All Middle East
Protesters scale US embassy walls in Cairo over prophet 'insult'Protesters reacted angrily to Egyptian media reports of a film produced in the US that mocks the prophet Muhammad.
Questions grow over Iran's influence in IraqAs Tariq al-Hashemi's death sentence heightens sectarian tensions in Iraq, Shiite Iran's role there is getting more attention, including a potential clerical succession struggle in Najaf.
Killing Yemen Al Qaeda's No. 2 is no death blow to the groupThe death of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula No. 2 Said al-Shihri is only a setback for the group, which also recently lost its foothold in southern Yemen.
FocusSyria's rebel fighters vow no mercy for their own pro-regime family membersFree Syrian Army fighters told the Monitor that bringing down President Assad trumps family ties, and that they are willing to fight, or even kill, brothers and cousins fighting for the regime.
- FocusMy daily commute - into war-torn Syria
With part of the Syrian-Turkish border firmly under rebel control, Monitor reporter Tom Peter was able to travel into Syria daily to report, returning to Turkey each night to file stories.
FocusThe uneasy normal of 'Free Syria'The territory between the northern city of Aleppo and the Turkish border is firmly under rebel control, but aerial attacks from the Syrian Army leave residents far from safe.
Fed up, West Bank Palestinians tell leaders to fix the economyThe Palestinian Authority is on what observers say may be its shakiest ground yet as it faces a monthly $100 million shortfall and a population floundering amid economic hardship.
Fresh from the inside, Syrian Army defectors say rebels have an edgeFormer Syrian Army soldiers now fighting with the rebels say government troops are well armed but demoralized, and that soldiers are increasingly conflicted about fighting for the regime.
Losing ground to Islamists, Tunisia's liberal parties get in the charity gameIslamist parties have long provided social services and charity to gain public support. Now Tunisia's struggling liberal parties are taking a cue from them for political survival.
Israel faces off with African migrants on Egyptian borderA weeklong standoff between a group of Eritreans seeking entry to Israel and a get-tough Israeli government policy on African migrants ended today with the deportation of most of the Eritreans.
Russian nuclear support for Iran limited by distrustRussia has trained hundreds of Iranian nuclear scientists and blocked international action against Tehran. But beneath the surface, there is profound distrust.
In 'Free Syria,' the opposition tries its hand at being the bossIn the small section of northern Syria now beyond government control, the local opposition is filling the power vacuum, ensuring people are fed and that criminals stand trial.
Hamas: An Islamist party tries to regain its lusterLiving conditions in Gaza have deteriorated under Hamas rule, potentially leaving the Islamist militant group on the hook for rampant unemployment and other societal problems.
- World Hijab Day: Muslims debate where the headscarf belongs
The holiday comes just after a woman anchor appeared on Egyptian State TV wearing the hijab for the first time.
Free Syrian Army battles surplus of fighters and shortage of gunsThe outgunned Free Syrian Army is scrounging for weapons to arm the large number of volunteers coming forward to fight for the opposition.
Bahrain activist verdicts send tough message on protestAn appeals court in Bahrain upheld life sentences for eight of 20 activists who helped drive last year's reform protests. Talks have started with some opposition groups, but expectations are low.
Bomb Iran? Why 5 top Israeli figures don't want to do it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threat of a unilateral strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, supported by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, has sparked an unusually public debate in Israel about the wisdom of the move. While nearly all of those involved seem to agree that Iran poses a serious nuclear threat, they disagree about the timing and method of best countering that threat.
Islam, politics, and women's rights: the view from the post-revolution Muslim world The Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project polled citizens of select, predominantly Muslim countries this spring about how best to blend Islam, politics, and respect for women's rights. This summer, Gallup did a separate survey on similar issues. Here are highlights from the results.
With Migron outpost evacuation, Israeli settlers lose the battle – but not the warIsraeli peace activists are celebrating this week's Supreme Court order to evacuate the Migron outpost, but the settler population continues to expand in the background of such standoffs.
In rebel-held 'Free Syria,' regime planes still terrorizePresident Assad's ground troops are nowhere to be seen in the rebel-held territory they call "Free Syria." But without a no-fly zone, civilians, like those today in Al-Bab, find themselves constantly vulnerable to aerial assaults.
