October 2009

• The National Newspaper of October 1 presented a biography of Lebanese artist Akram Zaatari whose long-time passion was filmmaking and photography. An engineering graduate from the American University of Beirut, Zaatari’s career spans over 20 years mainly tackling Lebanese sociopolitical issues.
• Jordan Business Magazine of October 2 published an interview it conducted with Mahmoud Malhas, a businessman who holds executive posts in over ten companies in the Middle East, United States, and Europe. A graduate AUB, he holds investments in a variety of fields ranging from banking to biotechnology. Full article available at: http://www.jordan-business.net/magazine/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=89&Itemid=40
• Jordan Business Magazine of October 2 published an interview with the head of Jordan's Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC), Dr. Khalid Toukan, regarding the country's prospects of developing nuclear energy. Toukan holds a degree in electrical engineering from AUB, a Master's in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in nuclear engineering from MIT. Full article available at: http://www.jordan-business.net/magazine/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=286&Itemid=40
• Jordan Business Magazine of October 2 published an interview with Jordan Central Bank Governor, Umayya Toukan, explaining how the Kingdom is facing the world economic crisis. It said that Toukan holds a MBA in economics from AUB, a Master's in economic development from Oxford University, and a doctorate in economics from Columbia University in New York. She started her career at Jordan's Central Bank in 1967 and was appointed as its governor in 2001. Full article available at: http://www.jordan-business.net/magazine/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=278&Itemid=41
• AME Info of October 3 reported that the Bank of Beirut and the Arab Countries (BBAC) has recently funded one of the six scholarships distributed by the Bader Young Entrepreneurs Program. The recipient of the scholarship is AUB student Salim Hachem. Full article available at: http://www.ameinfo.com/210932.html
• AME Info, Middle East Events, and UAE Today of October 4 reported on the Marketing and Branding Congress organized by the Alleem Knowledge Center (AKC) set to be held in Sharjah in the UAE on October 6. Speakers at the congress include Hadi Kassem, Marketing Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority and graduate of AUB, and Dr. Mahmood Khan, CEO and President of ICT International. Full article available at: http://www.ameinfo.com/211124.html
• The Middle East Online of October 5 published an article by Rami G. Khouri, director of AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policies and International Affairs, in which he laments the current state of affairs in the Arab world where he observes that urban Arabism has been transformed into "globalized consumerism". He attributed this decline to the rise of security states, saying, "The people of the Arab world have lost their attributes of citizenship, and have been transformed into consumers only." Full article available at: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/opinion/?id=34715
• UNDP of October 7 reported on the United Nations Development Programme Global Human Development report that was launched at AUB on October 6. The report, entitled, "Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development", highlights migration and its effects on human development. Full article available at: http://www.undp.org.lb/communication/news/NewsDetail.cfm?newsId=178
• The Middle East Online of October 7 published an article by Rami G. Khouri, director of AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI), about the failure of Mahmoud Abbas in his role as President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and head of the Palestinian group Fatah. Khouri observed that Abbas had the opportunity to carry on the legacy of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and maintain a degree of credibility in the PA, but he has squandered it during his tenure as president. Full article available at: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=34783 
• The Middle East Online of October 12 published an article by Rami G. Khouri, director of the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, urging people not to be too judgmental of the American administration's current policies towards the Middle East. He stressed that it is too soon to judge U.S. President Barack Obama's actions since his policies are still taking shape. Full article available at: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=34890
• UAE Interact of October 13 and The National Newspaper of October 12 reported that UAE University ranked number 374 in rankings published by London-based newspaper Times Higher Education. The article noted that only four other universities in the Middle East ranked in the top 400, including AUB that came in at the 351st position. Full article available at: http://www.uaeinteract.com/docs/UAE_University_in_world%E2%80%99s_top_400/37970.htm
• Gulf Times of October 19 reported on Qatar's Al Amal Hospital marking the international day for breast cancer awareness by holding a number of activities, including lectures about the disease. Among the lecturers was AUBMC's Dr. Nagi Saghir, who presented a lecture entitled, "Together Towards a Full Cure", in which he explained that not all tumors detected in the breast were malignant tumors. Full article available at: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=321222&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16
• The Peninsula of October 20 reported on a breast cancer awareness lecture that was given at Al Amal Hospital in Qatar as part of its Breast Cancer International Awareness Month programme. Among the speakers at the presentation was Dr. Nagi Saghir, Consultant Hematologist and Oncologist at AUBMC. In his lecture, entitled "Together Towards a Full Cure", he asserted that all tumors detected in the breast are not necessarily dangerous tumors. Full article available at: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=October2009&file=Local_News2009102015627.xml
• The Middle East Online of October 21 published an article by Rami G. Khouri, director of the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, about the Goldstone Report on the Israel-Hamas war earlier this year. Khouri observed that this is a rare occasion in which an impartial assessment of Israeli and Palestinian actions has taken place. He added, "Israel, the United States, and others who voted against the report's adoption by the UNHRC last week missed the opportunity to bring the rule of law and impartial juridical accountability to bear upon the apparently criminal actions." Full article available at: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=35130
• The Middle East Online of October 26 published an article by Rami G. Khouri, director of the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut, about the performance of the American administration so far in handling the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. He said, "It has been exactly nine months since Obama took office with a pledge to personally work for a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, and the scorecard of results on that pledge looks rather thin." Khouri added, "The next nine months are a make-or-break period in which all the parties will have to make clear if they are serious about negotiating a comprehensive peace, and how they approach this issue." Full article available at: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/opinion/?id=35239
• AME Info of October 27 reported that American ambassador to Lebanon, Michele Sison, on behalf of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated a check for educational scholarships to American University of Beirut President Peter Dorman. "Through targeted educational scholarships, such as those being celebrated today, we achieve a greater mix of students from diverse regions and varying socio-economic backgrounds," he said. Full article available at: http://www.ameinfo.com/213916.html