Arabic News Weekly Edition for Local, 12/8/1997
Weekly Edition, Local - Week of December 8, 1997
- Mahmoud Darwish criticizes Palestinian writers
Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, who described the controversies over the Palestinian Literary Awards as proof that the cultural sector is sick with coercive and totalitarian tendencies. Palestine, Culture, 12/13/1997 - Netanyahu's wife even more controversial, reports says
If an international prize for scandalous politicians were to be accorded, it would go to none other than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose 18 months of rule in Israel have been full of scandals and affairs that would have wrecked any other politician's carrier Israel, Analysis, 12/13/1997 - Combating desertification in the Syrian steppe
The Syrian steppe occupies an area of about 16 million hectares, representing 55% of the country. Due to the relatively high average rainfall, the steppe is known as one of the best grazing areas in the Arab world. Syria, Science, 12/13/1997 - US - Saudi Saudi Arabia, International, 12/13/1997
- UN - Libya Libya, International, 12/13/1997
- Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Palestine-Israel, Local, 12/13/1997
- Egypt policemen killed Egypt, Local, 12/13/1997
- Turkish - Israeli talks fruitful
Israeli Minister of Defense Yitzhak Mordechai's talks with Turkish military officials during his latest visit to Ankara resulted in the signing of several military agreements. Israel-Turkey, Military, 12/13/1997 - Chain thief arrested
Police in Kom Hamada nabbed a man accused of snatching gold chains from female passersby, security sources said yesterday. Egypt, Local, 12/13/1997 - We are not responsible for Luxor attack: Taleban
A senior official of Afghanistan's Islamic Taleban movement yesterday denied any connection with militants accused of attacking tourists in Louxor. Egypt, Local, 12/12/1997 - Indyk makes a tours Middle East region
Diplomatic Sources in Damascus confirmed that contacts are underway between Damascus and Washington to prepare for the visit of the US undersecretary of state for the Middle East Affairs Martin Indek Regional-Israel, International, 12/12/1997 - The dead man is not waiting anymore
A compromise was reached Friday between the two families, the Muslim and the Jewish, by which Shaukat Qouza'a, the 56-year-old man from Haifa, will be buried Palestine-Israel, Culture, 12/12/1997 - Turkish-Israeli military cooperation Turkey, Military, 12/12/1997
- New Israeli violation of April Understanding
The April Understanding monitoring committee which met at the Lebanese al-Naqoura town, held Israel and Lahd's militias responsible for the killing of three Lebanese civilians in Majdul Sulum last Friday. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 12/12/1997 - Hizbullah fighter reported killed in south Lebanon Lebanon, Military, 12/12/1997
- 6 Algerians killed Algeria, Military, 12/12/1997
- Farrakhan - Iraq Iraq, International, 12/12/1997
- Sudan captures rebels Sudan, Military, 12/12/1997
- Damascus hosts FAO workshop on combating screw worms
Recommendations were made for emergency measures to tackle the problem using conventional techniques, including insecticide applications, monitoring surveillance and quarantine. Regional, Science, 12/12/1997 - Butler - Iraq visit Iraq, International, 12/12/1997
- Dead man waiting
For them, it was a story similar to the famous King Solomon and the two women who fought over one child, each claiming he was hers. At the end of the fatiguing session, the judges said they would convene another session in a few days to decide whether the subject of the appeal, a dead man, should be buried as a Muslim or Jew. Israel, Judicial, 12/11/1997 - Government to clamp down on television immorality
The confrontation has been brewing for some time now between the government and local television stations. It culminated Wednesday with a meeting of the central security council that lay the ground for censorship of television programs and banning of live political shows. Lebanon, Culture, 12/11/1997 - Detailed numbers of Inter-Arab agricultural exports
The breakdown of the composition of inter-Arab agricultural exports shows that live animals, meat and their by-products top the list of exports, constituting 36% of those exports in 1990, of which 22% was live animals, an increase of about 25% over 1980, which was 17.5% for all the Arab countries combined. Regional, Agriculture, 12/11/1997 - Branson - Algeria Algeria, Local, 12/11/1997
- Palestinian youth arrested Israel, Local, 12/11/1997
- Mysterious explosion targets U.N. post
A statement issued by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said the explosion took place at a post belonging to UNIFIL's Nepalese battalion near the village of Yater, on the edge of an Israeli-occupied border enclave in south Lebanon. Lebanon, Local, 12/11/1997 - Blair advocates land for peace principle
In a speech he made before a number of British Jews, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, stressed that the land-for-peace principle is the only way to realize peace in the Middle East region. Israel, International, 12/11/1997 - Lebanese national resistance attacks SLA positions
Lebanese resistance-men on Wednesday afternoon destroyed a Lahd militia personnel carrier in two attacks on a position in Kafr Honeh area. Lebanon, Military, 12/11/1997 - UN General Assembly urges Israel to withdraw from Golan
The UN General Assembly today demanded Israel's full withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights to the June 4, 1967 border line. Palestine, International, 12/10/1997 - US - Israeli crisis over US national interests
When President Clinton snubbed the Israeli Prime Minister he was acting as almost no American President has dared to do since 1956. This is good for America, for peace and even for the Israeli people who look for peace. Israel, Analysis, 12/10/1997 - Egypt tries to find new international balance in Asia
