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
Does Netanyahu's 'Terror is terror' comment really mean anything? Though Israeli politicians condemned the murder of a Palestinian toddler, tomorrow they will put this terrorist act behind them and continue to support the Israeli settlers. Palestine
Rouhani: 'Merchants of sanctions' upset by nuke deal In a televised interview, President Hassan Rouhani says the gates of the world have opened up to the Iranian people. Iran
Will Iran buy French warplanes? With restrictions set to come off in the medium term, Iran has an even greater incentive to modernize its antiquated air force. Iran
Lebanese split over Iran deal Political views in Lebanon diverge over the Iranian nuclear deal, as some consider it a tool to tighten relations between Tehran and Beirut and others as a way for Iran to further expand its influence in the region. Lebanon
Israel faces rise in Jewish terrorism Israeli security branches have been given approval to use a wider range of methods to curb violence by extremist settlers responsible for price tag attacks and the recent murder of a Palestinian baby. Palestine
Why are Israelis turning a blind eye to settler violence? The murders of a Palestinian toddler and a teenage girl have shaken Israelis from a willful blindness toward an already deteriorating situation that must be addressed to prevent a slide toward even more violence. Palestine
Shakeup expected for Turkish military leadership Major changes are expected at the August meetings of Turkey's High Military Council, and the positions adopted by the new military command will affect Turkish policies, including the course of current military operations. Turkey
US, Turkey diverge on role of Kurds in Syria Turkey reportedly targets Syrian Kurdish militias as it escalates attacks on the PKK; Egyptian journalists alarmed by proposed anti-terror law. Egypt
Lobbying 2015: US won't let Syria drag down Lebanon Lebanon’s central bank and its private financial firms are spending big money to prevent US pressure from unraveling one of the only sectors that still functions in the politically gridlocked nation. Lebanon
Lobbying 2015: Chaos in Libya confounds Congress Libya’s lobbying campaign can seem almost as chaotic as the country itself. Libya
Are Turkish courts delaying trials of IS militants? Although the latest wave of detentions of Islamic State militants and sympathizers have pleased the Turkish public, lawyer Ali Cil questions the handling of the Turkish judiciary in the Nigde case so far. Turkey
Lobbying 2015: Turkey resents America’s love story with the Kurds The United States and Turkey are finding ways to work together in Syria and Iraq despite Washington’s growing concerns with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s authoritarian streak. Syria
