The meeting in Cairo bringing together representatives of Iraqi factions could pave the way to a national conference of reconciliation, writes Ibrahim Nafie

In light of Islamist electoral victories, neoconservatives in Washington about face, seeing democracy in the Middle East as not such a good idea after all, writes Gamil Mattar

Samir Ghattas finds hope in the election of Amir Peretz as leader of Israel's Labour Party

That Syria seems set to conciliate with the US raises further questions as to the perpetrators and beneficiaries of Al-Hariri's killing, writes Amin Howeidi

To what extent have Egypt's parliamentary elections lived up to expectations, asks Mohamed Sid-Ahmed

Pumped by media dreams of fame and fortune, everyone wants everything, faster without effort, writes Hussein Ahmed Amin

The Internet has come into focus in Tunis amid controversy over state repression of information and expression, writes Ayman El-Amir