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
'Dirty deal' finances settlements, instead of Israel's south In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Stav Shafir blames coalition members in the concocting of a ''dirty deal'' where money will go to settlements instead of the southern localities. Israel
Jihadists coordinate on Tunisian-Algerian border Tunisia and Algeria are coordinating to confront the terror threat emanating along their border, as jihadists gain strength from the Libyan crisis. Algeria
Lebanon a safe haven but Middle Eastern Christians still at risk The arrival of Iraqi Christians in Lebanon is significant, as the country has historically been considered a safe haven for Christians in the Levant, and requires considerable diplomatic support from religious and political authorities in the region. Iraq
Barrel bombs pummel Anbar Analysts say the Iraqi government is pursuing a scorched-earth policy, using barrel bombs to regain control of cities it lost to terrorist organizations. Iraq
Is Hamas' tunnel network still intact? Hamas officials tell Al-Monitor that while Israel inflicted a blow to the tunnel network along the border, their main strategic tunnels are still operational. Palestine
Time for Obama to justify his Nobel Peace Prize Once November’s elections for Congress are over, the Obama administration will begin its final governing quarter, which would be the last term for the president to pressure Israel and the Palestinians back into negotiations, and earn his Nobel Prize. Palestine
Iraqi Kurds accuse local Arabs of supporting IS Iraqi Kurds say many local Arabs aided the Islamic State in their recent offensives against Kurdish forces. Iraq
In their own words: IDF reservists on war, politics Four IDF reserve soldiers speak to Al-Monitor about going to war as adults, with families to worry about and with more complex political and societal views than those of many young regular soldiers. Israel
IS emerges from radical Islamic jurisprudence The Islamic State and other radical groups found their religious underpinnings in the heart of Islamic teachings. Iraq
Without Hamas, Israelis and Palestinians can find peace It was terrorist attacks by Hamas from the 1990s until today that ruined any chance of reconciliation with Israel. Thus, only when the Palestinian people come out against Hamas will it be possible to talk about peace. Palestine
Egypt may ban Brotherhood supporters from joining army The recent announcement by Egyptian attorney Azeb Makhlouf warning about the recruitment of men affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the Egyptian army has stirred controversy. Egypt
Power outages add to Aleppo’s suffering The electricity network in Aleppo has been severely damaged by the war, with power outages of more than a year in some neighborhoods. Syria
