An escalating cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians has raised fears of a wider uprising, or intifada. Here is a series of questions and answers describing the situation:

There have been 70 presidents of the U.N. General Assembly, some memorable for their accomplishments, others for their political views, allegations against them, and the reputations of the countries they represent. The arrest of the 68th president, John Ashe of Antigua, in an alleged bribery case has put the spotlight on the presidency of the 193-member world body, which rotates every year by region. Here is a look at eight memorable General Assembly presidents:

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Turkey is giving a European Union plan to assist the country in hosting over two million Syrian refugees only a lukewarm reception, indicating funding needs to be drastically increased and lamenting shortfalls in help over previous years.

The EU hopes that helping refugees inside Turkey will discourage Syrians from taking perilous sea and land routes to seek new lives within the bloc after an unprecedented influx in the last month.

As Barack Obama's secretary of State, Hillary Clinton loyally carried out his agenda, but since mounting her presidential bid she has split with the White House on several key issues, including global trade.

Drilling in the Arctic Ocean is too risky, she argues. Deportations? The administration's record rate of sending undocumented immigrants home is unnecessarily "breaking up families," according to Clinton.

Iran's nuclear deal with world powers has bolstered its central role in efforts to end the spiraling Syrian civil war, bringing Tehran back to the world stage, analysts say.

Though the conflict seems trapped in a military mire -- Russia's air campaign on behalf of Syrian President Bashar Assad being the latest intervention -- Iran is seen as a crucial diplomatic channel.

The deadly U.S. attack on a hospital in Afghanistan, which U.S. officials have called a "mistake," leaves open the possibility that the decision to open fire exceeded the authority under which American forces have operated since their combat mission ended nearly a year ago, officials say.

U.S. officials have declined to discuss most circumstances of the attack in Kunduz that killed 22 civilians, since American and Afghan investigations are under way.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin's air campaign in Syria may have other aims, one result seems to be that it is hitting Islamists from Russia's Caucasus, say analysts.

High on the list of places Russia appears to have targeted are positions held by the Al-Nusra Front -- an al-Qaida associate with a high concentration of fighters from Chechnya, Dagestan and Muslim ex-Soviet nations in Central Asia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came under pressure Tuesday from right-wing allies in his razor-thin coalition to respond forcefully to Palestinian unrest, but that could risk provoking the violent escalation of an already volatile situation.

The dilemma for Netanyahu, long known as a wily political operator, was made clear Monday night, when several thousand right-wing protesters gathered in front of his residence demanding more security and new settlement construction.

The contours of Russia's strategy in Syria are emerging as it tries to carve out a rebel-free zone for Bashar Assad's regime and shut out Western forces from his air space.

Although the stated aim of Russia's mission was to target the Islamic State (IS) group, most analysts have dismissed these claims as window-dressing for a campaign that primarily seeks to prop up Assad's embattled regime against a much broader group of rebels.

A new wave of violence has hit Israel and the Palestinian territories, prompting warnings of the risk of a third intifada similar to uprisings that began in 1987 and 2000.

Here is a series of questions and answers about the situation: