The ceasefire brokered by Russia and the US has brought a measure of peace to Syria amid fears that its failure will open up dangerous alternatives, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus
Samia Fakhry reports on the outcome of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi’s visit to Japan
It will need more than a presidential visit for Egypt to get the most out of relations with Japan and South Korea, political scientist Mustafa Kamel Al-Sayed tells Dina Ezzat
MP Tawfik Okasha’s private meeting with the Israeli ambassador might cost him a lot, reports Gamal Essam El-Din
The president’s message was loud and clear — depending on how you interpret it, reports Nevine Khalil
Several jailed journalists have gone on hunger strike to protest against their detention in Cairo’s Al-Aqrab Prison, reports Mona El-Nahhas
Five-year prison sentences against four Christian teenagers convicted of “contempt of religion” has revived a campaign to amend laws limiting freedom of expression, reports Khaled Dawoud
On a recent visit to Egypt, Elmar Brok, chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasised EU support for Egypt in an interview with Nesmahar Sayed
The Interior Ministry has released a further statement on the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo, writes Ahmed Morsy
Last week’s elections in Iran expressed hopes for change in the country’s politics, writes Rania Makram
New legislation has been proposed to the cabinet to help curb police excesses, reports Ahmed Morsy
Egypt’s parliament has gone a long way towards endorsing its new bylaws but MPs have accused the speaker of political bias
Doctors have begun their threatened strike by providing medical services for free, reports Reem Leila
Egypt’s sustainable development strategy aims to see the country ranked among the 30 largest economies worldwide by 2030, reports Sherine Abdel-Razek
Nesma Nowar reports on attempts to rebuild Egypt’s tourism sector
New dollar-denominated savings certificates are being offered to Egyptians working abroad with the aim of attracting their savings, writes Hayat Hussein
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has re-established trust between the people and the system by his successful conduct of the country’s elections, writes Camelia Entekhabifard
Mahan Abedin argues that the Iranian parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections will set the pace for years to come
A new Egyptian secretary-general will be named to the pan-Arab organisation, diplomats report, as part of a political deal with Riyadh, writes Dina Ezzat
The promotion of Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, a former associate of Ali Abdullah Saleh, to head the Yemeni military arm of the government against the Saleh-Houthi alliance is of unmistakable significance, writes Ahmed Eleiba
There have been further delays in the ratification of a national-accord government in Libya, writes Kamel Abdallah
As a showdown looms in Mosul in northern Iraq, fears are growing that the battle is becoming dangerously polarised, writes Salah Nasrawi
Saudi Arabia’s suspension of its military aid to Lebanon may upset sectarian relations in the country, writes Hassan Al-Qishawi in Beirut
Egypt’s Amr Al-Geziri won an unprecedented gold medal at the first stage of the 2016 modern pentathlon World Cup Series in Cairo, Inas Mazhar reports
Newly elected FIFA President Infantino has the unenviable task of cleaning up the polluted organisation, Alaa Abdel-Ghani reports
Flushed from head to toe and huffing and puffing across the finish line, the Alex Runners are taking over Alexandria’s famous seaside Corniche, writes Ameera Fouad
It is time that all Arab armies developed elite corps, akin to US Special Forces, to take the fight to terrorists and ensure they are stamped out for good, writes Abdel-Moneim Said
The supporters of Republican Party presidential elections candidate Donald Trump remind us that we should worry less about extremists and more about ordinary Americans, writes C J Werleman
The disconnect between the Arab elite, of whatever political current, and the Arab masses continues to result in disequilibrium and deterioration in Arab societies, writes Awatef Abdel-Rahman
The late Egyptian diplomat and statesman Boutros Boutros-Ghali was robbed of a second term as UN secretary-general, writes Yassin El-Ayouty
Ahmed Youssef Ahmed remembers Boutros Boutros-Ghali, teacher, moral guide and an honourable and inspiring man who touched so many lives and gave much to the world
