At the invitation of the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, Professor Abdulaziz
Al-Saqqaf will pay a 12-day visit to Japan. He will hold meetings with
government officials, academia, journalists, members of parliament, and
other dignitaries.
Dr. Saqqaf will exchange views on bilateral cooperation, President
Saleh's coming visit to Japan, and other pertinent issues.
The Government of Yemen issued a new law according to which severe crimes
against the state and society will be punished by death. The capital punishment
is now going to be applied to crimes such as kidnapping, highway robbery,
gang action, etc.
This law is expected to deter many violators. Yemen has recently suffered
from a spate of such crimes.
The Hadhramaut Social Welfare Society (HSWS) is dedicating its qat chew
session on Friday 7th August to discuss the deteriorating situation of
palm trees in Wadi Hadhramaut. The HSWS had also discussed the same topic
last Friday.
Academicians and agricultural specialists will attend the session.
Spearheaded by the Yemeni-Ethiopian Friendship Society (YEFS), an effort
is underway to collect contributions from Yemeni citizens to help Ethiopia.
The YEFS established account number 0001-01005398 with the Sanaa branch
of the Watani Bank for Trade & Investment for this purpose.
Mr. Izzaddin Ali Hibah, Vice Chairman of the YEFS, has been calling
on friends to make donations. "We are gratified by the response. We
hope to be able to pass on the money and contributions in kind (mostly
medicine) to the Ethiopian side very soon," he said.
Ethiopian nationals residing in Yemen have also made generous contributions
to their country, which is presently at war with neighboring Eritrea.
An agreement between the FAO and the Agriculture Cooperation Association (ACA) was signed on Saturday, August 8. The FAO will fund the ACA with US $70,000 for studies and research on the conditions of agriculture and the needs of agricultural association.
More than 5,00 students participated in the comprehensive sanitation campaign started on August 6 in the old city of Sanaa. The Supreme Coordination Council of Charitable Societies also participated in the campaign.
The Customs Authority introduced the ESCODA system into Sanaa International Airport. The quarantine health project is also underway. It will cost YR 12 million.
Mr. Dirham Abdu Noman, the director of Aden Free Zone (AFZ) told the Yemen Times that the number of applications national local and foreign companies for investing in the AFZ has reached 580 worth about US $1,400 billion. The proposed investment enterprises will cover an area is estimated at 140 million sq. m.
The festival of Indian Films was launched on Thursday, August 4 at the Yemen Cultural Center in Sanaa. The festival comes as a part of the celebrations marking golden jubilee of Indian independence. It also aims to strengthen the cultural relations between Yemen and India.
On Monday, August 10, Aden Port Authority will receive 3 piloting boats as a part of the cooperation between Yemen and Holland. These boats will increase the capacity of the Aden Port. The ceremony to celebrate this event will be attended by the Minister of Transportation, the governor of Aden, the ambassador of Holland and many other officials.
Seven people were killed on Saturday, August 8 in Al-Hazm town, Al-Jawf.
Tempers flared when an armed group of men from Al-Jidaan tribe quarreled
with a Central Security patrol.
The shoot-out that ensued left 3 tribesmen and 4 soldiers dead.
Al-Jawf along with Mareb have witnessed some of the worst confrontations
between the tribes and army troops following the recent price hikes.
A memorandum of understanding was signed by the Ministry of Oil & Mineral Resources and AGIP oil company of Italy on Saturday, August 8 in Shabwa. The agreement specified the duration of oil explorations at 9 years divided into three periods. According to the memorandum an seismic survey covering about 600 sq. km will be carried out.
