By Tom Leonard in New York
Last Updated: 2:53am GMT 20/03/2008

A Moroccan internet prankster jailed for pretending to be the brother of the king on the social networking site Facebook has been given a royal pardon.

Human rights groups had expressed outrage after Fouad Mourtada, a 27-year-old computer engineer, was sentenced by a court to three years in jail and fined 10,000 dinar (£650) for "the use of false information and usurping the identity" of Prince Mourlay Rachid.

Mourtada, a graduate of the prestigious Mohammedia Engineers School in Rabat, had insisted he had meant no harm by setting up a Facebook page purporting to belong to King Mohammed VI's younger brother.
advertisement

He said at his trial: "I admire him, I like him a lot and I have never caused him any wrong, it was just a joke. I am innocent."

His lawyer had pointed out that Facebook contained sites for President Sarkozy, George Bush and Tony Blair, as well as sport and film stars, without any proof that they were real.

Amnesty International, which condemned Mourtada's sentence as disproportionate to the offence, had been particularly worried by the judge's claim that he had "undermined the sacred integrity of the realm as represented by the prince".

His release from jail in Casablanca on Tuesday evening followed an international campaign for his release by human rights groups and ordinary internet users.

Reporters Without Borders, a media freedom campaign group, welcomed the royal pardon but added: "Nevertheless, we regret that his liberation was due to a royal pardon and not a fair verdict."

The case illustrates that whatever the internet's generally liberating effect on free speech elsewhere in the world, any sort of criticism or mockery of the royal family remains very risky in Morocco.

Ahmed Benchemsi, a Moroccan journalist, faces up to five years in jail over an article he wrote about one of the king's speeches.

In another official reprieve for another Facebook user, a computer engineering student in Canada learned he would not be expelled for running a study group on the site.

Ryerson University in Toronto decided that Chris Avenir, 18, had been charged with 146 counts of academic misconduct - one for each of the classmates who discussed their course work on his Facebook page.

Information appearing on telegraph.co.uk is the copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited and must not be reproduced in any medium without licence. For the full copyright statement see Copyright

PEOPLE & CULTURE
[03/19/2008 - 11:10]
The history of Morocco in São Paulo

The Ministry of Culture of the Arab country, in partnership with FAAP College, is going to promote, starting on the 31st, exhibition 'Morocco'. Around 500 archaeological, ethnic, handwritten, painted and photographed objects are going to show the riches of the Moroccan people.

Marina Sarruf*
marina.sarruf@anba.com.br

São Paulo – Starting on the 31st of March, Brazilians will be able to learn more about the history of Morocco. The fact is that the Ministry of Culture of the Arab country, in partnership with Armando Álvares Penteado College (FAAP), brings to São Paulo exhibition "Morocco", to bring together 500 items from the most important museums of Morocco. The exhibition, to take place at the FAAP Brazilian Art Museum, should be open to the public up to June 22.

"The objective of the exhibition is to strengthen cultural relations between developing countries and also to show Brazilian people the rich components of Moroccan culture," said to ANBA the director of Cultural Assets at the Ministry of Culture of Morocco, Abdellah Salih, one of the organizers of the fair. According to him, this kind of action brings the nations closer together and permits greater mutual knowledge of each society for a true partnership.

The idea of organising an exhibition about the Arab country at FAAP arose in 2006, when the ambassador of Morocco to Brazilian capital Brasília, Farida Jaïdi, was invited to make an official visit to the college. At the time, FAAP museum was organising an exhibition about Greece. "It was a large exhibition and there were many objects. I was impressed, so I suggested the organisation of an exhibition about Morocco," said the ambassador. Since then, she has been working for the exhibition to take place.

According to Farida, the promotion of the fair in 2008 is not by chance. "This will be an important year as there will be the second Summit of Arab and South American Countries," she said. The meeting of heads of state is scheduled to take place in the second half of the year, in Doha, the capital of Qatar. "I hope that the exhibition may show a little more of the culture of Morocco, which is very rich," added the ambassador.

According to Salih, the exhibition should contribute not only to bringing two peoples closer together, but also to increasing the tourist flow between both countries. The director of Cultural Assets of Morocco should come to Brazil together with the minister of Culture of the Arab country, Touria Jabrane Kryatif, and with other representatives of cultural institutions in Morocco.

The exhibition

Morocco, which is located in North Africa, is close to the European continent, which resulted in centuries of reciprocal exchange and domination. Even with a strong mixture of cultures and great foreign influences, Morocco never lost its true identity. The works to be presented in São Paulo are going to try to show a little of this history, from ancient times to date.

The exhibition should be divided into four parts. First, "The Origins" which includes articles like decorated vases from the Neolithic period and cave drawings from the Bronze Age. Ancient times and the centuries up to the Muslim period are illustrated by Moroccan objects for daily use.

