Today's Headlines
- King Hamad: Bahrain to become a modern constitutional democracy
King Hamad announced the activation of Bahrain's constitution. The constitution based on the charter is to be modern, with three separate and independent bodies that are the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. Bahrain, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Damascus: The court listens to witnesses in the case of Seif on March 18
A date was set for the defendant witnesses in the trial of the Syrian parliament member Riyadh Seif on March 7 and it is expected that three of them will witness against accusations addressed to him. Syria, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Poverty worsens in Morocco, call for action on several fronts
The official, who surveyed the action of the alternation government -that was formed in 1998, putting an end to about 40 years of right-wing rule-conceded "a lack of communication" mainly with the citizens. He deplored the "lack of control on the use of public money" since 1963 and said the Alternation cabinet inherited public institutions that are on the verge of bankruptcy. Morocco, Economics, 2/15/2002
- Al-Assad confers with Iranian vice president
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday at the Damascus al-Shaab palace received the first deputy for the Iranian President Muhammad Rida Aref and members of the accompanying delegation. Syria-Iran, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Syrian- Iranian relations on developing cooperation relations
The two sides reviewed the march of cooperation between the two countries in various economic, trade, financial, scientific, technical and cultural fields and the exchange of experts and encouraging investments and joint projects besides the fields of agriculture, industry, oil, electricity, transport and telecom. Syria-Iran, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Iranian vice president confers with Hizbullah party chairman
Iranian Vice President Muhammad Rida Aref on Thursday evening in Damascus met with the secretary of the Lebanese Hizbullah party who came to congratulate Aref on his new post, according to a statement by the Iranian embassy in Damascus where the meeting was held. Lebanon-Iran, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Libyan officials for Arab, Islamic efforts to challenge onslaughts
The Libyan foreign minister has called for the need of mobilizing the efforts of the Arab and Islamic states to withstand impeding challenges. He said that his country is ready to cooperate and coordinate to implement this aim. Regional, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Moroccan-Libyan talks in Rabat
Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi conferred Thursday evening in Rabat with secretary of the Libyan general popular committee for African Unity, Abdeslam Triki, on latest developments on the Arab scene. Morocco-Libya, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Israel demolishes tens of Palestinian houses, prevents ambulances access to hospitals
The Israeli forces stopped an ambulance for the ICRC at a barrier near Qalqilya carrying Palestinian patients in critical health conditions to one of the hospitals. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Syrian citizens of the Golan observe a general strike
The Syrians in the occupied Golan heights on Thursday observed a general strike in memory of the great general strike organized in 1982 and lasted for 6 months in protest of Israel's annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan heights. Syria-Israel, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Haider calls for lifting sanctions on Iraq
Former leader of the Austrian "Liberty" party Yorg Haider called on from Baghdad for lifting the sanctions imposed on Iraq since more than 11 years. Iraq-Austria, Politics, 2/15/2002
- On Haider 's visit to Iraq
The Austrian "Liberty" party on Wednesday defended the visit currently made to Iraq by former leader of the ruling party and governors of the Austrian province of "Karnithia" Yorg Haeder, noting that it is a very encouraging visit and aims at completing the country's foreign policy. Iraq-Austria, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Morocco to enforce heavy sanctions against election riggers
Morocco said it will enforce heavy sanctions against people found guilty of rigging during the elections to be held in Morocco next September. Morocco, Politics, 2/15/2002
- On US preparations to topple Saddam Hussein
The Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah issued on Wednesday received information which stated that the US administration has prepared the Iraqi retired Maj. Gen. Najib al-Salehi for the presidency of an Iraqi provisional government after toppling Iraq current president Saddam Hussein. Iraq-USA, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Al-Rajoub denies to have differences with Arafat
The chairman of the Palestinian preventive security in the West Bank Col. Jibril al-Rajoub on Wednesday denied to have differences with the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat. Palestine, Politics, 2/15/2002
- European parliament delegation confers with Moroccan officials
The European parliament delegation, which is currently on a visit to Morocco, held a series of meetings Thursday with several members of the Moroccan cabinet, on the evolution witnessed by Morocco at the political, social and economic levels. Morocco-European Union, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Bush administration open to input from Arab-Americans
A senior State Department official has called on Arab-Americans to understand the incremental nature of policy making, and not to give up on U.S. policy toward the Middle East. Regional-USA, Politics, 2/15/2002
- Israel to expand naval activities
Sources at the Israeli Knesset unveiled a secret report prepared by the foreign affairs and security committee of the Knesset recommending to introduce fundamental changes in the Israeli naval forces in order to expand its activities in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Israel-Regional, Military, 2/15/2002
- Israel to compensate China over abrogating planes deals
The chairman of the foreign relations and defense committee at the Israeli Knesset David Magen said on Wednesday that Israel will give compensations to China after abrogating a contract to sell radar planes of AWACS type. Israel-China, Politics, 2/15/2002
- One person accused of being a member in al- Qaida blew off himself in Sanaa
The Yemeni police said that one Yemeni suspected to belong to al-Qaida organization has detonated himself on Wednesday evening as the police forces were chasing him in Sanaa. Yemen, Local, 2/15/2002
Short Takes
- Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday received at the Damascus al-Shaab palace the speaker of the Yemeni Parliament Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein al-Ahmar and members of the accompanying delegation. Discussions dealt with the relations between the two states and means of strengthening them at the parliamentary level as well as conditions in the region and the world and the need of revitalizing Arab solidarity in the current critical conditions. Go
- The Omani news agency said on Thursday that Sultan Qabous bin Saeed of Oman on Thursday held a ministerial reshuffle which targeted the minister of heritage and culture. The agency said that Haitham Bin Tareq Bin Taimour al-Saeed was appointed as a minister of heritage and culture and succeeded Faisal Bin Ali al-Saeed who was appointed as an advisor to Sultan Qabous for heritage affairs. Go
- Three members of the Algerian self-defense forces ( almost official militias ) and another one was wounded in a bomb explosion near Jejil ( 360 Km to the east of the capital Algiers ), according to local dailies. Go
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