As-Safir (Lebanon): Israel suspends Gaza 'holocaust' for Rice to enjoy happy tour – Israel yesterday suspended its "holocaust" in Gaza, withdrawing its troops from northern Gaza but continuing its air strikes. The suspension came to allow U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to enjoy a happy Middle East tour, which starts today, so that the blood of martyrs and verbal condemnations do not ruin her visit.

Al-Hayat (London): Ahmadinejad prayed at Kathemiya and Athamiya residents protested – The atmosphere of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Baghdad can be summarized with the sectarian divisions in Iraq, where the man was praying at Moussa al-Kathem shrine while the residents of nearby Athamiya demonstrated against his visit and Iranian policy. Gunmen defied the security measures and blew up a car near the municipality ministry in central Baghdad, killing more than 15 Iraqis. Fifteen others were killed in separate attacks.

Az-Zaman (London; Iraq): Militias terrorize witnesses, win acquittal of Baghdad murder suspects – Witnesses retracted their testimonies under murder threats issued by local militias in Baghdad, as the criminal court on Monday acquitted Deputy Health Minister Hakem al-Zameli and the head of the ministry's guards, Hamid al-Shammari. They were charged with assassination on the basis of sectarianism and exploiting state property, raising fears their release would usher in a return of sectarian murders and bring the collapse of the Baghdad security plan.

Al-Rai (Kuwait): Saudi Arabia arrests 56 al-Qaida members– The Saudi Interior Ministry announced the arrest of 56 members of al-Qaida, including 28 people who were arrested during the pilgrimage season, saying they planned to carry out attacks during the Hajj in Mecca. The ministry said the group was in contact with al-Qaida leaders abroad, mainly with second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Tishreen (Syria): Arab summit as planned, Arab League to endorse agenda – Despite the assurances of Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa that the Arab summit would be held in Damascus on time, there are still voices of disharmony trying to confuse this summit. The secretariat of the Arab League in Cairo drafted a 28-item agenda for the meeting, which is due to be endorsed by the Arab foreign ministers tomorrow.