Today's Headlines
- Morocco's human rights education program outlined at UN committee
The Moroccan human rights advisory council (CCDH) outlined on Friday its human rights education program at the UN human rights committee of coordination between national human rights promotion and protection institutions. Morocco, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Commission receives 20,000 compensation claims for past human rights abuses
Chairman of the Equity and Reconciliation commission, Driss Benzekri, a body inaugurated last January to pursue out-of-court settlement of past human rights abuses, said the commission has received about 20,000 compensation and repair requests. Morocco, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Najamina talks gone with the wind; Khartoum denies violation of Darfour truce
A Sudanese government official yesterday ( Friday) denied that the government forces had violated the cease fire agreement signed on April 8 in Njamina, the capital of Chad, with the two rebel movements in Darfour. Sudan, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Wall Street Journal: Jordanian King: reforms comes from inside
In an article published by the Wall Street Journal, the Jordanian King Abdullah II said that the social reforms in the Arab states should come from the inside in order to succeed, warning against the negative consequences of the Arab- Israeli conflict. Jordan-Regional, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Marines forces reinforcement on the border with Syria, Washington calls on Damascus to halt sneaking, religious clerics support al-Sader
The Shiite clergy Muqtada al-Sader appeared yesterday in al-Kofa, after several days in hiding, defying the occupation forces and announcing his total rejection to desolve "al-Mahdi army" in a sharp Friday sermon, that went in contradiction with what stated by his circles recently that he had given up all his conditions and placed himself at the disposal of the religious clerics which seemed to have decided to support him and consider any aggression against him as being against it." Syria-USA, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Washington withdraws some of its diplomats from Riyadh; Kuwait tightens security measures because of conditions in Iraq , Saudi Arabia
Kuwait has tightened security measures around key institutions along its borders in precaution of the likely reflections in the country to the situations in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia-USA, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Occupation forces besiege Iraqi contingent since 3 days al-Sader refused to desolve al-Mahdi army
In a remarkable development, sources at contingent 36 of the new Iraqi army said that American forces enhanced by tanks and helicopters are besieging it since three days after the contingent refused to participate with the occupation forces in military operation in Falujja in solidarity with the citizens. Iraq-USA, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Europe supports a new resolution on Iraq, rejects violation of 1967 borders
The foreign ministers of the European Union stressed in the first day of their meeting in Ireland that the federation will not admit any change on the pre 1967 border, unless those approved by the two sides. Regional-European Union, Politics, 4/17/2004
- American justifications on Bush statements concerning the Palestinians; One Palestinian was killed
The US Secretary Of State tried in Washington yesterday to justify the American support for Sharon's plan, stressing that such support will not disqualify the US from playing the role of the mediator in the Middle East. Palestine-USA, Politics, 4/17/2004
- Quartet meets to discuss Sharon plan
The European Union has announced that the Quartet committee on the Middle East will be held in Berlin on April 28 in order to discuss the plan of the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw from Gaza and the American position concerning it. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 4/17/2004
Short Takes
- Tunisia's President Zine al-Abidin Ben Ali discussed in a telephone call with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak the preparations to convene the Arab summit as well as the situation in Iraq and the Middle East, according to an official source in Tunisia yesterday. Go
- The Italian Foreign minister Franco Frateini said that Syria might be an "important channel to rescue the three Italian hostages who are still held in Iraq." He added in an interview published yesterday in La Stambia "my relations with Iran are known and Syria can also give important channels, but I can give no explanations " on this subject. Go
- A total of 1,772 women, including 33 pregnant inmates, are serving prison sentences in various Moroccan prisons. Out of this figure, 132 are below 20 years. Go
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