The second part, called "Traditional Arts", brings aspects of the spiritual and intellectual practices of daily life in the cities and the country. To represent this art, several objects should be exhibited, like jewels, embroidered products, fabrics, garments, ceramics and weapons. In this part, those visiting the exhibition can also see a scenographic space showing the interior of a Moroccan home. Rooms with chests, sculpted wooden shelves, a floor covered in typical Moroccan carpets, cushions and mirrors are also part of this scenery.

Then comes "The eye of travelling orientalists and painters", which goes from the second half of the 19th century to the mid-20th century. In this section, the exhibition is going to show the outlook of foreign artists, painters, writers and photographers who visited the country, considered an excellent destination that exerts strong influence on and fascinates visitors.

Lastly comes "Contemporary Art", which brings paintings and photographs of Moroccan artists who show a panorama of contemporary artistic production in the Arab country.

Service

Exhibition "Morocco"
Date: March 31 to June 22
Site: FAAP Brazilian Art Museum
Address: Rua Alagoas, 903, Higienópolis, São Paulo
Time: Tuesdays to Fridays from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Further information: (+55 11) 3662-7198
Free admittance

*Translated by Mark Ament

[ 04 Mar 2008 20:02 ]


http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=45152

Baku. Turan Huseynova-APA. The Azerbaijan Cultural Days were opened in the headquarters of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO). APA reports that Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, the Director General of ISESCO, Abulfaz Garayev, Azerbaijani Minister of Culture and Tourism and the Secretary General of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture attended the inauguration.
Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri said that the Azerbaijan Cultural Days reflected an advanced form of cultural dialogue.
The Director General strongly condemned the savage Israeli aggression and called upon the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibility to deter Israel and force it to stop its aggression and to abide by the international law.
The Director General stated also: “while we celebrate the Azerbaijan Cultural Days and promote dialogue among cultures and alliance of civilizations, we are deeply saddened to see the ongoing savage aggression led by the Israeli forces against the disarmed Palestinian people in Gaza.

A Moroccan tale of immigration


Anna Reguero
Staff writer



(February 25, 2008) — Only about 9 miles separate Morocco from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar. Laila Lalami's book Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits opens with Murad, a tourist guide in Morocco, looking longingly across the distance, wondering how there could be such a divide in worlds over such a short distance. His plight is charted along with three other characters' as they take an inflatable motor boat illegally to Spain, in pursuit of a better life.

With illegal immigration a hot political issue as the presidential election approaches, Lalami's book is a topical selection for this year's Writers & Books event "If All of Rochester Read the Same Book ..." The program hosts book discussions all around Rochester starting today and ending in May, along with a series of movies made in or about Morocco. Lalami will visit in person at book readings, question-and-answer sessions and book signings at the end of March.

While the United States is the largest recipient of immigrants in the world, Spain is second. People travel across Africa to Morocco for the chance to cross over.

"It's really kind of sobering. You realize how the discourse on immigrants is strikingly similar even across these vast distances and different countries," says Lalami. But this wasn't an influence on her story.

"I wasn't writing of it at all thinking of the story in political terms," she says. "I was rather stunned after I finished the book and gave it to a friend to read and she said, 'This is a political book.'"

Her novel tells the personal lives of her characters and the emotions around their decision to immigrate. The boat trip to Spain is successful for some but not for others, who are deported to Morocco. Before telling us of their fate, Lalami backtracks to tell the story of what forced each to risk their lives, from economic strains to social and educational mishaps.

Lalami makes no decided stand on immigration but manages to humanize the issue, spotlighting the advantages as much as the disadvantages. She touches on the trend of Muslim youths turning toward conservative religion and doesn't shy away from how living in a different culture changes an individual.

"It speaks to my own ambivalence as to whether people who immigrate in that way are better off," she says. Lalami recalls she was inspired by reading stories about people taking boats to Spain and became enthralled at this because of the huge risks involved. "It's the highest risk you can take," she says.

Lalami is a native of Morocco, leaving only to pursue a master's degree in London, and finally came to the United States for her doctorate at the University of Southern California.

"I know if you had asked me 20 years ago if I'd be where I am today, I never thought I would be an immigrant," she says. "I was a student and the plan was, I was going to go to graduate school and I would come back and be a professor. ... Things don't turn out the way you expect. That's something that definitely resonates with me."

Lalami is now, in addition to being a novelist, a professor at the University of California-Riverside. Her latest book, to be published next year, The Outsider, is also set in Morocco, but this time it aims to tackle the political issue of liberalism and fake liberalism she feels is at the heart of politics in Morocco.

"I believe in fiction that doesn't shy away from the issues of the day," she says.

For a full schedule of "If All of Rochester Read the Same Book ..." events, go to www.wab.org.

