Arabic News Weekly Edition for Local, 1/12/2004
Weekly Edition, Local - Week of January 12, 2004
- Demonstrations in Basra supporting al-Seistani's call for authority transfer
Thousands of Iraqis yesterday took the streets of al-Basra city, in support of the call made by the supreme Shiite religious leader in Iraq, Ayatullah Ali al-Seistani, to make direct elections within months in order to choose a sovereign Iraqi government. Iraq, Military, 1/16/2004 - Israeli forces block the whole of Gaza; Palestinians vow more attacks
Thousands of Palestinians yesterday in Gaza eulogized the body of the Palestinian woman, Reem al- Reyashi, the executor of Wednesday's attack operation at Erez crossing, which resulted in killing four Israeli soldiers. The participants in the eulogy chanted slogans to continue resistance. Palestine-Israel, Military, 1/16/2004 - Iraqi embassies resume consulate services
The Iraqi foreign minister, Hoshiar Muhammad Zibari, announced yesterday the resumption of consulate services for the Iraqi embassies abroad, suspended since the collapse of the Iraqi regime on April 9, 2003, noting that "these services pertain to the Iraqi citizen and members of the Iraqi community who toll more than 3 million persons." Iraq, Local, 1/16/2004 - US acts of collective punishment in Iraq; Three killed in an explosion
Human Rights Watch criticized the American forces in Iraq and accused them of violating the Geneva agreements though demolishing houses of relatives of suspected persons or former officials in the regime of the toppled regime of Saddam Hussein. The organization also criticized the detention of persons who have no charges against them other than for being relatives to wanted persons, noting that Izzat Ibrahim's wife and daughter are still so far detained. Iraq-USA, Military, 1/15/2004 - Four Israelis were killed in a Palestinian operation; Hamas vows to escalate resistance
Israeli military court accused one Israeli soldier of opening fire deliberately at a British peace activist who was visiting a camp for the Palestinian refugees in Rafah to the south of Gaza in April 2003. Disclosing this accusation came after hours from announcing the death of the British activist Tony Harindal because of wounds in his head that put him in a coma that lasted for 9 months. Palestine-Israel, Military, 1/15/2004 - Russian-Arab business council to hold first meeting in cairo Regional-Russia, Local, 1/15/2004
- Arab athletics union picks Morocco's Hicham El Guerrouj, Amina Ait Hammou 2003 best Arab athletes Regional-Morocco, Sports, 1/15/2004
- Libya attends Davos forum for the first time since 20 years
Organizers of the economic Davos forum announced yesterday that Libya will attend, for the first time in 20 years, the forum which will be held this month, stressing that "very important discussions will be held during it, as well as with the American administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer, and five or six Iraqi ministers. Libya-Regional, Local, 1/14/2004 - Yemeni society calls for solidarity with Sheikh al-Mu'ayad
A Yemeni people's non-governmental committee urged the participants in the democracy and human rights conference, currently held in Sanaa, to help in the release of Sheikh Muhammad al-Mu'yad, who is detained in the USA with his escort on charge of links to al-Qaida organizations. Yemen-USA, Local, 1/14/2004 - Damascus's pioneering prospects symposium
The Damascus-based SYEA, officially opened yesterday is a non-government, not-profit, non-political establishment. It was founded in August 2002 to encourage the youth to establish businesses of their own, and help them create new jobs so that they can contribute in pushing economic growth, and participate in a wider process of reforms. Syria, Local, 1/14/2004 - Apache plane downed by the Iraqis, four Iraqis killed in Falouja
The Iraqi resistance yesterday succeeded in downing an American Apache plane near al-Habaneyah area, to the west of Baghdad, in the third incident of its kind in the region within less than two weeks. Iraq-USA, Military, 1/14/2004 - Moroccan experts help Mauritania fight locusts Morocco-Mauritania, Local, 1/14/2004
- El Aynaoui's doubts participation in Melbourne's open
Morocco's top seed Younes El Aynaoui is doubtful his heel injury would let him take part in next week's Australian Open, after failing to show up in the eight-man field for the warm-up event at Kooyong. Morocco, Sports, 1/14/2004 - Bahrain, the elections of the first workers union tomorrow
Representatives of 40 workers trade unions, representing the private and public sector in Manama, held a conference that lasted for three days to discuss and approve a constitution and elect the leadership of the first workers trade union in Bahrain. Bahrain, Local, 1/13/2004 - Occupation forces indiscriminately killed several Iraqis
The occupation forces killed yesterday nine Iraqis in two separate incidents, while an American spokesman said that one US soldier was killed and other two wounded, in an explosion targeting an American convoy in al-Ramadi area, to the west of Baghdad, where the Americans opened fire indiscriminately after the attack and killed two passers by and wounded other 6. Iraq-USA, Military, 1/13/2004 - Morocco, UAE set up cooperation in administrative affairs Morocco-United Arab Emirates, Local, 1/13/2004
- Saudi sports ministers calls for Arab backing to Morocco's 2010 world soccer cup bid Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Sports, 1/13/2004
- Raja and FAR win 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 Throne cups Morocco, Sports, 1/13/2004
- Over 400 kg of cannabis resin seized in Tangiers port Morocco, Local, 1/13/2004
- Teacher sentenced to five years for children rape
The court of Tan Tan has recently sentenced a teacher to a five-year jail term for sexual assault on teens. Morocco, Local, 1/13/2004 - Sheep supply will be abundant for the holiday, ministry
Supply in sheep and caprines will be abundant for the Islamic festival of "Aid El Adha," said the department of agriculture and rural development. Morocco, Local, 1/13/2004 - Theodore Kattouf: We are working to end stereotypes between Arabs and Americans
Asked for instance why in this country so many Arabs who have immigrated to the United States have done so incredible well. Is there some thing about the water there that makes them more capable than the Arab states. Of course the answer is the opportunity, they have the freedom and the ability to achieve this potential Regional-USA, Culture, 1/12/2004 - On the Sharkas community in Jordan
The Sharkas community in Jordan asserts that the Loyalty and commitment to Jordan is above their cling to their original home land ( Caucasus ), from where they were obliged to leave by the mid of the 19th century amid the bloody struggle with the Russian Tzar regime of that time. Jordan, Culture, 1/12/2004 - Two Palestinians killed, five houses demolished by the Israelis
The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot said that Israel has started to implement the Apartheid wall plan in the West Bank, announced by the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, while two Palestinians were killed, one of them was by the Israeli occupation bullets. Palestine-Israel, Military, 1/12/2004 - The British, the police kill 6 Iraqis; an uprising for the unemployed
Al-Amara city, to the south-east of Baghdad, witnessed by the end of the week an almost uprising for the unemployed, that resulted in killing 6 of them by the fire of the British and Iraqi police forces, in demonstrations which the demonstrators said were peaceful. Iraq-USA, Military, 1/12/2004 - Syrian- Jordanian transport cooperation Jordan-Syria, Local, 1/12/2004
- The Holy Family in Egypt
In 2000, Egypt launched a major tourist initiative to remind people throughout the world of one of the major events of biblical history: the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. The programme encourages travellers to retrace the steps of Jesus Christ with his mother, the Virgin Mary, and Joseph in Egypt. Egypt, Local, 1/12/2004 - Solidarity demo with Moroccan daily, recipient of letter bomb Morocco, Local, 1/12/2004