Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 5/2/2005
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of May 2, 2005
- Robbery and lynching by 'Polisario' separatists
Three members of the separatist movement "Polisario," based in the Algerian southern region of Tindouf, killed a merchant in the so-called wilaya of Smara, 30 km from the Tindouf camps (southeast Algeria), reliable sources revealed. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/7/2005 - Former victim of Polisario torture dies
Zafati Mohamed Yahdih Ould Faraji, who was tortured for 16 years in Polisario prisons before his return to Morocco, died Tuesday at the age of 67. Morocco, Local, 5/7/2005 - Immigrants associations unhappy with Spain's regularization operation
A group of immigrants associations in Spain were dissatisfied with the operation carried out by Spanish authorities to regularize the situation of 1.3 million foreign illegal workers. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 5/7/2005 - Morocco's Miloud Ait Hammi reaches African Boxing championship final Morocco, Sports, 5/7/2005
- Chinese Na Li breezes through Princesse Lalla Meryem Tennis Grand Prix quarter finals
Chinese Na Li breezed through the quarter finals of the 5th edition of Princesse Lalla Meryem Tennis Grand Prix after downing Serb Montenegro's Jelena Dokic. Morocco-Regional, Sports, 5/7/2005 - Essaouira samples classical music's tunes
The public and visitors of the Atlantic city of Essaouira sample classical music's tunes as a hundred musicians from various countries are giving concerts at the 5th Alizes Spring Festival of Essaouira held May 5-8. Morocco, Culture, 5/7/2005 - Harley Davidson Rally roars through Morocco
Participants in the 12th edition of Harley Davidson Rally arrived, in Tangier Thursday at the last leg of their African tour through Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal. Morocco, Local, 5/7/2005 - Morocco open to every initiative to hold UMA Summit in best conditions Morocco-Maghreb, Politics, 5/6/2005
- Audiovisual field cannot fall under monopoly, Minister
The public audiovisual field cannot fall under the monopoly of one party to the detriment of the other, insisted, here Wednesday, Communication Minister, Spokesman of the government, Nabil Benabdallah. Morocco, Politics, 5/6/2005 - Moroccan political leader: self-determination in Sahara issue is obsolete option
Leader of the Moroccan socialist party (USFP), Mohamed El Yazghi, said the international community has grown aware that the self-determination option in the Sahara issue has become obsolete and is exploring new horizons to settle the problem. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/6/2005 - Nuclear energy becoming a must to Morocco
Morocco is now forced to walk the nuclear energy path, though the nuclear option "remains open for the time being, for there is no political decision, yet" on the matter, said Khalid El Mediouri. Morocco, Economics, 5/6/2005 - Over 400,000 people enrolled in anti-illiteracy programs
462,000 people are enrolled in anti-illiteracy programs, said Thursday secretary of State in charge of Literacy and Informal Education, Anis Birou. Morocco, Education, 5/6/2005 - Over 80% of rural areas to get electricity this year Morocco, Economics, 5/6/2005
- Foreign Trade Council: accompanying measures are crucial for Morocco-US FTA success
Although the Morocco-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) offers considerable opportunities to Moroccan textile exporters and an outlet to some agricultural produces, accompanying measures are crucial to benefit the most of the accord, believes Mohamed Benayad, head of the National Council for Foreign Trade (CNCE). Morocco-USA, Economics, 5/6/2005 - Spain's Llagostera Vives at Princesse Lalla Meryem Tennis GP quarter finals
Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives reached, here Wednesday, the quarter finals of the Princesse Lalla Meryem 5th Tennis Grand Prix. Morocco, Sports, 5/6/2005 - Shedding light on 1956-59 events will help avoid violations repetition, former detainee relative
She told of her sufferings after her husband was kidnapped in June 1956, along with his companion Brahim El Ouazzani, and her attempts to find to no avail her husband. Morocco, Politics, 5/5/2005 - Rights violations victims revisit post-1984 events
