Today's Headlines
- Al-Assad confers with Sudan's vice president
The two sides reviewed works of the joint Syrian- Sudanese higher committee and prospects of bilateral cooperation and measures that would help the development of bilateral relations for the interests of the two states. Syria-Sudan, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Key economic legislations: cornerstone of Egypt's reform drive
developing tax administration and expanding the base of the taxation community. Egypt, Economics, 5/21/2002
- Egypt's banks forced to achieve world standards in operation and service
Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Mahmoud Abul Oyoun announced yesterday that the government is studying new measures to encourage banks merger to keep pace with the world changes in this regard. He added that the minimum capital rate will be raised from eight percent to 10 percent as of December 31, 2002. Egypt, Economics, 5/21/2002
- Program to raise industry's share of development to 20 percent
Egyptian Minister of Industry and Technological Development, Ali Al-Saeedi said both the national and European programs for upgrading the Egyptian industry aim at increasing the industry's share in the development process to 20 percent. This besides encouraging industrial and exporting activities, developing the weaving, iron and steel as well as small industries. Egypt, Economics, 5/21/2002
- Shura Council approves exclusive economic zones bill
The bill provides for the establishment of economic zones outside the urban scope of villages and cities. Egypt, Economics, 5/21/2002
- Sultan of Oman to visit Kuwait, Egypt
Sultan Qabous of Oman on Monday started a private visit which will cover each of Kuwait and Egypt and will last for two days. Oman-Regional, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Jihad Ahmad Jibril assassinated in Beirut
Lebanese security sources and Palestinian political sources said that the son of Ahmad Jibril, leader of the People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine - general command -- was killed when his car was blown off in a crowded commercial center on Monday. An official at the front's office said that Muhammad Jihad Ahmad Jibril was killed when a bomb went off inside the car he was riding. Lebanon, Local, 5/21/2002
- Mubarak: War does not solve problems and peace is the genuine option
Egyptian President Mubarak said wars do not solve problems and that peace is the genuine option before the world. Egypt-Regional, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Moroccan Socialist Party delegation visits Damascus
Vice-secretary general of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP, who its leader, Abderrahmane Youssoufi is the prime minister of Morocco), who is also minister of territory planning, housing and environment, Mohammed El Yazghi, is currently visiting Syria, at the head of a USFP delegation, at the invitation of the ruling Baath party leader. Morocco-Syria, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Al-Assad discusses with UNDP chief bilateral issues
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Monday in Damascus received the director of the UNDP Marc Brown and members of the accompanying delegation, which includes Mrs Rima Khalaf Hneidi, the assistant secretary general and the director of the regional office for the Arab states at the UNDP, UNDP resident representative in Damascus Towfiq Bin Amara and other officials concerned. Syria, Politics, 5/21/2002
- A Gulf tour for the Iranian defense minister
Admiral Ali Shamakhani, the Iranian minister of defense has started a Gulf tour in Kuwait which he had arrived on Sunday that will last for four days during which he will be meeting with high ranking Kuwaiti officials. Gulf-Iran, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Morocco sets up national library
Morocco will build a national library in the capital city of Rabat on a 5 hectare surface. The project is worth some us$ 14 Mln. Morocco, Education, 5/21/2002
- On the allocation of Sudan's natural resources
The Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael has stressed Sudan's categorical rejection to share oil resources with the rebel movement led by John Garang, adding that oil and gold and other minerals are national resources for all the people of Sudan and its sharing and distribution are governed by the constitution and the law. Sudan, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Qaddoumi meets with several Palestinian groups leaders
The chairman of the PLO political department Farouk al-Qaddoumi on Monday met with several leaders of the Palestinian groups which take Damascus as a headquarters. Syria-Palestine, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Baghdad call for stronger effort to strengthening relations with Tehran
Iraq is waiting for any Iranian initiative that would develop relations between the two countries. Iraq-Iran, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Balance of payments deficit falls back by 51 percent
In light of the very negative consequences of the US September 11 attacks on the Egyptian economy, latest figures of the first half of the fiscal year 2001/2002 showed a cut down of the country's tourism receipts by 23 percent, while the Egyptian tourism receipts abroad increased by 15 percent and readymade fabric imports increased by nine million dollars over exports. Egypt, Economics, 5/21/2002
- US official calls for Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian territories
The chairman of the US-based Middle East Institute ambassador Edward Walker has called on Israel to immediately withdraw from the Palestinian territories and to start moving into establishing an independent Palestinian state. In statements he made in Cairo on Monday, Walker described the situation in the Middle East region as catastrophic as the basic infrastructure in the Palestinian territories has been destroyed instead of rebuilding it. Regional-USA, Politics, 5/21/2002
- King Mohammed visits child safeguard center
The Temara center was built in 1954. It accommodates 81 people and seeks to reeducate and integrate delinquent children. Morocco, Culture, 5/21/2002
- Fresh impetus to Egyptian-British economic cooperation
