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
Saudi coalition in Yemen condemns separatists’ declaration of self-rule The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen rejected the Southern Transitional Council's declaration of self-rule in the strategic port city of Aden. Saudi Arabia
Israel bombs Iran-backed forces near Syrian capital The attack, launched from over Lebanese airspace, killed both fighters and civilians. Israel
Dubai malls open, but residents reluctant to shop The government of Dubai has eased some pandemic restrictions for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. United Arab Emirates
Palestinian woman leads fight against coronavirus, while others fall victim to domestic violence Women are taking the lead in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak in the Palestinian territories, while at the same the virus has brought more violence and suffering to some women. Palestine
Iraqi soldiers search for IS along Tigris River Iraqi army soldiers look for IS fighters in Samarra, where IS has been active during the coronavirus lockdown in the country. Iraq
Women, children face increased risk of abuse during Mideast lockdowns No COVID-19 furlough for imprisoned Iranian women’s rights activists; Interreligious, LGBT couples struggle to connect; Yemen’s cease-fire gets a second chance. Saudi Arabia
Saudi-led coalition in Yemen extends unilateral truce by one month The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen has announced it's extending a cease-fire another month to allow for UN-brokered negotiations as well as efforts to control the novel coronavirus outbreak. Yemen
Concerns over coronavirus in prisons push Israel-Hamas deal forward With Hamas concerned about a coronavirus outbreak in Gaza and Israel concerned about overcrowding in its prisons, the pandemic offers a unique opportunity to reach a prisoner exchange deal. Palestine
Israel weighs strategic implications of coronavirus crisis Israeli intelligence is unsure whether the pandemic will ease tensions with neighboring countries or do just the opposite. Palestine
Syrian Kurds investigate fate of detained, kidnapped Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria have launched an initiative to determine what has happened to the forcibly disappeared and those detained by the various parties to the conflict in Syria. Syria
Do US and Iranian navies need a hotline in the Gulf? In the absence of direct US-Iran diplomacy, a navy-to-navy communication channel might prevent an unwanted confrontation. United States
Iran claims US started latest Persian Gulf confrontation In today's Iran media review, the IRGC alleges the United States started the latest incident in the Persian Gulf and threatens to target US ships if Washington targets Iran's. United States
