A commentary and review of Al-Monitor’s coverage of the demonstrations in Egypt, the rise of "al-Qaeda 3.0," the linkages between Libya and Mali, Qatar’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood and Israel’s elections.

Each week Al-Monitor provides unmatched original content from the Middle East to uncover the trends as we cover the news. Here are just five of the trends we have been following this week based on reporting and analysis by our regional correspondents.

US President Barack Obama has made an inspired choice by nominating Chuck Hagel to be US Secretary of Defense.

Al-Monitor this week launched the Iraq Pulse, featuring original reporting and commentary from prominent reporters and analysts inside Iraq.

A political transition in Syria requires a role for the Alawite community in preventing the collapse of the state and its institutions.

The first week of Pulse coverage revealed how, more than ever, Al-Monitor uncovers trends while covering the news. Here are five trends we have been following in our pulses.   

Al-Monitor expands its regional coverage with the establishment of four new “Pulses” and offers perspective on the latest trends in Iraq, Syria and Egypt.

In the context of concerns about Syria’s chemical weapons and renewed speculation about President Bashar al-Assad’s final days, four trends will determine if and when there will be an endgame in Syria, and what that might look like.

In the Gaza conflict, Iran reveals that it has the wherewithal to shift the equation and provide some payback, even in areas where its adversaries hold sway.