The wood for the trees
Most commentators saw Ehud Barak's decision to defer the latest phase of Israel's West Bank redeployment as evidence of his preoccupation with the Syrian track of the peace process. But it can also be seen as a ploy to squeeze Yasser Arafat into accepting a framework agreement to Israel's liking. Graham Usher reports from Jerusalem
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Cleaning house
Jordan's recent cabinet reshuffle, writes Lola Keilani from Amman, is more cosmetic than remedial
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Black anniversary
War and nine years of economic seige have devastated Iraq. With the US, the UN and Saddam Hussein all denying responsibility, Salah Hemeid writes on this darkest of commemorations
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'Optimistic about Algeria'
Algeria's army has delayed an expected offensive on hideouts of suspected militants in the hope that more members will give themselves up to benefit from a partial amnesty which officially expired on 13 January, reports Khaled Dawoud
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Divine elect
Reformists in Iran are finding themselves most unwelcome on the election ballot, writes Azadeh Moaveni
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Another stay for Ocalan
With visions of EU membership tantalisingly near, Turkey postpones the Kurdish rebel leader's sentence. Gareth Jenkins reports from Istanbul
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Back and in trouble
The man appointed by Iraq to head Kuwait's government following its 1990 invasion of the Gulf state returned home this week to face a retrial, Sherine Bahaa reports
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