A weak dollar and decline in demand will force OPEC to reduce its output, writes Sherine Abdel-Razek

Dina Ezzat and Reem Nafie monitor the swings in official Egyptian and Arab relations with Israel

Egypt's release of an Israeli spy in exchange for six Egyptian students charged with infiltrating into Israel has left the public unsatisfied. Gihan Shahine speaks to the students and gauges reactions to their release

Sharon gained enormous domestic kudos for his recovery of Azzam Azzam

A month after the death of Arafat, political realities began to get more and more clear, reports Khaled Amayreh

A deadly assault on the US Consulate in Saudi Arabia dealt a severe blow to the kingdom's elaborate overtures to install security, reports Rasheed Abou-Alsamh from Jeddah

Ahmed Mukhtar reports from Baghdad on the formation of a "Shia list" for the upcoming Iraqi elections

In the end, the offensive in Falluja did not have the impact that many had expected, writes Zaid Al-Ali

Graham Usher interviews Fadwa, wife of the charismatic Palestinian freedom fighter and prisoner Marwan Barghouti

Christian claims of forced conversions in Assiut and Al-Beheira catalyse angry protests in Cairo. Reem Nafie sifts through the evidence in Assiut

An unexpected meeting between US Ambassador David Welch and Tagammu Party leader Rifaat El-Said sparked tension in the opposition's ranks, reports Gamal Essam El-Din

Will the government allow lawyers to hold elections? Mona El-Nahhas tried to find out

Another high-ranking Chinese business delegation was in town last week, reports Wael Gamal

Seven per cent of Niger's population still live and die in slavery. Jeremy Landor in London reports on the activities of an NGO that is working for their emancipation

In ancient times Lake Mareotis was a pleasure resort and watering spot surrounded by market gardens. Jenny Jobbins considers the fertile past of an area that is now desert