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
Russia turns to soft power in the Middle East While Russia is most commonly seen as a hard power state, regional developments since the Arab Spring have positioned it as a soft power force. Russia
Israel's Gaza-war soul-searching Those in the Arab world who claim that Israel lost many wars mistakenly perceive the democratic process of auto-criticizing and evaluating misjudgments during the war as admission of defeat. Palestine
Bedouin honor IDF service, mourn fallen soldiers Bedouin youths continue to demonstrate their commitment to Israel by enlisting, despite growing tensions with Jewish society as the demolition of Bedouin homes continues. Israel
Jordan focuses on IS fight while Gulf allies pull back Jordan's King Abdullah expresses strong differences from many of his allies on how best to deal with the Islamic State, fighting regional terrorism, developments in Syria and US Middle East policy. Saudi Arabia
Tunisia’s new government shifts foreign policy The Tunisian Foreign Ministry’s announcement that it would send a consul to Syria has been refuted by the president as the new government reconfigures Tunisia’s regional alliances. Syria
Morocco, Algeria compete over Libya Morocco may be exploiting Algerian weaknesses to raise the stature of its foreign diplomacy by hosting the UN-sponsored dialogue between the conflicting Libyan parties. North Africa
Controversy surrounds alleged violations by Shiite forces in Tikrit Contradictory assertions have Iraqis divided on whether members of the Popular Mobilization Units are guilty of allegations that they looted and destroyed property in Tikrit during and after the city's liberation from the Islamic State. Iraq
The Kremlin's unexpected decisions Moscow’s current Middle East policy is characterized by, among other things, maintaining a strong focus on bilateral relations, striving to diversify or to develop relations with states that are at conflict and wishing to play a mediating role in conflict situations without claiming a monopoly or opposing other players, in particular the United Nations. Russia
Syria agrees to return highly enriched uranium to China The recent decision by Syria to modify a small HEU-fueled research reactor will advance the possibility of a Middle East free of the civilian use of weapons-grade uranium. Syria
Lebanese army advances to secure border The Lebanese army has received a substantial arms shipment from the United States, allowing it to advance against terrorist groups in the mountainous border regions. Lebanon
Shiite militias' role in Anbar fight unclear Although Shiite militia forces were withdrawn from the fight for Ramadi, they remain present and active in other areas of Anbar province. Iraq
The human cost of Yemen's war As the war on the streets of Yemen is raging, 5,000 Yemenis remain stuck abroad, while those inside are suffering and on the brink of facing a major humanitarian crisis with no solution in sight. Yemen