AREGUERO@DemocratandChronicle.com

RABAT (AFP) — Amnesty International said Saturday it was "shocked" by a three-year jail term handed down by a Moroccan court to a man who registered a false Internet Facebook profile as King Mohammed VI's brother.

The court in Casablanca sentenced 27-year-old computer engineer Fouad Mourtada on Friday and fined him 10,000 dinar (900 euros, 1,300 dollars) for "the use of false information and usurping the identity of the prince."

"We are shocked by such a heavy verdict," said Benedicte Goderiaux, a member of an Amnesty group examining human rights issues in Morocco and Western Sahara who attended the trial.

"The sentence is disproportionate to the offence," she told AFP.

Goderiaux also expressed "concern over the trial's fairness," saying that the prosecutor and the judge each reproached Mourtada repeatedly for having "undermined the sacred integrity of the realm as represented by the prince."

If that was the basis of the verdict, Amnesty would consider him "a prisoner of opinion," she added.

According to Goderiaux, the accused and his lawyers said Mourtada had signed his statement under duress during interrogation.

"In these circumstances, this document cannot be entered into a fair trial," she stated.

The prosecutor had demanded Mourtada's punishment serve as an "example," while the defence argued its client was just having fun and that similar cases in the United States, Canada, and Europe never went to trial.

"On Facebook, you find sites (for) Sarkozy, Bush and Blair as well as sports stars and film stars without certifying that they are real," his lawyer Ali Ammar said.

Asked why he had set up a Facebook profile under the name of Prince Moulay Rachid, the king's younger brother, Mourtada had replied: "I admire him, I like him a lot and I have never caused him any wrong, it was just a joke. I am innocent."
Hosted by Google
Copyright © 2008 AFP. All rights reserved.

From Monsters and Critics.com

Europe Features
Spanish Muslims at crossroads - integration or exclusion?
By DPA
Feb 13, 2008, 8:02 GMT

Madrid - Will Spain have a liberal or conservative type of Islam? Could fundamentalism soar? Will Muslims blend in, or will there be youth riots like in Paris in 2005? Can Spain find a third way between French-style assimilation of immigrants and British multiculturalism?

As the first modern generation of Spanish-born Muslims is coming of age, the country's Islamic communities stand at a crossroads.

The question of the integration of Muslims has come under a heated debate after the opposition conservatives announced they would ban Muslim headscarves in most schools if they win the March 9 elections.

The proposal sparked criticism from the governing Socialists and the far left, which slammed the conservatives as xenophobic racists.

'Immigrants should never become a cheap electoral merchandise,' Kamal Rahmouni, president of the Moroccan immigrants' association Atime, said in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Spain needs to develop 'solid elements' to deal with problems related to immigration when they arise, Rahmouni stressed, calling for a 'state pact' between the two main parties.

Spain is estimated to have more than a million Muslims, making Islam the country's second biggest religion after Roman Catholicism.

The Muslims are usually spoken of as a group, but in reality, they include a wide variety of nationalities ranging from up to 800,000 Moroccans - the largest group - to Pakistanis, people from the Middle East and West Africa.

The Muslims also include about 80,000 people living in the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the Moroccan coast, and up to 25,000 converts.

The currents of Islam present in Spain range from traditional Moroccan Malekite Islam to orthodox Saudi Wahabism and even some marginal fundamentalist movements. A part of the Muslims, of course, practise their religion only occasionally or not at all.

In relations with the government, Muslims are represented by two federations.

The Spanish Federation of Islamic Religious Entities (Feeri) represents a liberal home-grown Islam embraced by many converts, while the bigger Union of Spanish Islamic Communities (Ucide) stands for a more conservative, social brand.

'Many Muslims do not feel represented by these organs, which were created in the late 1980s and early 1990s,' Rahmouni says.

Internal divisions and rivalries have prevented Muslims from having a visible leader and a single voice, he observes.

That contributed to governments ignoring a pioneering 1992 agreement, which theoretically gives Muslims the same rights as Catholics, according to observers.

Critics of the 1996-2004 conservative governments say they had little enthusiasm for promoting Muslim rights because of their closeness to the Catholic Church.

As the number of Muslims has grown, the current Socialist government has timidly started reactivating cooperation with Islamic associations in the framework of a new foundation.

Madrid boasts what is billed as Europe's biggest mosque, the construction of which was financed by Saudi Arabia. Yet the vast majority of Spain's 700 mosques continue operating in garages, basements, former factories or warehouses.

With no national rules on the training of imams and hardly any state subsidies to mosques, they are often left dependent on money coming in from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Libya or Egypt.

That increases the danger of outside interference and of fundamentalism, according to Muslim analysts.

Spain currently has only about 30 teachers of Islam for more than 70,000 potential pupils at state schools.

Questions such as that of the headscarf are sorted out on the regional level, the tendency being to regard a girl's right to education as more important than criticism of a symbol which some see as denigrating women.

