All Middle East
Big losers in Israeli election: American political strategistsThe largest parties on both the left and right in Israel relied on US consultants to shape their campaigns, but analysts say foreign advising may no longer be a reliable strategy.聽
Centrists make strong show in Israel, tempering NetanyahuThe strong showing by centrist party Yesh Atid stunned Israeli election pollsters, who had predicted a stronger performance by right-wing parties.
Why Israel's Netanyahu can win without a party platformToday's Israeli election has seen surprisingly little debate on key issues like security and peace. Prime Minister Netanyahu鈥檚 ticket never even bothered to publish a party platform.
Vote seen as referendum on Jordan's gradual reformsJordanians head to the polls tomorrow for parliamentary elections. The opposition is urging a boycott to register dissatisfaction with the extremely gradual pace of democratic reforms.
Arab League encourages Israeli Arabs to get out the voteArab voter turnout in tomorrow鈥檚 elections is expected to drop below 50 percent 鈥� one of the worst showings since 1949. Low turnout would diminish the Arab check on Israel's rightward shift.- Israel offering bonuses to teachers who boost student enlistmentCritics say the plan fuels militarism in the Israeli education system, while proponents say it is necessary for national security.
- Video appears to show Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiites fighting in SyriaThe video's production and open dissemination highlight how fighters outside Syria are jumping into the fray聽鈥� and growing more bold about showing it.
Iran nuclear inspections remain stalled as latest talks with IAEA endThe UN nuclear watchdog and Iranian diplomats were unable to agree on how to allow inspections of the Parchin military base. New talks are set for Feb. 12.
Israeli voters flock to 'brother' Naftali Bennett - but not all his policiesRight-wing politician Naftali Bennett has surged in popularity this election, but it has little to do with his vanguard proposal for annexing most of the West Bank.
Gulf between Israel's female powerhouses highlights country's deepest tensionsA progressive feminist from the left went head-to-head with a hawkish Orthodox Jew from the right in a debate last night 鈥� and they had little in common beyond their gender.
Israeli elections: The 5 candidates steering the debate Israeli elections will be held Jan. 22.- FocusHow much Quran belongs in the classroom?Under an Islamist government, many expect far more religion in the Egyptian curriculum. But the reality of governing has tempered that push.
FocusEgyptians begin to take back their clunker classroomsEgypt's beleaguered educational system has long been run by Cairo, with poor results. Only Mongolia and Honduras rank lower among comparable economies. Egyptians now demand better.
As IAEA arrives in Tehran, Iran braces for full force of US sanctionsUS Treasury sanctions penalizing banks that facilitate financial transactions with Iran go into effect Feb 6. Billions of dollars worth of Iranian money could end up permanently out of Tehran's reach.
Memories of its own civil war dampen Lebanon's desire to help Syrian refugeesLebanese fears about another civil war are stymieing assistance for the 200,000 mostly Sunni Syrians who have fled to Lebanon. Their arrival could destabilize the country's fragile balance.
Israel removes Palestinian protest settlementPalestinians set up the Bab Al-Shams village two days ago in the sensitive E1 area, pointedly mirroring a tactic used by some Israeli settlers to establish facts on the ground.聽
For Saudi Arabia's foreign domestic workers, employers' word is virtually lawThe execution of Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek, accused of strangling a baby she was caring for, highlights the lack of legal protections for foreign domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.
Critics of Likud's new vanguard say party has abandoned founder's idealsFormer Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin was an ardent nationalist 鈥� and a staunch defender of civil rights. Likud critics say today's party is discarding the liberal aspects of Begin's legacy.
Interest in Jordan's parliamentary elections goes up in smokeIn an attempt to placate voters angry about fuel price hikes, Jordan has lowered cigarette prices. But the two moves have overshadowed the key thing: voting in upcoming elections.
Hagel nomination: Israelis ask 'what's the big deal?'While American pro-Israel groups sound the alarm on President Obama's choice of Chuck Hagel for secretary of Defense, Israel itself seems much less concerned.