"Farid was sentenced to three years in prison and he felt sick during his imprisonment." When he got out of prison, doctors were unable to diagnose his disease. He is now paralysed and affected by partial blindness, she grieved. Morocco, Politics, 5/5/2005 - Norway recalls ambassador for voicing support to Morocco on Sahara issue
Norwegian ambassador to Morocco Arne Aasheim was called back to his country for having voiced, recently to a TV outlet, support to the Moroccan stance on the Sahara issue, the Moroccan 2M TV channel said. Morocco-Norway, Politics, 5/5/2005 - Jews' life in Morocco, best example of tolerance, Jewish leader
The head of the Israelite communities council in Morocco believes that the Moroccan experience in religion coexistence is an example that denies any supposed irremediable hostility between Arabs and Jews. Morocco, Culture, 5/5/2005 - King Mohammed in Dubai United Arab Emirates-Morocco, Politics, 5/5/2005
- Spanish NGOs denounce expulsion of minors without guarantees
Expulsion from Spain of illegal minor immigrants without guarantees is against the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and against the Spanish law itself, vented in Rabat Wednesday representatives of Spanish NGOs. Morocco-Spain, Local, 5/5/2005 - Morocco's cost of oil imports almost double
Morocco's crude oil imports stood at MAD 4 billion in the first quarter of 2005 (nearly US$ 533 million) compared to MAD 2.68 million recorded during the same period in 2004, i.e. up 51%. Morocco, Economics, 5/5/2005 - Author of death threat against Moroccan employee arrested
The police arrested on Tuesday the author of letters threatening of death a Moroccan employee in Belgium for wearing the scarf at workplace. Morocco-Belgium, Local, 5/5/2005 - Moroccan expatriates' remittances up 24.2% in Q1 2005 Morocco, Economics, 5/5/2005
- Moroccan journalists 'deliberately' targeted, Press Union
Evoking the various difficulties the media sector encounters in Morocco, the Moroccan press Union deplored Monday that journalists are "deliberately targeted" by security forces and authorities despite the particular interest granted to this sector. Morocco, Politics, 5/4/2005 - Moroccan media plays greater role in democratic transition, official
Morocco is going through a period of great change marked by the enlargement of the freedoms space and a will to enable all the media kinds and trends to accompany the democratic transition, said Moroccan communication minister and government spokesman, Nabil Benabdellah. Morocco, Politics, 5/4/2005 - Ahl Tamek family denounces the schemes of renegade Ali Salem Tamek, communique
The Ahl Tamek family members denounced "the schemes of a member belonging to (their) family, namely Ali Salem Tamek," whom they exclude "from family, tribe and national unity" and regard as "a renegade" for flouting their dignity and damaging "the sacrifices made by our valorous Ait Oussa Tribe to preserve the unity and territorial integrity of the Kingdom." Morocco, Politics, 5/4/2005 - Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in Morocco to shoot 'Babel'
Cinema icon Brad Pitt, Oscar winner Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal will be starring together in Babel, a drama directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and currently shot in Ouarzazate. Morocco, Local, 5/4/2005 - Morocco's trade deficit widens by 32.9% in Jan-March 2005
Morocco's trade deficit widened by 32.9% in the first quarter of 2005, according to the latest figures released by the exchange office. Morocco, Economics, 5/4/2005 - Asthma affects over 2 million in Morocco
Two to three million individuals, chiefly children between 11 and 14 years old, suffer from asthma in Morocco, said Fatima Dehbi, paediatrician and head of the Socio-cultural Complex Ibn Al Khattab. Morocco, Health, 5/4/2005 - Moroccan cinema to hold a pride of place at Cannes Festival
Moroccan cinema will hold a pride of place at the Cannes Festival on May 14 in the Moroccan cinema day. Morocco, Economics, 5/4/2005 - Morocco's Merouane Chemmakh wanted by several European teams
Moroccan international and FC Bordeaux striker, Marouane Chemmakh is wanted by Olympique de Marseille, Ajax Amsterdam and Inter de Milan, said, here Tuesday, the French Sports newspapers "L'Equipe." Morocco, Sports, 5/4/2005 - Dialog with EU is the solution to emigration phenomenon, Minister
"It is now necessary to launch a serious dialog with the European Union on emigration" said Monday Minister-Delegate in Charge of Moroccan Expatriates, Nouzha Chekrouni. Morocco-European Union, Politics, 5/4/2005