Seattle, USA- World Trade Organization meeting swamped in controversy (Reuters)

Around the world, the WTO has been the focus of demonstrations, as at WTO headquarters in Geneva and the site of its Seattle meeting

Ottawa, Canada - First Woman Governor General Appointed (CP)

In September, the unprecedented occurred when Adrienne Clarkson was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II as the Governor General of Canada. With this honor, Clarkson is the first woman to hold this prestigious position, one that entails a celebratory mandate. The sixty-year-old former broadcaster's appointment was met with a mixture of sentiments from politicians and critics. Nonetheless, in most arenas, many agree she will be a shining star as Canada's hostess extraordinaire. At the same time, Dr. Noni MacDonald, a paediatrician and infectious disease specialist,  became the first woman dean of medicine in Canada at Dalhousie University.

Ankara - Turkey proposes positive bid to join the European Community (Reuters)

European Union leaders began their final summit session of the century set to welcome Turkey as a new candidate for membership, along with 12 other countries vying to join the rich Western trade bloc.

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said he had accepted an offer of candidacy for Ankara after special EU envoy Javier Solana rushed to Turkey on Friday night to explain the terms. Ecevit was on his way to Helsinki to attend the final lunch with summit leaders.

USA - Amazon.com mastermind named 
"Person of the Year" (AP)

Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of the multi-billion dollar e-commerce business Amazon.com, was recognized as the owner and operator of the world's fastest growing store, virtual or otherwise. On the eve of the century, as technology infiltrates every aspect of our living, the manners by which we do our most ordinary activities are changing with dramatic speed. It seemed fitting that one of the pioneers who's contributions revolutionized the way the world shops is recognized.  The new business initiatives of Amazon.com have created and popularized undiscovered terrain for transnational business.    

Links: Amazon.com
             TIME.com

Jeff Bezos on the cover of TIME magazine's "Person of the Year" issue. The short list of nominees also included Ehud Barak, Romano Prodi, and Olusegun Obasanjo.

Muscat, Oman - Sultan Qaboos proposes economic reform plans

On the occasion of his country's twenty-ninth national day, Oman's Sultan Qaboos proposed a fundamental economic reform plan to reduce budgetary dependency on oil production. During the sultanate's celebrations on the 18th of November, as the fifth five-year economic development project approaches its last 12 months, the sultan suggested a reform of the nation's economic infrastructure. This change in policy will encourage local industry and production, thereby reducing dependency on oil and export. In addition, he hopes capital revenue will be generated by efforts to encourage investment and tourism to the Gulf country.    

The prestigious Harvard Medical School announced it will be the meeting place for an international conference on the impact of environmental factors (teratogens) on birth defects. These sessions which commence on April 30th will focus on the effects of drugs, chemicals, radiation and infections on birth defects. This meeting is organized in the form of an educational course under the direction of Prof. Lewis B. Holmes to help acquaint and train medical practitioners on the mechanisms of teratogens.

Relief number CN11465 now in the New Kingdom section of the Egyptian Museum which was recovered from the Hatchepsut's Temple in Deir el-Bahari, Thebes, has been the topic of much scientific research in the past few months. The relief shows chief Parihou and his wife Ati from the country of Punt presenting their gifts to the Egyptian Queen Hatchepsut (1516-1481 BC) thirty-five centuries ago. The annual conference of the American Society of Human Genetics held in San Francisco (Oct. 1999) presented the photo of the Queen with a unique form of pathological obesity that raised the interest of medical geneticists, endocrinologists, pathologists and other researchers to better understand the land of Punt. The data was published in the society's journal (TI Farag, MA Sabry, A Iskandar,1999 Journal of the American Society of Human Genetics, October Supplement Abstract# 803). Interestingly, Punt which is located in the horn of Africa is still not geographically defined (Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, and Djibouti).

A relief of the Queen of Punt with a unique form of pathological obesity and a possible new syndrome? Experts are invited to send us their opinions on this dogma!  

Prof. Teebi presents the MEGA Award to 
Prof. Rabah Shawky (Photo: Dr. Sayed Nasr)