Today's Headlines
- Miqati starts today consultations to form the Lebanese government
Lebanese parliamentarian Najib Miqati is due to start today his special consultations to form the next Lebanese government after he was assigned to that officially by the Lebanese president Emil Lahoud, on the ground of his nomination by a parliamentary majority including opposition parliamentarians. Lebanon, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Egypt judges demand real authority, an independent judicial system
Hundreds of Egyptian judges threatened not to supervise the next presidential elections if the government will not amend several laws that said to have had limited their authority. Egypt, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Egyptian report on human rights deterioration commended
The US on Thursday commended the first annual report issued by a human rights group supported by the Egyptian government, and gave credibility to accusations rumored at a large scale on torture practices at the hands of the police. Egypt-USA, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Priorities of Miqati's government Lebanon, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Junblat meets Aoun, calls on opposition to take part in new government
Observers consider that the Najib Miqati nomination to form the new Lebanese government might accelerate the process, but not the organizing of the elections, especially as the new government has to embark on an election law and debate it for a vote before the parliament. A matter which needs several weeks. Lebanon, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Seisatni calls Iraqi coalition to dedicate efforts for constitution's formulation
An official in the list of the United Iraqi Coalition list ruled out the formation of the new Iraqi government before the end of the next week. Iraq, Politics, 4/16/2005
- UN Human Rights Committee's new resolution on Golan
The committee called upon Israel to "abide by the UN relevant decisions mainly the UN Security Council Decision 497 in 1981 that considers Israel's decision to impose its laws and authority over the Occupied Syrian Golan as null and void." Syria-Israel, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Palestinian sneaks to the Golan to kidnap an Israeli officer
An Israeli military source in the Golan said that the armed man who sneaked to the Golan on Friday morning is a Palestinian youth who had planned to kidnap an Israeli officer to the Syrian territories from which he had come. Palestine-Syria, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Zoellick meets with Garang, visits Darfur
US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick met with the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM/SPLA) John Garang in the course of a tour carried out by the American official in Sudan. Sudan-USA, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Al-Rai al-Am: Abu al-Ghait: we will contain any crisis in Lebanon, work to calm Washington-Damascus issues
In an interview with the Kuwaiti daily "al-Rai al-Am" the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Abu al-Ghait said that Egypt is ready to contain any crisis in Lebanon when matters move in a negative way. Egypt-Regional, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Senior officials voice solidarity with Syria
Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan on Friday called upon Washington to cooperate with Syria and Iran for solving pending issues and to avoid confrontations. Syria-Regional, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Syrian-Lebanese higher joint committee for scientific research
Syrian-Lebanese Higher Joint Committee for scientific research held a meeting in the Lebanese capital yesterday to review projects that had been implemented this year within the joint scientific cooperation program started at 2001. Lebanon-Syria, Education, 4/16/2005
- Two American soldiers killed in Iraq
The American army announced that two soldiers from its navy were killed in two separate attacks in al-Anbar governorate to the west of the capital al-Anbar. Iraq-USA, Military, 4/16/2005
- Ukraine to withdraw 40 percent of its forces from Iraq
The polish contingent announced that Ukraine decided to withdraw about 40% of its forces in Iraq, estimated at 1400 soldiers during the four coming weeks. Iraq-Ukraine, Politics, 4/16/2005
- La Vieeco: Morocco optimistic to discover oil after Mauritania
Morocco is upbeat over discovering oil off-shore after neighbouring Mauritania did, said, in Rabat Friday, Managing Director of the Moroccan Office of Hydrocarbons and Mining (ONHYM), Amina Benkhadra. Morocco, Economics, 4/16/2005
- Fatah said to aim for postponing elections
"The Palestinian Authority (PA) is likely to postpone the upcoming legislative elections in July in order to avoid a possible defeat by its main rival, the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas," IRNA reported. Palestine, Politics, 4/16/2005
- Syria exerts efforts to protect and boost fishing
A report by SANA warned on Friday against risks and challenges confronting the fishery resources in Syria and the danger of its disappearance from 180 km of Syrian coast line on the Mediterranean. Syria, Economics, 4/16/2005
- Catalonian official: regularisation of Moroccan emigrants situation proceeds well
The regularisation process of Moroccan emigrants in Spain is proceeding in good conditions, said, in Rabat Thursday, visiting secretary General for emigration in the Catalonian government, Adela Ross. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 4/16/2005
- UN reports 'removal' at Iraqi nuclear sites, but no conclusions can yet be drawn
Satellite imagery reveals "significant dismantling and removal activities" at 37 Iraqi sites linked to Saddam Hussein's clandestine nuclear programme since his fall two years ago, but without on-site inspections no conclusions can be drawn, the United Nations atomic watchdog says in its latest report. Iraq-UN, Politics, 4/16/2005
Short Takes
- "UK Straw-Iraq Smuggling Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has denied the UK blind eye to the illegal trading of Iraqi oil following accusations by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that Britain and the US were partly to blame for the oil-for-food scandal," IRNA reported. Go
- "A rally was organized Thursday night in commemoration of the anniversary the American NATO failed Aggression, at the house of the leader of the revolution, which withstood the American -Nato failed aggression on (Libya) in 1986," JANA reported. Go
- Syrian-Tunisian plastic exhibition was opened in the Tunisian capital yesterday under the title of "Magreb ... Mashreq" and included about 60 paintings and 15 artistic works. Go
- The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is to hold its 23rd ministerial session in Damascus 9-12 May. In a statement on Friday, the UN information bureau in Beirut said "The session's agenda includes many issues like peace and security in the region and their influence on development process and cooperation between the ESCWA and the Arab League as well as means of boosting cooperation and coordination between the two sides. Go
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