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Short Takes:
Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on Sunday received a message from Japanese Prime Minister Siniheiro Noboro. The message was handed over from Japanese Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi to Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa. Go

The first drops of rain have started today, early in the morning, in Damascus for the first time in more than one year. People are receiving the rain with great joy, as the Damascenes are suffering a daily cut in water supplies to 16 hours a day. Most of the people think that the rainfall has come at the generosity of the Almighty God, following the massive rain prayers made at the Damascus Umayyad's mosque on Friday in which scores of women and men took part. People are hoping for more rain is coming. Go

Morocco opened over the weekend in the northern town of Tetuan a center for the rehabilitation and social integration of disabled children. The center, which cost $282,000, seeks to facilitate the integration of disabled children in the society and to enhance the level of specialized trainers. Go

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed, minister of state for foreign affairs in the United Arab Emirates, will arrive in Sanaa next week to attend the meetings of the joint UAE - Yemeni committee. Yemeni sources said that the signing of agreements will take place at the end of the meeting to finance the second stage of the Maereb Dam project and establishing 20 small dams, as well as the project of Seada - Hared road, as well as agreements and protocols for bilateral cooperation that will be signed in the fields of agriculture, commercial exchange and banning double taxation. Go

US Middle East peace process coordinator Dennis Ross met in his tour of the Middle East with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Gaza following Palestinian - Israeli negotiations which resulted in nothing concerning the stumbled Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank. Go

A negotiating session on the transitional stage was concluded in Gaza tonight between the Palestinian side under the chairmanship of Saeb Erekat, Palestinian minister of the local rule, and Awzi Arman, heading the Israeli side. Erekat said the two sides discussed a lot of topics, but they never reached an agreement regarding the Israeli forces' redeployment concerning 3% of the West Bank's lands, adding that the first topic was with the statements of the Israeli housing minister concerning Israel's new establishment of settlements. Go

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa headed today to France to head Egypt's delegation in the conference between the French and African foreign ministers which is meeting in Paris with the participation of foreign ministers from 52 African countries to prepare for a French - African summit that will be held in November 2000. Go

Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaleifa al-Thani on Sunday received a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi pertaining to relations between the two countries and several issues of mutual concern. Go

Kuwait Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah has received a message from Eritrea President Isaias Afwerki relating to bilateral relations and means of developing them. Go

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz has met with the director general of the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Jacques Dayouf. The two sides reviewed cooperation relations between Saudi Arabia and the FAO and prospects of developing and accelerating them in the service of the two sides. Go

The first bookshop specialized in books on Islam and Islamic culture published in the Arabic and Spanish languages has opened in the Moroccan northern town of Melilia, under Spanish rule. According to Spanish news agency EFE, the bookshop, an initiative of "Badr" association, will meet the increasing needs of the city inhabitants. Go

Two Moroccan major unions, CDT and UGTM, called Sunday for a two-day strike in the education sector to claim a better material and moral situation. The two unions also want a final solution to problems related to education staff's pensions and taxes. Go

US jets patrolling the "no-fly zone" over southern Iraq today "used precision-guided weapons to strike an Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery site and a military radar site in southern Iraq. Both sites were located near the city of Al Amarah, approximately 165 miles east-southeast of Baghdad," the US Central Command said, adding that the attack came in response to Iraqi anti-aircraft fire against aircraft in the zone. Go

Israel Radio quoted on Sunday Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid as saying that Israel has secretly invested some US $200 million in his country via a third party, represented by Dutch or American companies. Go

Israel Radio said on Sunday that the representatives of some 15 Israeli companies will shortly head for Yugoslavia to discuss the possibility of taking part in restoring firms destroyed during the Yugoslavian civil war and the raids of the NATO. Go