DEATH PENALTY: Moroccan Abolition Could Help Expose Political Killings

Morocco continues to be haunted by its many extra-judicial killings in the past - but human rights activists are looking to the long-expected abolition of the death penalty as an essential step towards encouraging more to speak out about what they know about these and help bring those responsible before the courts.

LEBANON: This Protest Won’t Go Away

Lebanon is caught in political gridlock in the face of sustained opposition to the U.S.-backed government.

REFUGEES-IRAQ: U.S. State Department Pushes for Palestinian Resettlement

U.S. State Department officials confirmed this week that they have been in discussions with Israel and the Kurdish regional government about possible resettlement solutions for the estimated 15,000 Palestinian refugees currently stranded in Iraq.

EGYPT: Reporters Fight for Right to Cover ‘Terror’

Parliament head Fathi Sorour set off a furore when he said earlier this month that planned anti-terrorism legislation could be applied to reporters covering news on "terrorist" organisations. The reported comments rattled journalists and rights activists.

IRAQ: U.S. Blamed for ‘Bloody Wednesday’

Iraqis blame the U.S. occupation for the failure of two parallel security plans drawn up by U.S. forces and Iraqi troops that failed dramatically with the bombings last week that killed more than 300 people in Baghdad.

LEBANON: Tempers Rise Over Reconstruction

Eight months after Israeli attacks left devastation across many villages in southern Lebanon, reconstruction comes with mounting anger towards both Israel and the central Lebanese government.

EGYPT: Saudis Seek New Arab Leadership

In these days of regional instability, Saudi Arabia has seized the initiative diplomatically, mediating in crises from Palestine and Lebanon to sub-Saharan Africa. While some see Riyadh's rising profile as a threat to Egypt's traditional role in the region, others say Saudi diplomacy merely complements Cairo's own foreign policies.

MIDEAST: Secrecy Surrounds Probe of Arab-Israeli Lawmaker

The Israeli leader of an Arab-nationalist political party is under investigation, but an Israeli magistrate has put a ban on detailing in the Israeli media just what charges he faces.

IRAQ: Basra Splits Between Warring Shias

Oil-rich Basra in the south of Iraq is getting caught up in an increasingly more fierce battle between warring Shia groups.

MIDEAST: Two Percent Israelis Do Trust Olmert

Two percent. That is the lowest-ever recorded trust rating achieved by an Israeli prime minister. And the new record holder is Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

SYRIA: A Lot of Uninvited Guests

The massive influx of Iraqi refugees into Syria has brought rising prices and overcrowding, but most Syrians seem to have accepted more than a million of the refugees happily enough.

SYRIA: Refugees Bring In Some Brittle Strength

Syria's decision to accept Iraqi refugees streaming into the country has brought the government of President Bashar Assad more power within Syria and the region, but at significant cost.

IRAQ: Where Al-Qaeda Reigns

Refugees from Baquba city who have now found shelter in Damascus describe their hometown as a "dead city" where armed men roam the streets and al-Qaeda reigns.

EGYPT: Female Judge Appointments Stir Controversy

In a first for Egypt, last week saw a number of women appointed judges by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), the country's highest legal authority. Although a number of prominent judicial figures have spoken out against the decision, rights activists and SJC officials praised the move.

EGYPT: Israel Seen as Fighting Peace

Israel's rejection of the Arab peace initiative, which was reiterated at last month's Arab Summit, drew emphatic criticism from Egyptian commentators. Although Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later called for peace talks with "moderate" Arab heads of state, most local political observers say Tel Aviv wants to have its cake and eat it too.

IRAQ: Refugees Speak of Escape from Hell

Refugees from Iraq scattered around Damascus describe hellish conditions in the country they managed to leave behind.

IRAQ: Now the South Erupts

The eruption of demonstrations in the south of Iraq this week could rob the occupation forces of what was considered a critical bastion of support.

MIDEAST: Israelis Torturing Palestinian Children

Mohammed Mahsiri, a resident of Dheisheh refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, sits in a crowded café, a red kuffiyeh wrapped around his neck and an iconic portrait of Che Guevara emblazoned on his black t-shirt.

EGYPT: ‘Return to a Police State’

The amendment of 34 articles of the constitution makes a "police state" of Egypt, opposition leaders say.

IRAQ: And These Refugees Are Lucky

Salim Hamad, 33, glances at the sprawling buildings of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus and sees business. He has set up a small tea shop at the camp.

WORLD HEALTH DAY: How Much Can Iraq Survive

Iraqis surviving violence are not so sure they can also survive disease.