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
Egypt takes hard line against student protests The Egyptian government continues to take tough measures against student protests, warning it will continue to use security forces to quell unrest in university campuses. Egypt
Now is the time to engage Iran on human rights On International Human Rights Day, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a former Maldivian foreign minister, is ready to work with the government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for the benefit of Iran’s citizens. Iran
Kurdish peace process is on knife edge — again Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) members kidnapped four Turkish soldiers on Sunday only to release them early Monday; this has caused people to question the progress of talks with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. Iraq
Netanyahu worries about US reset in region If Iran is no longer a diplomatic taboo, could Hamas and Hezbollah be next for Washington? Palestine
Kerry has reason for optimism on Israeli-Palestinian talks The US secretary of state's optimism over the Israeli-Palestinian talks is reasonable, considering their current goals: Right now, the sides are mapping out the points of disagreement, something they may well accomplish. Palestine
Omani rejection of GCC union adds insult to injury for Saudi Arabia The Omani stance may force the kingdom to pause in its regional policies. Saudi Arabia
Arab-Israeli peace academy honors Mandela's legacy Sharon Stone, Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, former Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Alaa and peace activist Uri Savir work together in the spirit of Nelson Mandela's legacy to promote a first-of-its-kind young leadership Arab-Israeli peace academy. Palestine
Is US letting down allies in Lebanon with Iran deal? There is a growing belief among traditional US allies in Lebanon that the recent Iranian nuclear deal will be at their expense. Saudi Arabia
Are jihadists coming to the West Bank? The recent deaths of three Palestinian men in Hebron has sparked a local debate on the presence of Salafist jihadism in the West Bank. Palestine
Jordan's Daraa problem The battle against Salafists in Daraa, Syria, is becoming a shared interest between Damascus and Amman. Jordan
Iran and the nuclear agreement: Trust but verify Three senior former diplomats from the United States and Iran write that the interim agreement with Iran can lead to progress not only on the nuclear file but also in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Saudi Arabia
Pioneering woman starts Arab Israeli news site Ghada Zoabi, founder of Bokra, the first daily news site for Israeli Arabs, launches a cooperation project between her e-paper and an Israeli lifestyle online magazine. Israel
