Forestalling the war option
Key players in the region are consulting on how to avoid a devastating war. Nevine Khalil reports from Sharm El-Sheikh

Labour's labyrinth
Ibrahim Shukri may have been named Labour Party leader by the Supreme Administrative Court this week, but the frozen party's legal battles are far from over. Mona El-Nahhas reports

Skating on thin ice
As Cairo works towards inspiring a cease-fire in Palestine, the biggest obstacle may be Israel's trigger-happy government, writes Soha Abdelaty

Brotherhood in the crossfire
As one of its candidates runs for a critical by-election in Damanhour, the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood is being attacked from several different sides. Gamal Essam El-Din reports

Preemptive containment?
Muslim Brotherhood sources tell Omayma Abdel-Latif that the latest government crackdown on the group is meant to preempt possible large scale protests against a war on Iraq

Bombs for the birds
Forty-three suspected members of the underground Jihad group were arrested for allegedly plotting anti-Western attacks which would use "smart" carrier pigeons. Jailan Halawi investigates

Rally protests Guantanamo violations
A Bar Association seminar meant to show solidarity with Guantanamo detainees ended up demonstrating against US treatment of the Arab and Muslim world in general. Jailan Halawi reports

Newsreel
Essem Hanna did not know he was playing a dangerous game when he sent an e-mail warning to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) claiming that US Ambassador to Egypt David Welch would risk his life if he visited Assiut, 380 kilometres south of Cairo...

Christmas for all
Egypt's Coptic Christians had more to celebrate this Christmas than just the birth of Christ. Tuesday was the first time a Christian holiday was also officially recognised as a national holiday...

Equal education for girls
Mrs Suzanne Mubarak announced Sunday that 2003 is "The year of the Egyptian girl"...

Death of a princess
King Farouk's youngest daughter was buried in Cairo this week. Gihan Shahine looks back at the late princess's turbulent life