'We won't succumb'
Talks in the Egyptian capital between Palestinian factions underscored the political weight of Hamas. Khaled Meshal, head of the movement's politburo, spoke to Amira Howeidy in Cairo about current dangers and the need for a 'frame of reference'

The bulldozer's mandate
Israel razed 62 Palestinian shops in Nazlat Issa village, setting new standards of destructiveness. And this is only the beginning, writes Jonathan Cook

Reform begins at home
By encouraging internal reforms and political participation, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah is killing two birds with one stone. Rasha Saad reports

The Saudi factor
Saudi Arabia is assuming an increasingly effective role in regional affairs. Dina Ezzat writes

Peace and war in Sudan
Fighting has erupted in southern Sudan even as Sudanese peace talks resume in Kenya, writes Gamal Nkrumah