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Journalist Rami Khouri syndicated columnist and former editor of the Jordan Times.

NPR's Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem reports there were sporadic clashes in the West Bank and Gaza today, the day after the Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to work toward ending the violence. But in a development that could re-ignite the unrest, Israel Radio reports security forces have arrested some of the Palestinians suspected of taking part in the mob killing of two Israeli soldiers in Ramallah last week.

Researchers from Yale and Brown Universities report in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association that they have measured the actual brain volume of children who were born prematurely, using M.R.I. scans once the children reached eight years of age. They found that the earlier the premature birth, the more insult to the brain, resulting in a related decrease in I.Q. test scores. It's a first step towards quantifying how much delayed brain development affects intelligence. NPR's Michelle Trudeau has the story.

NPR's Michele Kelemen reports that American Edmond Pope went on trial in a Moscow court today, accused of trying to buy Russian military secrets. Pope's supporters deny he's a spy, insisting he's a businessman who was buying declassified Russian technology. Members of the U.S. Congress have urged the Clinton administration to hold up aid to Russia if Pope is convicted. The trial is expected to last several weeks.

All Things Considered Host Linda Wertheimer traveled to Missouri to talk to voters about their views on the candidates. Today she talks to a group of older white men about their thoughts on the last debate. The encounter doesn't seem to have swayed their support for George W. Bush.

NPR's Mike Shuster in Jerusalem reports the violence in the Palestinian territories abated Friday, but tensions remain high. Prospects for a peace summit involving Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat remain unclear.

Robert talks with Salameh Nematt, Amman Bureau Chief of Al Hayat newspaper, about Arab reaction to the crisis between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

With Major League Soccer playing its championship game this Sunday, sportswriter Stefan Fatsis takes the opportunity to examine the league's overall performance -- both on and off the field. There's been little audience growth, and it appears the league has not yet broken through in popularity. But ownership's deep pockets are keeping it going. On the field, the Kansas City Wizards and the Chicago Fire face off in Washington D.C. this weekend in a game which features Chicago's high powered offense against Kansas City's tight defense. Stefan also makes brief mention of England's difficulty in World Cup qualifying matches and the approach this spring of the new women's soccer league in the U.S.

NPR's Margot Adler reports that American Jewish leaders are expressing shock, and American Arabs anger, over the latest violence in the Middle East. At least one Jewish group says Israel no longer has a "partner for peace" in Yasser Arafat. American Arab leaders say they feel betrayed by the U.S. government and media, whom they say are taking Israeli deaths more seriously than Arab deaths. Both groups say support for peace has dropped over the past two weeks.

Robert talks to Patrick Clawson, Director for Research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and then with Ze'ev Schiff, a military analyst for the daily Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, about a call by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak for a "unilateral separation" of Israelis and Palestinians. They discuss the pros and cons of the proposal. Clawson says separating Israelis and Palestinians would bring stability to the region, while Schiff says separating the two peoples is practically impossible, and might not end the violence.