Arabic News Weekly Edition for Local, 3/30/1998
Weekly Edition, Local - Week of March 30, 1998
- Story Error: Saudi-Arabia, Egypt, and Syria summit
On Wednesday, we reported about an imminent summit between the leaders of Saudi-Arabia, Egypt, and Syria that did not materialize. Regional, Breaking News, 4/3/1998 - Sudan lifts embargo imposed on humanitarian aid to its South
Some 350,000 persons in Bahr al-Gazelle province are in need of urgent humanitarian aid, according to a statement released by the operation. which comprises UN organizations and nongovernmental organizations working in southern Sudan. Sudan-UN, Local, 4/3/1998 - Yemen attempts to halt the escape of Somali people to it
The number of Somalis fleeing from the civil war in Somalia to Yemen has increased despite the fact that most of them die either by their boats sinking or by being shot. Yemen-Somalia, Local, 4/3/1998 - One Lebanese killed in Israeli air strikes against south Lebanon
Lebanese security sources said Lebanese citizen Asaad Muhammad Hattab, 35, was killed as a result of Israeli air attacks on Thursday afternoon. The sources added that Hattab was transporting water in his tractor in al-Lweizeh town in al-Tuffah district when he was hit by an Israeli missile. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 4/3/1998 - Three civilians killed in Algeria Algeria, Local, 4/3/1998
- Explosions in Sanaa Yemen, Local, 4/3/1998
- Retaliation by Hamas called for
As thousands mourned Hamas military leader Mohyiddin Sharif in Ramallah, three major Palestinian groups called on the Palestinian government to cease immediately all sorts of contact with Israel, which is believed to be responsible for the killing of Sharif. Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/2/1998 - Ancient Arab literature
The cradle of ancient Arab literature was in the deserts and steppes of central and northern Arabia, and there Arabic poetry reached an extent of excellence which was subsequently never surpassed. Regional, Literature, 4/2/1998 - Iraqi presidential sites yield no weapons
Today the inspectors said they had not found any evidence in the palaces of any banned weapons, and that the group of UNSCOM experts, along with 20 diplomats, has inspected eight presidential palaces since last Thursday. Iraq-UN, International, 4/2/1998 - One Million Muslim pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities started assembling some 11,000 fireproof tents. The agency said the Saudi authorities supplied 10,830 tents with 42,000 water pumps to avoid a fire similar to the one that happened last year and caused the death of 343 pilgrims. Regional-Saudi Arabia, Religion, 4/2/1998 - Algerian army continues mopping-up operations Algeria, Military, 4/2/1998
- Israeli gunships shell farms in coastal areas
Lebanese security sources said the Israeli gunships shelled farms in coastal areas extending from Raas al-Ein town to al-Mansouri. Israeli warplanes and helicopters flew intensively over the targeted areas. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 4/2/1998 - French Mirage fighter jets to Qatar
Qatar on Wednesday received four French Mirage-2000 fighter jets, the second batch of French warplanes Doha bought from France in 1994. Qatar-France, Military, 4/2/1998 - Jordan's Speaker satisfied with Lower House performance
"The House of Deputies was an active monitor of the government's performance without neglecting its legislator role in debating and endorsing laws," Surour said at a press conference held in Amman, Jordan yesterday. Jordan, Local, 4/2/1998 - Palestine trains 4,000 soldiers in anticipation of Israeli West Bank withdrawal Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/2/1998
- Israel increases security in expectation of suicide attacks
Hamas leaders rushed to threaten that the assassination of their man No. 1 after Ayyash "will not pass unpunished." Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/1/1998 - Mystery of explosion victim revealed: Hamas top official
A man found dead Monday after an explosion in an industrial zone in the Palestinian-controlled area of Ramallah was identified today by Palestinian police as Mouhidin al-Sharif, a high-ranking Hamas official. The police also said that Sharif had been shot before the explosion occurred. Palestine-Israel, Local, 4/1/1998 - Rubin: Palestine, Israel well short of bridging gaps
US State Department spokesman James Rubin said that despite US peace envoy Dennis Ross's recent meetings with the two sides, the Palestinians and Israelis are still "well short of the kind of hard decisions that need to be made to genuinely close and fully close the gaps" between them. Palestine-Israel-USA, International, 4/1/1998 - Israel continues attacks in south Lebanon, focus on those helping the resistance
Israeli forces deported a woman and her three year-old son from the town of Ramya and detained a Lebanese civilian from Shabaa town, jailing him at Khiam prison on accusations of cooperating with the Lebanese resistance. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 4/1/1998 - Explosion that kills six coincides with Mordechai's visit to south Lebanon
