As the remains of John Garang are laid to rest the people of southern Sudan ponder their political future, report Eva Dadrian and Atiya Essawi from Juba

Why is Egypt facilitating the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza? Dina Ezzat examines the official line

The most explosive locale may not be Gaza -- it might be the West Bank, writes Graham Usher from Sa-Nur settlement

One week after swearing in its new president, Iran returns to the spotlight over its nuclear programme, Rasha Saad reports

Its last leader on the run, Mauritania assesses its political future after its most recent bout of musical chairs, writes Gamal Nkrumah

The visits of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora to Syria and Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah to Iran have not, Gamal Essam El-Din reports from Beirut, helped soothe Lebanon's chronic woes

There is not much time left for Iraqi leaders to close ranks and draft a constitution if the 15 August deadline is to be met, writes Salah Hemeid

Women's rights in Iraq have not been destroyed by Islam but by the destruction of state and society brought on by foreign military aggression, writes Haifaa Zangana

With violence escalating among Turkey's Kurds, the Turkish military is tempted to clampdown hard. Gareth Jenkins reports