11:16pm

Israel attacks move to label settlement goods

South Africa to require origin identification

9:19pm

Fighting erupts in Syria despite UN presence

Bomb explodes close to leader of observer mission, agencies say

7:41pm

Investors bank on election restoring stability to Egypt

$482m taken out of the country in 2011

12:35pm

Expat vote starts Egypt presidential race

Moderate Islamist leads among overseas voters

May 18, 2012

Jordan warns over Syrian crisis

Amman refuses to back either president or rebels

May 18, 2012

Ban blames al-Qaeda for Syria car bombs

UN chief points finger over deadly blasts

From IRAN May 18, 2012

Tehran agrees to meet IAEA chief

Meeting with Iran’s nuclear negotiator raises hopes of deal

May 18, 2012

Moderate Islamist aims to heal Egypt’s rifts

Aboul Fotouh’s call for unity may work against him in polarised society

May 18, 2012

Iran helps Syria defy oil embargo

Tanker switches flags and ownership to help avoid detection

From IRAN May 17, 2012

West wants signal on deal at Iran talks

Urgency amid threat of Israeli attack on nuclear sites

From ASIA-PACIFIC May 17, 2012

Japanese bank freezes Iranian assets

Move follows order from US court pursuing damages for bombing

Global Insight May 17, 2012

Gulf union yet to attain modest goals

Political accord among regional neighbours still has to be achieved

May 16, 2012

Egypt ‘no-hoper’ turns election contender

Former PM seen by many as remnant of Mubarak era

May 16, 2012

US citizen on hunger strike in Dubai

Zack Shahin protests over lack of due process

May 16, 2012

Palestinian PM gives up finance ministry role

Time of acute financial crisis for the Authority

From COMMENT May 16, 2012

Three ideas to end the stalemate in Syria

Violence must be delegitimised wherever it comes from, writes Anne-Marie Slaughter

From COMMENT May 16, 2012

Islamists in tune with west over economy

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood favours free trade and is courting international investors

May 15, 2012

Syria opposition conference collapses

Failure highlights breakdown of Annan peace plan

May 15, 2012

UN monitors safe after Syria attack

Team spent night in restive town after attack on Tuesday

From IRAN May 15, 2012

Nuclear watchdog and Iran agree to more talks

Progress made despite lack of agreement on access to sites

Highlights