Deadlock at the UN Security Council has so far dashed international hopes for finding an end to the Syrian crisis. The United States and Russia must now find a practical mechanism for implementing political transition in Syria.

As aftershocks of the Arab Spring continue, Turkey struggles to define its role in a turbulent and rapidly changing Middle East.

The forthcoming elections may lead to an unprecedented change in Egypt’s political scene. But whether the opposition actors will be able to push for greater political reform, and whether the regime will let them, remains to be seen.