Today's Headlines
- Thirty women to sit in Moroccan Parliament
Under the new organic law, the 325 members of the House will be elected at the direct universal suffrage according to the list voting system, the minister said. Morocco, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Al-Assad meets with Pope John Paul
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday concluded his visit to Italy by a meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. Syria-Vatican, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Some 41 Jordanian women ask for divorce according to the new marital law
Some 41 Jordanian women had filed cases to split from their husbands at jurisprudence courts, and this falls in the context of a new development provided by the marital law which was amended three months ago. Jordan, Culture, 2/22/2002
- The first Bahraini official trade delegation to Iraq since 12 years
In the first visit of its kind since 12 years a Bahraini delegation composed of 50 businessmen as well as the advisor for the executive chairman of the higher council for development Muhammad al-Assoumi will pay a visit to Iraq. Bahrain-Iraq, Economics, 2/22/2002
- France: Sharon's policy doesn't solve anything
After mounting and wide ranging criticism from Israelis and outsiders against Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon policies' against the Palestinians, Sharon reiterated yesterday his idea to create "buffer zones" to protect the Israelis. Palestine-France, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Europe will not support a U.S. attack on Iraq
The French ambassador said Europe will not support U.S. military action against Iraq saying the US "would be on their own," Iraq-France, Politics, 2/22/2002
- On Mubarak's visit to the US
Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Maher has stressed that the talks the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to hold during his next visit to the US by the beginning of March with the US President George Bush will deal with the deteriorated conditions in the Middle East region and the efforts made to revive the ME peace process. Egypt-USA, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Jordan refuses to release three Hizbullah members
In its Thursday's issue, the Lebanese daily Assafir said that the Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri informed the Hizbullah leadership the refusal of the Jordanian King Abdullah II to release three of its members who were arrested in Jordan two months ago while working for smuggling weapons to Intifada forces in the occupied West Bank. Jordan-Lebanon, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Nine Palestinians killed by Israel, tens wounded
Nine Palestinian were shot on Thursday and tens others were wounded while the Palestinian held funerals for 7 persons who were killed by Israel on Wednesday in Gaza, amid massive demonstration in Rafah and al-Salaam, Brazil and al-Breij camps vowing continued Intifada. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Arab League chief stresses opposition to striking Iraq, summit urgently need
The secretary general of the Arab League Amr Moussa has warned that if a just solution for the Palestinian question is not reached stability will not be attained in the region. He stressed that Israel's attempts to liquidate the Palestinian questions reveal its ill desire to attain a just solution for this question. Regional, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Security Council to debate new responses to middle east crisis 'shortly'
The UN Security council agreed to hold a debate shortly to consider new responses to the Middle East crisis. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Israel bombards Arafat's headquarters for the second time
Palestinian officials said that Israeli Apache helicopters fired on Thursday at dawn two missiles at a building close to the office of the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat in Ramullah in the West Bank. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Syria's First Lady meets Syrian businesswomen in Italy
Syria's First Lady Asmaa al-Assad on Thursday met with the delegation representing the businesswomen who took part in the visit to Italy and was briefed on their various activities. Syria, Local, 2/22/2002
- Sahara partitioning proposal inapplicable, former official
Former advisor to the late King Hassan II, Abdelhadi Boutalib, stressed on Thursday the UN secretary general's option to partition the Sahara territory is inapplicable given the nature of the local population made of several tribes. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 2/22/2002
- US suspends peace talks with Sudan
US State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said yesterday that there has been another incident in Sudan, where the government forces attacked civilians saying "the government needs to explain what's going on. On the one hand, the government is talking about reaching peace in these regions, and on the other hand, they are bombing civilian aid workers, and we find it hard to continue the peace efforts until this gets an adequate explanation." Sudan-USA, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Kuwait voices support for Saudi crown prince's initiative
The Kuwaiti first deputy for the prime minister and the foreign minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad has announced his support for the initiative made by the Saudi crown prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on "conditional" normalization with Israel. Kuwait-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 2/22/2002
- Workshop on national bio-diversity strategy in Damascus
A workshop under the title " national bio-diversity strategy and action plan" was held in Damascus on February 17 in collaboration between the Syrian ministry of the Environment and the UNDP. Syria, Environment, 2/22/2002
- King Mohammed congratulates Islamic heads of state on Aid al-Adha
Morocco's King Mohammed VI, Amir Al-Mouminine (commander of the faithful) sent kings, presidents and emirs of Islamic countries a message of congratulations on aid Al-Adha (immolation feast). Morocco-Regional, Religion, 2/22/2002
- Arab states celebrate today as the first day of Eid al-Adha, Pilgrims head for Mouna today
Muslim pilgrims started on Thursday after sunset heading from Arafat mount to al-Musdalifa after they stood for the whole day at Arafat Mount. Regional, Religion, 2/22/2002
Short Takes
- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at his residence in Rome on Thursday received the Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al- Hariri, the foreign minister Mahmoud Hammoud, the minister of the economy Basel Fuleihan and the minister of industry George Afram. Go
- Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohammed Benaissa, conferred in London with British peer, Jack Straw, on means to upgrade the 800-year old ties binding Morocco and Britain. International issues of common concern, especially the situation in the Middle East and security in the Mediterranean, were also surveyed at the meeting. Go
- The Lebanese daily al-Mustaqbal issued on Thursday quoted well-informed sources in Damascus as saying that the visit of President Bashar al-Assad to Egypt will be made after his return back from Italy and that the telephone call made between him and President Mubarak on Tuesday came in the context of coordination for this visit. Go
- Robert Pierre, the former official at the CIA and one of who participated in the investigations against Lockerbie incident said that he has clear evidences that Libya was not behind the Lockerbie incident despite the fact that the Libyan Abdul Baset Miqrahi was convicted by the court as being involved in this case. Go
- US President George Bush has stressed the commitment of his administration to the realization of security and peace in the Middle East. This was expressed in a message of congratulations Bush sent to the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat on Thursday on the fall of Eid al-Adha. Go
- Morocco and Britain signed in London Thursday an accord on the transfer of inmates, the first ever that Britain concludes with an Arab states. Go
- Iran on Thursday successfully tested its own version of air-to-surface TOW missile IRNA reported yesterday qouting a military official as saying "Iran's home-made missiles operate better than foreign prototypes in view of their range and destruction" Go
- Six people were killed and eight others injured when a building collapsed in the ancient district of Fez, according to rescue officers. Go
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