We start with AL-NAHAR newspaper (Independent, weekly 3rd June), which joined the press community recently. Furthermore, it is the first with a female Chief Editor. The same edition was re-issued on 6th June in a "second edition". AL-NAHAR reported that a "Yemeni delegation of women left for New York to represent Yemen in the '5 Years after Peking' Conference. Rashida Al-Hamdani, Chairwoman of the National Committee for Women who heads the delegation, told Al-Nahar, that members of the delegation were chosen from among the cadres of several government agencies. The delegation is entitled to vote and endorse any articles that don't contradict with the Islamic Sharia'ah, or with Yemeni laws and norms. The most important part of their mission is to present a report on what was achieved by Yemen during the last 5 years since the 1995 Peking Conference as well as on 12 aspects which Yemen had endorsed (The most prominent are education, health, law and poverty)."
Ms. Al-Hamdani thanked the political leadership of Yemen for its trust in Yemeni women by sending a delegation consisting of only women. She expressed her confidence they shall be up to this task.
 

AL-AYYAM
(Independent, tri-weekly, 3rd June) focused Ð like most other Yemeni newspapers- on the Faculty of Medicine crime which continues to attract the attention of the population. AL-AYYAM republished what was reported by AL-HAYAT of London about the Sudanese Minister of AgricultureÕs denial that the accused criminal was a relative of his, although he added that he knew his mother. The newspaper ran three other stories on the same issue.

AL-AYYAM ran a short story on the presidential visit to Germany and Saudi Arabia. The story said: "President Saleh is expected to leave tomorrow for Federal Germany to be followed by a visit to Saudi Arabia. The Financial Times of London said in an article titled 'Saudi Arabia and Yemen hope to settle the border dispute' by Ronnie Aaron, that the settlement of the 66-year old dispute might be looming.""The Financial Times quoted diplomats in Riyadh as saying that a comprehensive agreement to settle this dispute might be signed during President Saleh's next visit to Saudi Arabia. It will be the most important incident in the history of both countries since Yemen sided with Iraq during the Gulf War. The Times said that both sides concurred on their points of view: something that had never existed before.

AL-AYYAM (5th June) reported that: "After the appearance of the girl Nada Mohammed Saeed, and her attendance to the court in the third session of the trial of the Faculty of Medicine killer, AL-AYYAM received numerous phone calls by people demanding the truth and background of this subject. AL-AYYAM telephoned the house where her sister Aicha lives. When a relative of hers answered we told him that as AL-AYYAM opened its pages to enable the family to voice their opinion about Nada in the preceding days, the family was obliged to answer some questions, such as: where was Nada? How did she lose contact with the family and how did she reappear?""AL-AYYAM repeated its calls many times but neither Aicha nor her sister gave us any answer. A relative said they weren't available to answer the questions of the general public".
AL-AYYAM reported also that the residents of Al-Abari village, Dhala' governorate, appealed to the Governor that a military rocket that fell on the village during the 1994 war, and didn't explode is frightening the population. A military team that visited the village said that the only solution is to detonate it, which might cause a lot of damage to their houses".
"The residents appealed to the Ministry of Defense to bring a quick end to this imminent danger which threatens their lives and belongings".

AL-EHYA'A
AL-ARABI
(BaÕath party pro-Iraq faction, weekly 5th June) was unique in reporting the apology of Mr. Sabieh Mutlaq, the uncle of the Iraqi victim Zainab in Faculty of Medicine crime for his assault against the Sudanese Consul inside the court for which he was sent to prison. 

AL-HAQ
(Independent, weekly 4th June) covered the case of the accused Sudanese in the Faculty of Medicine crime. It recalled that Òduring interrogations the killer Mohammed Adam Omer told investigators that there were others who knew what he was doing, and that they were involved. He might have mentioned names. During the first session on Saturday 27th May he repeated the same thing. However, on Monday the 29th he changed his mind and denied that others were involved, saying that he did it all alone and was the only person responsibleÓ.
ÒThe contradiction in his statements makes us wonder whether there was some pressure on him? If that was the case, who pressurized the accused in order to make him change his statement?

"The only remaining question is: Why weren't those involved with the killer investigated, whether they are from inside the University or from beyond, especially as he had mentioned their names during interrogation?

"They added that this crime has humiliated them and that they painfully feel the reaction by society towards education and the learning process".

In another article AL-MITHAQ disclosed the names of six students who were mentioned by other newspapers as victims of the faculty of medicine series killer, while the truth is that they are all alive. One of these is Amira, who has graduated and works at the Dhala' health center, Hamdan. Another is Raja', who graduated and is working at the Sana'a Central Laboratory. A third is Shahnaz who had graduated and works in Abyan governorate and a fourth is Rabia'ah who moved to Aden University. Wafa is a fifth and continues to study at form 3 and the last is Nada who attended the court. AL-MITHAQ disclosed also that many of these are taking the newspapers that reported them as victims in this case to court.
 

AL-WAHDAWI, like some other newspapers, looked suspiciously at some developments of this trial. In a small article titled 'Nada' [the name of a victim who appeared alive at court] AL-WAHDAWI had a new look at, "the way the name 'Nada' was added to the list of victims, and her unexpected appearance at the court . It concluded, "These have raised suspicions that some parties want to distort many facts and push the general public into believing that the killings didn't happen to the other girls while their corpses are still at the morgue, a proof of the crime and a cursor towards those involved".
Under the title: Iraqi Shi'ites Deported and Detained, AL-WAHDAWI said: "Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sharif, an Indian passport holder who is originally Iraqi, was deported to the U.A. Emirates after a short stay at Sana'a Airport. The act was taken in execution of oral instructions of a political police officer".
"A close source to Police authorities reported that Al-Sharif was deported after a 30-hour confinement for no reason except being a Shi'ite and lecturing to fellow Shi'ites in some governorates".
"Another Iraqi, sheikh Ahmed Al-Nagafi was also detained because he was there to meet Al-Sharif. He is still detained".
"It is recalled that these acts weren't endorsed by the pertinent high authorities, but are the result of personal decisions of some anti-Shi'ites".
RA'Y
(Sons of Yemen League, weekly 6th June) said in a small article commenting on what it said are "instructions by high authorities to depose the Sana'a University Council leadership, members of the council and faculty rectors. These instructions came in the aftermath of the crimes confessed by the killer Mohammed Adam and are designed to decrease the anger of the students and the general public. This move was one of the most important acts demanded by the students' and other public demonstrations since these crimes were uncovered. However, opposition parties' members of the deposed organs expressed their fear that the [ruling] Peoples General Council might use these circumstances to get rid of democracy within the university and reestablish the tradition of appointments to these leading positions".

The letter praised all efforts made by political parties, syndicates, unions and students sectors in denouncing what happened at the Faculty of Medicine.