As the international community tries to salvage the Anan plan to halt the violence in Syria, confrontations between the regime and the armed opposition continue to expand, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus

Syrian opposition figure and political activist Haitham Manna explains his views on the Syrian crisis to Bassel Oudat in Damascus

Opponents of the Turkish government are blaming the US and Turkey for the crisis in Syria, writes Sayed Abdel-Maguid in Ankara

Palestinian reconciliation edged closer this week, but there remain threats on the horizon -- not least Israel -- that could wreck all unity efforts, writes Khaled Amayreh in the West Bank

The relative decline of US influence in the Arab region following the Arab Spring has changed the strategic environment completely for Israel, writes Saleh Al-Naami

Al-Qaeda fighters in south Yemen are being targeted by Operation Golden Swords carried out by the country's army, writes Nasser Arrabyee in Sanaa

Ongoing disputes in Iraq's governmental crisis have moved onto the Internet and social-networking sites, writes Salah Nasrawi

Libya's new leaders may be more open to democracy than Gaddafi, but less able to bring a change of course in the country, contends Gamal Nkrumah

The two Sudans are edging closer to war, but will Washington manage to save the day, writes Asmaa El-Husseini