After years of seeing their bid to join the EU stalled, Turks are trying not to show too much pleasure at the doom-laden economic news emanating from Europe. However, economists warn, Europe's debt crisis could easily spill in Turkey's direction.

Turkey has been welcoming to Syrians escaping from their troubled homeland. And Syrian activists say they can still organize protests from exile.

Throughout the Egyptian revolution, Dalia Zaida was out in the streets, calling for the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Once that change came to Egypt, she and other young revolutionaries founded a new moderate, secular political party. Now it seems that the revolution cleared the way not for secular parties like hers, but for Islamist ones. Melissa Block speaks with Zaida for her reaction to the electoral victories expected for the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist parties.

In Egypt, partial results from this week's parliamentary elections have been released, after days of delay. There are still two more rounds of voting, so the ultimate make-up of the parliament is far from clear. But if current trends continue, the Muslim Brotherhood — and an even more conservative Islamist party — will make up a large part of the new legislative body.

A recent U.N. report suggests that laws to protect women in Afghanistan from rape and forced marriage are still not being enforced. As NATO prepares to leave, concerns grow that women's rights will be further compromised.