Back to the UN
The deteriorating situation in Iraq is forcing the US administration to rethink its attitude towards the UN, writes Salah Hemeid

Stalemate reigns
Few expect any advances to be made during Bush's upcoming meetings with the Palestinian and Israeli prime ministers, reports Khaled Dawoud from Washington

Abbas besieged
Abbas faces rising discontent as Israel fails to deliver on issues vital to the survival of the roadmap. Khaled Amayreh reports from Palestine

Painted into a corner
The future of the Iraqi Governing Council is fraught with difficulties as Iraq's Sunnis and Shi'ites cast aspersions upon its legitimacy. Omayma Abdel-Latif reports

A chance for the council?
Only days before the Security Council meeting on Iraq last Tuesday, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira De Mello, told Jihan Al-Alaily in Baghdad that neighbouring countries should be patient with Iraq's interim Governing Council

Death of a scientist
The political ripple effects of the mysterious death of a British scientist are just now unfolding, writes Alistair Alexander from London

Press Syndicate faces unpredictable poll
Fierce competition is expected in the upcoming Press Syndicate elections -- and so are the surprises. Shaden Shehab reports

Egypt:

NDP gears up
The ruling party has provoked the ire of independent and opposition political pundits by claiming that calls for amending the constitution amount to fomenting instability and unrest. Gamal Essam El-Din reports

'Tis the season
The 51st anniversary of the July Revolution is intersecting with a frenzy of initiatives for "political reform". Amira Howeidy examines the significance or lack thereof

A brighter forex future
The way out of the current foreign exchange crisis is a futures market, writes Hossam Omar

Region:

Whimsical de-Ba'thification
The exclusion of former Ba'ath Party members from new Iraqi administrative postings may constitute a waste of human resources, discovers Karim El-Gawhary

A third way for Palestine
DFLP leader Nayef Hawatma round table with Al-Ahram Weekly

Imperial perspectives
by Edward Said