The incident took place at 7.30 p.m., just one hour after a Lebanese resistance attack on al-Ahmadieh (Kawkaba) position, when six Lebanese construction workers left the position in a pickup truck. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 4/1/1998 - Egypt sends medical delegation to Rwanda
Akdawy said the delegation will head to Rwanda at the Rwandan government's request within cooperation between Egypt, and undeveloped southern African countries, to help reduce Rwanda's dependence on the rich northern countries by sharing Egyptian experience and skill in this field Egypt-Rwanda, Health, 4/1/1998 - Last batch of US fighters arrives in Jordan
Lt. Gen. Muhammad Kheir Ababinah, who received the fighters on Monday at an air base said, "The Jordanian armed forces have so far received 16 fighters in the context of aid programs at a cost of US $210 million and another US $100 million in military equipment, spare parts and helicopters." Jordan-USA, Military, 4/1/1998 - Somalis drown off Yemeni coast Yemen-Somalia, Local, 4/1/1998
- Tunis wins UNESCO peace award Tunisia-UN, International, 4/1/1998
- Eid al-Adha feast on 7 April Regional, Religion, 4/1/1998
- UAE - Eid al-Adha United Arab Emirates, Religion, 4/1/1998
- Jordan plans reactor Jordan, Science, 4/1/1998
- UN approves Islamic holidays Regional-UN, International, 4/1/1998
- US allocates funds for Gulf troops Gulf-USA, International, 4/1/1998
- Haj - fireproof tents Saudi Arabia, Religion, 4/1/1998
- Iraq - inspections Iraq-UN, International, 4/1/1998
- Syrian Cabinet holds weekly meeting Syria, Local, 4/1/1998
- Haroun al-Rashid and the Golden Abbasid age
At the wedding of Mamoun, his son and successor, a hundred enormous pearls were showered on the couple as they sat on a gold carpet studded with jewels, and balls of musk -- each containing a ticket entitling the holder to a slave or an estate -- were distributed to the guests. Regional, History, 3/31/1998 - Iraq, Syria discussed health ties
On Sunday, a Syrian health and medical delegation led by Shatti arrived in Baghdad for a several-day visit to Iraq to offer humanitarian and medical aid to the people of Iraq. Iraq-Syria, Health, 3/31/1998 - Kuwait first time buy of Chinese weapons
The high council of defense in Kuwait agreed to purchase Chinese weapons to provide the Kuwaiti army with 155 millimeter cannons. Kuwait-China, Military, 3/31/1998 - Yemen denies tribal confrontation Yemen, Local, 3/31/1998
- More civilians killed in Algeria Algeria, Local, 3/31/1998
- Five killed in Lebanon bomb blast Lebanon-Israel, Military, 3/31/1998
- Hamas member sentenced Israel-Palestine, Judicial, 3/31/1998
- Saudi - Human Rights Watch Saudi Arabia, International, 3/31/1998
- Saudi - pilgrimage Saudi Arabia, Religion, 3/31/1998
- Iraq - inspections Iraq-UN, International, 3/31/1998
- Israeli forces continue aggressions against S. Lebanon Lebanon-Israel, Military, 3/31/1998
- Jordan, Israel carry out naval exercise in fighting pollution Jordan-Israel, Military, 3/31/1998
- Fatchett: Britain wants Israel to comply with nuclear nonproliferation
UK Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Derek Fatchett has stressed that his government will capitalize on her turn in the EU Presidency to get the peace process moving and to help secure a durable, just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Regional-UK, International, 3/30/1998 - Algerian forces attack terrorist sites by aircraft
Algerian security forces continued operations using heavy artillery and military aircraft against strongholds of armed groups that carry out violent attacks against Algerian citizens in an attempt to limit any massacres before the great Bairam. Algeria-Yemen, Military, 3/30/1998 - More Israeli shelling of Lebanon
Lebanese security sources said the Israeli artillery in al-Zafata position bombarded al-Rafai mountain, the Green Valley, Lwezeh town's outskirts, Aqmata farm, Litani riverbed and al-Taseh spring-bed. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 3/30/1998 - Elias Freij dies in Amman Palestine-Jordan, People, 3/30/1998
- Qatar - drugs seized Qatar, Local, 3/30/1998
- Kabaa washing Regional-Saudi Arabia, Religion, 3/30/1998
- Ramallah explosion Palestine, Local, 3/30/1998
- Elias Freej dies Palestine, People, 3/30/1998
- Iraq - Inspections Iraq-UN, International, 3/30/1998
- OPEC - oil prices Regional-OPEC, International, 3/30/1998
- Susan Mubarak
Mohammed Ibrahim Soleman, the minister of construction and Egyptian housing, said that Mrs. Mubarak asked to start the executive steps for the project as well as changing the project's name to a name that expresses hope for the future. 3/30/1998 - Moscow, Damascus sign scientific cooperation accords Syria-Russia, Education, 3/30/1998
- Kuwait, US start maneuvers Kuwait-USA, Military, 3/30/1998
- Egyptian medical delegation in Iraq Egypt-Iraq, Health, 3/30/1998
- Cairo University students protest Kosovo massacres
The demonstrators described the Serbs as practicing racial discrimination and inhumanity and asked why military forces are not ready to strkie at the Serbs over Kosovo, as they are prepared to attack Iraq. Egypt-Yugoslavia, Local, 3/30/1998