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
Iraqi deputy prime minister: 'I was mistaken' in joining government In an interview with Al-Monitor, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq speaks about the roots of the crisis in Iraq and stresses the need for a political solution. Iraq
Hamas denies link to murders of Israeli students A senior Palestinian officer working on the case of the murdered Israeli settlers said it was likely that they were killed shortly after being kidnapped. Palestine
The false 'Awakening' model to deal with ISIS in Iraq Given past experiences, the Iraqi government will likely face difficulties persuading armed Sunni groups to separate from the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Iraq
Russia banks on Syrian unity As Moscow grapples with the changes in the region, it continues to support an inclusive peace process in Syria. Iraq
Christians displaced again by Iraqi violence Thousands of Christians have fled from Mosul to Iraqi Kurdistan after ISIS took control of the city. Iraq
Was Israeli public misled on abductions? A full recording of one of the murdered youth's emergency call to Israeli police has led to speculation that Israeli government leaders believed the students were murdered soon after their kidnapping. Palestine
Hamas committed to unity deal despite Israeli pressure Hamas believes Israel is trying to exploit the murders of three settlers in the West Bank to destroy the Palestinian reconciliation deal. Palestine
Palestinian unity may not survive fallout from Israeli youth murders Both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas leaders are warning the reconciliation deal might collapse, as pressure from Israel mounts after the death of three Israeli teen settlers. Palestine
Hebron branch of rogue Hamas wing has dark history The abduction and killing of the three Israeli students is not the first terrorist incident associated with the Hebron-based group. Palestine
ISIS should be catalyst for new Middle East alliance The author, who served as a minister in several Israeli governments and as a brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces, makes the case for an Israel-Saudi Arabia-Egypt alliance, anchored in an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. Saudi Arabia
Netanyahu silent on right-wing calls to avenge youths Unlike former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who called for restraint after the Dolphinarium terror attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not silenced his far-right ministers who are calling to avenge the murder of the three youths. Palestine
Iraq's Assyrian Christians fear ISIS threat to heritage Assyrian Christian community leaders tell Al-Monitor that the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has not yet destroyed ancient Assyrian and Christian artifacts in Mosul. Iraq
![Sparrows sit on crosses at St. Matthew's monastery on Mount Maqloub, northeast of Mosul in Northern Iraq, some 400 km northwest of Baghdad January 7, 2004. [The Assyrian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated today with reference to the Julian calendar, which has a difference of two weeks to the Gregorian calendar.] - RTXMDTW](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/07/RTXMDTW.jpg/RTXMDTW.jpg?h=c2c5b897&itok=ZmuHqKvk)
