The Arab League suspended an observer mission to Syria that was meant to aid a peaceful end to an increasingly-violent conflict between the government and protesters.

Iraq’s main Sunni party returned to parliament and will resume talks with Shia leaders, following a protest over an arrest warrant for the country’s Sunni vice-president.

Bedouin tribesmen in Egypt’s Sinai region released 25 Chinese workers they had kidnapped.

Egypt’s three-stage general election drew to a close with a final run-off to occur on January 11th. The relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood is expected to gain most votes, though have indicated to prefer a coalition with secular parties rather than the extreme Salafists.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met in Jordan and had their first talks for more than a year.

An Egyptian court ruled that members of former President Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, which was dissolved after the was ousted in February, will be allowed to run in the forthcoming elections. A lower court had banned party members from standing.

Palestine was admitted as a full member of UNESCO when the General Assembly voted by 107 votes to 14. The United States and Israel said they would stop their contributions.

Libya’s transitional council voted Abdurrahim al-Keib to be the country’s prime minister. He will head an interim government that is set to rule at least until elections to a constituent assembly next summer.

Following the death and capture of Muammar Qaddafi, Libya’s new rulers said a new government would be appointed within a month and elections to an assembly would be held within eight months.

The passing of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz, heir to the Saudi throne and half-brother to King Abdullah, raised questions about the Saudi succession. The next in line to the throne is likely to be Prince Sultan’s brother, Prince Nayef, the interior minister, who is considered a staunch conservative.

Protesters in Homs, Hama and various parts of Damascus held a general strike. Supporters of President Assad rallied in his favour in Damascus. Officials of the Arab League met Mr. Assad in an effort to negotiate an end to the unrest that has rocked Syria since March.

Dozens of people were killed in Yemen during protests against President Saleh. Though he has promised to step down, he showed no sign of actually doing so.

More than 20 people were killed as protests broke out in the Syrian city of Homs. According to the UN, over 3,000 people have been killed since the Syrian unrests began in March.

Israeli solider Gilad Shalit, who had been held captive for more than five years by Hamas, was freed in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian soliders.

Russia and China vetoed a European-sponsored resolution in the UN Security Council condmening a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters by the Syrian government that has killed some 3,000 people.

Syrian forces renewed their assault on Homs. At least 14 people were killed in the latest crackdown. Alain Juppe, foreign minister of France, accused the Syrian government of crimes against humanity.

American, Britain and other European countries called for the departure of Syrian president Bashar Assad, after his continuing violent suppression of protests.

Egypt and Israel came close to a falling out over a shooting at the Sinai border involving Palestinian extremists, but appeared to have stepped back from a diplomatic imbroglio.