In brief [Archives:2007/1028/Local News]

SANA'A

No bird flu in Yemen, ministry says

Feb. 23 ) “There is no bird flu in Yemen. The country is free of the epidemic and no cases have been reported,” Deputy Minister of Public Health and Population for Primary Healthcare Sector Majid Al-Juneid told Yemen News Agency. He indicated that the government expended hard efforts to track the epidemic by establishing two operation rooms in the ministries of health and agriculture to watch the disease nationwide. According to Al-Juneid, the government equipped five lab centers in different Yemeni governorates to receive any bird flu cases, if found, and treat them.

Japan supports Yemeni women's sports

Feb. 22 ) The Japanese government decided to extend a grant amounting up to $86,400 to the Yemeni Women Sports Federation (YWSF). The grant will be used for buying two buses for the federation's branches in Sana'a and Aden with the aim of promoting women sports and educational activities. The agreement was signed by the Ambassador of Japan Masakazu Toshikage and YWSF Chairwoman Nadima Abdussalam Othman.

Yemen calls for halting Jerusalem excavation

Feb. 22 ) Yemen urged Thursday the UN Security Council to take practical and active procedures to halt the process of excavation in the gate of Al-Maghariba said Deputy Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Mahi Al-Din Al-Dhabi in the Organization of Islamic Conference's emergency meeting in Jeddah. Yemen also asked for an urgent international diplomatic move by the members of the OIC, including Qatar and Indonesia, in addition to the head of Al-Quds Committee and the Palestinian president to pressure Israel in order to stop excavation works in the Gate of |Al-Maghariba area.

ABYAN

Education workers to stage strike

Feb. 24 ) Teachers and Educational Careers Syndicate's branch in Abyan called on all the education workers in the governorate to stage an open strike this week until the government meets all their demands. “The branch of your syndicate in Abyan is claiming all your entitlements including the hardship allowance. The massive strike will reflect your awareness about your noble message,” the syndicate's branch said in a statement. The syndicate praised the efforts of the Education Office in the governorate with regard to preparing the hardship allowance payrolls and submitting them to the Ministry of Education earlier.

HODEIDA

Pistol smuggling attempt foiled

Feb. 24 ) Search officers in the Hodeida Port Customs Office foiled an attempt to smuggle pistols inside a container filled with mangos. The officers found three boxes of pistols inside the mango container. Mohammed Al-Qadasi, Deputy Manager of Hodeida Port Customs Office, mentioned that a committee, made up of the customs and security authorities, is authorized to investigate the violation and punish those who break the law.

ADEN

Locals complain of injustice

Feb. 24 ) Residents of Dar Sa'ad Area in Aden appealed to Aden Governor Mohamed Ahmad Al-Kuhlani and the Local Council Secretary-General Abdulkarim Shayef to cancel the fees levied on them to pay under the pretext of contributing to the sanitation project. Every household was asked to pay YR 150,000. The locals were shocked at the government policies levying on them large sums of money at a time they can hardly meet their basic needs.

AL-DHALE'

Students protest lack of teachers

Feb. 24 ) Hundreds of primary school students in Juban District assembled at the government complex last Wednesday protesting the lack of science and mathematics teachers in their schools. The protestors handed letters to officials in the governorate claiming the authorities to return the teachers, who turned to work as inspectors at the expense of teaching. The students held the governorate leadership accountable for any poor learning progress due to the lack of teachers.
——
[archive-e:1028-v:14-y:2007-d:2007-02-26-p:ln]