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 protests intensify after student death The killing of a student demonstrator is stoking further confrontations between police and protesters. Egypt
Egyptian protesters detained indefinitely Those arrested in the crackdown on supporters of former President Mohammed Morsi face seemingly indefinite incarceration. Egypt
Israel's right of self-defense should not include attacking Iran An Israeli attack on Iran could not be legally justified as self-defense, considering that Iran so far has not breached the NPT, to which Israel is not a signatory. Israel
Israeli defense official slams nuclear deal with 'evil' Iran In an interview with Al-Monitor, Amos Gilad, director of the diplomatic-security bureau of the Israeli Defense Ministry, claims that Iran's acceptance of the recent nuclear deal is just a ploy to continue developing nuclear capabilities. Israel
Allen mission key to Israeli-Palestinian security talks Gen. John Allen, former commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, quietly pursues the security talks required to support an Israeli-Palestinian agreement. Palestine
Israel should freeze the Bedouin relocation bill The Israeli plan to relocate Bedouins cannot be properly discussed before a series of actions to mend the rift between them and Israeli authorities rebuild trust. Israel
Turkish culture popular among Gaza Palestinians Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's support for Palestine, in particular Gaza, has prompted strong interest in Turkish culture among Gazans. Palestine
An Israeli-Saudi axis? Not likely Saudi Arabia has long been willing to work behind the scenes with Israel against common foes, but the kingdom is uninterested in anything more than the occasional clandestine connection. Saudi Arabia
Beirut blast a lesson in terrorism The perpetrators of the Iranian Embassy bombing in Beirut carefully crafted the attack to cause maximum physical and psychological damage. Lebanon
ISIS exploits weak Iraqi, Syrian states Historically targeting non-central parts of the countries in which it operates, al-Qaeda, in the form of ISIS, is taking advantage of prevailing instability in Syria and Iraq to deepen its roots. Iraq
Negotiators must treat Israeli settlements as barriers to peace David Makovsky, the newest member of the US secretary of state's negotiating team, must realize that the settlement enterprise remains an "intentional, clear and winning" Israeli policy. Palestine
US, Iranian influence evolves in Iraq After the Geneva breakthrough on Iran’s nuclear program and the potential for a US-Iran entente, it is worth looking at the role both sides play in an ever-turbulent Iraq. Iraq
