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Short Takes:
The Algerian government banned the march of the followers of Movement for a Peaceful Society (Hamas) that was to be held today in protest over excluding their leader, Mahfouz Nahnah, from the coming Algerian presidential elections. Algerian Minister of Interior Abdullah Saleh announced that the Algerian authorities banned this march to secure the safety of the election campaign, saying that Nahnah's followers should regulate their protest march inside the headquarters of their party. Go

The Jordanian governments has asserted its refusal to open an Israeli consulate in Irbid, northern Jordan. The Jordanian daily al-Dostour said, quoting high-ranking Israeli political sources, that the Israeli Foreign Ministry had earlier sent several memorandums to the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, adding that the Jordanian government ignored these memorandums because there is no need to open an Israeli consulate in Irbid. Go

The Syrian People's Assembly on Tuesday ratified a contract with the US Conoco -Elf providing for availing the company to collect 175 million cubic meters of gas per day. The contract will last for 24 months. This is, however, the first Syrian contract with a US company since the beginning of the 1990s. Go

The Jordanian authorities started to release prisoners in accordance with the first amnesty issued by King Abdullah Bin al-Hussein since he ascended to the throne in February. The amnesty will cover some 700 prisoners Go

Gambian president, Yahya Jameh, arrived on Wednesday night in Rabat on a private visit. Go

A report for OAPEC (the Organization of Arab Petroleum-Exporting Countries) said the rate of consumpstion will be increased in the member states from 5.9 million barrels per day to 8 million barrels per day in 2001. Meanwhile, the report distributed by the organization today stated that the energy consumption per individual in Arab states is 8 barrels of petroleum annually. Go

The Tunisian Council of Deputies approved Wednesday a draft law to amend the basis of nomination for the post of president. The draft dictates that in case the nomination's conditions stated in the third item from chapter 40 of the constitution could exceptionally nominate this year to the presidency post candidates who are leaders or secretary generals of legal parties, but on the condition that the leader has held this post for five consecutive years before the day of his nomination and that the party in deputies' council could have one or more representatives. Go

Eritrean Minister of Trade and Industry Ali Sayed Abdullah and members of the accompanying delegation arrived in Damascus on Wednesday to to strengthen and reactivate political, trade and industrial relations. Go

Tens of Kurds demonstrated peacefully in front of the Turkish embassy in Warsaw on Wednesday in protest against the arrest of the leader of the Kurdistani Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, on February 15. This was the first demonstration in Warsaw since the detention of Ocalan. Go

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday in Cairo received a message from Ugandan President Yuri Museveni. The message was delivered to the Egyptian Deputy Premier and Agriculture Minister Youssef Wali during his Wednesday meeting with Ugandan Vice President and Minister of Agriculture Wandira Specioza Kazibwe. The two sides discussed cooperation between the two countries in the area of agriculture and water resources and developing the lakes region and the fisheries. Go

The Armed Islamic Group in Algeria on Tuesday night killed nine citizens in al-Sama'a municipality in Blida province, near the capital, Algiers. A statement released by the Algerian security sources said the security forces started a mopping up operation in the region in search of the armed men who committed this massacre. Go

Deputy spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Sarmad Atajinli, on Wednesday denied that talks held by Syrian Deputy Premier for Economic Affairs Salim Yassin with Turkish officials dealt with the issue of waters between the two countries. Go

The minister of state at the Sudanese Ministry of Health, Dr. Thomas Abwal, has announced that total deaths as a result of the epidemics which have hit the Upper Nile province during the three past weeks reached 141 and that the epidemics include diarrhea and malaria. Go