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
Was shoot down of Syrian plane linked to Turkish elections? Is it possible to disentangle the shooting down of a Syrian plane on March 23 from the Turkish local elections on March 30? Syria
US takes selective offense against Israeli defense minister The United States reacts with outrage to Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s criticism of US policy, but is silent about Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman’s delegitimization of 1.6 million Arab citizens. Palestine
Iraqi Shiite militants return from Syria, aggravating security crisis Some Iraqis now worry that Shiite militants who are fighting alongside the regime in Syria will eventually return to Iraq once the Syrian crisis is over, a situation some fear might aggravate the security situation in Iraq. Iraq
Syria’s victory in Yabrud may be game changer At least for now, the recapture of Yabrud by Syrian government forces appears to have tilted the military and political balance in favor of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Israel
Lebanon needs drastic steps to avoid bankruptcy After the growth rate of the public debt and the slow economic growth have reached alarming levels, the new Lebanese government must restore economic confidence in the country. Lebanon
Saudi Arabia cracks down on Twitter The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has turned its attention to political dissent on Twitter. Legacy: Gulf
Look for more assertive Russia in Middle East Unless there is a de-escalation of the crisis over Crimea, the Obama administration could expect to deal with a Russian president more willing to challenge US interests in the Middle East. Palestine
Lebanese factions seek unity against terrorism threat After the new Lebanese government secures parliament’s official blessing, it may have the political cover to act militarily to address troubling security problems. Lebanon
Hamas seeks to retain Saudi ties despite Brotherhood ban Hamas is hoping to escape the anti-Brotherhood wave sweeping the Gulf and is trying to stay on good terms with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
US-Russia confrontation could drift to Mideast The question is whether Iran, Egypt, or Saudi Arabia, in particular, will change their policies in the context of the US-Russia standoff. Saudi Arabia
Israeli Labor MP slams Lapid as 'crony capitalist' In an interview with Al-Monitor, Labor Knesset member Merav Michaeli refreshes Israelis' minds about the Palestinian eagerness to reach an agreement and the European Union that offered Israel a relationship package which did not make it to the press, unlike the boycott talks. Palestine
Hakim warns about politicization of Iraqi army In an interview with Al-Monitor, the head of the Islamic Supreme Council Ammar al-Hakim speaks about his conceptions for the Iraqi state and says that the Anbar crisis cannot be solved via a military solution. Iraq
