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
Egypt sees al-Azhar as key to Africa Egypt is seeking to reinvigorate its role on the African continent and restore its influence through missions by al-Azhar clerics. Egypt
Palestinian government allows entry of Israeli goods into Gaza The Palestinian government has said that the decision is a temporary measure made necessary by the destruction to factories during the last Gaza war. Palestine
Is Hamas planning a strike from Lebanon's refugee camps? A senior Hamas leader's call to open new fronts against Israel from Lebanon was neither confirmed nor denied by the movement, raising questions about the possibility of forming cells on the ground. Palestine
Does Iran really control Yemen? Statements by Iranian officials about the importance of the rise of Houthis in Yemen demonstrates that Iran would like to give the perception that there is a new member of the axis of resistance. Yemen
Khamenei agrees with Congress: no deal better than a bad deal While there's talk of a preliminary deal in March, Iran's supreme leader says he is opposed to a multistep agreement. Iran
Hollande-PYD meeting challenges Erdogan French President Francois Hollande, by hosting at Elysee Palace two Kurdish female leaders from Kobani, sends a strong message to Ankara. Syria
Congress eyes military aid boost for Jordan Key House members are seeking to expedite the delivery of precision weapons to fight the Islamic State. Jordan
Bennett, Liberman battle for defense portfolio The next Israeli defense minister, be it Moshe Ya'alon, Avigdor Liberman or Naftali Bennett, will have to cope, together with new IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, with a new reality in which Hezbollah targets Israel from the Syrian border. Israel
Shiite faithful defy danger to visit shrines Shiites continue to risk their lives to visit their shrines, not only for religious purposes but also because they represent the sacrifices their ancestors endured under Sunni oppression. Iraq
Hamas, Dahlan share rivalry toward Abbas Although officials say relations between former Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan and Hamas are limited to aid provided by Dahlan to the Palestinians in Gaza, the shared enmity toward President Mahmoud Abbas shows otherwise. Palestine
Palestinians rush to condemn murder of Jordanian pilot Right after the gruesome killing of the Jordanian pilot, Jordan’s TV broadcast the Palestinian imam’s condemnation of the crime, which indicates a rapprochement between Palestinians and Jordanians. Palestine
Kurds reject proposed rival force in Kirkuk The law to establish the National Guard forces in Iraq raised the ire of Kurds in northern Iraq who would rather remain in full control of their areas. Iraq
