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
Jabhat al-Nusra and Hezbollah In First Confrontation For the first time in the 23-month-old Syrian civil war, Jabhat al-Nusra and Hezbollah have been involved in direct confrontations, writes Jean Aziz. Lebanon
World Powers Blinked First In Iran Nuclear Talks Alon Ben David writes that the outcome of the nuclear talks in Kazakhstan has put the option of an Israeli attack back on the agenda in Jerusalem. Israel
Fear of Islamic Extremism Brings Eastern Churches Closer There are growing links between the various churches of Eastern Christianity, driven by what they see as the threats to Christianity in the Middle East as a result of the Arab Spring, writes Nasser Chararah. Lebanon
Gaza Sees Rise in Violence, Crime Violence and lawlessness are on the rise in Gaza, reports Hazem Balousha. Palestine
Israeli Authorities Mostly Ignore Settler Attacks on Palestinian Village The inhabitants of the Palestinian village of Qusra are regularly attacked by the Israeli settlers from nearby settlements, with the Israeli authorities doing little to help, reports Naela Khalil. Palestine
Syrian Kurdish Militia Takes Over Oil Fields Syrian Kurdish groups have seized control of several key oil fields, provoking concerns among the Syrian opposition and Turkey about the coming division of Syria, writes Wladimir van Wilgenburg. Syria
Israel: From Kitchenette to Octet Akiva Eldar wonders why women in Israel are excluded from all focal points of crucial decision-making. Israel
Finance Minister's Resignation Escalates Iraqi Crisis Mustafa al-Kadhimi asks whether Iraq’s politicians have abandoned negotiations to exploit the ongoing protests for electoral gains. Iraq
Palestinians, Activists Protest Israeli Settlement in Hebron Nowhere are Israeli settlement policies more evident and combustible than in the Palestinian city of Hebron, Daoud Kuttab writes. Palestine
Israeli Settler Dedicated His Life to Peace Rabbi Menachem Froman, who died March 5, believed that only religious leaders could resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as Shlomi Eldar recalls. Israel
Ahmadinejad’s Budget Is About Iran’s Elections Iranian President Ahmadinejad has proposed a budget that empowers the president’s office and shows that he is still up for a political battle in his final months in office, writes Mohammad Ali Shabani. Iran
Misunderstanding Israeli Missile Defense Despite the Israeli consensus on missile defense, the core of Israeli strategy remains an offensive deterrent posture, writes Jean-Loup Samaan. Israel
