Arabic News Weekly Edition for Local, 12/7/1998
Weekly Edition, Local - Week of December 7, 1998
- Annan calls for international cooperation to face Y2K computer software problem
The international community is a long way from being ready to face the year 2000 computer problem, Pakistan's Ahmed Kamal, chairman of the United Nations Working Group on Informatics told a UN-sponsored group of people working on the problem yesterday. Regional-UN, International, 12/12/1998 - UN conference calls for decade of fighting desertification
The United Nations Convention on Desertification has decided to sped up its efforts to reverse the degradation of drylands at the conclusion yesterday of two weeks of meetings. Regional-UN, Environment, 12/12/1998 - Morocco and Mauritania to bolster cooperation ties in environment protection
Ways of upgrading the Moroccan - Mauritanian partnership in environment protection and related sectors topped talks held Thursday in Dakar between Moroccan Minister in charge of agriculture, Said Chbaatou and his Mauritanian peer, Ahmed Ould Lkhal. Morocco-Mauritania, Environment, 12/12/1998 - Two young people killed in Israeli - Palestinian clashes, 50 injured Palestine-Israel, Local, 12/12/1998
- Yemen arrests kidnappers of German tourists Yemen, Local, 12/11/1998
- Damascus: A fire at the national theater 10 days before inauguration
Just ten days before a long waited inauguration for the national theater in Syria a fire broke into it and most of its sensitive lightening and sound equipment destroyed. Syria, Culture, 12/11/1998 - Moroccan official unveils plan against violence targeting women
Moroccan secretary of state in charge of social protection, family and children, Mohamed Said Saadi, announced that an action plan to control violence against women will be launched shortly. Morocco, Culture, 12/11/1998 - US sends Patriot missiles to Israel Israel-USA, Military, 12/11/1998
- Jordanian authorities prevents Layla Khaled from Leaving Amman Jordan, Local, 12/11/1998
- Israel continues aggressions against south Lebanon
Israeli occupation forces on Thursday continued attacks against areas adjacent to the occupied part of south Lebanon, especially hills and heights of al-Tuffah district. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 12/11/1998 - Syrian defense minister confers with Indian army chief of staff
Syrian Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Mustafa Tlass, who is also the deputy premier and army deputy commander in chief, on Wednesday received chief of staff of the Indian Army, Fe Be Maleik, and members of his accompanying delegation. Syria-India, Military, 12/11/1998 - Islamic Parliamentary Union to be based in Rabat Regional, Religion, 12/11/1998
- Princess Sarvath on: Education of women in the Muslim world
Whenever an attempt is made to limit Muslim women's participation in the educational or other processes of their country, the justification given is that it is so prescribed by Islam. This is absolutely not true. In most cases this retrogressive mind-set is connected with long ingrained social and cultural patterns rather than with anything to do with religion. Regional, Culture, 12/10/1998 - 800th anniversary of demise of Arab philosopher Averroes marked in Aordoba
The crown prince called for the need to return to these values of tolerance and co-existence and urged the world to draw inspiration from his life to build new relations based on cultural openness and permanent dialogue. Regional-Morocco, Culture, 12/10/1998 - Moroccan government pledges to consolidate rule of law
The Moroccan government has renewed pledge to consolidate the rule of the law and to protect rights and freedoms in line with the precepts of Islam, the constitution and the international conventions ratified by the country. Morocco, Culture, 12/10/1998 - Moroccan interior minister visits Belgium Morocco-Belgium, Judicial, 12/10/1998
- Libyans tried to force Egyptian plane to violate air embargo
On Wednesday afternoon at the Tunisian port of Jarba the crisis of the private Egyptian plane which several passengers wanted to violate the air embargo imposed on Libya and land in Tripoli, came to an end. Libya-Regional, Local, 12/10/1998 - Over 2.6 tons of cannabis seized in Morocco
Over 2.6 tons of cannabis were seized last week by the Moroccan police in two large scale search operations launched in the Larache region (Northern Morocco). Morocco, Judicial, 12/10/1998 - 41 countries back Moroccan candidate to WTO leadership, daily says
Some 41 countries back Morocco's candidate to the position of director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the London-Based Asharq Al-Awsat daily reported on Thursday. Morocco, People, 12/10/1998 - Syrian radio program wins UN prize
The Syrian radio program "Population Causes," on Damascus Radio won second prize as the best radio program on " teenagers, population and development" in a competition recently organized by the Arab department at the UN information bureau. Syria-Regional, Culture, 12/10/1998 - 18 Sudanese army troops killed
The Sudanese People's Liberation Army announced today that its forces have killed 18 government soldiers in battles that took place between November 27 and December 1, in west central Sudan, and it acknowledged the killing of one its troops. Sudan, Military, 12/9/1998 - $ 9 million raised in anti-poverty campaign
