President Mubarak's US meeting with Barack Obama restored warmth in relations between the two long-standing allies, but Egypt stood firm that Israel should take steps towards peace first, Khaled Dawoud reports from Washington

Hamas acts swiftly to quash radical Islamists in Gaza, but the Salafist source may prove more difficult to quell than its expressions, writes Saleh Al-Naami

Preparations for the holy month are in full swing, writes Mona El-Fiqi

Egypt emerges as a key player in Washington's plans for the Middle East, reports Ezzat Ibrahim from Washington

Dina Ezzat examines what Mubarak had to say in a crucial visit to the US on domestic and regional affairs

Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif gives a spirited defence of his government's performance. Gamal Essam El-Din reviews five years in power

Doaa El-Bey looks at the lessons to be learned from the release of 34 Egyptian fishermen held hostage for four months off the coast of Somalia

Gamal Essam El-Din reports on last week's encounter between Gamal Mubarak and hundreds of Internet users

Egypt imposes further restrictions on omra pilgrims as part of its campaign to contain the spread of swine flu, reports Reem Leila

The government is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to raise revenues. Niveen Wahish examines the most recent addition to the tax system: the real estate tax

How fair is the cap on Internet use? Nader Habib finds out

Relatives of Palestinian detainees have fresh hopes for the conclusion of a prisoner exchange deal with Israel, but nothing rules out Israel pre-empting the deal by force, writes Saleh Al-Naami

Many passed over in Fatah's elections are disgruntled while Abbas drops talk of resistance and picks up the prospects of peace with Israel, writes Khaled Amayreh in the West Bank

Rows over electoral alliances have focussed new attention on the Iraqi Shia. Can their post-Saddam revival now be saved, asks Salah Hemeid

As conflict once again breaks out in Yemen between the government and the Al-Houthi rebels, could the military option be the answer to the country's civil strife, asks Nasser Arrabyee

A threat by the secretary-general of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement to take his party out of the Sudanese parliament has called a referendum on the country's future into question, writes Asmaa Al-Husseini

Piracy continues to be a threat to global trade, argues Attia Essawi

In Afghanistan, the US continues to believe that threat of death is the best way to win hearts and minds, writes Ramzy Baroud

Gamal Nkrumah analyses the place of Afghanistan in the global political arena as it heads for presidential polls amid international furore over the NATO fiasco in the war-torn land

Nehad Selaiha watches a monodrama disguised as a multi-character play

This year's summer films have thus far been a disappointing crop, writes Hani Mustafa

The Ramadan TV soap train is bearing down on us. Kamal Sultan lists the options

At long last a remote village in Sinai is getting its fair share of clean water, writes Mahmoud Bakr

A visit to the Alexandria resort of Agamy still has the power to delight the senses and refresh the soul, writes Ameera Fouad

Can electronic cigarettes or medication help smokers quit smoking? Dena Rashed finds out

Sahar El-Bahr leafs through the celebrity gossip in Marina Rayeh... Gai, while pondering the phenomenon of Marina, one of Egypt's most-exclusive resorts

The Egyptian national juniors team failed to make it to the end game, Inas Mazhar reports