Widening the conflict?
It is not yet clear whether an attack on a US convoy marks a new stage in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But, if so, the causes are political as much as ideological, writes Graham Usher in Jerusalem

America on the ropes
As troubles mount in Iraq, Washington is seeking world support to police the war-torn country, writes Salah Hemeid

End of an era, again?
New Palestinian Prime Minister Qurei's emergency government exposes cracks in the foundation of Arafat's power. Khaled Amayreh reports

Nice is not enough
US officials say they ran out of patience with Syria, and that the time has come for Damascus to bow to pressure, Khaled Dawoud reports from Washington

Peace prize incites strife
The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to an Iranian lawyer is another bone of contention between reformists and hard-liners in the Islamic Republic. Mustafa El-Labbad reports

Free to foment trouble?
The leading proponent of militant Islam in Sudan, Dr Hassan Al-Turabi, was released after a two-year detention. Gamal Nkrumah reviews the probable repercussions

Region:

Once again divided
An Arab media forum on the coverage of war in the Arab world exposed a schism in the region's media, reports Mohamed Darwish

The six-month mark
The American administration this week marked the six-month anniversary of the toppling of the former regime in Iraq. Nermeen Al-Mufti reports from Baghdad

Egypt:

'Serious' national dialogue
Opposition parties have demanded guarantees that the NDP's initiative for a proposed national dialogue is serious, comprehensive and fruitful. Gamal Essam El-Din reports

Testing the waters
A coalition of political parties and human rights activists plans to submit an agenda of political reforms to President Mubarak. Gihan Shahine investigates the prospects

Forex markets apprehensive
After last week's dollar retreat, a wait-and-see attitude prevailed in the foreign exchange market throughout the week. Sherine Abdel-Razek reports

International:

Pakistan takes on Al-Qa'eda
President Musharraf is bending over backwards to please the US and shake his country's "soft on terror" image, reports Iffat Idris from Islamabad

Lost horizon
Emerging security breaches at the US's top security facility in Guantanamo Bay are a new headache for the Pentagon and raise the spectre of a new backlash against Muslim and Arab-Americans, writes Nyier Abdou