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
Yemen war escalates The Yemeni people are paying a frightful toll as Saudi Arabia and its allies escalate the war in the country. Saudi Arabia
Nuke deal won't change Iran's approach to region In the aftermath of the JCPOA, Iran and other regional powers are seeking to engage, but will likely pursue policies to strengthen positions ahead of anticipated talks. Saudi Arabia
The $55 billion cost of abandoning the Kurdish peace process The economic burden of the Kurdish conflict was one of the government’s key arguments when it launched the Kurdish peace process in 2013, but today, Ankara seems to be braving a hefty economic bill for the sake of its political interests. Turkey
Hamas denies prisoner swap talks In an interview from Doha, Moussa Doudine, a member of Hamas’ political bureau and head of the Palestinian prisoners’ dossier, denied Israeli reports about negotiations being ongoing between Hamas and Israel on a prisoner exchange. Palestine
What's US really doing at Turkey's Incirlik Air Base? It is still not clear what agreement has been reached on the use of the Incirlik Air Base by anti-IS coalition planes. Turkey
Hamas denies released detainees are plotting attacks from abroad Israel says, and Hamas denies, that high-ranking military leaders and Hamas cadres are coordinating armed operations against Israel while based in countries such as Turkey, Qatar, Syria and Jordan. Palestine
Turkey's culture of fear A panic-stricken media generates public and financial insecurity in Turkey. Turkey
US, Russia in talks for UN resolution on Syria Secretary of State John Kerry has cautiously heralded US-Russian agreement over a potential UN resolution on Syria's chemical weapons, though the two sides' differences over investigative processes and resultant military action are daunting. Syria
Perilous journey for Syrians fleeing to Turkey With official border crossings between Syria and Turkey closed, smugglers have begun assisting Syrians wanting to cross into Turkey to safety and to work. Syria
Time is running out for Israelis, Palestinians Before 2017, Palestinians and Israelis will have to make major decisions that can be condensed into one critical choice: Will both leaderships decide to view their national interests as in convergence or in conflict? Palestine
Gaza struggles with shortage of medical supplies As companies struggle to restart production of medicines in Gaza, Palestinians face a pharmaceutical crisis stemming from war, Palestinian political division, Israel's blockade and Egypt's closure of the Rafah crossing. Palestine
Exclusive: Rafsanjani on future of Iran-US ties, Saudi Arabia In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani speaks about the future of Iran-US ties, Tehran's troubled relationship with Riyadh and how to move forward. Saudi Arabia
