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
Hezbollah: Israeli Strike On Syria Was Also a Strike at Iran Tensions in Lebanon and the region are high amid fears that the Syrian crisis will spread, writes Nasser Chararah. Israel
Mauritania Ready to Join Fight Against Sahel Extremism In reaction to extremist and terrorist activity that threatens to spill across its borders from Mali, the Mauritanian government is joining other regional authorities in the fight against militant radicals, writes Kaci Racelma. Algeria
Each Side of Syrian Conflict Claims Israeli Strike in Its Favor Following the Israeli aerial attacks on Syria, each side of the Syrian crisis questions the intentions behind the seemingly spontaneous offensive by their southern neighbor, writes Jean Aziz. Israel
Turkey Steps Up Criticism of Israel Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted fiercely to Israel’s attack on a Syrian military convoy, accusing Israel of conducting “state terror," writes Tulin Daloglu. Turkey
Salafists Feel Betrayed By Hamas' Moderate Stance Since Hamas took power in 2006, Salafists in Palestine have been disappointed by its reluctance to impose an Islamic emirate, writes Adnan Abu Amer. Palestine
Kirkuk Shines Spotlight On Turkey’s Iraq Policy The recent terrorist bombings in Kirkuk have highlighted Turkey’s interest in protecting the Turkmen community there, while its strong relations with the Kurdistan Regional Government strain its ties with Baghdad, writes Ilnur Cevik. Turkey
Sunni Sheikh Takes Larger Role In Protests Against Maliki Sheikh Abdul Malik al-Saadi has risen over the last two decades from a little-known cleric opposed to the rule of Saddam Hussein to one of Iraq’s most prominent Sunni religious leaders, writes Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Dear Minister Davutoglu, Please Don't Stir Up War Shlomi Eldar writes a personal letter to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, who recently wondered publicly why Assad didn’t respond to the attack on Syria attributed to Israel. Israel
Palestinian Revolutionary Seeks First Visit to Homeland Daoud Kuttab writes about the bid of Nayef Hawatmeh, leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), to visit the occupied Palestinian territories for the first time. Palestine
Lebanese Army Considers the Brink Ali Hashem presents a Lebanese Army officer's insights into the prospect of growing domestic instability and the Syrian conflict's spillover into Lebanon. Lebanon
Suicide Bombing Connected To Turkish Policies on Syria, Iran To the extent Turkey is active in Middle Eastern politics, especially in Syria, and is a party to confrontation with Iran, all the "terror exports" of the Middle East will be heading to the Turkish market, writes Cengiz Candar. Turkey
Netanyahu, Lapid and Syria The reported Israeli attack on an arms convoy in Syria plays into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hands to form a government with Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid and the ultra-Orthodox parties, writes Mazal Mualem. Israel
