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
Shiites reel from attack in Saudi province Saudi authorities need to curb hate speech against Shiites and take positive action to help its Shiite community, as well. Saudi Arabia
EU envoys: Iran talks may go beyond June 30 deadline European diplomats said May 26 that progress was slow in drafting a final Iran nuclear accord and predicted talks would go down to the June 30 deadline or beyond. Iran
Is Turkey arming radical groups in Syria? A trial of gendarmerie officers and prosecutors in Istanbul is producing embarrassing revelations for the government. Syria
Has Iran already accepted inspections at military sites? Some parliament members claim that Iran has already accepted inspections at its military sites, despite denials by Iran's nuclear negotiators. Iran
Death sentences test fragile Hamas-Egypt ties The Egyptian court’s death sentence ruling against ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, along with some Muslim Brotherhood leaders and Hamas members, has destabilized already fragile relations between Hamas and Cairo. Palestine
Is Islamic State 'secondary priority' for Saudi Arabia? Riyadh is preoccupied with the military campaign in Yemen; Velayati tells Lebanese officials there will be no deal on Assad; the Turkish opposition party is under attack ahead of June 7 elections. Saudi Arabia
Why Saudi Arabia's Yemen war is not producing victory Saudi Arabia is seen as having jumped into the war in Yemen without having thought out the consequences for itself, the United States and the struggle against the Islamic State. Saudi Arabia
Minister warns of Libya's division Al-Monitor interviewed the Libyan undersecretary of the Information Ministry, Haitham al-Hadi Kamouka, who talked about some countries’ attempts to divide Libya into three states. Legacy: Gulf
Did Ya'alon cave in to settler pressure? Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon revoked his decision to separate Palestinian and Israeli bus passengers traveling to the territories following an international outcry about apartheid, as well as harsh criticism in Israel. Palestine
Turkish navy outlines 2033 vision The Turkish navy aims at becoming a major global force by 2033. Turkey
Cairo scrambles to restart Entebbe negotiations The latest developments relating to the Entebbe Agreement underscore the disputes surrounding the controversial pact, such as its importance in terms of guaranteeing Egypt’s right to the Nile water and its impact on international relations. Egypt
Shifting tides in PA-EU relationship Since the Vatican recognized the state of Palestine, Palestinians are hoping more European states will follow suit. Palestine
