Today's Headlines
- World leaders in Amman to take part in Hussein's funeral
King Hussein of Jordan's funeral was held today in Amman following the afternoon prayers at the royal palaces in Amman. Jordan, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Hussein Bin Talal: The king who steered his people in a turbulent area
Throughout his 46-year reign, the late King Hussein Bin Talal, who passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer, steered his people in a turbulent area, a struggle that made of him a symbol of endurance and statesmanship. Jordan, People, 2/8/1999
- Syria announces mourning on King Hussein's death, postpones referendum Syria-Jordan, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Reactions to Iran's opening of municipal council in Abu Mousa island
United Arab Emirates dailies on Sunday denounced Iran's opening of a municipal house on one of the three islands disputed between the two countries and viewed this Iranian act as a "new provocation" through imposing its de facto rule. United Arab Emirates-Iran, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Egypt exempts Moroccan diplomats from entry visa
Egypt has decided to exempt Moroccans holding diplomatic, special or mission passports from entry visa requirements. Egypt-Morocco, Economics, 2/8/1999
- Confrontations escalated between Eritrea, Ethiopia
Diplomatic sources in Addis Ababa said that Sahnoun has the feeling that Asmara will agree the peace plan proposed by the OAU. Ethiopia approved the plan which calls for the withdrawal of Eritrea's troops to their previous positions before the eruption of the conflict on May 6, 1998. Eritrea-Ethiopia, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Tunisian president to visit Washington soon
Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali will visit Washington soon to fulfill the invitation presented by US President Bill Clinton. Tunisia-USA, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Mubarak refuses to meet with Netanyahu
A Kuwaiti daily said on Sunday that President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak of Egypt refused to meet with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the request of the latter. Egypt-Israel, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Syrian-Belgian economic relations reviewed
Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Zou'bi on Sunday in Damascus received Belgian Deputy Premier and Economy Minister Elio Di Rupo and members of his accompanying delegation. Syria-Belgium, Economics, 2/8/1999
- Saudi crown prince confers with Lebanese Premier
Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz met on Sunday in Riyadh with Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss. Bilateral relations between the two countries and conditions in the Arab, Islamic and international arenas were reviewed. Lebanon-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Yemen: Two German hostages freed
Yemeni security sources said on Sunday that tribal groups in Yart district of al-Jouf province, 174 km north of the capital, Sanaa, released two German hostages, a woman and her son Yemen, Local, 2/8/1999
- Moroccan wants to increase poor trade levels with Gulf states
Morocco's economic relations with the UAE are stagnant and the Gulf state ranks in the 65th position in terms of buying Moroccan exports and 57th in terms of selling to Morocco. Morocco-United Arab Emirates, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Spanish census in Sahara was incomplete, the census author says
Emilio Cuevas, a Spanish official who was in charge of the 1974 Spanish census in the Sahara, said "the census was incomplete." Morocco, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Lebanon to lodge more complaints against Israeli aggressions
Lebanese Premier and Foreign Minister Salim al-Hoss said that Lebanon will lodge a complaint to the April Understanding Monitoring Committee on the Israeli attacks during the two past days against south Lebanon and the western Bekaa. Lebanon, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Palestinian bankers deny a crisis with the Jordanian Dinar
The chairman of bankers in the West Bank, Tawfiq al-Najjar, denied on Sunday rumors disseminated recently that these bankers are behind playing "with the Jordanian dinar in the West Bank." Palestine-Jordan, Economics, 2/8/1999
- British commerce and investment committee meets with industrial union members
The members of the Egyptian Industrial Union met yesterday evening with a British delegation for investment and commerce which started a three-day visit to Cairo yesterday, comprises heads and managers of 40 British international companies searching for new opportunities for investment in the region. Egypt-UK, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Egyptian opposition parties sympathize with the Jordanian people
The political organizations and parties in Egypt expressed sorrow over the death of Jordan's King Hussein, asserting that the Arab and Islamic states have lost a great man who treated his people with all love, care and stability through 47 years. Egypt-Jordan, Politics, 2/8/1999
