On a firm footing
President Mubarak's visit to Washington will underline the strength of American-Egyptian relations, writes Ibrahim Nafie

Thoughts about America
Edward Said warns against the return to a shameful episode in the US's intellectual history

Globalisation at crossroads
Mohamed Sid-Ahmed wonders whether the exacerbation of terrorism could generate alternative forms of globalisation

Wishing you success
Osama El-Ghazali Harb addresses an open letter to President George W Bush

A hoax in holy mantle
Intellectuals are desperately rummaging in the wardrobe of Islam for anything with a Western cut. Galal Amin explains why they can't find a thing to wear

Resistance is not a symbol
Pseudo-statehood is not doing much for the Palestinians. Nor is Europe's once kufiyyeh-clad left, writes Azmi Bishara

Editorial:
Peaceful overtures

Reflections
By Hani Shukrallah
Multiple personality disorder

Close up
Train to tragedy
By Salama Ahmed Salama

Soapbox:
An arrest and a crisis
By Abdel-Alim Mohamed

Naguib Mahfouz
Adrift on a memory

This week: Daniel Pearl