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
Khamenei supports nuclear deal but warns of 'the enemy' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, praises the conclusion of the nuclear deal and said if issues remain, he hopes they will be resolved. Iran
Erdogan’s war backfires For the first time in 13 years, Turkey is headed into elections in an environment of bloody conflict with the PKK — a deliberate political choice on the part of the government. Turkey
Has Syria's Arab-Kurdish rivalry reached a breaking point? The establishment of a safe zone on the Turkish-Syrian border is likely to further deepen the divide between the Arabs and Kurds in the area. Syria
Confusion, controversy surround appointment of new police chief for Israel Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan appointed reserve Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch as Israel police chief, offering him a chance to clear his name following criticism of his conduct during the Second Lebanon War. Israel
Will nuclear deal help improve PA-Iran relations? The Palestinian Authority is exploring the benefits of bettering its relations with Iran following the nuclear deal as Iran’s influence on the international scene becomes more powerful. Palestine
Is Erdogan afraid of poking the IS bear? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has done little to censor the latest Islamic State video criticizing his government; does this mean that the ruling AKP could stand to benefit from publicizing the threat posed by the group? Syria
Is Nusra cooperating with Syrian opposition to support establishing safe zone on Syria-Turkey border? While the establishment of a safe zone along the Syria-Turkey border promises better living conditions for Syrian refugees, the politics and security concerns involved portend thinning prospects. Syria
Syrian official slams UN envoy's report According to information a Syrian official shared with Al-Monitor, it doesn’t seem the report on Syria that UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura submitted to the Security Council recently will have long-lasting effects on the ground. Saudi Arabia
More than a year on, who is to blame for the fall of Mosul? An Iraqi parliamentary report has faulted high-ranking political officials and military personnel for the fall of Mosul to the Islamic State and could provide Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi the ammunition he needs to push through government reforms. Iraq
World tunes out Netanyahu's broken record on Iran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated opposition to an agreement with Iran has turned the world deaf to him, and if Iran does violate the deal's conditions, no one will listen to Israel's warnings. Israel
Hamas: Israeli security measures won't stop attacks on settlers Israel has stepped up its security measures in the West Bank in response to increasing attacks by Palestinians against settlers, although Hamas says such efforts will not stop it. Palestine
New Russian arms deals could shake up Mideast market As Russia considers expanding in the Iranian and Saudi arms markets, the rest of the world is asking what such moves would mean for Moscow’s foreign policy and security role in the region. Saudi Arabia
