Simon Tisdall

The president-elect's silence on the Gaza crisis is undermining his reputation in the Middle East

The Bush administration continues to struggle with definitions when it comes to its statements on the crisis in Gaza

The initial response to the crisis in Gaza from countries including Britain has comprised only routine expressions of dismay

Change in America is chance to build on momentum for Middle East peace

· Clinton would be big loser if ex-vice president ran · Republicans also unhappy with current candidates

· Worldwide support for withdrawal of Iraq troops · But Putin scores worse than Bush in huge survey

· Budget plan undermines UN deal with Sudan · Arrears likely to reach $1bn by end of 2007

The Turkish generals' midnight warning that, as the "absolute defender of secularism", the army would not tolerate Islamist meddling with the constitutional legacy of Kemal Ataturk carried a dark echo of past military coups.

In its external aspects, Iraq remains a live, occasionally explosive issue in the US and Britain, as last week's row over General Sir Richard Dannatt's thoughts on a British withdrawal showed.

· Defence experts warn of worsening world security · Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan identified as flashpoints

Whether or not predominantly Muslim, secular Turkey eventually achieves full membership, the row has caused considerable damage - and threatens to do more.

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's revived proposal, endorsed by Tony Blair, for an international conference on combating terrorism reflects a human need for solidarity in the aftermath of dreadful events. It is also a way for politicians to show they are doing something.

President George Bush will publicly congratulate the people of Georgia on their peaceful "rose revolution" in November 2003 when he addresses a crowd of up to 100,000 in Freedom Square, Tbilisi, today.

In a prime example of conflicted thinking that may strike Iraq's newly-elected leaders as ironic, Mr Gul suggested Turkey might resort to force because "in democratic countries, governments don't have the luxury of ignoring public sentiment".

British prime ministers are often defenestrated but never inaugurated. After a nod from the Queen, a newly elected leader simply turns up in Downing Street as his predecessor scrambles out the back door.

Erdoğan, Zinedine Zidane olmayabilir. Fakat siyasi star kalitesine sahip. Zira AB'nin bekleri, topa vurduğu zaman genellikle gol attığını öğreniyorlar

As a young man, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was a gifted footballer; but not quite good enough to turn professional. So he concentrated on politics instead. Now Mr Erdogan is prime minister of Turkey.

The Ukraine crisis has sent a shiver of apprehension through Russia's immediate neighbours and east European countries with fresh memories of the bad old days of Soviet domination.

The west can no longer ignore the violence and killings in Chechnya

For the second time in a week, Vladimir Putin was forced to interrupt his Black Sea holiday yesterday and rush back to Moscow to deal with a horrifying terrorist outrage linked to the crisis in Chechnya.

The US charge sheet against Iran is lengthening almost by the day, presaging destabilizing confrontations this autumn and maybe a pre-election October surprise.