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
Gay Men in Iran's Military Can Seek Exemption Gay Iranian men desiring exemption from mandatory military service must undergo rigorous physical and medical examinations. Iran
Turkey’s Syrian Kurdish Gamble: A Double Edged Sword Turkey’s efforts to contain Syrian Kurdish autonomy while pursuing peace with its own Kurds could backfire. Syria
US Condemns Jihadist Attacks On Syrian Kurds US follows Russia and Iran in criticizing jihadist attacks on Syrian Kurds. Syria
Rouhani and the Prospects For US-Iran Nuclear Talks Iran's new president will have to balance Iran's domestic politics with its international and regional position in the course of handling nuclear negotiations with the West. Iran
Turkish Pilots Abducted At Gunpoint in Beirut Two Turkish Airlines pilots were kidnapped in Beirut early Friday, Aug. 9, to put pressure on the Turkish government to help release nine Shiite Lebanese hostages in Syria since May 2012. Lebanon
Israel Prepares for Next War With Hezbollah The Israel Defense Forces is watching with concern as Hezbollah improves its military capabilities in Syria. Israel
Is Normalization Possible Before Israel Ends the Occupation? The resumption of peace talks has again raised the question of whether a people-to-people track should be pursued to boost the chances of peace. Palestine
Egypt, Sisi Straddle Past, Present and Future The legacy of former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser hangs over the fate of Egypt and Defense Minister Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Egypt
Control, Halt, Delete: Gulf States Crack Down on Online Critics The Gulf states’ heavy-handed response to online criticism was entirely predictable and shows no signs of abating. Legacy: Gulf
Lebanon-Israel Border Incident Tests UNIFIL-Hezbollah Ties Following the Israeli military’s violation of the UN Blue Line this week, the reactions of both UNIFIL and Hezbollah may provide a litmus test for their relationship. Israel
Middle East Needs 'Win-Win' Approach to Regional Security An approach is overdue for regional security that recognizes the interests of Iran, Israel and all the states of West Asia. Legacy: Gulf
Is There Role for NATO In Israel-Palestine Peace Process? Many “ifs” remain about a NATO role in a final Israeli-Palestinian settlement, if there is one, but the option may be there. Israel
