Today's Headlines
- Kuwaiti parliament approves woman participation in municipal elections
The Kuwaiti Ummah council ( parliament) on Tuesday ratified a preliminary reading on a law that gives the right to woman in Kuwait to nomination and voting in the elections in the next municipal council expected later this year. Kuwait, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Scores of Syrians respond to government's call, exiled army officer, plastic artist return back home
A Syrian army officer sentenced to death following a failed coupe attempt against the ruling Baath Party in the 1960s and an artist in exile have returned back home. Syria, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Mini Lebanese government formed
The Lebanese prime minister Najib Miqati on Tuesday announced the formation of a mini cabinet, all of them agreed not to be candidate for the parliamentary elections due in May. Lebanon, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Nasrullah: Hizbullah will not give up its weapons
The secretary general of the Lebanese Hizbullah party, Sheikh Hassan Nasrullah, said that the party will not give up its weapons. This was expressed following statements made by the US President George W. Bush calling on the party to give up its weapons. Lebanon, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Positive, reserved reactions of the Lebanese opposition towards Miqati government
The reaction of the Lebanese opposition towards the formation of the new government led by Najib Miqati ranged between positive and reserved, especially towards the foreign minister Mahmoud Hammoud and the defense minister Elias al-Murr. Lebanon, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Russian parliamentary delegation rejects threats on syria
A Russian parliamentary group leader said on Tuesday any threat directed to Syria would be considered a threat against Russia. Syria-Russia, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Fate of hundreds of missing Kuwaitis in Iraq still unknown
The UN Security Council has commended the new Iraqi government over the help to search for hundreds of missing Kuwaitis, who have been missing since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Iraq-Kuwait, Politics, 4/20/2005
- New mass graves for Kuwaitis in Iraq found Iraq-Kuwait, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Boosting and Inspiring Dynamic Youth Achievement: A new beginning for Syria's entrepreneurs
In the presence of Syria's First Lady, Asma al-Assad, a celebration was held in Damascus on Monday evening on honoring ten young Syrian entrepreneurs, marking for progress they made in the project under the title Boosting and Inspiring Dynamic Youth Achievement (BIDAYA). Syria, Economics, 4/20/2005
- Cabinet ratifies bills to develop banking work in Syria
The Syrian cabinet on Tuesday ratified a number of bills to develop the banking system horizons in Syria. Syria, Economics, 4/20/2005
- Bush: International community wants to help a free Lebanon
US President George W. Bush said the United States expects Syrian troops and intelligence services to be "completely out" of Lebanon before that country's parliamentary elections.Ê He added that the international community will want to help Lebanon build its economy and democracy following the end of occupation. Lebanon-USA, Politics, 4/20/2005
- The crisis of al-Madayen city in Iraq
The national Islamic resistance in Iraq warned against what it called the attempt to provoke the spirit of sectarianism among the people of the country. It considered in a statement that what had happened in al-Madayen is an attempt to divert the attention of the Arab and Iraqi street of what it described the drastic failure in forming the government. Iraq, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Bloody day in Iraq
Iraq had witnessed yesterday a new bloody day that resulted in killing 18 persons at least and injuring scores most of them killed in two attacks that targeted Iraqi national guards forces in Baghdad and al-Khaledeyah town to the west of the capital. Iraq, Military, 4/20/2005
- Romania backs political solution to Sahara issue, official
"Romania has never recognized SADR" (Sahrawi republic, self-proclaimed by the Polisario separatists) and it has always supported Morocco's territorial integrity, noted the special representative who started on April 13 a seven-day visit to Morocco. Morocco-Romania, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Congratulations to the new Pope
In his quality of Commander of Faithful and chairman of Al-Qods Al-Charif (Jerusalem) Committee, the monarch voiced willingness to work with the new Pope to consecrate justice, equality and coexistence among all the peoples of the world "without distinction in terms of faith or culture notably in the Middle East." Regional-Vatican, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Foreign Media Department statement on American al-Hurra
Syria's Director of Foreign Media Department at the Ministry of Information Nezar Mayhoob said Tuesday the ministry has offered all available possibilities to al-Hurra TV channel to broadcast its live program "Free Hour" from Syria. Syria-USA, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Moroccan economic growth 'insufficient' for job opportunities, WB official
The economic growth rate in Morocco, which is situated at 4%, and the structural reforms the country carries out are "insufficient" to create new job opportunities, said here Tuesday the World Bank Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa Region. Morocco, Economics, 4/20/2005
- Morocco, a model for countries in the region, US official
Morocco is realizing interesting projects that bring high hopes to Moroccans and that make the country a model to follow for countries in the region, each according to its traditions and priorities, said on Monday American under secretary for the Middle East, David Welch. Morocco-USA, Politics, 4/20/2005
- Foreign visitors admire Syria's ruins and culture
French Professor at Paris and Toulouse universities Deis Brigitte on Tuesday said that Syrian people possess diverse cultures and they give special care to their ancient civilization. Syria, Local, 4/20/2005
- Morocco's GDP 'under-evaluated', official
Morocco's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is "under-evaluated" because informal economy is not included in accounting, said the Vice President of the Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Morocco, Economics, 4/20/2005
- Two US oil companies get drilling licence in Morocco
Morocco has granted onshore oil drilling licences to two US companies "Direct Petroleum Morocco Inc" and "Anschutz Morocco Corporation" to conduct evaluation of the oil potential in the Moroccan region of Asilah-Tissa. Morocco-USA, Business, 4/20/2005
- Moroccan car thieves network dismantled in Spain
Spanish police has recently dismantled, in the region of Alicante (East) an eleven-member gang specialized in stealing cars and selling them in Morocco, police sources said. Morocco-Spain, Local, 4/20/2005
Short Takes
- Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud on Tuesday underlined the importance of boosting dialogue among different political parties to meet common denominators, saying that through national unity Lebanon will restore the remaining occupied lands. Go
- UAE Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Saed Khalfan al-Ghaith, said Tuesday his country "supports Syria's just stances which call for the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace in the region in line with the international legitimacy resolutions." Go
- Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati said one of the new government's priorities is maintaining the national principles, on top of which cementing relations with Syria. Go
- Spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry Jean Baptiste Mattei on Tuesday welcomed the formation of the Lebanese new government chaired by Najib Miqati, saying "it is important for the new government to hold parliamentary elections on schedule." A French diplomatic source said in this regard that a technical postponement of the elections doesn't constitute an obstacle. Go
- Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa on Tuesday warned against Israel's rejection to stop settlement, saying "in that case, the peace process in the region will have reached the end." In a meeting with Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Ekrimah Sabri, both sides discussed dangers of the "Israeli extremists' threats to storm into al-Aqsa Mosque." Go
- Palestinian Supreme Judge Taysir al-Tamimi spoke of an Israeli "scheme adopted by Israel's Premier Ariel Sharon to judaize Jerusalem and to expand settlement in the occupied Palestinian lands", saying "Sharon persists on partitioning the Palestinian territories." Go
- Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives, Abdelwahed Radi, pleaded, Monday, for a new approach to reinforce Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. Go
- A meeting in solidarity with the Palestinian and Arab detainees at the Israeli prisons was held on Tuesday in the Beirut neighborhood of Aleh, marking the occasion of the Arab and Palestinian Detainee Day. Go
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