The Egyptian movement toward the East reflects the new Egyptian political philosophy which is trying to keep strong bases in China and Malaysia. Egypt, Analysis, 12/10/1997 - Sudanese parliament bars birth control activities, bans use of hormonal medicines
The Sudanese National Council enacted a law banning all birth control activities and the distribution of hormonal medicines exept for those medicines permitted by the Sharia. Sudan, Medicine, 12/10/1997 - Libya calls NATO proposal new colonialism
The proposal which was approved by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through which NATO will be able to land more than 50,000 soldiers on the North African Mediterranean coast was received with diverse reactions. North Africa Region, Military, 12/10/1997 - Main suspect in airline scam released
The main suspect in a scandal involving the leasing by Middle East Airlines of three Airbus jetliners from Singapore Airlines was released Wednesday, pending further investigations. Lebanon, Judicial, 12/10/1997 - French book on Mari
The French-language book, entiltled"Mari" casts light on the process of discovery of Mari which dates back to 4,500 years and on the external civilizations of the Near East. Syria, Literature, 12/10/1997 - Population in the Palestinian territories Palestine, Local, 12/10/1997
- Yemen - refugees Yemen, Local, 12/10/1997
- Richardson - Iraq Iraq, International, 12/10/1997
- Arab organization for atomic energy discuss Israeli nuclear activities
The ordinary 20th session of the executive council of the Arab Atomic Energy Commission was opened in Tunisia with the participation of representatives of Arab member countries and relevant Arab organs. Regional, Science, 12/10/1997 - Uprising's 10th anniversary marked
The Palestinian Intifada started on December 9, 1987 when an Israeli truck driver killed four Gazans, triggering clashes between the two sides that spread through the occupied lands seized by Israel in the 1967 June war. Palestine, Local, 12/10/1997 - Lebanese resistance reports hit on Israeli troops
Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces continued attacks on areas adjacent to the occupied strip of South Lebanon. Lebanese security sources the Israeli artillery shelled the edges of the towns of Kafra, Yatter and Hariss. Lebanon, Military, 12/10/1997 - Cemetery desecrated, army doing nothing
The body of Hadi Nasrallah, son of Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, was not brought to the cemetery where Palestinian and Arab commandos are buried after their death in clashes with Israeli troops but to a different place, yet unidentified. Palestine-Israel, Local, 12/9/1997 - The Islamic Summit challenge: Iran, Turkey and the Arabs. Future conflict or peace?
What will be outstanding are the differences among the Islamic countries, that have different individual and regional interests. Will Iran and Turkey make their intentions known? Regional, Analysis, 12/9/1997 - Archeological discovery in Sakkara
An Egyptian - French Archeological team discovered three tombs in the Sakkara area that date back to 4,300 years ago. The most important one is the tomb of Lady Maya, the nursemaid of Tutankhamen. Egypt, History, 12/9/1997 - Houses still await demolition
The five houses belong to families of five Palestinian suicide bombers whom Israel said were involved in two attacks July 30 in Mahaneh Yehuda market and on September 4 in Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall in West Jerusalem. Palestine-Israel, Judicial, 12/9/1997 - Monitoring committee discusses Lebanese complaints
Nabil Baydoun, 44, who holds an American passport, said militiamen from the Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army threw him and his family out of the village of Bint Jbeil and burned down his house. Lebanon, Military, 12/9/1997 - Israeli extremists attack Sourboune
Israeli extremists from the Kakh movement threw tear-gas bombs and chanted anti-Arab slogans during a symposium held on Saturday in Sorbonne University in Paris on the partition of Palestine. Palestine-Israel, International, 12/9/1997 - Turkish - Syrian - Iraqi dispute over water
In January 1990, Turkey stopped the water of the Euphrates river from flowing to Syria and Iraq in order to fill the reservoir of the Ataturk Dam. Fertile Crescent Region, Analysis, 12/8/1997 - Lebanese resistance attacks occupation positions
Hizbullah on Sunday warned Israel it will hit back on its northern territories if Israeli troops continue their attacks on innocent civilians in south Lebanon. Lebanon, Military, 12/8/1997 - Restoration of sphinx, ten archeological tombs on Pyramid Plateau complete
The secretary general of the EAHC declared that the completion of the new sites is concurrent with finishing the restoration works of the sphinx which are nearly done. Egypt, History, 12/8/1997 - Successful tentative operation of Egyptian nuclear reactor
The reactor will help in producing radioactive cognates which will be used for medical, agricultural and industrial purposes. They will be also used in engineering and physics and in other peaceful purposes. Egypt, Science, 12/8/1997 - Embroidery with Arab prints
An embroidery technique is not just connected with an area of its distribution but also with the type of products it is meant to be used on, and the time required to make it. Syria, Culture, 12/8/1997 - Turkish incursion denounced by AL
The Arab League has condemned the new Turkish military invasion of North Iraq. The AL demanded that Turkey withdraw immediately from north Iraq and respect Iraq's sovereignty and integrity. Turkey-Iraq, Military, 12/8/1997 - 72% of Israeli students believe Arab Knesset members threaten Israel
The polls also showed that 50.1% of the surveyed students said that they agree on giving the Arab residents of Israel rights equal to the ones given to the Jews. Israel, Culture, 12/8/1997