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
Baath spokesman denies alliance with Islamic State The spokesman of the Baath Party, Khodair al-Morshedi, considers the Islamic State (IS) a terrorist organization and denies having any ties with it. Iraq
Hatred of Hamas leaves Egyptians unsympathetic Many Egyptians, upset with Hamas for its alleged support of terrorism against their country, are not expressing much sympathy for the Gaza Strip in its conflict with Israel. Palestine
Was Turkey’s corruption probe a 'coup attempt'? The assertion that the December corruption probe in Turkey was an attempt to bring down the government is a Machiavellian notion that places political goals above the principle of justice. Turkey
Coastal Syrians carry on despite threat of Islamic State Regime supporters along the Syrian coast are confident the Syrian army can triumph and that the Islamic caliphate declared by the Islamic State in eastern parts of the country won’t last. Syria
West Bank clashes intensify amid Gaza war Israel’s war on Gaza, with its heavy civilian casualties, is fueling already tense clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. Palestine
Facebook activists sentenced to prison, lashes in Iran Eight Iranian Facebook activists have been sentenced to prison for terms ranging from eight to 21 years. Iran
Who is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi? Details emerge about the years that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State, spent in Afghanistan. Iraq
US message on enrichment helped open Iran channel Secret US-Iran diplomatic contacts got underway after US President Barack Obama conveyed a message that the United States would be prepared to accept limited Iran enrichment program in a serious nuclear agreement. Iran
Israel considers costs of escalation in Gaza Gaza residents bear the costs of war; Israel weighs its option with Hamas; Al-Monitor interviews Iraqi political leaders; the forgotten war in Syria. Palestine
Hamas' attack on Israel destroys Gaza Hamas rose to power through those in Gaza who wished to better their dire situation, but the movement chose to invest its resources in attacking Israel, ignoring the devastating consequences of its choice on the population. Palestine
Israeli strike kills family having coffee Members of the Hamad family were sitting drinking coffee in front of a relative’s home when an Israeli strike claimed their lives. Palestine
Israel and Hamas' lose-lose situation The current escalation in the Gaza Strip could have been avoided had Israel truly agreed to the two-state solution, thus nullifying the political force of Hamas and its desire to hurt Israel at any cost. Palestine