The Islamic communities and the government need to arrange for Muslims to have democratically-elected representatives in order to regulate the practice of Islam, Rahmouni says.

'Spain needs to find its own model of integration,' based on the existence of 17 semi-autonomous regions some of which have their own languages alongside Spanish, he said.

'Spain's cultural diversity will facilitate the integration of immigrants,' Rahmouni believes.

Spain is unique in Western Europe in that it was partly under Muslim rule for eight centuries until 1492. Spanish culture has numerous Arab-Berber influences including more than 4,000 Spanish words that are derivative from Arabic.

Few Spaniards, however, spare a thought for such links, and there have been dozens of cases of local people opposing the construction of mosques in regions such as north-eastern Catalonia.

The 2004 Islamist train bombings, which killed 191 people in Madrid, were followed by a slight increase in neo-Nazi attacks and threats against mosques, but on the whole, Rahmouni describes the reaction of Spanish society as 'very mature' - at least so far.



© Copyright 2007 by monstersandcritics.com.
This notice cannot be removed without permission.

Submitted by Mudassir Rizwan on Tue, 02/12/2008 - 07:17.

* Muslim World News

By NNN-KUNA

Rabat : Kuwait and Morocco agreed on Monday to set up a joint cooperation agreement in the cultural field, particularly in books, translation and publication sector.

A statement from the Moroccan ministry of Culture said the agreement was based on mutual discussion between the Secretary General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) Bader al-Rifaei and Moroccan Minister of Culture Thouriya Jabrane.

Talks between the two sides included boosting bilateral cooperation derived from bilateral discussion during 14th Casablanca International Book Fair which opened last Friday here.

The statement also noted that the Secretary General invited Morocco to be part of the upcoming Arab Theater Festival which will be hosted by Kuwait next May.

The two sides also stressed importance on making their presence felt through joint activities and creativities from both countries, including joint cultural projects, the statement noted.

Overseas property guides for anyone interested in buying property in Tangiers, Morocco. Plus, find property in the rest of Morocco.

Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco and its location means that it has long been held as a gateway to the Arabic world for people from Europe.

Lying on the coast of the continent, near the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, the city has a population of 669,680.

It is the capital of the Tangier-Tetouan Region and has long attracted creative people from Europe. In fact, William S Burroughs and Malcolm Forbes both opted to live in the city during their lives.

To find property in Tangiers and elsewhere in Morocco, visit: www.justoverseas.co.uk/propertyinmorocco

As a result of its proximity to Europe and its enduring popularity with foreigners, the city has many international educational facilities. These include the American School of Tangier, the English College of Tangier and the Tangier Anglo Moroccan School.

Lonely Planet has noted that the city perfectly captures the mysticism and romance of Morocco, praising its “hint of spice".

What's more, it added: "Jostling crowds, the piquant tension of debate, space in perpetual motion - the minute you set foot in the country you know you've arrived somewhere very different."

The site yourkeytomorocco.co.uk added that the city has attracted people looking for second homes because of its "narrow passageways teeming with excitement all the way into its port area".

It added that two very popular destinations for people thinking of buying properties are the Avenue Mohamed VI on the beachfront and the Place de France in the Ville Nouvelle.

Finally, the site said that the area around Grand Socco square is popular, explaining: "Mendoubia Gardens in the surrounding area of the square is a calm and cool respite from the crowds of the marketplace."

Pros of Buying Property in Tangiers

Many people have recently tipped Morocco as a good spot for investments and this is particularly true of Tangiers.

Michael Kent, marketing director of Moroccan Sands, explained that people could buy a ''decent villa'' in Morocco for around half the price of equivalent property in the Costa del Sol.
He added: "[Morocco] is very much at an investment stage at the moment - over the next five years I think we are going to see some really exciting projects.

"It's the sleeping giant of Mediterranean tourism really - everybody knows about it and it comes out with very high approval ratings as a destination."

Indeed, the Global Property Guide showed that prices in the country remain very reasonable. Its data suggested that the average price for a home in the country is $1,973 per square metre.

Website theoffplanstore.com suggested that buyers need to make a decision about whether they want a new build property or a more traditional home in Tangiers.

It explained: "If you were attracted to Morocco by its vibrant culture you may simply prefer to plump for a charming riad or dar."

Cons of Buying Property in Tangiers

While many properties in the city do not have the correct title deeds, it is vital these are obtained before a purchase is completed. Without them, a person does not own the house, regardless of how much they paid for the property.

When buying in Tangiers, it is important to employ a notary. Some experts have also suggested that hiring a local solicitor could be useful as they can provide sound independent advice.

What you need to know when buying property in Morocco

Foreigners are generally encouraged to buy property in Morocco and do not typically find it hard to secure a mortgage. There are also no restrictions on selling a home; although a capital gains tax of 20 per cent is usually required.

