All Middle East
Iraq: Suicide attack kills at least 47 south of BaghdadAmong the dead were 39 civilians in the attack at a security checkpoint. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State.
FocusFrom IRA to Islamists, former radicals unite to become a force for peaceOnce in groups ranging from US white supremacists to Irish nationalists to European Islamists, these ex-extremists have formed a network to support each other as they try to help people avoid the errors they made.
Turkish police take over country's largest newspaperRights groups and European officials condemned Turkish police's takeover of the newspaper, seeing it as proof the government silences dissident views.
Afghan Taliban refuse peace talks with government. Why?The Taliban in Afghanistan said they will not participate in a peace process with the Afghan government until other countries stop attacking them and leave the country.
Without a Plan B, Syria truce is holding despite its flawsBoth sides are alleging violations in the Syria truce, for which there appear to be no consequences. But overall the violence has been dramatically reduced.
What's the model for change in Iranian politics? Be patient.President Hassan Rouhani's bloc won a decisive election victory last month but any change will likely be incremental, to the frustration of reformers.聽
Could Saudi pressure tip Lebanon's political balance?Saudi Arabia has lost patience with a country where Iran-backed Hezbollah holds an effective veto.
Jewish or democratic? A textbook battle for Israel's soul.Israeli educators and academics are alleging that right-wing religious political appointees have meddled in a revision of a high school civics textbook to water down discussion of democracy.
UN chief: Syria cease-fire holding despite some fighting, accusationsThe cease-fire has significantly reduced violence across the war-ravaged country, bringing some respite to civilians, particularly from airstrikes.
Iran election surprise: How moderates gained groundA moderate-reformist coalition supportive of President Rouhani overcame disqualifications, a media blackout, and other impediments to chip away at the power of Iran's hard-liners.
Baghdad death toll up to 73 after ISIS market bombingThe market bombings in Sadr City were the deadliest attack in a wave of explosions that targeted other commercial areas in and outside Baghdad on Sunday and brought the day's overall death toll to 92.
Early election results point to gains for Iran's moderatesA victory for reformists would be a boost for President Hassan Rouhani, who championed the Iranian nuclear deal in the face of hard-line opposition.
Syria cease-fire: What happened on Day OneA US and Russian-brokered cease-fire brought calm to some parts of Syria for the first time in years on Saturday. But the Islamic State launched several attacks.聽
Egypt's other uprising: Start-up companies are flourishingDespite a struggling economy and political repression, some Egyptians find that creating a business is a way to work toward a positive future.
Voting extended as Iranians crowd polling stations in crucial electionIranians are electing a new parliament and a clerical body that could pick the country's next supreme leader. On the streets of Tehran, anticipation mixes with skepticism.聽
Iran election: Why youth are voting despite muted expectations of changeThe much-sought-after constituency in Friday's elections sees little chance of dislodging hard-liners, but say President Rouhani has made their lives better.聽
Will lifting of nuclear sanctions on Iran help cash-strapped Hezbollah?Any Iranian relief for Hezbollah will only partly address its client's needs. The militia's support for Syria's Assad is costly, and the US is trying to clamp down on its finances.
On Gaza's border, potato farmers hope to lay groundwork for peaceEven as tensions rise along the Gaza-Israel frontier, potato farmers from both sides are discussing ways to bolster the Palestinians' vital agriculture sector.
While questions remain, US and Russia agree on Syria cease-fire planThe truce will not cover the Islamic State group, the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, and any other militias designated as terrorist organizations by the UN Security Council.
Kerry says Syria ceasefire imminent as car bombs explode in HomsBoth sides in Syria's civil war are closer to a ceasefire than ever before, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday. His remarks came amid an attack that killed dozens in Homs.聽
