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
Global jihad benefits from Gaza crisis As Arab states do little to intervene in Gaza, militant jihadism continues to spread throughout the region. Palestine
Who fired the rockets from Lebanon? The group who fired two rockets into Israel is unknown, but the Lebanese army is tracking a suspect who may resolve the mystery. Palestine
Turkey’s LGBT fight uphill but not hopeless battle While Turkey’s LGBT community faces significant challenges, events such as this year’s Gay Pride Parade in Istanbul and Turkey’s first transsexual beauty pageant indicate small yet significant steps are being made to secure LGBT rights. Turkey
Netanyahu, Ya'alon prefer airstrikes over ground attack Lessons learned from the second Lebanon war, international objections and politics are all playing a part in Turkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to postpone a Gaza ground attack. Palestine
Egypt distances itself from Gaza war Egypt is not playing an active role to mediate a cease-fire, as it has done in previous confrontations between Israel and Hamas, suggesting that it might prefer Israel delivering a blow to Hamas. Palestine
Hamas bites the hand that feeds it Israel is aware of the fact that any regime vacuum in the Gaza Strip will draw in more extreme forces, which is why it battles an impossible fight of trying to stop the rocket fire from Gaza while preserving Hamas rule. Palestine
Aleppo rebels caught between Islamic State, regime Rebels in Aleppo say they will struggle to prevent both the Syrian regime forces and a resurgent Islamic State from sweeping through the city and its countryside. Syria
Bomb shelters replace summer camps for Israeli children Children from central and northern Israel are now experiencing what residents of the south have suffered for 13 years: the sounds of the alarms, the running for shelter, the ongoing fear and trauma. Palestine
Looking to take a break, Gazans find beaches a war zone Israeli naval boats are firing at Gaza’s coastline, turning popular Gaza beaches into a war zone. Palestine
Palestinians accuse Israel of war crimes in Gaza Cafes and homes in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed by Israeli bombardment, which local Palestinian activists say constitute war crimes. Palestine
Abbas' lack of action on Gaza war infuriates Hamas Hamas officials have scolded President Mahmoud Abbas for attending a peace conference in Tel Aviv during Israel's assault on Gaza. Palestine
Economic cooperation between Egypt, Ethiopia on the rise In light of the expected visit of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Ethiopia, the Egyptian-Ethiopian committee is working on resuming dialogue on the Renaissance Dam issue. Egypt
