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
Building on Iran deal to stem nuclear proliferation Nonproliferation experts hope that an Iran agreement won’t encourage other countries to seek the nuclear fuel cycle and that a decade or more of restrictions on Iran’s program can be used to promote other measures to stem the spread of dangerous technologies and materials. Iran
Yemen war fuels Iraqi sectarianism Operation Decisive Storm has stirred different positions within the Iraqi religious and political circles, be they Sunnis or Shiites. Legacy: Gulf
Yazidis wary amid stalled Sinjar offensive Peshmerga forces near the front line in Sinjar await KRG President Massoud Barzani's orders to advance on the Islamic State. Iraq
Israeli penalties threaten security cooperation with PA Some senior Palestinian Authority officials are calling to cut off security cooperation with Israel in response to punitive measures such as deducting debts from the recently unfrozen tax revenues. Palestine
Egypt’s antiquities under constant threat Archaeologists complain of a devastating and ongoing security failure as violations of Egypt’s most famous sites continue. Egypt
Radicalized Western mothers lead children into Islamic State Many Western women have joined the Islamic State, often bringing their children along with them to Syria, where they train and go to school. Syria
Iran official: framework deal welcomed Senior officials in Iran told Al-Monitor that Iran and the United States ensured the framework deal was one that served their own interests first and foremost. Iran
Will Iranian nuclear deal impact Lebanon? Although historically a change in regional dynamics has aided the political stalemate in Lebanon, it remains unclear whether this latest breakthrough will help the country elect a president. Saudi Arabia
Hamas treads carefully with support for Yemen war Hamas’ stance on the war in Yemen may redraw the map of its political alliances in the region, repositioning itself toward the so-called Sunni axis. Saudi Arabia
Differences emerge in US, Iran interpretations of nuclear deal The statements issued by Iran and the United States after the Lausanne agreement have important discrepancies on key issues that need to be resolved before the June 30 deadline. Iran
IRGC supports nuclear framework deal The head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has thrown his support behind Iran's nuclear negotiators and the framework deal announced on April 2, despite expressing doubts about the United States. Congress
Israel, Republicans clash with Obama over Iran deal Israeli officials reject the US assumption by which a deal with Iran would draw it closer to the West and assist in resolving other Middle East conflicts. Israel
