By MARK MACKINNON, Toronto Globe and Mail

ELI ADN, Golan Heights -- Uri Hetz has a lot invested in Israel's decades-old presence here in the Golan Heights. He and his partners have invested millions of dollars in Chateau Golan, an up-and-coming winery with acres of vineyards that stretch right up to the barbed-wire fence that marks the current border with Syria.

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Zimbabwe's opposition leader is planning to make Zimbabwe "ungovernable" in the aftermath of an election that returned Robert Mugabe to power after a brutal campaign of violence against opposition supporters that drew condemnation from around the world.

CAIRO, Egypt -- If you want to meet the Arab world's best-selling author, you have make an appointment between the checkups and teeth whitenings at Alaa al-Aswany's dental practice.

GAZA CITY -- Rabieh al-Masri has an impressive title. The trio of gold stars on the shoulder of his black uniform identifies him as a captain, the commander of the Palestinian Coast Guard.But it's an empty honor.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Twelve months ago, the al-Anbar province, east of Baghdad, was the domain of al-Qaeda in Iraq, a nightmarish place to live and the scene of mounting casualties for the United States.Then, a group of a dozen tribal sheiks took a hard look at the direction their region was heading.

HALABJA, Iraq -- Rafiq Laiq learned two difficult lessons as he and his family fled the chemical-gas attack Saddam Hussein's army launched on this town 20 years ago.The first was that tabun gas smells like apples, and can kill almost instantly. The second was that big, powerful friends like the United States have a tendency to help you only when it suits their interests.

CAIRO, Egypt -- 'Here comes the story of the world today," sings the young man with the gentle voice, oblivious to the stares he earns from passing gaggles of tourists. "A world in which religion has learned to hate, a world in which justice has become a cliche."

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT -- At the end of his afternoon prayers, Marwan Ibrahim bends to kiss the copy of the Koran he keeps with him at all times. Then he tucks it into a pocket, slips his shoes back on, and heads off to spend an evening in the world of the haram -- the things his holy book forbids.

GAZA CITY -- When Gaza's border with Egypt came crashing down last week, tens of thousands of Palestinians rushed through, looking to buy food, fuel and other basic goods. Emran Labbad was among them, but he was searching for something even more precious: a lost love.

JERUSALEM -- It might not be worth any delegates at the Democratic Party nominating convention, but it appears that Hillary Clinton has a big lead in the informal Tel Aviv primary, while Barrack Ob