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
Israeli video pulls back curtain on IDF treatment of Palestinian kids While in Israel minors are rarely arrested, unless accused of a serious felony, the IDF arrests Palestinian minors for lengthy periods. Palestine
Controversy continues over how to cut up Kirkuk The Turkmen, the third national component of Iraq, are demanding arms to fight against the Islamic State, just like the Arabs and Kurds, but territorial squabbles are keeping the various groups at arm's length. Iraq
Saudi king wants Obama to tackle Iranian 'mischief' King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud will make clear during his White House visit that Riyadh’s lukewarm support for the Iran nuclear deal depends on the United States keeping Tehran in check. Saudi Arabia
Protesters in Iraq and Lebanon demand accountability Demonstrations in Iraq and Lebanon may signal new round of "Arab Springs"; Will Saudi capture of Khobar towers mastermind affect US policy toward Iran? Saudi Arabia
Ankara needs to explain its turnaround in dealings with PKK As confrontations persist between Turkish government forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party, the government has remained mum about the reasons for the breakdown of the Kurdish peace process. Syria
Have Israel, Hamas reopened backchannel to discuss swap deal? A Palestinian source has claimed that in recent messages between Israel and Hamas over the communication channel established for the Gilad Shalit exchange, Hamas has admitted to holding Israeli civilian Avraham Mengistu. Palestine
Israel needs new police chief, but is Gal Hirsch the one for the job? With the deteriorating image of Israel's police force, it was necessary to appoint an outside candidate as police chief, but perhaps controversial reserve Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch is not the right person for the task. Israel
Syrian Shiites take up arms in support of Assad's army Syria's tiny Shiite community is taking greater steps toward arming itself as the civil war grinds on. Syria
Syrian mortar shells sow fear in Jordan border town Many residents of Ramtha, northern Jordan, are calling for military action to contain the violence in Syria that is spilling over onto their city, where mortars fall on houses and parents are afraid to send their children to school. Palestine
Tens of thousands of Palestinians on verge of retirement, but why? Government employees having served 15 years on the job are now grappling with the prospect of being forced into early retirement, as part of large-scale austerity measures in Palestine. Palestine
Could Samarra become a city of Sunni-Shiite cooperation? The city of Samarra, which holds many Islamic historical sites, has the potential to become a place for cooperation between Sunnis and Shiites, although both exchange accusations of destroying the city. Iraq
Why did it take Saudi Arabia 20 years to catch Khobar Towers bomber? Reports have emerged that Saudi Arabia is holding Ahmed Ibrahim al-Mughassil, a Saudi Shiite who masterminded the 1996 attack on US military housing in Khobar that left 19 servicemen dead. Saudi Arabia
