CAIRO: Arab women will hold a congress in Cairo on December 15. Women leaders from Syria, the Lebanon, Iraq, Transjordan, Saudi Arabia, the Yemen, Palestine, Tripolitania, Tunis, Algeria, and Morocco will take part. The Congress is being convened by the Egyptian feminist leader, Madame Hoda Shaarwi Pasha. Political rights for women and especially the right of election to Parliament, will also be asked for. Among the aims of the Congress will be the formation of an Arab feminist bloc which will work for the improvement of the standard of life of Arab women and children. Problems to be examined include marriage, divorce and polygamy.

[Meanwhile,] concentration on the production of parachutes, changes and improvements in the patterns, designs and modifications of clothing required by Armed Forces, larger increases in timber production, and continued exploitation of indigenous sources for the manufacture of drugs [in India] — these were some of the main features of the activities of the Directorate General of Supply in the fifth year of war. The manufacture of parachutes generally and of Supply Dropping Parachutes particularly has increased seven-fold in the last year. Rapid strides have been made in the production of cotton parachutes. (Dawn, Delhi)

Published in Dawn, October 29th , 2014