- Saida Abad, first woman in Africa and Arab world to drive train
Abad, a mother to a young boy, underwent intensive technical training by the Moroccan railway office before she drove for the first time last month the train linking Kenitra to Casablanca International Airport. Morocco, Culture, 2/8/1999
- Book review: Damascene palaces and ornamentation in the Umayyad period
Dr. Afif Bahnasi, a well-renowned Syrian archaeologist and former director general of the antiquities department in Syria highlighted in his book, "Damascene Palaces and Ornamentation in the Umayyad Period" the magnificent art in Damascus under the Umayyad reign. Regional, Culture, 2/8/1999
- Moroccan and Jewish researchers to ponder on Moroccan-Jewish legacy
An international conference on the Jewish-Moroccan legacy will be held this February 25 in the city of Fes (200 km northeast of Rabat). Morocco, Culture, 2/8/1999
- Moroccan MP delegation ends visit to Japan
Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives Abdelouahed Radi returned home over the weekend after a several-day working visit to Japan where he had intensive talks with Japanese officials on ways of boosting partnership between the two countries in all sectors. Morocco-Japan, Politics, 2/8/1999
Short Takes
- The number of television sets manufactured by Syronics (Syrian electronics company) for 1998 reached a record high of 151,000. The planned annual production plan was set at 295,000 sets. This means the company implemented about 50% of the set production plan. The television sets produced included television sets of 14, 20, 28, and 29.4 inches. Go
- Pakistan renewed rejection for relations with Israel as long as it occupies Arab land, said Pakistan's Premier Nawal Sharif on Sunday to the Saudi Daily Al-Madina. "We have no intention to establish relations with Israel" adding that "there are legitimate Arab rights and occupied Arab land and there is the question of Jerusalem which is viewed by Pakistan as a pivotal issue in the Arab - Israeli conflict." Go
- The head of the political department of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Farouk Qaddoumi, denied the existence of an Iranian conspiracy against the Palestinian Authority, blaming Israel for recent clashes among Palestinian police and members of the military wing of Hamas. Go
- Bahrain's Investcorp investment group achieved record profits in 1998 of $114.3 million, up from $108.6 million in 1997, Gulf Daily News reported. Go
- Traffic at Dubai International Airport grew by 6.8% in 1998 over its rate in 1997, as 9.7 million passengers passed through, Khaleej Times reported. Go
- British Defense Minister George Robertson began a two-day visit to Qatar yesterday as part of a Gulf tour, Gulf Times reported. Go
- Morocco and the International Labor Organization will organize in Rabat this Feb. 9-10 a conference on the link existing between Morocco's trade union regulations and international labor norms. The conference's agenda includes debates on Morocco's labor code, the rights granted by Moroccan law to trade unions, employers and workers. Go
- The first Mediterranean publishing and book exhibition will be held in Casablanca next December 1-5 with the participation of 25 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Go
- King Hassan II's advisor, Driss Slaoui, 72, passed away on Sunday after a long illness. The funeral of the deceased official will be held on Tuesday. Go
- The French capital, Paris, will solemnly name one of its squares after the great late Moroccan King Mohammed V in the coming months, it was officially announced in Paris over the weekend. Go
- The meetings of the general trustees of the Arab Journalists Union are to start tomorrow in Cairo under the chairmanship of Ibrahim Nafa, editor-in-chief Egypt's al-Ahram newspaper and chairman of the Arab Journalists Union. Go
- A Yemeni petroleum delegation that comprises officials from Aden's refining company, the Yemeni General Corporation for Petroleum and Gas, is visiting the Eritrean capital Asmara to hold negotiations with Eritrean regarding its request to purchase gas and petroleum derivatives. Go
- The Palestinian Hamas movement expressed its sorrow and great effect by the death of Jordan's King Hussein, as Hamas founder and spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was released by Israel after the mediation of the late King Hussein a year ago, said: "We are greatly sympathizing with Jordan" and expressed great sorrow toward the king's death. Go
- Head of the Media Bureau of the Libyan National Company for Medical Industries, Akram al-Shami, praised the Syrian medical industry during the first Syrian fair for medical industries and associated equipment which was held in Tripoli. The fair aimed at helping Syrian companies register in Libya and at the same time help promote Syrian products in Libya. Go
- The trial of six foreigners accused of carrying out terrorist acts in Yemen continued on Saturday in Aden and the court listened to new testimony on their case. The session dedicated to trying the five Britons and one Algerian was dedicated totally to listening to witnesses. Go
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