Top story: As Egyptians go to the polls in the third and final round of parliamentary elections, the Muslim Brotherhood appears poised to make significant gains. The governorates voting during this round include some of its historic strongholds, raising the prospect that it could claim an outright majority of seats in parliament.
Estimates suggested that the Brotherhood's political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, had won roughly half of the total seats in the first two rounds of voting. It would be able to govern without forming a coalition if it won a majority, but has repeatedly said that it intends to participate in a broad-based government.
Brotherhood leaders have insisted that the new Parliament be given significant power, including the ability to choose the country's prime minister. So far, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has rejected this demand, signaling that the Parliament will have minimal authority. The Parliament's first session is scheduled for Jan. 23, two days before the anniversary of the beginning of the mass protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak.
Frances presses for new Iran sanctions: French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said that he was convinced Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapon, and that the European Union should impose sanctions on its central bank and its oil exports in response.
Middle East
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Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet for the first time in over a year on Tuesday.
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Iranian authorities imprisoned the daughter of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on charges of propagandizing against the Islamic Republic.
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Tunisia promised to hand over a former Libyan prime minister if the new Libyan government could guarantee a fair trial.
Asia
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The Taliban confirmed that it had reached an agreement to open a political office abroad, possibly in Qatar.
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Activists said that Myanmar's clemency order fell short of its national reconciliation promises.
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A suicide attacker struck the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, killing at least five people.
Europe
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Germany's unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in two decades.
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A Greek government spokesman warned that Greece may have to leave the euro if it does not receive another bailout.
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Tens of thousands of Hungarians protested against their new constitution.
Africa
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Tens of thousands of South Sudanese fled their homes due to inter-ethnic conflict.
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Musician Youssou N'Dour announced his bid for Senegal's presidency.
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Nigerians protested the removal of a fuel subsidy.
Americas
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Oil giant BP asked Halliburton, its contractor, to pay all the damages associated with the Gulf oil spill in a court filing.
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Venezuela will pay Exxon $255 million for assets that it nationalized in 2007, less than a third of what an arbitration panel awarded the company.
- Forest fires spread across Chile, destroying 57,000 acres of land.
MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images
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