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
Lobbying 2015: Iraq turns to US to keep country together Iraq launched a massive lobbying push two years ago to convince the US not to let the country fall apart. With the Islamic State finally on the defensive, are Kurdish dreams of independence the next target? Iraq
Few dengbejs remain to sing Kurdish stories In the old city of Diyarbakir, a dengbej house was established for the few remaining Kurdish storytellers to gather and try to keep their tradition alive, although younger generations are resorting to pop culture to convey the people’s suffering. Syria
Is Islamic State threatening Jerusalem’s Christians? Although raising initial concerns among Jerusalem's Palestinian Christian community, an alleged threat by the Islamic State fell largely on defiant ears. Palestine
Despite paying taxes, many Jerusalemites still without basic services The Jerusalemites residing in the areas outside the Israeli West Bank barrier suffer from a lack of basic services, which the Jerusalem municipality is supposed to offer in return for the taxes residents pay. Palestine
Assyrian Christian woman shares story of captivity by Islamic State In this interview with Al-Monitor, a Christian Assyrian woman recounts her experience of being kidnapped by Islamic State militants. Lebanon
Lobbying 2015: Israel collides with White House over Iran America’s historically bipartisan pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, has launched a $20 million campaign to kill an Iran deal that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly decried as a “bad deal” for Israel. Israel
Saudi war drags on in Yemen While Saudi Arabia continues military operations in Yemen through allied forces, it could face severe political risks. Saudi Arabia
Palestinian dead become Israeli bargaining chip Israel buries bodies of Palestinian dead in what is known as the “Cemetery of Numbers," a poorly managed site where many bodies reportedly have been lost mainly due to negligence. Palestine
Lobbying 2015: Saudis seek Iran deal payoff Gravely concerned by the nuclear deal with Iran, Saudi Arabia is relying on its $3.7 million-a-year PR and lobbying operation to leverage it for more US commitments instead of seeking to sabotage it. Saudi Arabia
Lobbying 2015: Qatar crawls in from the cold Qatar is coming in from the cold in Washington as the gas-rich emirate falls into line with its Gulf neighbors’ stance against rebellious Islamist. Qatar
Lobbying 2015: Egypt lobbies itself back into America's good graces Congress and the State Department are willing to overlook ongoing human rights abuses in Egypt as Abdel Fatah al-Sisi takes on the Islamic State and keeps the peace with Israel. Egypt
Lobbying 2015: Kuwait secures Guantanamo releases Kuwait is spending $2 million a year to convince the US to release its citizens from Guantanamo Bay. Its success ratio so far has been 11 : 1. Kuwait
