ARAB SINGER UM KALSOUM FLEW INTO KHARTOUM, CAPITAL OF SUDAN THIS WEEK FOR CONCERTS WHICH WILL RAISE FUNDS FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC. THE SINGER WAS MET AT KHARTOUM AIRPORT BY THE SUDANESE MINISTER OF INFORMATION, SAYAD ABUHASSABA.

UM KALSOUM -- ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ENTERTAINERS IN THE MOSLEM WORLD -- GAVE A CONCERT THE FOLLOWING EVENING IN KHARTOUM'S NATIONAL THEATRE. PRESIDENT AZHARI OF SUDAN, GOVERNMENT MINISTERS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS WERE AMONG THE AUDIENCE OF 5,000 PEOPLE WHO WATCHED HER PERFORMANCE.

UM KALSOUM HAS BEEN DECORATED BY SEVERAL GOVERNMENTS OF THE MIDDLE EAST. SHE HOLDS THE NATIONAL ORDER OF THE CEDAR AND THE GILDED LEBANESE ORDER OF MERIT FROM THE LEBANON.

SHE IS DUE TO MAKE ANOTHER APPEARANCE IN KHARTOUM ON DECEMBER 30. THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS CONCERT WILL BE DONATED TO THE DEFENCE NEEDS OF THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC.