When all suspect that proximity talks with Israel will end in failure, Dina Ezzat tries to understand why the Arabs have agreed to engage in them

While the Palestinians and Israelis will soon engage in proximity talks, the preceding battle was won by Israel, with Palestinian leaders much weakened, writes Khaled Amayreh in the West Bank

Lebanon's apology for last week's brutal killing of an Egyptian citizen will help avoid a setback in Egyptian-Lebanese relations. But more needs to be done to ensure that justice is served, reports Doaa El-Bey

Egypt and the US have been working to salvage the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference, though tangible outcomes are few, Ezzat Ibrahim writes from New York

Former IAEA director Mohamed El-Baradei's controversial visit to the United States has provoked a backlash at home, Gamal Essam El-Din reports

Two demonstrations this week called on the government to increase wages and pursue genuine reform. But are the authorities listening, asks Amira Howeidy

The call to shoot demonstrators on sight caused a stormy debate in parliament

The annual report produced by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom includes harsh criticism of Egypt. How will the government respond, asks Mohamed Abdel-Baky

A headless granite colossus which may have been part of a statue of King Ptolemy IV has been unearthed at Taposiris Magna on the north coast near Alexandria, reports Nevine El-Aref

With few options in hand, Egypt insists on its historic rights over Nile waters, Reem Leila reports

Israel is forging ever-closer ties in the Arab hinterland in Africa, virtually unopposed, writes Saleh Al-Naami

The thorny question of how to divvy up Nile water resources is ruffling feathers among Nile Basin countries, writes Mohamed Hafez

Egypt's real estate market may have come out of the global crisis unscathed, but to avoid any future meltdown it has to do things differently, writes Niveen Wahish

The NPT review conference began as it is likely to continue -- as a struggle between the United States and Iran, writes Graham Usher from the UN

The Palestinian diaspora continues its struggle to regain their homes, says Anayat Durrani

The Freedom Flotilla to Gaza continues the work of fighting the siege of the Strip, writes Rifat Audeh in Amman

Hizbullah moves to calm fears of an imminent war with Israel, but remains on high alert, reports Omayma Abdel-Latif from Beirut

The Iraqi Baath Party in Syria held its first public event, which some Iraqis feel is a message from Damascus to Baghdad, posits Bassel Oudat in Damascus

Is it time for Washington to team up with militant Islamists, postulates Gamal Nkrumah

Terrorism and pseudo-terrorism senselessly fill the media and clutter our minds, bemoans Gamal Nkrumah

Nehad Selaiha enjoys watching The Taming of the Shrew transported out of Padua to an imaginary Hispanic town

Ati Metwaly goes to Hades

A spring exhibition at the Louvre in Paris is throwing unexpected light on the ancient history of Sudan, writes David Tresilian

After the publication of his latest book, Hugratan wa Salah: Mutataliya Manziliyya (Two Rooms and a Hall: A Household Sequence), the veteran fiction writer Ibrahim Aslan reached his 75th year. Scheduled for commercial release any time now is a new film named Assafir Al-Nil (Nile Sparrows), based on his eponymous novel and directed by Magdi Ahmad Ali. To celebrate all three occasions, Aslan spoke to Mohammad Shoair this week

Rania Khallaf is amazed by the prevailing earthy colour

Samia Mehrez, Egypt's Culture Wars: Politics and Practise (paperback edition), Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2010

A win-win tomorrow? Only if it starts today, says Injy El-Kashef

Given the threat they represent to hearing, should people continue to use headphones? Mai Samih finds out

Ahli once more confirmed their dominance of Egyptian football by winning their sixth consecutive domestic league title. Ahmed Morsy reports