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

Naming names
Hizbullah and Israel say they remain engaged in a long-awaited prisoner exchange deal despite recent violence, reports Mohalhel Fakih from Beirut

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

Turkish pledge of troops stirs
While criticism for Turkish decision to send troops to Iraq has been coming from various directions, the Turkish army did not think twice. Gareth Jenkins reports from Ankara

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

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

Waiting for Al-Mahdi
Discord divides southern Shi'ite Muslims over the future of Iraq amid celebrations of venerated saint. Nermeen Al-Mufti reports from Karbala

Is today better than yesterday?
The deteriorating security situation in southern Iraq is an ominous reminder of the inability of the occupation forces to restore law and order. Judit Neurink reports from Basra and Najaf