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
Obama goes big in the Middle East The US-Russia agreement on Syria’s chemical weapons, a possible nuclear deal with Iran, and Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are all signs that the Obama administration may be charting a new course in the region. Palestine
Palestine-Israel talks are a road without a map A freeze on settlements and recognition that the West Bank is occupied territory is necessary to turn the talks into true negotiations. Palestine
Kerry’s words not enough to recast US-Egypt ties In the post-Mubarak era, the United States must deal with “crowd democracy” in Egypt. Egypt
First Egypt-Ethiopia Nile talks end on sour note Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan held tripartite talks on the Renaissance Dam in Khartoum, failing to make progress on their dispute over the Nile. Egypt
Syria's temporary solution As preparations for the Geneva II Syria conference stall, some suggest that a temporary solution could be in the works, aimed at keeping President Bashar al-Assad in office, but without elections. Saudi Arabia
Iraqi Kurdistan more vulnerable to Al-Qaeda attacks The war in Syria, including the spread of radical Islamist terrorists, is spilling over into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Iraq
P5+1 looking for 'quick results' in talks with Iran A top Western diplomat says that if agreement is reached on the end game, initial confidence-building steps would be reversible on both sides. Iran
Turkey’s wall of shame The mayor of Nusaybin, Ayse Gokkan, is a woman on hunger strike against a wall, and the government that interferes with everything doesn’t utter a word. Syria
Lebanese Shiites fear Salafist terrorism during Ashoura This year, the Salafist practice of targeting Shiite Ashoura processions in Iraq may spread to Lebanon. Lebanon
Another Egyptian president on trial A dangerous and profound rift in Egypt will not be healed soon. Egypt
Morsi's trial escalates split in Egypt The violent reactions to the beginning of former President Morsi's trial show that Egypt is in need of a speedy reconciliation. Egypt
