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Egyptians selling their kidneys to pay off debts

Wed, 22/07/2009 - 9:12am — wafa

CAIRO: Karim borrowed money to expand his bakery. When the money ran out, and facing the prospect of imprisonment if unable to repay his debts, the 36-year-old Egyptian baker sold his kidney. His case, which is among hundreds documented by the Coalition for Organ-Failure Solutions (COFS), a Washington-based NGO working to end organ trafficking, reveals an alarming trend: poverty is driving Egyptians to sell their organs.

Experts say the absence of legislation regulating human organ transplants has made Egypt an international “hotspot” for kidney trafficking. Up to 95 percent of the 3,000 legal kidney transplants per year, and hundreds of illegal ones, involve a commercial transaction.

Arab states ‘need to create 4 million jobs every five years’

Wed, 22/07/2009 - 9:07am — wafa

BEIRUT: Arab countries are in dire need of creating four million job opportunities every five years to keep up with the fast pace of population growth in the Middle East and North Africa, Ayman Haddad, managing partner of Heidrick and Struggles, said Tuesday, citing a study done by the World Bank.

“The global financial crisis had negative repercussions on the Lebanese emigrant youths and many of them have lost their jobs in the United States and Europe,” said Haddad.

He added that most of the Lebanese usually pursue their careers in professions that are subject to high demand in the Arab world such as architecture, medicine, information technology, media, money and banking and many others.

Arab states urged to tackle multiple crises

Wed, 22/07/2009 - 9:05am — wafa

BEIRUT: The Arab world must tackle the global financial crisis, make provisions against climate change and seek to end regional occupation before the area can enjoy lasting stability, according to a new landmark security report. “The Arab Human Development Report 2009: Challenges to Human Security in the Arab Countries” was unveiled in Beirut on Tuesday, entreating Arab leaders to confront the economic and social crises which risk overrunning the region.

Speaking at report’s launch, in Beirut’s Grand Serail, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora focused on the issue of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, calling for “an end to occupation” and “[preparations] for the appropriate conditions for a fair and comprehensive solution to the sufferings of the Palestinian people.”

Jumping jacks and a dragonfly drummer

Wed, 22/07/2009 - 9:01am — wafa

BYBLOS: “Finally Jethro Tull in Lebanon,” read one flapping banner, “… We’ve been waiting 35 years.” For the legendary band’s first performance in the Middle East, the waterfront venue of the Byblos International Festival was literally swarming with legions of fans. Hippies, burly motorcyclists, the young and the prim – those who turned up for Sunday’s concert were as colorfully varied as the music they came to enjoy. As the assembled reluctantly took their seats – incongruous at a rock concert – the air was heavy with impatient excitement. Steadily, the sound of thumping feet grew to a maddening roar. The pied pipers of Byblos had arrived.

Indian Ocean cooperation: dormant but full of possibility

Mon, 20/07/2009 - 12:20pm — wafa

What international association brings together 18 countries straddling three continents thousands of miles apart, united solely by their sharing of a common body of water?

That is a quiz question likely to stump the most devoted aficionado of global politics. It’s the Indian Ocean Rim Countries’ Association for Regional Cooperation, blessed with the unwieldy acronym IOR-ARC, perhaps the most extraordinary international grouping you’ve never heard of.

The global financial crisis is threatening the Egyptian reform process

Mon, 20/07/2009 - 12:19pm — wafa

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, which marked its fifth anniversary in office on July 14, has revitalized Egypt’s sluggish economic reform process, exchanged external finance for internal revenue, and eased restrictions on trade. Yet Nazif’s policies have exacerbated social inequalities and tied some reform progress to United States economic aid, which now faces steep cuts. The global economic crisis has further increased resistance to reform and encouraged the government to engage in palliative spending at the expense of development. Under these conditions, the sustainability of Egypt’s reform process is in doubt.

Ceremony marks end of youth reconciliation program

Mon, 20/07/2009 - 12:17pm — wafa

BEIRUT: A ceremony to mark the end of a social reconciliation program among Lebanese youth was held at UNESCO Palace Saturday. Youth Building Reconciliation 2 (YBR) was a two-month-long program aimed at encouraging dialogue among students from different backgrounds with team-building exercises and community projects.

The ceremony included a documentary chronicling the work of the YBR team of 14 volunteers who led the program from late April to May. The program, which was held at Beirut Arab University, Saint Joseph University and the town of Damour, was part of Naseej, a community program sponsored by the Ford Foundation and administered by Save the Children US.

LAU graduates 1,456 students during Beirut, Byblos campus ceremonies

Mon, 20/07/2009 - 11:59am — wafa

BEIRUT: The Lebanese American University (LAU) graduated 1,456 students on Thursday and Saturday in separate ceremonies in Byblos and Beirut. Caretaker Education Minister Bahia Hariri and MP Nouhad Machnouk were among a number of politicians who attended the commencement ceremonies. Caretaker Minister of State Kha­led Kabbani also attended on behalf of President Michel Slei­man, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Speaker Nabih Berri.

L’appartenance communautaire dicte largement les mariages des Libanaises à des étrangers

Mon, 20/07/2009 - 9:12am — wafa

La convention sur l'élimination de toute forme de discrimination à l'encontre des femmes a été adoptée par les Nations unies en 1976. Ce texte n'a été ratifié par le Liban qu'en 1996 en émettant des réserves sur certains articles relatifs, notamment, à la nationalité et à la loi sur le statut d'état civil. Le PNUD a mis en chantier un programme, en collaboration avec plusieurs organismes locaux, pour permettre à la femme libanaise d'octroyer la nationalité à ses enfants. Une étude statistique sur les femmes mariées à des étrangers a été effectuée dans ce cadre.

La femme libanaise n'a pas le droit de donner la nationalité à ses enfants. Pourtant, le Liban est le premier pays arabe à avoir accordé le droit de vote aux femmes, bien avant la Suisse.

Nouvelle nuit de violences dans les quartiers ultraorthodoxes de Jérusalem

Sat, 18/07/2009 - 11:39am — wafa

Proche-Orient

Le calme est revenu hier dans les quartiers ultraorthodoxes juifs de Jérusalem, où la police israélienne était déployée en force de crainte de nouvelles manifestations après une nuit de violences. Des milliers d'ultraorthodoxes venus du quartier de Méa Shéarim avaient tenté de fermer à la circulation un axe routier principal pour protester contre l'arrestation de l'une des leurs, accusée de maltraitance sur son enfant.
Hier, le tribunal de Jérusalem a décidé d'assigner à résidence la suspecte, au lieu de la maintenir en prison. La mère, souffrant apparemment de troubles mentaux, devra subir un examen psychiatrique.