Middle East

John Kerry is in Vienna for a meeting with Iran's foreign minister as a deadline approaches for a nuclear deal. Kerry was in Paris on Tuesday to consult with other partners including Russia.

The Obama administration's strategy against ISIS is fraying, according to U.S. officials. The bombing strikes are too small and dispersed, leading to a charge that they are "Shock and Yawn," a play on the "Shock and Awe" bombing campaign of the Iraq War.

Egypt's economy is faltering and prices are skyrocketing as people struggle to put food on the table. Up to 30 percent of homes have female breadwinners, and they are the most vulnerable economically.

You're not supposed to be able to buy cement commercially in Gaza, but some is being sold illicitly. The material is crucial for replacing homes and shops destroyed in the summer war.

Turkey has declined to intervene in the fighting, in part because the defenders are largely Kurdish. There are also Sunni Muslims joining the Kurds to fight ISIS.

It will be hard to make sure that concrete needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory's demolished buildings isn't diverted to Hamas, the militant group that had been tunneling into Israeli towns.