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
Roadside bomb hits Russian-Turkish patrol on key Syrian highway The Russian military said Tuesday that three Russian troops and an unspecified number of Turkish soldiers were injured in the attack. Syria
Cairo cozies up to Baghdad, condemns Turkish attacks in Iraq Egypt's efforts to sideline Turkey in Iraq have expanded as Cairo cements economic and military ties with Baghdad. Egypt
Is proxy war turning to conventional confrontation in Libya? Albeit late, Turkey seems to have finally understood the importance of diplomacy in Libya. Turkey
UN Security Council vote leaves one crossing open between Turkey, Syria The decision has closed another border point after weeks of disagreement between Russia and other member states. Syria
PMU pitches in as COVID cases surge in Iraq Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units, including those of populist cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr, have plugged gaps in Iraq’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as cases surge and well-known fighters fall ill. Iraq
Israel said to offer Hamas prisoner swap Palestinian sources claim that Israel has offered Hamas a limp proposal for a prisoner-exchange deal. Palestine
Israeli army hit hard by coronavirus The second wave of the novel coronavirus is affecting the IDF, which has ordered 10,000 soldiers into quarantine. Israel
Russian FM says Hifter's forces ready for cease-fire in Libya Sergey Lavrov said the Tripoli government wants to keep fighting as the war rages on with heavy foreign involvement from Russia, Turkey, Egypt and others. Libya
Will formation of new government in Yemen lay groundwork for peace? Despite agreeing to a cease-fire in south Yemen, it seems the chances of ending the conflict between the Saudi-backed government forces and the UAE-backed southern separatists and forming a new government are dim. Saudi Arabia
UN expert calls US killing of Soleimani 'unlawful' The UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions called the US strike an “arbitrary killing” that threatens to undermine norms of military conflict between countries. Iraq
Baghdad's row with Ankara could benefit each side Turkey’s latest military operation against Kurdish militants based in northern Iraq has triggered harsh reactions from Baghdad but also opened room for dialogue between the militaries of the two sides. Iraq
Iraqi prime minister vows to bring expert's killers to justice The assassination of an Iraqi expert on militias and extremist groups has raised already heightened security concerns in Iraq. Iraq
