military intervention in the Syrian war. Syria
Israeli fashion gets tactical Business is booming for Israeli clothes manufacturers that have developed bullet- and knife-resistant fabrics and apparel, though they may not all deliver what they promise. Palestine
Was Zahran Alloush really a moderate leader? Some have described the late Jaish al-Islam leader Zahran Alloush as a moderate leader, although his fiery anti-Shiite and anti-democracy statements indicate otherwise. Iraq
State of the Union highlights Jordan’s rift with Obama The US president directly contradicts King Abdullah’s talking point that the campaign against IS is a “third world war.” Palestine
Implementation date of nuclear deal to be announced within days Nuclear negotiator Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that by Jan. 17, the date of the final implementation of the nuclear deal will be announced. Iran
