Arabic News Weekly Edition for Local, 12/22/2003
Weekly Edition, Local - Week of December 22, 2003
- Islam offers possibility to adhere to modernity while remaining faithful to its principles, academic
Islam offers the possibility to adhere to modernity while remaining attached to its basic principles, professor of philosophy and Islamic sciences at the university of Geneva, Tariq Ramadan, said, in Rabat Thursday, calling for the rejection of the stereotypes claiming that Islam is opposed to the West." Regional, Religion, 12/27/2003 - Attacks against the green zone the German, Turkish and Iranian embassies
The Christmas period in Iraq was the bloodiest in Iraq for the American forces which this week suffered the loss of 11 soldiers, and the wounding many others, in attacks in various parts of Iraq. Iraq-USA, Military, 12/27/2003 - Palestinians assassinated in Gaza by Israel; Palestinian groups vow that Israeli civilians are targets
The military wing for both the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad, and the Democratic Front For Liberation of Palestine, vowed to retaliate operations conducted by the occupation forces against the Palestinians, stressing that these crimes will not go unpunished, and that escalating resistance will be the only answer for the occupation practices. Palestine-Israel, Military, 12/27/2003 - Number of Lebanese plane crash victims increases
Benin's foreign minister, Ro Ghasian Beyao, announced that the total number of the Lebanese in the crashed plane that was heading for Beirut increased to 133 killed persons, while number of survivors is 22. Lebanon-Benin, Local, 12/27/2003 - Three wounded in students riots in Sanaa
Acts of riots carried out by armed students near Sanaa university resulted in wounding three of the university guards, and the deployment of a large security force there on Thursday. Yemen, Local, 12/27/2003 - Kiftaro meets with Islamic- Christian delegation of Egypt Syria-Egypt, Religion, 12/27/2003
- Moroccan court rejects bail for minor twins sentenced to five years on terrorism charges
The chamber of Minors at the Court of Appeal of Rabat, on Friday rejected bail for the 14 year-old twin sisters, Iman and Sanna Laghriss, sentenced last September to five years imprisonment on terrorism charges. Morocco, Local, 12/27/2003 - Qatar: woman appointed President of Hamad medical establishment
During the past few months, several women were appointed for the presidency of important official establishments in Qatar. In May this year, Sheikha al-Mahmoud was appointed as a minister of education to be the first woman in the Gulf region to assume a ministerial post in the government Qatar, Culture, 12/26/2003 - Shehab: Egyptian satellite for scientific research to be launched next October
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Moufid Shehab said that Egypt will launch the first Satellite for scientific purposes "Egypt Sat 1" next October in cooperation with Ukraine. Egypt, Science, 12/26/2003 - Five Palestinians, three from Jihad movement killed by Israeli raid
Four Israelis were killed and other 15 injured many in a critical health condition in a Palestinian operation that took place at a bus station in Tel Aviv. The military wing of the People's Front For the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the operation, and indicated that it came in retaliation to the killing of two of its activists, in by the Israeli army in Nablus last Thursday. Palestine-Israel, Military, 12/26/2003 - 100 passengers killed, 20 rescued in plane crash heading from Benin to Lebanon
News reports on the number of persons who survived the plane crash incident in Benin have been contradictory. The ministry of health in Benin announced that some 22 passengers were rescued in this incident, while the Lebanese transport minister, Najib Meiqati, announced the rescue of 19 persons most of them Lebanese, as well as the pilot's assistant who is a Libyan national. Lebanon-Benin, Local, 12/26/2003 - Bahraini women demonstrate against veil banning in France
A demonstration took place yesterday in Bahrain, in which some 300 women took place to protest a decision taken by the French President Jacque Chirac banning veils, and other religious symbols, such as Christian crosses, and Jewish symbols, according to news reports, in the state run schools. Bahrain-France, Religion, 12/26/2003 - Project for repairing cemetery of Amenhotep III in Luxor Egypt, Local, 12/26/2003
- Over 1,200 people affected by AIDS in Morocco
The number of Moroccans affected by the AIDs Virus has reached 1,295, according to official figures released Thursday. Morocco, Health, 12/26/2003 - Mortar shells against the American leadership headquarters, Sheraton
The Iraqi resistance forces early morning today launched 6 attacks by mortar shells that targeted the leadership of the American occupation forces, and several positions in the downtown of Baghdad, including the Sheraton hotel. Iraq-USA, Military, 12/25/2003 - Israel hastens building of seperation wall to create de facto facts ahead of ICJ hearing
