The Vice President of the Industrial and Commercial Chamber in Aden, Abdullah Salem Al-Ramah met Thursday August 19,1999 with the chairman of the Japanese Exterior Trade Organization. Mr. Abdullah whole-heartedly welcomed the Japanese delegation and talked about the strong mutual bonds between the two countries. He stressed that attempts should be made in order to enhance these relations. He expressed his hopes that the Japanese investors will come to Yemen and invest in Aden, especially after it has been declared as a free zone. He also expressed the Yemeni appreciation for the continuous help Japan provided Yemen with. On the other hand, the chairman of the Japanese delegation appreciated the strong ties between the two countries. He also showed the desire of the Japanese companies to invest in Yemen. Following that, the two sides talked about strengthening cooperation between the two countries, as well as their future endeavors.

Under the title of "To have a more valid educational Syndicate structure", the inauguration of the third conference of the Yemeni teachers syndicate was started Wednesday August 18, 1999 at the cultural center in Sana'a. It was sponsored by Abdullah Ben Huseein Al-Ahmar, Chairman of the Parliament. It was attended by some of the educational authorities and 310 out of 450 members of the third conference of the syndicate comprised all the governorates. Abdullah Mohammed Abo Ghaith, Chairman of Teachers Syndicate, asserted in his speech that the syndicate has achieved great accomplishments, the most important being their declaration of the teachers' law. This meets some of the ambitions of teachers in difficult times. The syndicate has stood in the face of depriving teachers because of the 20% rise in their salaries which was entitled to each employee in the country. The syndicate has also filed a case against the officials and won. The Chairman of teachers syndicate concluded his speech and said the following:
"The holding of the third conference for Yemeni teachers is a way to enhance the democratic process in our country."
A number of speeches were also presented at the conference to enhance the educational and structural unity."

A cultural and tourist trip was organized by Utmah Wildlife Sanctuary on August 19 - 20, 1999. A good number of officials, ambassadors and journalists attended this visit. The organizers of the trip explained that the purpose of the trip was to make others acquainted with the tourist and archeological places in Utmah. The trip was also organized to prepare things for the two-day inclusive symposium, held in cooperation with UNISCO in the weeks to come. After the symposium, they will visit the protected district to have a closer look at the waterfalls and historical forts. A thorough survey about Utmah has been launched by the Yemen Times, it will be published in the coming issues.

Eight persons from Haraz are still being kept as hostages by the Joham tribe for a month. The hostages have declared that if they are not let free, they will go on a hunger strike. It is reported that these hostages have been taken because a girl from Joham had eloped with her lover, Ahmad Sagheer Al-Harazi on 16-6-1999. In a meeting of Kholan tribes last Saturday, they made the verdict that people of Haraz have to accept the arbitration of the Joham tribe and give them 100 weapons, as well as two cars, providing the Joham tribe releases the hostages. Then, a period of two months has to be given to the people of Haraz so in order to bring back the eloped girl and her lover. However, a reliable source reported that the people of Joham will reject this arbitration. They will not release the hostages unless they know the destiny of their girl is known.

A ceremony was organized Tuesday, 17-8-1999, at Bader Scientific Center in Sana'a for the graduate students on summer vacation. The ceremony was attended by the sponsor of the ceremony, Mohammed Mansoor and a large number of people. The ceremony was initiated with the Holy Qura'n. Then, a speech was made by the establisher of the center and mosque, Dr. Al-Mortadi Ben Zaid. The main objective of the center is to protect children from going astray. The center is actually an example for other centers and schools to be followed. After the speech of Al-Mortadi, a test was made for the graduates. The attendees were amazed because the graduates of this center answered all the questions asked by the attendees in an open discussion.

The German Embassy held a reception for the Yemeni businessmen in the house of the commercial attachŽ, Stefen Messerer, last Wednesday, August 18th,1999, to enhance the Yemeni-German relationship in the field of commerce and industry. The Germans are interested in the Yemeni market and are deeply concerned with enhancing it. On the other hand, the Yemeni businessmen are satisfied with the worm friendship and the sincerity of the German companies they deal with.

