An-Nahar (Lebanon): Dozens killed and injured, war cuts off districts – The second day of political and security confrontations in Lebanon took their worst turn yet toward street and neighborhood wars with political and sectarian undertones. Unconfirmed reports said eight people have been killed and dozens injured in two days of fighting in Beirut. Gunfire and explosions were heard throughout the night, and opposition fighters broke into and took over five offices belonging to the Future party.

SPECIAL REPORT: The key to solving the sectarian clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in the Lebanese capital Beirut can only be found in the context of a larger Middle East solution involving Lebanons two powerful neighbors; Israel and Syria.

The 21st century will not be an easy one for Israel, yet the 20th initially looked even worse: Jewish pogroms in Russia, inept Ottoman rule in the Holy Land, Jews without a state for 2,000 years.

Iran is angry with a British court ruling that would lift the ban on a major Iranian organization opposing the Islamic republic regime that could pave the way for removing Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK) from the terrorist blacklist in the Western world.

What the Arab papers said on May 8:

INTERVIEW: The long-standing dispute between the Lebanese government – backed by the United States, France and Saudi Arabia – and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, backed by Syria and Iran turned violent in Beirut Wednesday, after what initially began as a strike over wage demands quickly degenerated into gun battles and once again raised the specter of the civil war.

The Lebanese political crisis took a violent turn Wednesday as supporters of the pro-Western government and the Hezbollah-led opposition exchanged gunfire, while main roads were blocked with burning tires and mounds of dirt, as a general strike paralyzed much of Beirut and suspended air traffic.

JERUSALEM -- While Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has expressed full confidence in the progress of peace negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and her government, Palestinian negotiators are claiming they have neither a negotiating partner in Israel nor the United States.

What the Arab papers said on May 7:

BAGHDAD -- U.S. troops and Shiite gunmen are engaged in a bloody test of wills in Baghdads Shiite enclave of Sadr City over construction of a three-mile barrier wall that will block unfettered extremist gunmen between its northern and southern zones.