The anti-poverty campaign staged across Morocco last October raised $ 9 million, the committee supervising the fund-raising campaign said. Morocco, Culture, 12/9/1998 - Germany and UN efforts prasied at desertification control convention
The conference agenda includes debates on the role of international coordination in the struggle against desert encroachment and best ways to benefit from the successful experiences conducted in this regard by some countries in various arid regions. Regional, Environment, 12/9/1998 - Kidnapping in Yemen
The family of Yemeni businessman Abdul Hakim Hussein Shamsan, who was kidnapped on November 20, said that his kidnappers threatened to kidnap his brother. Yemen, Local, 12/9/1998 - Moroccan premier calls for co-responsibility to fulfil economic and social rights
Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi has called for international co-responsibility and cooperation to fulfil economic, social and cultural human rights. Morocco-Regional, Culture, 12/9/1998 - Morocco sets up environment protection foundation
A foundation for environment protection, set up last summer, elected lately in the Moroccan Atlas Mountain city of Ifran its managing board. Morocco, Environment, 12/9/1998 - Israel detains ten from al-Teiri, figting continues in the south
Israeli occupation forces have continued to launch acts of aggression against southern Lebanon, especially the western sector. Lebanese security sources reported that Israeli artillery attacked on Tuesday afternoon the towns of Barachit, Hadatha, Eta al-Jabal, al-Zaatar, Kafra, Yater, Haris and Zibqin. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 12/9/1998 - GCC puts off defense cooperation Gulf, Military, 12/9/1998
- Report: Israeli claims on Jewish shrines in Jordan
The Jordanian paper al-Bilad on Monday reported Israeli claims on holy shrines for Jews in Jordan especially in Petra and Neibu mountain near Ma'daba. Jordan-Israel, Local, 12/9/1998 - Forgery gang arrested in Lebanon Lebanon, Judicial, 12/9/1998
- OIC secretary general decorated by Sheikh Zayed Regional, People, 12/9/1998
- European investment bank lends Morocco $ 9 million Morocco, Environment, 12/9/1998
- Egyptian MPs voice backing to Morocco's territorial integrity
The Egyptian delegation, led by the Shoura Council's speaker Mustapha Kamal Hilmi, expressed Egypt's backing to Morocco's efforts to perfect its territorial integrity with the recovery of Sebta and Melilia (two northern cities still under Spanish control) and the Sahara. Morocco-Egypt, Judicial, 12/8/1998 - Qatar - medical costs Qatar, Health, 12/8/1998
- Barhain - children's cancer ward Bahrain, Health, 12/8/1998
- West Africa conference on River Blindness opens in Ghan
A sub-saharan African conference opened Monday in Ghana to look into ways of coordinating efforts between West African countries in the struggle against river blindness. North Africa, Health, 12/8/1998 - Moroccan Immigrant Arrested With 88 kg of Cannabis Morocco, Judicial, 12/8/1998
- Renowned singer passes away Morocco, People, 12/8/1998
- Moroccan sports star El-Guerrouj in the Pantheon of World Athletics
Morocco's field and track star, Hicham El-Guerrouj entered the Pantheon of world athletics last July 14, when he shattered the World record on 1500 m setting it at the miraculous timing of 3:26. Morocco, Sports, 12/8/1998 - Israeli troops continue attacks against south Lebanon
Israeli occupation forces on Monday pounded with heavy artillery the woods of Sojoud and al-Rayhan, Aqmata farm, Mleita hill and the outskirts of Lweisa town in al-Tuffah district in the occupied part of south Lebanon. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 12/8/1998 - Arafat's new message of moderation
It is hard for any political analyst to disregard the new strategic moderation, or even the bombshell that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat dropped in his Saturday speech in Stockholm. Palestine, Reporter's View, 12/7/1998 - New Russian weapons for Egypt and Syria Egypt-Syria, Military, 12/7/1998
- Syria speaks of progress in reforestation at UN conference in Damascus
Syrian Agriculture Minister Asa ad Mustafa on Sunday opened the 13th meeting of the Near East Forests Commission, organized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's regional bureau in collaboration with the Syrian Agriculture Ministry. Syria-Regional, Environment, 12/7/1998 - Unstable weather pushes Branson to postpone balloon trip to next week
Unstable weather in Morocco compelled Chicago millionaire Steve Fossett and Virgin tycoon Richard Branson to delay their bid to tour the globe in a hot air balloon. North Africa, Local, 12/7/1998 - Africa could produce AIDS vaccine
An AIDS virus obtained from a patient in Kenya has been used to prepare a new potentially prophylactic vaccine against the AIDS menace, the Pan-African news agency (PANA) reported. North Africa, Health, 12/7/1998 - Egyptian education minister calls for implementing Arab cultural unity charter Regional-Egypt, Culture, 12/7/1998
- Nine killed in Algeria by gunmen Algeria, Local, 12/7/1998
- Israel continues aggressions against south Lebanon
Lebanese security sources reported that Israeli artillery positioned in Abu Qamha targeted the hills surrounding the western Bekaa area, particularly al-Jabbour and Abu Rashed. The bombardment was accompanied by heavy machine-gun fire aimed at roads leading to the said areas. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 12/7/1998