The British delegation comprised representatives of 16 major companies operating in the fields of electronics, financial consultancy, insurance, marketing, navigational equipment, petrochemicals and other economic and industrial activities. Egypt-UK, Economics, 5/21/2002
- Sharon conditions on Syria for conference; media campaign against Syria and Lebanon
At the time when the Israeli intelligence accused Syria and Iran of providing the Hizbullah party, recently, with huge amounts of weapons, the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon has set 8 conditions in order to permit Syria's presence to attend a regional conference he had called for. Syria-Israel, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Israeli forces break into Toulkarem, continue to build cement wall between the West Bank, the 1948 territories
Scores of Israeli tanks on Monday at dawn incurred once again in the city of Toulkarem and demolished tens of houses and carried out a campaign of arrest targeted tens of citizens after opening fire at their houses, while the Israeli forces reinforced their presence at the contact lines with the West Bank and Gaza of fears of new Palestinian "martyrdom operations." Meantime, the Israeli military forces continued building of a cement wall three meters high to the east of what is called the green light which separates between the territories of the Palestinian authorities and of those of 1948. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Elections in Comoros
The electoral national committee in Moroni said that the non- official and almost final results indicate that the opposition candidate Abdo Soli al-Bak won the presidential elections in the greater Comoros island with 60.08% of the votes. Comoros, Politics, 5/21/2002
- Tourki, Pope Shenouda, Tantawi Address 14th Islamic Conference inauguration
Tourki said it is the duty of all Muslims to correct the distorted image of Islam, referring to Zionist acts against Muslims and their various pretexts to fight them. Egypt, Religion, 5/21/2002
- 14th Islamic Conference Opens
Addressing the gathering, Zaqzouq stressed that the objective of the conference is to probe the reasons that led to the present wrong interpretation of the Islamic religion, its principles and values. Regional, Religion, 5/21/2002
- Cardiovascular diseases in constant rise in Morocco, association
President of "Big Heart" association, Professor Mohammed Arharbi, said cardiovascular diseases are in a constant rise in Morocco, given that most of the patients cannot afford the usually expensive medicine. Morocco, Health, 5/21/2002
- Classical Arabic in crisis?.. poets disagree
" I do not believe for one moment that colloquial verse poses a threat to Fusha. Rather, dialect poetry is another aspect of linguistic creativity," Shusha said. He argues that the classical and colloquial norms enrich each other with its imagery, levels of meaning and lyricism. Regional, Culture, 5/21/2002
- Sharon agrees to buy the Palestinian gas
The British news bulletin specialized in energy affairs ( International Oil daily) said on Monday that the chairman of the Israeli government Ariel Sharon " has initially agreed to buy gas from Gaza" after negotiations were stopped between Israel and Egypt to provide the occupied territories wit gas. Palestine-Israel, Economics, 5/21/2002
Short Takes
- Sultan Qabous bin Saeed of Oman and members of the accompanying delegation arrived on Monday in Kuwait in a visit which lasts for two days during which he holds talks with the ruler of Kuwait relating to bilateral relations linking the two states. Go
- The Syrian deputy premier and foreign minister Farouk al-Shara on Monday received a telephone call from Libyan counterpart Ali Abdul Salaam al-Tureiki during which discussions dealt with latest developments of conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of the continued Israeli aggression against the unarmed Palestinians. Go
- Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Monday visited the re-education and rehabilitation center of Sale, where he laid the foundation stone for the construction of a pilot vocational training center. The king heard explanations on the program of social and professional integration of the Sale centre. The program features vocational training, literacy and general teaching courses for minors schooled before their detention and surving long-term jail sentences. Go
- President of the Dominican Republic, Hipolito Mejia, will be visiting Morocco May 22-24, it was officially announced in Rabat Monday. Go
- The Moroccan Children Rights Observatory, chaired by princess Lalla Meryem, is holding a campaign to support Palestinian children under the theme "from child to child." Go
- Canada's foreign minister William Graham will arrive tomorrow in Amman in a visit to Jordan which lasts for three days within a tour in the region and in the framework of the international efforts aiming at finding out a just solution to the Arab- Israeli conflict. Go
- The French Ambassador in Cairo Francois De Bavier has held Israel responsible for the tense conditions the Middle East region is suffering at the meantime, stressing that there will be no peace in the region, unless the Israeli policy is changed. Go
- A US$ 360,000 Moroccan aid, made up of medicines and food, will be conveyed next week to the Palestinian people, sources from the Palestinian Red Crescent told MAP news agency. Go
- Egypt and European Union Commission in Cairo initialed yesterday a memo of understanding on upgrading the performance of customs and exports. Go
- Means to materialize recommendations of the China-Africa Forum were debated at a meeting Monday in Rabat between Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, and visiting Chinese health minister, Shang Wenkang. The two officials underlined that the materialization of the Forum's recommendations will help develop a dynamic partnership between China and Africa mainly in economic, commercial and social realms. Go
- The Sudanese police announced that a tribal conflict erupted in Altibet area on Adelah district in the southern Darfour province, southern West Sudan on Sunday and resulted in killing 27 citizens and wounding other 20 as well as burning several villages. Go
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