All Middle East
Syria holds an election despite months of fightingThe election is the first multiparty poll since Syria's new constitution was adopted in February. But early voting appeared thin as the opposition refused to participate.
Iraq's unity tested by rising tensions over oil-rich Kurdish regionAs Iraqi Kurdistan ramps up oil production that could soon surpass Libya's output, Kurdish leaders have warned they may seek independence if disputes over oil revenues, power-sharing aren't resolved.
Hunger intifada? Palestinian prisoners wield new-old tool against Israel.As many as half of the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have followed the example of Khader Adnan, whose 66-day hunger strike became something of a cause célèbre earlier this year.
Ayatollah Khamenei gives Iran nuclear talks unprecedented legitimacyIran's supreme leader appears much more involved in current nuclear negotiations, meaning that any deal struck will not face resistance back in Iran. But he's also likely to press for a harder line.
Egypt's military could hand over power this monthAfter protest clashes, the military sought to reassure all parties that it will hand over power to a civilian president. The first round of elections is May 23-24.
Is the Palestinian Authority really a 'fig leaf' for Israeli occupation?That's the charge of Yossi Beilin, Israeli architect of the Oslo accords. In an interview with the Monitor, he defends his recent call for the PA to be dissolved – 19 years after he helped set it up.
New kind of Israeli politician? Yair Lapid doesn't talk about Iran, PalestiniansYair Lapid, a hunky former TV news columnist, has fashioned himself as the everyman of a new generation of Israelis. But he faces tough competition from incumbent Netanyahu.
Syrian uprising shifts toward suicide bombings. Al Qaeda's handiwork?Today's suicide bombings in Syria's Idlib province come just three days after a suicide bombing in Damascus claimed by a salafi jihadist organization.
Early Israeli elections? What it would mean for US, IranIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled on Sunday for the first time that he is liable to move up Israel’s elections from next year to this year.
- Violence abates as UN observers visit Syrian battlefield of Homs
While many analysts discount the chances of the UN peace plan working, visits by UN observers are showing some sign of temporarily reducing the violence.
Yemen's President Hadi surprises pessimists with moves toward reformTwo months into office, the longtime deputy of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh has sacked numerous Saleh appointees and shaken up the military leadership.
Rare success story for Egypt's revolution: ending military trialsAfter the revolution, some 12,000 Egyptians faced military trials, which were as short as five minutes and denied them basic rights. But a grass-roots group intervened, with surprising success.
- What's the Israel-Azerbaijan connection?
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's visit to Azerbaijan underscores growing ties, including a $1.6 billion Israeli deal to supply Iran's neighbor with a wide range of military equipment.
Syria: Why only 15 UN observers on the ground so far?The UN says it will take a month to get the full 300-member observer mission on the ground, due to logistical difficulties. The delay could scuttle UN envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan.
Iran's cyber prowess: Could it really have cracked drone codes?Iran claims it hacked into the data banks of a captured CIA stealth drone. US officials dismiss it as 'bluster,' but aviation and cyber experts say it's possible.
- Israel bans a textbook promoting Arab rights as 'unbalanced'
Israel's Education Ministry approved the textbook, 'Taking the Civil Road,' just last year but now says it has factual errors. Critics see the ban as part of a broader nationalistic push.
Assad's actions in Syria spur US to consider interveningThe ongoing violence in Syria, despite the regime's lip service to the Annan peace plan, has pushed the Obama administration to weigh stronger steps.
FocusBahrain F1 race: How a Sunni backlash kept an uprising at bayThe Formula One race in Bahrain today has put the spotlight back on an uprising here that has faltered due to sectarian distrust.
Iran's Parchin complex: Why are nuclear inspectors so focused on it?The IAEA's determination to gain access to Parchin, an Iranian military complex that may hold clues to past weapons-related work, is unusual and could jeopardize its credibility.
Political faultlines abound as Egypt returns to Tahrir SquareProtests in Cairo today were ostensibly focused on Egypt's military rulers. But the division between protesters, as the country heads towards presidential elections, was the real tale.