While some saw Mohamed Hassanein Heikal as a doyen of the state, in truth he maintained his independence and right to criticise until his final days, writes Hassan Nafaa
Donald Trump is not a politician but an opportunist bigot who knows how to play to a crowd, writes James Zogby
Advocates of the two-state solution must produce a conception of its implementation on the basis of the equality of the two peoples, writes Richard Falk
The ceasefire agreement in Syria is welcome and long overdue, but it will not hold if Western powers continue pushing for Bashar Al-Assad to be removed, writes Hussein Haridy
The Cultural Development Fund’s optimistic new director Neveen El-Kilany tells Nevine El-Aref about her plans
The ebullient Egyptian curator Sherwet Shafie has once again brought a promising youthful effervescent talent to the fore of her SafarKhan Gallery, chimes Gamal Nkrumah
Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty speaks with Nevine El-Aref about the challenges ahead
Mediation is an alternative to sometimes expensive and drawn-out legal procedures
A seven-year-old boy is helping his family make a living by drawing portraits on the street, writes Mai Samih
Compiled by Doaa El-Bey
Nora Koloyan-Keuhnelian remembers Al-Ahram Weekly’s founder in the company of his wife
Peter Oborne speaks to residents of government-held areas in Aleppo about their fight against the Islamic State group and the wider conflict in Syria
In order for the government to stay popular, it needs better communication with the public, says Youssef Wardani
Ethiopia’s decision to grant itself the right to control the waters of the Nile through construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is against all international conventions and is a legitimate concern for Egypt, writes Nader Noureddin
Countries in Africa and the Arab region need to better implement international conventions on the control of environmental pollutants, writes Mahmoud Bakr
A visit to the Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam combines dreamlike experiences, sports, and entertainment, writes Doaa Khalifa
Ahmed Amer describes a 1,400km road trip from Cairo to the Libyan city of Benghazi, “the capital of the terrorist groups”, where mortars continue to claim the lives of civilians
This month’s Alexandria International Song Festival reminds audiences of the long and distinguished history of Arab song, writes Samir Sobhi
On president Gamal Abdel-Nasser’s 45th death anniversary, Samir Sobhi explores the memories of Salah Al-Shahed, master of ceremonies for both King Farouk and Nasser
The difference between a state religion and a religious state is a crucial one, traceable through successive Egyptian constitutions but ignored in the discourse of the Islamist groups, writes Ammar Ali Hassan
The Muslim Brotherhood always saw Europe as a launching pad for overthrowing Arab regimes, but attempts to Islamicise Europe-based Muslims have failed, writes Tarek Dahroug
Although Egypt ranks low in almost all global reports on happiness and life satisfaction, Gihan Shahine finds there may be another side to the coin
The US remains committed to creating another Iraqi army in an American mould, writes Nick Turse
Too little attention has been given to vocational education in Egypt, long marginalised in favour of academic studies, writes Farah El-Akkad
The new wave of anti-Muslim hatred that is spreading across the Western world could lead to the burning of bridges between the West and the Islamic world, writes Salah Nasrawi
It may be bombed, spied on and infiltrated on a daily basis, but the Islamic State group has managed to survive, thanks to the help it receives even from its sworn enemies, says Bassel Oudat
Despite government efforts to combat human trafficking, it remains a significant problem in Egypt, writes Gihan Shahine
Refuse produced by Egyptian households and businesses has been piling up for years, causing eyesores and posing health hazards, writes Farah Al-Akkad
With healthcare, education and living conditions at rock bottom, the Syrian people are bracing themselves for still worse to come, reports Bassel Oudat from Damascus
Fewer than five years after the 25 January Revolution, it seems that calls for social justice have become little more than a memory for many Egyptians, writes Alessandra Bajec
What is the recipe for a happy and fulfilling relationship, asks Sarah Eissa
Farah El-Akkad samples a slice of Alexandria’s heritage