Arabic News Weekly Edition for Local, 2/18/2002
Weekly Edition, Local - Week of February 18, 2002
- King Mohammed performs Aid al-Adha prayers Morocco, Religion, 2/23/2002
- Egyptian officials resignation accepted over train catastrophe
The Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Friday morning accepted the resignation of the Egyptian minister of transport over the train catastrophe which took place on Thursday and claimed the life of 373 persons and other hundreds were reported as wounded. Egypt, Local, 2/23/2002 - Renowned Syrian actor Dorade Lahham re-appointed UNICEF 's Goodwill Ambassador
Renowned Syrian actor Dorade Lahham on February 18 signed at the headquarters of UNICEF in Damascus a contract offered by the UN provided for a fixed date appointment as a "Goodwill Ambassador to MENA ( Middle East and North Africa) Region." Regional, Culture, 2/23/2002 - Syrian Environment Association assumes activities
By this grant the Syrian environment association is going to start a campaign that aims at developing environmental public awareness regarding several issues as revival of Barada river, environment protection, curbing pollution and rationalizing the use of natural resources. Syria, Environment, 2/23/2002 - A workshop on national bio-diversity strategy in Damascus
this is a part of the greater action plan for the preservation of environment and natural resources for which Syria has been working with the international organizations for a while Syria, Environment, 2/23/2002 - Al-Haj rituals completed smoothly
Muslim who are performing al-Haj rituals on Friday arrived from Mouna coming from Musdalifa where they had spent the night on Thursday evening as they completed the main part of their al-Haj process. Regional-Saudi Arabia, Religion, 2/23/2002 - EU - Mediterranean archaeological preservation project
PISA's aim has been to mainstream "Integrated planning in archaeological sites" into the policies, operations, and practices of governments and public and private stakeholders, as well as to promote the concept with the general public in the 5 Mediterranean Partners involve. Regional-European Union, Culture, 2/23/2002 - Belgian and Moroccan regions envision twinning
The Brussels commune of Molenbeek-Saint Jean and the commune of Oujda-Sid Ziane (eastern Morocco) will sign next Wednesday a twinning act in the Belgian capital of Brussels. Morocco-Belgium, Culture, 2/23/2002 - Some 41 Jordanian women ask for divorce according to the new marital law
Some 41 Jordanian women had filed cases to split from their husbands at jurisprudence courts, and this falls in the context of a new development provided by the marital law which was amended three months ago. Jordan, Culture, 2/22/2002 - Iran successfully tests its air-to-surface TOW missile Iran, Military, 2/22/2002
- Six people killed in building collapse Morocco, Local, 2/22/2002
- Syria's First Lady meets Syrian businesswomen in Italy
Syria's First Lady Asmaa al-Assad on Thursday met with the delegation representing the businesswomen who took part in the visit to Italy and was briefed on their various activities. Syria, Local, 2/22/2002 - Workshop on national bio-diversity strategy in Damascus
A workshop under the title " national bio-diversity strategy and action plan" was held in Damascus on February 17 in collaboration between the Syrian ministry of the Environment and the UNDP. Syria, Environment, 2/22/2002 - King Mohammed congratulates Islamic heads of state on Aid al-Adha
Morocco's King Mohammed VI, Amir Al-Mouminine (commander of the faithful) sent kings, presidents and emirs of Islamic countries a message of congratulations on aid Al-Adha (immolation feast). Morocco-Regional, Religion, 2/22/2002 - Arab states celebrate today as the first day of Eid al-Adha, Pilgrims head for Mouna today
Muslim pilgrims started on Thursday after sunset heading from Arafat mount to al-Musdalifa after they stood for the whole day at Arafat Mount. Regional, Religion, 2/22/2002 - King Mohammed amnesties 854 convicts
On the occasion of Aid Al-Fitr, which will be marked on Saturday in Morocco, King Mohammed VI has granted amnesty to a total of 854 persons. Morocco, Local, 2/22/2002 - Two UN agencies announce new recommendations for curbing deadly pesticides
A committee of government-appointed experts has concluded that three widely-used pesticides and all forms of asbestos should be added to an international list of chemicals subject to trade controls, two United Nations agencies announced Thursday. Regional, Environment, 2/22/2002 - UN office director appointed in Somalia
The secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan has appointed the Liberian lawyer Winston Topman as the chairman of the UN office in Somalia. Somalia, Local, 2/22/2002 - Some 31 Yemenis prevented from travelling Yemen-USA, Local, 2/21/2002
- Ebeid inspects incident scene
