A former Yemeni college student in the USA was sentenced last Wednesday to six months behind bars for lying to a U.S. immigration officer, according to Associated Press.
The US authorities suspect Mohdar Abdullah of helping three Sep. 11 hijackers get driver's licenses and establish themselves in the US.
Mohdar, a former student at San Diego University, has been in custody since shortly after the September terrorist attacks.
With credit for time served, he was to be set free Wednesday to the Immigration and Naturalization service for deportation.
Mohdar, 24, acknowledged that he lied to the immigration officer when he told him he entered the US on Dec.7, 1998 at New York on an Italian passport. He actually entered three days later from Canada on a Yemeni passport.
Prosecutors accused Mohdar of telling the hijackers Nawaf Alhamzi and Khalid Almihdar how to get social security cards and California driver's licenses. They also accused him of arranging flight lessons and regularly dining, working and praying with the hijackers.
The FPI agents said in court papers that Mohdar remained illegally in the US to help the hijackers and/or any future hijackers in the furtherance of terrorist activities against people in the US.
But, Mohdar's attorney, Kerry Steigerwalt, said the allegations were never substantiated. He insisted his client had only accident contact with the hijackers without advance knowledge of the attacks.
The sentencing did not address these allegations.

The Yemeni-German project for productive health, sponsored by the GTZ, has organized on October 6, a training course for health workers in the governorate of Mareb.
The training course, in cooperation with the Childhood and Motherhood Office in Mareb, was attended by 32 trainees. It trained health workers in identifying the training needs for provinces.
Mrs. Naifa Ahmed Khuziem, member of the permanent team of the governorate, said the course aimed to educate the participants on the ways of identifying the training needs and they, in turn, will train other health staff in the rural areas how to fight epidemic diseases like diarrhea and malaria.
The supportive team of the governorate, in cooperation with GTZ and health office of Mareb held many training courses earlier this year with a plan to qualify the health workers in Mareb.

The government of Qatar is exerting efforts to sort out the difference between Yemen and Eritrea regarding the explanation of the International Court Arbitration verdict on fishing off their waters.
The two countries have different interpretations of the verdict.
The Qatari minister paid a short visit to Eritrea last Friday before flying to Yemen. He met the Eritrean president and discussed with him several issues including the differences between Yemen and Eritrea.
Eritrean sources said the two officials discussed the Yemeni-Eritrean conflict relating to the fishing rights.
The Eritrean interpretation of the verdict is that Yemeni fishermen have no right of fishing in Eritrean waters.
Yemen believes the verdict gives the two sides the same rights and is ready to go back to the International Arbitration court to clarify the essence of the verdict.
It also is showing willingness to accept any third party to end the misinterpretation of the verdict.
The Eritrean president told the Qatari minister that he hopes Yemen will stop violating the Eritrean waters. Yemen has complained that its fishers were repeatedly arrested and disturbed by the Eritrean authorities.
Eritrea occupied the Hunaish Great Island in 1995. The two countries resorted to the international arbitration.
In 1998, the international court passed its verdict which ensured the Yemeni right to own the island.
Meanwhile, The Qatari Foreign Minister, met last Saturday with President Ali Abdullah Saleh. An official source said they discussed the bilateral relations, the ongoing events in the Palestinian territories, as well as the US threats to strike Iraq, but it's unknown to what extent the fishing ruling was discussed.

Yemen Prime Minister Dr. Abdulqader Bajammal is due to fly to Paris, France on October 18, to take part in the International Conference for European, French and Yemeni businessmen.
The conference will deal with investment opportunity atmosphere available in Yemen.
The conference is sponsored by the World Bank.
In this respect, the Industry and Commerce Chamber in Aden has demanded businessmen who are to take part in the conference, to provide information about companies and agencies and their economic enterprises along with trade investment aspects.

Creating a government ministry for water is among the suggestions of a water development official as Yemen tries to deal with its impending shortage.
E. Gamal M. Abdu, chairman of the General Authority of Water Resources, said a new ministry would help deal with issue.
He recently lead a workshop in Sana'a focusing on the threat Yemen's water shortage.
He spoke about what has been achieved so far to deal with the problem, indicating that the state has conducted many administrative and institutional reforms which have resulted in establishing an independent national water authority.
It is accountable to the cabinet directly, trains local cadres and reforms the water sector administrative board.
"There is also another workshop to be held for governors of the republic to discuss water problems in Yemen," he said.

For the first time ever, the Women's Forum for Researches and Training (WFRT) is organizing a training course for human rights and gender trainers, from October 5 to 7, in Taiz.
The course includes 25 participants representing NGOs working for human rights and women associations from different governorates: Sana'a. Aden, Taiz, Hadramout, Abyan, and Dhamar.
The course aims at developing trainee's skills in analyzing and comparing human rights culture, to enable them to connect these skills with local law and culture. They are to be able to take part in human rights and gender awareness programs and design strategies and plans for NGOs.

The Yemeni Center for Strategic Studies in Sana'a, is organizing a lecture on "The German vision on world economic, cultural and political issues."
These issues focus on the Arabic - Israeli conflict, the Iraqi issue, relations between rich and poor people of the world, problems of cultures and religions, the religious characteristics of Islam, and the right of nations to choose their lifestyles.
The lecture is to be delivered by Mr. Indria Christ, the political councillor of the German embassy.

ADEN - To celebrate the 53rd anniversary of the Republic of China, the Chinese consul in Aden held on September 30 a ceremony in Sheraton Goldmore Hotel in which a number of political and social personalities as well as businessmen and diplomats attended.
In the ceremony, the General Consul expressed his happiness about that great occasion that all Chinese celebrate, showing all the achievements that China has gained in various levels.
He also congratulated the Yemeni government and people on the 40th anniversary of 26 September indicating to the bilateral relationship between the two friendly countries.