A small house belonging to a family who had returned after the Gulf War located at Al-Shohadaa district, in Al-Hodaida was set on fire. It is reported that the house was set on fire after the police security attacked the house and opened fire on its owner, Ahmad Al-Sabaak and his brother. They were then beat up. It is also reported that the police had intervened to solve a problem between Al-Sabaak family and one of their neighbors regarding a small area behind their houses. Also involved in the problem another person who claims the possession of this land. Police are still conducting investigations.

Two workers died and six were poisoned last Saturday as a result of shocking gases in one of the main drains at Al-Sabaliah district, in Hodeida. It is reported that one of the dead as well as four of the affected is daily paid. It is surprising to find some of these workers working for years and they have not been enrolled as permanent employers. They also had no form of insurance. What is astonishing is that these workers do the maintenance work without wearing masks or respirators and especially uniforms.

After a strike lasting from last Tuesday, a meeting was held Sunday August 15, 1999 at the Ministry of Service to discuss the issue of students who received an order from the President to be employed at The Ministry of Oil. The meeting was attended by Rasheed Ba Rabaa, the Deputy Minister of Oil, the Deputy of the Ministry of Finance, the Deputy Minister of Service and Deputy of the Minister of Education. After a thorough discussion of this issue, they came up with the following solutions:
1- He who wishes to work in any economic unit is entitled to do so.
2- The Ministry of Oil is obliged to organize summer courses for these engineers.
3- These engineers have to work in education for two years and then are eligible to join the Ministry of Oil.
However, the students highly reject this. They request the application of the President's order. They also decided to continue their strike in front of the Ministry of Oil until their requests are met. They have also decided to file a case against the Ministry of Oil for failing to meet its promises and to carry out the President's order.

Aiming at developing the administrative skills as well as analyzing the gender role in society, the UNIFEM, in cooperation with the National Committee for Women, organized a three-day training course for 60 participants from the Yemeni governorates. The course aimed at developing the administrative skills of the secretaries of the non-governmental organizations whose concern is to follow up post-Beijing operations as well as providing the participants with the practical administrative equipment. It also aimed at the formation, execution and evaluation of the development projects and adding concepts of gender to these projects. Aamal Al-Basha, head of the project, said that the participants are now able to:

* Understand the administrative work and its elements.
* Understand and take advantage of development projects.
In addition, the course also discussed the following topics:

1- The administrative work and its elements.
2- The planing period
3- Directions and Decision Making
4- The Supervision Machinery
5- Planning for Development Projects
6- The gender concepts in the steps of the development projects' planning
7- Writing Reports

During the course, the participants were divided into work groups to practice the steps of the development project planning under the supervision of Aamal Al-Basha and Dr. Haifaa Abu Ghazala, the UNIFEM consultant for West Asia. " This course is one of the activities of the Post-Beijing Follow-up Operations, Phase II. The UNIFEM has formed a regional project in Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine to follow up post-Beijing operations. In the period between 97-98, the UNIEEM, in cooperation with the National Committee for Women in Yemen, formed a number of national plans and strategies out of the international work plan. The second step which has been initiated this year lasts for five years and it focuses on the constitutional development of women", said Dr. Haifaa Abu Ghazalh. "We are now preparing for the 5-Year-Post-Beijing Meeting which will be held in March, 2000. Delegations from all over the world that attended Beijing Forth Conference and committed themselves to the constitutional development of women as well as the following up of the Post-Beijing operations will attend the 2000 meeting to evaluate the first phase as well as see what is to be done in the upcoming millennium", continued Abu Ghazala. Abu Ghazalh expressed her happiness for the orders given by the Prime Minister to the official organizations to make general administrative departments for women and regarded it as a leading step in the Arab world. She also hoped that the National Committee for Women will be able to cooperate with this national machinery in order to develop itself. At the end of the course, all the participants appreciated the role Dr. Shireen, the project regional manager and a teacher in the course, played to make the course a success.

Ahlam Al-Mutawakel
Yeme Times