Prime Minister Atef Ebeid expressed the government's sorrow over the Cairo-Aswan ill-fated train that went ablaze at dawn Wednesday claiming the lives of 350 passengers. Egypt, Local, 2/21/2002 - Mubarak expresses deep regret offers condolences to families of victims
The incident was complicated by the heavy wind and the high speed of the train. Egypt, Local, 2/21/2002 - Egyptian Red Crescent to offer immediate aid to Ayyat train victims
The Egyptian Red Crescent Society decided to offer immediate aid to the victims of Ayyat train which caught fire before dawn, Wednesday, said Secretary General of the Society Mamdouh Gabr. Egypt, Local, 2/21/2002 - Integrated teams of forensic experts to identify train victims
Egyptian Councellor Farouq Awad, Assistant Minister of Justice, head of forensic medicine at the ministry, said that integrated teams of forensic experts have been working to identify the victims of the train that caught fire while heading from Cairo to Upper Egypt. Egypt, Local, 2/21/2002 - Five Yemenis arrested for suspicion, FBI list
Yemeni security officials stressed on Wednesday that the Yemeni authorities arrested five persons suspected to be involved with a person whose name is mentioned in the list declared by the FBI recently. Yemen, Local, 2/21/2002 - Some 23 Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty on February 12 and 18
The Lebanese national resistance has announced that the Israeli occupation forces violated the Lebanese sovereignty on February 12 and 18 for 23 times. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 2/21/2002 - SCA excavators unearth rock-carved tomb in Suhag
An Egyptian excavating team has recently unearthed a rock-carved tomb in the mountainous area of Al Khazendaria in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Suhag. Egypt, History, 2/21/2002 - UNDP supports rural schools in Morocco
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has joined the Moroccan agriculture ministry, health ministry and the BMCE foundation in a drive to promote schools in rural areas. Morocco, Education, 2/21/2002 - Kuwaitis account for 40% of Kuwait's total population
The report released by Kuwait's planning ministry on Monday states that the number of Kuwaitis has reached 855,333 or 40% of the total population. Kuwait, Local, 2/21/2002 - Israeli warplanes violations of the Lebanese airspace Lebanon-Israel, Military, 2/20/2002
- Muslim pilgrims today head for Mouna and then to Arafat mountain Saudi Arabia-Palestine, Culture, 2/20/2002
- Islam in the US is spreading fast
The US under secretary for public diplomacy affairs stressed that Islam is considered one of the rapidly spreading religions in the US. Regional-USA, Local, 2/20/2002 - A train fire killed over 300 passengers in Egypt
A train fire killed over 300 passengers this Wednesday morning in Egypt. Egypt, Local, 2/20/2002 - 1st, 2nd dynasties tombs unearthed in Helwan
The Egyptian-Australian archaeological mission unearthed mud-brick and stone tombs that date back to the era of the Pharaonic first and second dynasties (5,000 years BC) in Helwan area. Egypt, History, 2/20/2002 - Arab youth union holds extraordinary session in Rabat Morocco-Regional, Culture, 2/19/2002
- Israel violates the Lebanese airspace
The Israeli warplanes on Sunday evening continued its violations of the Lebanese airspace and sovereignty and were intercepted by the Lebanese national resistance defense means. Lebanon-Israel, Military, 2/19/2002 - Moroccan girl in Spain wins scarf battle and returns to school
A 13-year-old Moroccan girl living in Madrid who was prevented for five months from going to school for her refusal to take off her scarf, was finally allowed to return to school without conditions. Regional-Spain, Culture, 2/19/2002 - Iraq sees 12 fold increase in cancer, depleted uranium cited
Number of cancer cases (Leukemia and kidney, liver and lung cancer) reported has increased in Iraq especially in the southern Iraqi cities. Iraq, Health, 2/18/2002 - Children's rights occupy special priority in country's policy
"The improvement (in the status of women) which we seek can be realised through women's participation in the various political, economic, social and development activities and ensuring that they receive their fair share of the return of social development as a whole," she said. Egypt, Culture, 2/18/2002 - Clashes in Yemen between gunmen and police
Six persons were wounded in Yemen including an officer in the Yemeni police in an armed clash that took place in the downtown of the capital Sanaa on Saturday between the police forces and a gang for steeling cars. Yemen, Local, 2/18/2002 - Roman stores unearthed in Tal Basta
A Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) mission unearthed in Tal Basta some mud-brick stores over an area of 2,000 metres that date back to the Graeco-Roman era during restoration of King Amnemhat III palace of the Middle Kingdom. SCA Secretary-General Gaballah Ali Gaballah said the stores are the most complete ones and inside them amulets and earthenware vessels were found. Egypt, History, 2/18/2002