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
Iranian olive branch offers diplomatic paradigm shift To resolve regional crises before they become even worse, Iran and its Arab neighbors must engage in dialogue based on a new paradigm for conflict resolution. Legacy: Gulf
How Palestinian divisions affect the intifada As the uprising in the Palestinian territories enters its second month, Palestinians have yet to agree on its nature, objectives and repercussions. Palestine
How will Jordan's pivot to Russia pay off? Jordan and Russia have agreed on military coordination in Syria after a long silence in Amman about Russian intervention there. Jordan
Why Iraqi Christians are against the establishment of their own autonomous region The secretary-general of the Assyrian Democratic Movement and member of the Iraqi parliament, Yonadam Kanna, speaks to Al-Monitor about the Christians’ status in Iraq, while he denied claims that they are demanding an autonomous region of their own, saying these claims are racist. Iraq
How to apply the lessons from protecting Hebron to Jerusalem The Temporary International Presence in Hebron has failed to make a major change in relations between Israelis and Palestinians, as many argue that a similar force in Jerusalem will not work unless it is given clear mandate and power to hold any violators accountable. Palestine
Zawahri and Jerusalem Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, in a new audio message following a classic pattern, lauds Palestinian attacks in Jerusalem and calls on followers to attack Israel's international backers to hasten the fall of the Jewish state. Palestine
Why these ultra-Orthodox Jews support the Palestinian cause The ultra-Orthodox Neturei Karta faction would rather live under Palestinian rule, while the mainstream ultra-Orthodox community believes that the Zionist state is essential for the Jewish people’s survival. Israel
IRGC head warns of 'sedition' post-nuclear deal The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mohammad Ali Jafari, warned that the United States will use the post-nuclear deal climate in Iran to gain influence in the country. Iran
Russian, Israeli jets share Syrian skies ... for now Russia's military involvement in Syria is testing its relations with Israel and the determination of both countries to avoid a conflict. Israel
How the Islamic State is looking to capitalize on Israeli-Palestinian unrest The Islamic State's recent threats against Israel could be designed just to gain support among Palestinians. Palestine
How will relations between Jews and Palestinians in Israel be restored? Israelis can't rely on politicians to help repair fraught relations between Jewish and Arab citizens, because they are in part responsible for the incitement highlighted by the recent wave of stabbing attacks. Israel
