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
IRGC vows revenge after Israeli attack Iranian military commanders say that the Israeli strike against a Hezbollah convoy in Syria will not deter them. Israel
Should Israel protect Jewish Diaspora or its own citizens? Israel must concentrate on protecting its own citizens, in spite of the risks for the Jews of the world, focusing on military targets and not potential reprisals against Jewish targets outside its borders. Israel
Egypt uses church to bolster ties with Ethiopia Egypt is taking advantage of the rapprochement between the Ethiopian and Egyptian Coptic churches in negotiations over the Renaissance Dam, although some criticize the church’s involvement in politics, especially since Ethiopia is moving forward with the dam’s construction. Egypt
Hezbollah's three options on Israel The Lebanese Shiite group has only a few options for responding to the Israeli strike against it in Syria and wants to be careful not to cause an expansion of the conflict onto Lebanese territory. Israel
Turkey's 'pink prison' LGBT organizations strongly oppose a prison being built for LGBT inmates, who often end up in solitary confinement for reasons of security, which is illegal. Turkey
Gaza bombings deepen Hamas-Fatah rift Fatah believes Hamas is behind the recent spate of explosions in the Gaza Strip in an effort to add pressure on the Palestinian unity government. Palestine
Israeli Bedouin call for inquiry over police conduct In an interview with Al-Monitor, Talal al-Krenawi, mayor of the Bedouin town Rahat, accuses the Israeli police of using unnecessary force in riots that erupted over the past two days instead of trying to calm the situation. Israel
Israel anticipates Hezbollah's reaction Israeli security experts estimate that although Hezbollah is not interested in raising tensions with Israel, it will respond to the Jan. 18 attack on its convoy, either in the Golan Heights or against Israeli targets abroad. Israel
Decentralization of powers weakens IS The Islamic State leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is forced to limit his movements while relying on primitive means of communication, which weakens the organization. Iraq
Children freeze to death in Aleppo refugee camp At least four children have died from the cold in the Bab al-Salameh camp in the Aleppo countryside as supplies run low for Syria’s internally displaced. Syria
Amid nuclear talks, Iran still trying to swap prisoners US officials say there is no equivalence between Americans detained in Iran and Iranians jailed in the United States, and that the issue is separate from slow-moving nuclear talks. Iran
Hope for Libya after first round of talks After months of painful lobbying, the UN’s special envoy to Libya, Bernardino Leon, managed to get opposing sides to the negotiating table, with Libya’s main warring factions declaring a cease-fire to give the talks a chance. Libya
