Shock waves from the ouster of Presidents in Tunisia and Egypt continued to roll across North Africa and West Asia on Monday with peoples long subject to autocratic rule demanding to be heard.

The Vatican said Sunday that the international community is ignoring the plight of Christians in the West Asia, and that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Iraq and political instability in Lebanon have forced thousands to flee the region.

Peace talks between the leaders of ethnically split Cyprus were postponed on Thursday because of a dispute over comments by the Turkish Cypriot leader about the basis of negotiations.