How to deal with the rapid growth of Arab cities was on the agenda of The Arabic Institute for Developing Cities, during a symposium it held October 1.
The participants discussed some experiences in urban planning involving Arab cities such as Riyadh City.
An overview of city growth and development from the 19th century to now was given.

An agreement has been signed at the Public Health Ministry for establishing a special hospital for childhood and motherhood, paid by Sheikh Zaid Bin Sultan, president of the United Arab Emirates.
The total cost of the project amounts US $3.5 million. It has been signed by Dr. Abdunasser Al Monaibari, minister of public health and Mr. Ateeq Al Mahdi, of Zaid charitable Foundation of Emirates.
The hospital is to be built in bani Al Hareth, province north of the capital Sana'a with a capacity of 130 beds.

The Asian Committee, a branch of the Harameen Saudi Charitable Foundation, is implementing a number of charitable developmental programs in Yemen.
It has distributed seven big refrigerators in Wadi Hadramout in cooperation with the Ashafa'ai Charitable Foundation, and it has distributed donations for citizens whose houses and properties were damaged by floods in Tareem City.
The Al Harameen Foundation has opened it first office in Yemen, in Sana'a recently through which it is going to provide assistance for Salvia Da'awa Centers (Islamic groups), Supporting orphans Centers, and succoring poor people.

BY FAHMIA AL-FOTIH
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
There remains a long way to go to improve the rights of Arab women, according to experts holding a symposium on the issue recently.
In conjunction with Oxfam-British organization, the Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights (SAF), held the symposium titled "Women Rights and the Need to a judicial Amendment."
Among the speakers was Jordanian lawyer Ms. Asma Khadir, the Director of National Institute for Women Cooperation and the Sudanese expert in human rights, Mr. Ahmed al-Obaid.
Eliminating discriminatory laws against women in the Yemen was part of the discussion.
Khadir indicated that women in the Arab world are still kept from certain studies. " We have to ask, why have we been taught all the subjects except law?" she inquired.
"Women around the world have been exposed to discrimination as they have lived under masculine societies wanting to control, and possess them. That's why feminist movements have emerged, she said.
Khadir added that all Arab laws should make clear the equality between men and women.
She pointed out that the problem is not in the laws as much as it is in the culture itself, representing social conventions and traditions.
"Women's issues are society's issues, as she is the half of the society. We have to invest in women, she said. "We have to realize what our rights are and we should not give up or submit."
Rajeh Honish and Sultan Hizam, members of parliament, Frances Gay, British ambassador, Mohammed Gafar Kasem, the Deputy of Justice Ministry, Kasem al-Falahee, of the defense ministry and a host of human rights activists and lawyers from different governorates attended the symposium.

BY MOHAMMED AL-MASANI
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
SANA'A - A German delegation presided by Dr. Peter Becker, the Director of the Continuing Adult Education Center in Ingelheim in Germany arrived in Sana'a on September 30.
The delegation will pay a visit to a number of Yemeni cities including, Sana'a, Mareb, Seyaoon, Hadhramout, al-Mukalla, Taiz, and Ibb.
The delegation is to get acquainted with historical sites, tourist attractions, antiquities, and the handicraft where Yemen is so famous for its heritage since the time immemorial.
The delegation will also learn about tourism policy in Yemen.
The German delegation will spend 14 days in Yemen.
This is the second visit paid by German intellectuals, eminent professors, and academics from renowned universities. The first visit for the delegation was in 1990.
At arrival, the guests were received by Abdulwahab al-Aqel, the Deputy Minister of Vocational Education. They were informed about Yemeni experience in vocational education and training and the possibility to broaden this type of learning.
Mr. Mohammed Hubhub, the General Manager of the Arabian Beauty Tours Agency, received the delegation at the Hiltown Hotel in Sana'a where a dinner party was hosted. They were entertained also by performing some pieces of the folklore Yemeni dances and music.

The new issue of al-Qabaitah newspaper has been published, which coincides with the Yemeni anniversaries of September and October revolutions.
The al-Qabaitah monthly newspaper is issued by the Cooperative Charitable Association of the al-Qabaitah District, (CCAAD).
The new issue includes relevant topics and discussions in the field of cultural heritage, social issues, comprehensive interviews and reports.
The editor-in-Chief of al-Qabaitah newspaper, the Judge, Ahmed Hashed, said the paper is an outcome of the cooperative efforts of his staff and the members of the CCAAD.
"The focus of the paper is to make the voices of al-Qabaitah inhabitants heard, along with informing the concerned bodies to render services and developmental projects for the district and other adjacent deprived villages," he noted.
Al-Qabaitah newspaper is among the newspapers that has emerged in the political arena with its assortment of local subjects whether, political, social, cultural, or entertainment.
Different issues have been highlighted including the preservation of the cultural heritage. social services, and the physically handicapped people. Some of handicapped centers and associations are in need of a qualified staff and the equipment required for boosting their productivity.
The Chairman of the CCAAD, Mohammed Abdurab Naji, indicated in his column that the CCAAD members have paid fieldwork visits to a number of the Yemeni cities.
A number of vital issues, including the financial condition of the CCAAD and the possibility to push the newspaper and the CCAAD ahead for a better and promising future, are looked at by the paper.
Mr. Mohammed in his column made a distinction between the charitable work and the investment activity where the latter has been entrusted.
He emphasized that newspaper and the CCAAD are an outcome of cooperative efforts where everybody is an indispensable factor in taking part and making a success of the CCAAD and its paper.