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
Iran MPs: Hamas visit to Saudi Arabia a 'mistake' While Iran has been a strong supporter of the Palestinian group Hamas, a trip by its leaders to Saudi Arabia has drawn warnings from Iranian politicians. Saudi Arabia
Israeli media drowns out pro-Iran-deal voices Israeli politicians condemning the agreement with Iran have monopolized the conversation in Israel. Israel
Israel's failed prisoner release policies Israel's policy of expelling released prisoners outside the West Bank has only encouraged them to resume terror activity. Palestine
Turkey needs to drop its dead-end foreign policy Former diplomats say Ankara should act urgently with its NATO allies to face the new threats that have emerged to its security from groups like the Islamic State. Syria
Archaeological excavations in Iraq continue despite security chaos In spite of the precarious situation in Iraq, a series of excavations is still uncovering the buried historical ruins in Iraq, where the ruins of Ur are only a sample of the landmarks that are yet to be unveiled. Iraq
Are Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units heroes or villains? Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units are facing criticism while the fighters' political role continues to evolve. Iraq
Regime forces tighten noose on opposition in Zabadani The Syrian army, assisted by Hezbollah, is making gains in the city of Zabadani against opposition fighters, who have barricaded themselves in the old town. Syria
Does Hamas have a 'revolutionary plan' for the West Bank? After a recent arrest campaign against Hamas members in the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority has charged that the movement plans to gain control of the territory. Palestine
Ankara's response to forest fires ignites Kurdish anger Kurds in southeastern Turkey believe the government was intentionally lax in combating a series of local forest fires, which residents think were intentionally set to destroy areas where fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party had been known to operate in the past. Turkey
Kurdish opposition figures denounce Ankara officials as 'accomplices' of IS after Suruc bombing After 31 young Turks were killed and many more wounded by a suicide attack in Suruc, protests erupted across the country and politicians scrambled to point fingers. Syria
How US, Russia could solve Syria The successful cooperation between the United State and Russia throughout the Iran nuclear negotiations could bode well for a new plan for Syria. Syria
I'm no fan of Bibi but I see a bad deal, says former Labor minister In an interview with Al-Monitor, former Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh argues that the deal with Iran is dangerous to Israel, because it will strengthen Hezbollah and Hamas, while allowing Iran to enlarge its regional hegemony. Palestine
