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Moroccan journalists, Mustapha Alaoui and Khalid Mechbal, are free to resume their activities due to a royal amnesty of a court sentence that banned them from practicing journalism activities, a reliable source said Sunday. Alaoui, manager of "Al Ousboue" weekly and Mechbal, editor-in-chief of "Achamal" weekly, were condemned last April in a libel case filed by Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa to stop all journalism activity, respectively for 3 years and one year. Alaoui was also sentenced to a 3 month-prison sentence and Mechbal to a suspended 6-month prison term, in addition to fines and compensation to the plaintiff. Go

Egypt's Minister of Information Safwat Al-Sherif stressed told MENA the importance of the three-day visit of President Hosni Mubarak to Spain, adding talks to be held by Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, transport Minister Go

Sheikh Amer bin Shuwain al Hosni, Minister of Social Affairs, Labour and Vocational Training has issued a ministerial decision, announcing the establishment of a private association, to be named "The early interference Association for children with special needs," the Oman news agency reported. Go

Mauritanian prime minister, Sheikh Al-Afia Ould Mohamed Khouna started this Monday a two-day visit to Tunisia to co-chair with Tunisian peer the 9th high joint commission session. The Mauritanian official said the session will assess the evolution of bilateral cooperation and explore cooperation prospects in various fields. Go

A decision was released by the ministry of finance in Syria to reserve the transferred and non-transferred assets of former Syrian deputy premier for economic affairs, his wife and children. Go

The Egyptian general organization for books refused Israel's participation in activities of Cairo international book fair. Samir Serhan, head of the organization asserted to ArabicNews.com that "this refusal comes in frame work of the Egyptian culture ministry's policy of the non complete normalization with Israel" until after the different Egyptian and Arab bodies succeed in pushing forward the peace process on its different tracks. Go

Some 60 SLA militia members on Sunday returned back to Lebanon and surrendered themselves to the Lebanese authorities. They demonstrated inside the camps they were put in inside Israel in protest of the humiliating treatment they have been receiving from the Israelis. Go

The Lebanese embassy in Amman has announced it will open its doors next Thursday to receive congratulations on the liberation of South Lebanon from the Israeli occupation. Go

Egyptian prime minister Atef Ebeid assured that the government's debts to the individuals and the corporations till 30th of coming June reached 4600 million L.E and other 400 million debts on the government till end of the current financial year, saying that the government will pay its debts through selling 20% of the government's telecommunication companies shares and 20% shares of petroleum refinery companies as well as 30% of the petroleum distribution companies and that these shares will be raised between coming June and December. The current lack of currency and stagnation were related to many projects that were made by the government that cost millions of pound that were lately proved not to have economic feasibility. Go

A telephone call was made on Saturday evening between the Libyan President Muammar al-Qaddafi and the Algerian President Abdul Aziz Butaflika. Talks dealt with latest efforts exerted to put an end to the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and bilateral consultation to this effect. Go

Saudi minister of communication Nasser al-Salloum on Sunday met in Jeddah with the minister of communications in South Africa Abdullah Omar, currently visiting Saudi Arabia and discussed bilateral relations concerning transport and communications and means of developing them. Earlier in the day, the South Africa's minister signed an agreement in Jeddah with the chairman of the Saudi civil aviation establishment Ali al-Khalaf on exchanging air services between Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Go

The Palestinian national government's council said that achieving any progress in the peace process depends on Israel's coming back to the negotiations with new ideas. Israel halted the talks with the Palestinians being held in Sweden to retaliate against the wide violence that erupted by Palestinian youths against Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip recently. Go

The Moroccan cost guards arrested 40 persons, including 36 from Sierra Leone, who were trying to enter Spain illegally on board an inflatable dinghy. The engine-equipped dinghy was also carrying 3 Moroccans and the person organizing the risky trip. Go

Ethiopian aircraft today bombed the airport in Asmara. Four Ethiopian bomber planes were used in the attack which occurred around 11:20 a.m. Two flew overhead while the other two bombed the airport and a soap factory nearby, Eritrea said. Go

The fourth meeting of Justice Ministries Undersecretaries in the GCC Gulf states is due to be held May 30th to 31st at the Secretariat-General in Riyadh and will discuss the draft unified law for criminal procedures, the draft unified law for Judicial, the draft unified law for advocacy, the draft unified basis for prison alternatives and Al Ain document to improve joint justice cooperation the Oman news agency reported. Go