The latest round of talks in Geneva has failed to curb a dramatic spiral of violence and the tragedy in Syria is deepening rapidly.

Ever since Saudi Arabia executed Shia Cleric Nimr al-Nimr for terrorist offences, tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been escalating by the day.

As we approach the fifth anniversary of the Arab Uprisings, it’s hard to remember the days of popular protests, of democratic revolutions, and of dreams of a better future that rocked the Middle East in 2011. Nearly five years on, tensions between rulers and the ruled have exploded across the region—and the ensuing struggles for survival have continued to take all manner of ugly forms.

When a car bomb detonated outside a security building in Cairo on Aug. 20 it marked a new turn in the long-running series of violent attacks.

The 529 death sentences handed down to supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood represent the largest number issued collectively in living memory in the country.