© Adfero Ltd
http://www.financedaily.co.uk/showArticle.aspx?loadid=00910

Magharebia
Published on Magharebia‎ (http://www.magharebia.com) ‎
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2008/01/25/feature-01
UN hails Moroccan progress with gender equality reforms

25/01/2008

Morocco presented a combined report on the status of its reforms to promote gender equality to a UN committee in Geneva on Thursday. Initial feedback has been positive, saying that Morocco will soon achieve its goals.

By Imane Belhaj for Magharebia in Casablanca – 25/01/08

[Imane Belhaj] Nouzha Skalli, Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity in the middle during the briefing in Casablanca

Morocco presented two reports on its official efforts against gender discrimination to an ad hoc UN committee on Thursday (January 24th) in Geneva.

The UN committee reviewed Morocco's third and fourth periodic reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Moroccan delegation highlighted the efforts it has made for the elimination of gender-based differences, including the lifting of reservations on certain provisions of the convention.

Moroccan women, according to the panel, have made significant advancements in terms of equality and economic and social rights. Committee Chairperson Dubravka Simonovic hailed the country's progress, saying Morocco will soon achieve gender equality.

During a preliminary briefing held January 18th in Casablanca, Minister of Social Development, Family and Solidarity Nouzha Skalli said she was optimistic about the positive strides made in Morocco since ratifying the CEDAW in 1993.

She also discussed the reservations Morocco has lifted on several convention provisions, based on feedback from the two previous CEDAW reports presented to the UN in 1995 and 1999. The successful changes concern the harmonisation of domestic laws to international conventions; accelerating reform of the Family Code; establishing a limit to provisions of discrimination in terms of legal rights; speeding up ratification of citizenship law; increasing women's representation in decision-making circles; and reforming labour and criminal law.

Naima Ben Yahia, Director of Women, Family, and Childhood Affairs in the Ministry, said the findings included in the last two reports are the product of extensive efforts made by women's associations in Morocco, in a society that looks forward to justice, equality and democracy.

The two June 2006 reports consist of three sections. The first covers reforms to promote the defence of human rights through democracy and the rule of law. These reforms have taken the form of restructuring the Advisory Council for Human Rights and the creation of Grievances Board, the Royal Institute for Amazigh Culture and the Authority for Equity and Conciliation.

The second section addresses 16 articles related to combating violence against women; changing women's and men's social and behavioural norms; combating the exploitation of women; equality in political and public life on the national and international levels; laws governing citizenship, education, work and health, social security, rights of rural women and child labour.

The third section, meanwhile, includes provisions on monitoring Morocco's implementation of previous recommendations. These include the Beijing Platform for Action - which promotes the integration of gender equality-based development policies and programs - and the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

Some 185 states have ratified the CEDAW since its adoption by the UN General Assembly in 1979.

Rabat (Morocco), in the presence of, Mr. Abbas El Fassi, Prime Minister of Morocco: Mr. Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of the Economy and Finance, Mr. Ahmed Chami, Minister of Trade, Industry and New Technologies, Mr. Karim Ghellab, Minister of Equipment and Transportation, Mrs Amina Benkhadra, Minister of Energy, Mining, Water and the Environment Mr. Jamal Arhmani, Minister of Labor and Professional Training and Mr. Bernard Rey, Renault Senior Vice President, representative of Renault s.a.s, Mr. Christian Estève, representative of the Renault Tangier Mediterranean project enterprise, signed a framework agreement and six application agreements.

The Kingdom Of Morocco And The Renault-Nissan Alliance Sign The Final Agreements Posted by: MSulka on Jan 18, 2008 - 03:49 PM The Kingdom Of Morocco And The Renault-Nissan Alliance Sign The Final Agreements Rabat (Morocco), in the presence of, Mr. Abbas El Fassi, Prime Minister of Morocco: Mr. Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of the Economy and Finance, Mr. Ahmed Chami, Minister of Trade, Industry and New Technologies, Mr. Karim Ghellab, Minister of Equipment and Transportation, Mrs Amina Benkhadra, Minister of Energy, Mining, Water and the Environment Mr. Jamal Arhmani, Minister of Labor and Professional Training and Mr. Bernard Rey, Renault Senior Vice President, representative of Renault s.a.s, Mr. Christian Estève, representative of the Renault Tangier Mediterranean project enterprise, signed a framework agreement and six application agreements. By signing these agreements, the Renault Nissan-Alliance confirms the project to build a manufacturing complex near Tangiers. These agreements are in accordance with the protocol signed on September 1, 2007 in the presence of his Majesty King Mohammed VI, by Mr. Driss Jettou, Prime Minister and Mr. Carlos Ghosn, President of Renault and President of Nissan. The Renault-Nissan Alliance will start work on the manufacturing complex in February 2008. The new complex, which will include an assembly plant, will be located on a 300-hectare site inside the Tangiers Mediterranean Special Economic Zone and will use the TangerMed port platform. Once completed, the site will have an operating capacity of 400,000 vehicles per year (200,000 vehicles per year from 2010), providing the Renault-Nissan Alliance with one of the largest manufacturing complexes in the Mediterranean. Representing a global capacity investment of more than €600 million, the complex will create 6,000 direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs. Under the lead of Renault, this site will extend Renault's manufacturing system for the production of competitive vehicles derived from the B0 Platform (Logan platform) and Nissan's system for the production of new-generation light commercial vehicles. On December 1, 2007, Edouard Armalet was appointed General Manager of the Renault Tanger Méditerranée project. http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=75178

