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
After Damascus talks, Moscow pressures Syria Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov’s Dec. 10-11 visit to Damascus and increased contact with Turkey signal a shift in Russian-Syrian relations as Moscow looks for a political solution. Lebanon
PA all talk, no action on Abu Ein’s death The PA’s tough statements in the aftermath of Ziad Abu Ein’s death appear nothing more than hot air, as it has refused to follow through with its threats to cut security coordination with Israel or accelerate steps to join international conventions. Palestine
Mothers of missing Syrians look for answers Thousands of Syrians remain missing, either abducted by armed groups or held in government prisons, leaving their anguished families distraught. Syria
Iran warned Australia about Sydney attacker Sydney hostage-taker Man Haron Monis had long been wanted by Iran for fraud. Iran
Shiites, Sunnis unite to denounce and condemn extremists The recent surge of Islamist extremists movements has had a positive effect in uniting Shiite and Sunni clerics, from Tehran to Cairo, to denounce the waves of intolerance and radicalism. Saudi Arabia
Egypt's June 30 coalition loses support Hamdeen Sabahi, a former presidential candidate, is leading a movement to boycott the final stages of the June 30 coalition talks to finalize a road map for Egypt in light of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s newest policies and the acquittal of former President Hosni Mubarak. Egypt
Middle East dictators feed sectarianism To assess why the Arab world is increasingly torn apart by violence in the name of sectarian identity and solidarity, we must focus on the abysmal strategies of patron-client dictatorships and economic inequality. Legacy: Gulf
Meshaal: Hamas' West Bank resistance will continue Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told Al-Monitor in an interview that Hamas will continue to develop resistance in the West Bank against the Israeli occupation. Palestine
Egyptians struggle to return to Libya Egyptian nationals would rather go to Libya for the chance to find work than live in poverty in their own country. Egypt
Energy deals may make Turkey irreversibly reliant on Moscow Despite the celebratory sentiment in Ankara after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit, Turkey’s energy dependence on Russia is bound to further increase with nuclear power plant projects. Turkey
Iran's role in Yemen draws Israel, Saudi Arabia closer The Houthi takeover of the Yemen port city, the tribe's strong ties to Iran and its latest contacts with Palestine Islamic Jihad have both Israel and Saudi Arabia worried. Saudi Arabia
Rajoub: Abu Ein's death will spark uprising, not violence Senior Fatah officials blame Israel for the death of Palestinian Cabinet Minister Ziad Abu Ein, as does Jibril Rajoub, who says that in spite of the death of a “man of peace,” the nonviolent uprising will continue, while Israel fears escalation. Palestine
