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Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said he will also preside over bimonthly meetings with the full cabinet to follow up progress made by the government in implementing national action program, already highlighted in his five addresses prior to the referendum. The President told al-Musawwar weekly that a decree setting up a supreme committee on technological development, to be chaired by him is expected to be released within the next two weeks. He stressed that he will preside over periodic meetings of the committee to follow up progress of a project to entrench advanced technological industry, a gigantic project that will have a decisive impact on Egypís future progress. Go

The general trusteeship of the Arab Journalists Union expressed its gratitude to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt for granting a new, permanent headquarters as a present to the union for starting its efforts in the coming century and his enhancement of the freedom press and expression in Egypt. This came at the conclusion of the meeting of the general trusteeship of the Arab Journalists Union, headed by Ibrahim Nafae. Go

The Arab program for human rights activists in Cairo appealed to Syrian President Hafez al-Assad to provide health care for Nazar Niouf, who is considered one of the most prominent activists for human rights in Syria and the Arab world and who was arrested on January 5, 1992 and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, which he is spending in El-Meza prison. The program urged the Syrian president to release Niouf because of his bad health condition. Go

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan welcomed yesterday the Sudanese government's decision to extend a ceasefire that was to expire today for another three months. He also welcomed a similar statement by the Sudan People's Liberation Army on the ceasefire covering Bahr el Ghazal, Western Upper Nile and Central Upper Nile provinces. Annan called for the two sides to continue work in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) context to reach a peace agreement. Go

Princess Lalla Meryem, sister to King Mohammed VI, launched Thursday in Larache the first phase of a nationwide hepatitis-B campaign for newborns. The princess was briefed on the strategic action plan of the health department geared towards immunization of children less than the age of five and women at the procreative age. Immunization coverage for children has reached 90%, thanks to successive campaigns ordered by late King Hassan II since 1987. Go

Foreign minister Farouk al-Sharaa left the American hospital in Beirut at 3:35 p.m. Thursday (Beirut local time), after he has recovered, following the successful surgery he underwent. Hospital sources told SANA's correspondent that al-Sharaa is in excellent health and he can assume his usual work at any time. Before he left the hospital, al-Sharaa met with Lebanese Health Minister Karam Karam. Go

Saudi sources said today that Riyadh will establish a commercial fair for Saudi Arabian products in Iran with the participation of 70 companies on November 14 - 19 to increase commercial exchange between the two countries, which is currently at $250 million annually in spite of the tensions witnessed in the diplomatic relations between Iran and the United Arab Emirates over three Gulf islands. Go

The Kuwaiti Safir International hotel group and the company for tourist management of Zeralda (west of Algiers), EGTZ, signed an agreement last week for Safir International to manage Mazafran Hotel in Algiers, Algeria News Agency reported. The contract, which has a duration of 10 years and will start in January 2000, calls for the appointment of six Kuwaiti hotel managers to run the hotel and train its personnel. Go

Morocco's cost of living index increased by 0.4 percent last August compared to July, the Moroccan Statistics Office said. The rise is imputed to the 0.4 increase in foodstuff index, the office said, adding that other products and services (transportation and communication) remained stable. Go

The board of directors of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa agreed at the conclusion of its meetings in Damascus to grant six African countries $40 million to finance many basic infrastructure projects in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cote D'Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, and Madagascar. These funds will be specified for developing agriculture projects, textile industries and small projects specified for combating unemployment among the youths of these countries. Go