Al-Ayyam (West Bank): 'Breakfast of death' in Beit Hanoun: Mother and her four children killed – A 40-year-old mother and her four children, aged between 10 months and six years, were having breakfast in their home in Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip yesterday morning when an Israeli shell ended their meal and their lives. Two resistance fighters were also killed yesterday by the Israeli army in Gaza.

Al-Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): Iraqi army and occupation forces kill 46 people in Baghdad – Two American military statements said yesterday that Sunday's fierce battles in Sadr City in Baghdad killed 38 Shiite militiamen confronting the U.S. forces. Earlier, 16 people were killed in six separate armed clashes with the militiamen; at least 439 people have been killed and hundreds of others injured in Sadr City since March 25.

Al-Sabah (Iraq): Trial of suspects in execution of merchants starts today – The trial of eight suspects, including former Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz, starts today at the Iraqi High Tribunal on charges of executing merchants in 1992. Judicial sources said they expect the trial to take less time than previous trials [of officials from Saddam Hussein's regime.]

Al-Mustaqbal (Lebanon): March 14 authorizes Hariri to dialogue with Berri to ensure election without conditions – Leaders of Lebanon's March 14 coalition authorized the head of the Future bloc, MP Saad Hariri, to dialogue on their behalf with House speaker Nabih Berri with the aim of electing a president on May 13. The coalition said after a meeting yesterday they were committed to dialogue [with the opposition], but stressed the importance of electing a president as a top priority and way to solve the crisis.

Al-Fadjr (Algeria): All sectors paralyzed after 48 hours of riots – The city of Chlef, west of Algiers, was paralyzed after 48 hours of clashes between angry youth and the security forces, who used tear gas and rubber bullets against stone-throwers. Public buildings and banks were stormed and set ablaze in the past two days.