IPC reported that "he Israeli government started racing against time by greatly accelerating the construction of the Apartheid wall (also widely known as the separation barrier), ahead of the hearing session of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of the Apartheid Wall, built by Israel around and through the West Bank." Palestine-Israel, Military, 12/25/2003 - Four killed in a car explosion in Irbil
News reports in Irbil said that a booby trapped car went off at the entrance of the headquarters of Iraq's Ministry of the Interior, and this resulted in killing four persons and wounding other 20. Iraq-USA, Military, 12/25/2003 - Qassam missile wounds two Israelis in Gaza, one Palestinian was killed
Thousands of Palestinians took part in the funeral ceremony of several Palestinians killed during the incursion of the Israeli forces in Rafah which resulted in killing 10 Palestinians, and wounding other 42, including 9 children. Armed and veiled young men belonging to the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad took part in the eulogy. Palestine-Israel, Military, 12/24/2003 - Riyadh installs cameras to protect borders with Yemen
Saudi Arabia announced it has started to install Cameras to monitor its borders with Yemen to monitor weapons smuggling operations to the Kingdom and prevent the fleeing of wanted Saudis to Yemen. Saudi Arabia-Yemen, Local, 12/24/2003 - Court rejects temporary release plea in case of drug Lord Erramach
The Rabat-based special court of justice rejected on Monday the temporarily release request made by the defense concerning 27 involved in the case of Moroccan drug lord, Mounir Erramach, who is prosecuted along with senior police, county police and customs officials, as well as magistrates, court clerks, a local official and businessmen. Morocco, Judicial, 12/24/2003 - German citizen murder is criminal case Oman-Germany, Local, 12/24/2003
- New U.S. entry-exit system aims to enhance security, reduce fraud
The US said that New entry-exit procedures for visitors traveling on visas to the United States will be fast, effective, enhance security and reduce opportunities for fraud, says Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Asa Hutchinson. Regional-USA, Local, 12/24/2003 - Best Arab housing project award to be extended to Morocco
Arab Housing Ministers' Council decided to extend the Best Arab Housing Project Award to the Moroccan project "Essaouira Al Jadida" that was chosen among the most successful housing projects in the Arab states, the Arab League's general secretariat said. Morocco-Regional, Local, 12/24/2003 - Al-Sabah: Number of palm trees in Iraq decreased from 30 million to 10 million
Iraqi minister of environment Abdul Rahman Saddiq Karim said on Sunday that the wars that Iraq suffered resulted in the reduction of number of palm trees from 30 million to 10 million. Iraq, Environment, 12/23/2003 - Libya, Iran, North Korea and the nuclear proliferation issue
In the lack of success by the US to stop the North Korean nuclear weapons program, and the North Korean declaration that it has become a nuclear power, and the failure to force Iran to go beyond what is legally allowable in by signed nuclear non proliferation treaties, the Libyan agreement to provide access to its activities related to aquiring nuclear technology has garnered some attention. Regional, Analysis, 12/23/2003 - Man sentenced to one year for terrorist charges
The court of appeal of Rabat sentenced, Monday, a man to one year in jail and a fine of 5,000 Dhs (US $500) under the anti-terrorism law enacted last May, following the Casablanca terrorist attacks that killed over 45 people, including 12 suicide bombers. Morocco, Local, 12/23/2003 - Morocco, UNFPA sign cooperation agreement to promote gender equality
Morocco and the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) sign in Rabat Friday a cooperation agreement to promote gender equality. Morocco, Culture, 12/22/2003 - Damascus detains 6 al-Qaida members carrying USD 23 million
The US daily Washington Post said on Saturday that Syria arrested last week six Arab citizens presumed to have ties with al-Qaida organization carrying a sum of money estimated by intelligence at 23.5 million dollars. Syria, Local, 12/22/2003 - Palestinian child killed in Balata camp, Israeli forces continue incursion
A five- year old Palestinian child was killed by the fire of the Israeli occupation forces in Balata camp to the east of Nablus. Last week, a 14- year old boy was killed from the same camp, because of the wounds in his head. Palestine-Israel, Military, 12/22/2003 - Imprisonment sentences against 27 Lebanese attacked American interests
A Lebanese military court issued imprisonment sentences against 27 persons accused of taking part in a series of attacks that targeted the British and American places in various parts of Lebanon. Lebanon-USA, Local, 12/22/2003