Promises of reform in two neighbouring mid-east countries: in Yemen, president Ali Abdullah Saleh calls for early elections and says he is committed to a peaceful transfer of power. In Saudi Arabia, king Abdullah has announced that from 2015 women will be allowed to stand and vote in local elections.
Ferguson has mostly been interested in protecting the supply of fossil fuels or export or use at home, although he has shown an increasing interest in solar of late, writes Giles Parkinson from Climate Spectator.
Obama's UN speech was completely unable to hide the fact that America's Middle East policy is headed for an almighty train wreck.
A group of 12 young Palestinian calling themselves Eyes of Resistance have acted as a rapid-response team to attend the scene of settler violence, writes Nigel O'Connor, a freelance writer in Ramallah.
In his only print interview on his visit to the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expended considerable effort to be friendly and cordial with the NYT's Nicholas D. Kristof but inevitably had to field some prickly questions.
In the eyes of Palestinians direct negotiations have become delegitimised, writes Nigel O’Connor writes from Ramallah.
The head of Afghanistan's High Peace Council and former president, Burhanuddin Rabbani, was assassinated in his home yesterday by the Taliban, which has sent a clear message it will not be negotiated with, writes Catherine James, a freelance journalist in Kabul.
The longstanding situation between Palestine and Israel has become untenable, but Palestine's bid to join the United Nations may turn a crisis into an opportunity, writes James L. Richardson.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has confirmed that Palestine will submit a statehood bid seeking full United Nations membership later this month, reports Roee Nahmias.
In the lead-up to the United Nations vote on the recognition of Palestinian statehood, there is an overwhelming sense, in Israel and Palestine, of uncertainty, writes freelancer Nigel O'Connor.
