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
Concerns rise over execution of IS militants Captured members of the Islamic State in Iraq are being executed, increasing the possibility of mass killings of civilians and destroying Iraq's future as a unitary state. Iraq
Libyan government wants arms embargo lifted In an interview with Al-Monitor, the spokesman for the interim Libyan government, Hatem al-Oraibi, discusses the need for the international community to lift the embargo imposed on the Libyan army and allow it to fight terrorist groups. Libya
Iran’s Kurds rise up as their leaders remain divided Various Iranian Kurdish groups have split further apart instead of uniting in their struggle to obtain their rights. Syria
Hamas courts Saudis Hamas is seeking a rapprochement with Saudi Arabia to improve its leverage in Palestinian reconciliation talks, which might not please Egypt, which has long brokered the discussions, or Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas. Legacy: Gulf
Al-Qaeda emir's silence prompts suspicion Al-Qaeda's usually outspoken emir, Ayman al-Zawahri, has remained uncharacteristically silent through the course of recent al-Qaeda successes, leading many to question what may come next. Legacy: Gulf
House begins to weigh next steps on Iran A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of May 11. Congress
Turks fear Saudi alliance will drag country into Syria Opposition politicians in Turkey have charged President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with leading Turkey to war in Syria. Legacy: Gulf
King Salman needs total victory in Yemen The new Saudi king must reassure his domestic audience that his aggressive foreign policy will safeguard the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Hamas cracks down on Salafists in Gaza Strip A recent series of arrests shows that despite mediation efforts trying to quell the conflict, animosity between Hamas and Salafists seems to be growing. Palestine
GCC won’t get written defense guarantees at Camp David Former Pentagon official says formal defense treaty with GCC is “not in the cards” at next week’s summit. Legacy: Gulf
Oman breaks from GCC on Yemen conflict Oman sees Saudi Arabia's strategy in Yemen as misguided and dangerous for the Gulf region. Legacy: Gulf
Security services drain Palestine's budget Palestine's security services continue to receive the bulk of the Palestinian Authority’s annual budget, to the detriment of other vital sectors. Palestine