Spain seeks better Morocco ties after enclave spat

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved. | Learn more about Reuters

Keeping a French tradition

Email Picture

Christophe Ena / Associated Press

LOST CAUSE: A tobacco seller at a November demonstration in Paris against the extension of France’s public smoking ban.

PARIS -- Someone once noted that a sure sign of the passing of a cultural phenomenon is not its disappearance but its preservation, or sanctification, in a museum. And so it is now with smoking in France.

After I moved to Paris three years ago from Manhattan, where Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg doesn't even let you eat artery-clogging cookies, never mind have a Marlboro, I couldn't believe it when I read that only 24% of the French smoke, a figure roughly the same as in the U.S. How was it possible?

Smokin'

click to enlarge

"Breathless"

click to enlarge

I decided that French smokers must be spread over a broader demographic than their American counterparts. Or else they all live in my new neighborhood.

Now, as the bell tolls for that Gitane being sucked, and energetically exhaled, by the person in the banquette alongside me, I have been trying to imagine Paris, the city of such legendary smokers as Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean-Paul, my butcher, without its ubiquitous clouds of smoke.

The dawning of the new, improved smoke-free France is scheduled for Tuesday, when the last phase of a smoking ban goes into effect in all indoor public spaces, including bars, dance clubs and cafes.

Still, I was skeptical that the French would fall in line. So I turned to Le Musee du Fumeur.

In a city where eccentric little museums are thick on the ground, the Museum of Smoking somehow manages to be the only one in the funky but rapidly gentrifying 11th Arrondissement. Unless you count that collection of stuff about Edith Piaf in some old lady's apartment.

I turned to this tiny storefront halfway between the Bastille and Pere Lachaise Cemetery (between liberty and death, as it were) for a bit of perspective on this momentous event. What I discovered was a personal vision rooted in scholarship, trying to position smoking as a noble, even sacred, activity.

With its ocher walls suggesting centuries of lingering tar, its Maya logo an homage to the divinity of smoking, its gift shop filled with bongs and self-help guides to quitting, and those no-smoking signs with a cigarette and a red line through it all over the place, le Musee du Fumeur is pretty schizoid.

Trading on the very French idea that anything they've done as a nation for so long must be worth serious attention, the museum's curators embrace smoking as a worthy activity in all forms (except cigarettes, which they see as the "fast food" of smoking).

"People, when they come here, are able to see that tobacco use was noble, across the continents, that it was linked to a history and a culture, not just a public health disaster, that tobacco use can be seen in a civilized way, that we can smoke less and better," curator Tigrane Hadengue says. "Yes, smoke less and better!"

This makes absolutely no sense to me, but he and his co-curator, Michka Seeliger-Chatelain, are so perfectly cast it's hard not to be mesmerized. In her 60s with wisps of gray hair falling from her chignon, she has devoted much time to the study of the healing powers of many plants, including tobacco.

Tall, tanned and aristocratic in bearing, Hadengue, 37, professes himself most interested in a good cigar, accompanied by a good Bordeaux. In fact, he began as a collector of wine artifacts and then moved on to the paraphernalia of smoking.

Et voila, he soon had a museum filled with sepia-toned etchings of American Indians with pipes and cool photographs of famous smokers such as writer George Sand, whose tobacco habit became a symbol of emancipation for a generation of women.

Hadengue is worried that France, with its dedication to the beauties of theoretical purity, will root out smoking from the culture with every bit as much vehemence as it has long defended it. Already, cigarettes have been censoriously airbrushed out of photos of such celebrated French intellectuals as Andre Malraux, who appears cigarette-less on a postage stamp. Then there's existential thinker Sartre, featured in a documentary in the new national library moving his hand to and from his mouth with nothing between his fingers.

"Smoking is an integral part of intellectual and philosophical culture in France," Hadengue says. "After the smoking ban, what will happen to the cafe philo, the philosophical cafes where people get together and debate for hours?"

Yes, that is the formula reinforced by every beloved French movie and earnest novel of my youth. But surely such a cliche is a thing of the past; nobody has time to linger forever over a Cognac and cigarette in a cafe.

