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
Are Syria’s Salafi movements witnessing a split? The creation of Jaish al-Sham might be indicative of widening ideological fissures inside Ahrar al-Sham and other Salafi movements in Syria. Syria
Iran doubts US goals in Syria talks Iran's deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said Iran will decide whether to participate in the next round of Vienna II talks on Syria after reviewing whether the United States is working behind the scenes to push its own agenda. Saudi Arabia
Kurdish infighting complicates Sinjar offensive In the wake of a massive assault on the Islamic State for the city of Sinjar, Iraq, there is speculation about how disagreements among Kurdish factions will play out. Iraq
Lebanon continues to struggle under weight of Syrian refugee crisis Lebanon is struggling to cope with the Syrian displacement crisis amid weak international action. Lebanon
As European dream fades, Iraqi Kurds return home Thousands of Kurds who fled to Europe are now seeking to return to Iraq after facing an even harsher reality there. Iraq
Palestinian lawmaker detained by Israeli military court Palestinian legislator Khalida Jarrar, accused of calling for the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers, has been detained for several months now by an Israeli military court based on classified evidence, while her husband says the court has avoided examining evidence of her innocence. Palestine
Has Syria been a military success for Iran? Iran was willing to negotiate its nuclear situation with world powers, but it wants everyone to know it is far from ready to abandon its strategic interests in the region. Syria
'Under 50' Iranians killed in Syria An Iranian security official has addressed several hot-button topics in the media, including the implementation of the nuclear deal and the rising Iranian death toll in Syria. Saudi Arabia
Netanyahu's gushing over Obama meeting convinces no one Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's effort to present his meeting with President Barack Obama as successful, he achieved little, and the Obama administration was considerably less enthusiastic about it. Palestine
What is Islamic Jihad's role in the intifada? The Islamic Jihad movement in Gaza has been organizing rallies and other nonmilitary activities to show solidarity with the intifada in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Palestine
Is there any role left for PLO in determining future Palestinian-Israeli relations? Questions arise about the PLO’s ability to implement the decisions of its Central Committee to end the security coordination with Israel. Palestine
Will G-20 summit improve Erdogan’s international image? Europe’s need for Turkey’s cooperation in the refugee crisis is forcing EU leaders to moderate their tone against Erdogan’s undemocratic ways. Syria
