Though the Palestinians have caved in to heavy US pressure to take part in direct talks with Israel, it remains unclear how progress can be made on final status issues when there is not even an end to settlement building, reports Khaled Dawoud from Washington

The theft of Vincent Van Gogh's Poppy Flowers from the Mahmoud Khalil Museum has exposed the parlous state of security at Egypt's museums, reports Nevine El-Aref

Why is Egypt spending precious political capital on shaky US attempts to kick-start MidEast peace talks? Dina Ezzat seeks an answer

If the life and times of Hassan El-Banna make for good TV, it is the real life political drama that will determine all our futures, writes Abdel-Moneim Said

A large administrative settlement from ancient Egypt's Second Intermediate Period has been discovered in Kharga Oasis, Nevine El-Aref reports

Despite the criminalisation of female genital mutilation it has claimed the life of another young girl, reports Reem Leila

Despite a more stringent selection process, the list of NDP parliamentary candidates is unlikely to contain many surprises, reports Gamal Essam El-Din

A spate of problems affecting power, water and wheat supply is provoking public ire, reports Mohamed El-Sayed

As the Yemeni government began a campaign against Al-Qaeda in the south of the country this week, peace talks with the Al-Houthi rebels started in the north, writes Nasser Arrabyee

Direct negotiations might start, but Israel will continue on the ground to undermine peace, writes Khaled Amayreh in Ramallah

Abbas's decision to resume direct talks with Israel puts paid to any prospects of inter-Palestinian reconciliation, writes Saleh Al-Naami

Gamal Nkrumah reproves the brouhaha in Washington with regards to the release of Abdel-Basset Al-Megrahi

American forces may now be leaving Iraq, but the country still needs safeguards to protect its stability, sovereignty and national unity, writes Salah Hemeid

Ending decades of waiting and underlining Iran's long-standing nuclear ambitions, the opening of the Bushehr reactor is a giant leap forward for the country's nuclear programme, writes Amani Maged

Despite the weakness of the Lebanese army, and recent clashes with Israel, Lebanon is no further forward towards a national defence strategy, writes Lucy Fielder in Beirut

A notable rise in the volume of non-oil exports may indicate that Egypt can reach LE200 billion in exports by 2013, Mona El-Fiqi reports

A charitable institution run with a business mentality is proving that hunger can be overcome, Sherine Nasr reports

Hani Mustafa reviews the season's most talked about television serial

Darfur, Politics and the War on Terror (2009) by Mahmoud Mamdani. Verso, London, New York

Rania Khallaf joined aficionados of modern Palestinian music and clapped with respect and exuberance along with singer Reem Talhami

This year's entries at the Sawi Culture Wheel Documentary Film Festival highlighted the long, dark struggle of minorities and the underprivileged. Osama Kamal picks out the winning entries

Ahli are urging their fans to be on their best behaviour when the Algerian JS Kabylie come visiting, reports Inas Mazhar

Two of Egypt's biggest football stars have opted not to play with the clubs of this European country, Ahmed Morsy reports