Then I moved to Paris. And stopped working.

After a few months, I learned that all the cliches are true. Everyone leaves Paris in August; the rest of the year, few match the work hours of their counterparts on the other side of the Atlantic; French families don't spend Sundays shopping but rather linger over a long lunch -- and a smoke.

I began to wonder whether taking up smoking was a necessary part of the development of my Inner French Woman, which has been at battle with my Inner New York Woman since I relocated. (Really, they hate each other.) I could learn to cook, tie the scarf and read obscure Moroccan novels; I could have cheekbone implants and even blow a bit of air out of a curled lip to express disapproval. But without a cigarette, I just couldn't imagine how to fake the proper French female self-possession.

One evening after I'd been to a dinner party, my 11-year-old daughter recoiled when I entered her room. "Mom, were you smoking tonight?" she asked, holding her nose. "You stink."

I hadn't been. But I had been at the home of the most effortlessly soignee Frenchwoman I know, who holds a cigarette between her slim flingers as if she were an iconic Horst image come to life. That evening she wore a close-cut velvet suit the color of a Cotes de Nuit, dark stockings and very high heels.

There were about a dozen people around the table in her dining room with its heavy drapes and glass display cabinets filled with 18th century china and, no kidding, an acrylic-encased business card of George Washington's favorite Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette. (Madame's husband is a distant relative.)

Wearing a clumsy French accent as embarrassing as my career-girl black suit, I was an American at a table of sleek, bookish French people. After many courses involving wine older than my teenage son, everyone lighted up.

As I closed my eyes and breathed slowly, I tried to commune with an earlier self -- the post-collegiate reporter living alone in swampy South Florida with my only companions the cigarettes from a box of Marlboros. They gave me dreams of Paris, the fantasies of a lonely girl, of books and cafes, broad boulevards and etched crystal, a Gauloise lighted and handed to me by a young man. . . .

But then, years of constructive programming got the better of me. And of course the science saying don't do it got the better of me. Even the French aren't immune. According to multiple surveys, obviously not taken at multiple-course dinner parties on the Left Bank, the vast majority support this no-exceptions ban.

Filmmakers, typically in the avant garde, are already with the program. The opening sequence of a recent film, "Paris Je T'aime," the latest-edition lonely-girl fantasy about the City of Light, shows an elegant woman who meets an equally elegant fellow after she collapses on a Montmartre street. Why'd she faint? She'd just given up smoking. After comforting her in his car, the nice fellow offers to ferry our heroine to her next appointment.

It is with her tabacologue, the doctor who is helping her quit.

geraldine.baum@latimes.com

Special correspondent Rebecca Ruquist contributed to this report.
from http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-smoking30dec30,0,1247841.story?coll=la-home-world

RABAT • Morocco's anti-terrorist tribunal has jailed 15 Islamists for between one and four years in three separate cases on conviction of terrorist activity or connections, the MAP news agency reported yesterday.

The special court in Sale near Rabat sentenced seven people late on Thursday to between one and two years in prison after the prosecution accused them of links to May 2003 attacks in Casablanca, which killed 45 people including 12 suicide bombers.

Another group of seven were jailed for four years each, after being found guilty of receiving paramilitary training with Algeria's extremist Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which was in January renamed the Al Qaeda Branch of the Islamic Maghreb.

Darfur rebel leader to remain in France

PARIS • The French government has renewed the residence permit of Sudanese rebel leader Abdel Wahed Mohamed Al Nur for three months on the understanding that he will take part in peace talks, the foreign ministry said.

Nur, a founder of the Darfur insurgent Sudan Liberation Movement, has been living in France for the past year. It was expected that his residence permit would not be renewed unless he joined peace talks.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/12/15/10174965.html

12/15/2007 01:18 AM | By Scott Shuey, Chief Business Reporter

Dubai: It could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

A Moroccan delegation, comprising government officials and industry leaders, visited Dubai last week looking for ways to build trade relations.

The country, known more for tourism and Casablanca than technology, is actively looking to expand its image as an information and communication technology (ICT) hub.

Jamal Benhamou, director and CEO of the Federation of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and Offshoring (Apebi), said that while the country may not yet be known for ICT, it plans to use the recent infrastructure upgrades and its position as a trade hub to change. Benhamou said his organisation's objective is to support innovation and development in Morocco's IT sector and increase the number of companies doing business there.

"To be successful, we had to build up step by step, so we built up our original position in North Africa," he said. Then the country had to make sure that an environment existed where international investors could benefit. Now that the country has that, he says, he's trying to spread the word in Dubai.

More than 42,000 people are currently employed in Morocco's ICT sector in 1,500 firms, Apebi claims. The Moroccan ICT sector grew 9.6 per cent to $638.69 million between 2001 and 2006, and the government expects the sector to reach $9 billion by 2012.

It isn't just foreign direct investment (FDI) that Morocco is looking for. Moroccan companies are also eyeing the Gulf region.

"There are so many countries that you can reach so easily from Dubai," said Chemsedine Ould Sidi-Baba, executive manager of Cadtech, a Moroccan company looking to expand into fleet management and tracking services. "Instead of going to other countries, you open an office in Dubai and from there you can reach the entire regional market."

Jyoti Lalchandani, the regional managing director for IDC, which provides analysis for the ICT industry, said there are a number of reasons that make Morocco competitive in the wider regional market, where it competes with countries such as Egypt.

"Morocco definitely understands that it competes with Egypt in terms of some of the localisation and customisation work, or 'Arabisation' as we call it," he said. But the country offers a more mature market, and aims to make it easier for companies to set up shop there, he said.

Though Moroccans are advancing fast, they are still for the most part a very traditional nation. This is clearly reflected in their dress. As tourists, it would be wisest to pay attention to your own dress as what you wear could offend locals or cause harassment. Legs and shoulders are considered to be ‘private body parts’ in most parts of morocco, and men and woman should do their utmost to keep these areas covered. Woman are generally covered from wrist to ankle and men are covered elbow to below the knee. This sort of covering will be accepted in most areas of Morocco and woman not covered sufficiently will often get harassed.

It may be that some women in the cities will tend towards more modernized dress and don short-sleeved tops with knee lengths skirts, but it is not suggested that you follow this trend since these woman often get unwanted attention. Both sexes should stay away from sleeveless T-shirts, ordinary T-shirts (worn as underwear in Morocco) and shorts. They should also avoid tight clothing.

If a man does approach you and gets too friendly, it is suggested that you keep conversation polite but very formal. Stay confident and never tolerate bad and rude behavior. If you feel that the man has crossed the line, you should make a scene and shout “shooma!” (shame on you!). Usually, other people will then come to your aid and the situation will not go any further. It is also wise to avoid smoking in public.

Though you might feel as though you are inundated with offers and deals in many Moroccan souks, it would be wisest if you avoid rude or aggressive behavior. If you are genuinely not interested in making any purchases at the time, a friendly decline and your body language will likely tell them this. In general, never keep silent if you are offered something. Silence is considered to be rude and can be offensive. Rather talk your way out of the situation.

You will often find yourself confronted by numerous Tour Guides in the bigger cities. Some of these are official and can really enhance your trip. Many more, however, are unofficial. You need to be cautious. If you do not have an official guide and you would like someone to show you around, try to determine if the person is genuinely interested in showing you around. Some guides prey on tourists and take you into unsavory areas or pester you into hotels or cafés which are not appealing. Always avoid people offering to take you to a hotel or restaurant. They usually have a deal with the people at these establishments which results in you being charged more. Also, avoid offers for a ‘tour of the town’ – especially if you do not know where they intend to take you. In general, it is best to affirm that this is your second visit and to give the feel that you know what you are doing. If you get this right, most bargain hunters will decline and leave you alone. Never allow a guide to bully you into using his services and if you are interested, you could suggest sharing a cup of tea to get to know them better before hiring them. If you decide to go ahead, you should get an idea of what rate you will pay and what your guide is planning to show you before you actually hire him. You should also have a look at our Getting There and around section before deciding.

Also beware of conmen. These individuals take advantage of unwitting tourists by conning them into giving them money, or taking them into a shop where they drive a sale down your throat. Their stories can be anything from 'please translate this letter for me' to 'I need money to help get a passport/help a sick relative'. Some even act as though you are racially prejudiced to act on your conscience. Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to these scams. If a guide ‘just wants to take you to his uncles for tea’, decline politely. Or if someone wishes you to ‘take a parcel to a relative in your country’ you will likely be unwittingly smuggling drugs.

Often you might encounter begging children. Their demands can get quite overwhelming and you can even feel as though you are being harassed. Always try not to give them anything, as this only encourages them. Instead, keep your sense of humor, smile, laugh and find a way to brush them off.

Always watch for pickpockets in market areas as these are rife in certain parts of the country. Rather leave you money in a safe place when going out, and take only what you need with you. Also, mugging, although rare, is not unheard of. Do not go to areas that you are unsure of.

British Passport holders do not need any visas to get into Morocco. Your stay as a visitor is restricted to 3 months, but may be extended at a Moroccan police station. The Currency of Morocco is the dirham (dh). It is divided into 100 centimes (c). Centimes exchange hands at market places more often than dirhams. This money is available in 10c, 20c, 50c, 1dh, 5dh, 10dh (all coins) and 10dh, 20dh, 50dh, 100dh and 200dh (all notes). Because of the various potential dangers to your life and Health while visiting Morocoo, full health Insurance is recommended.

Morocco, officially Kingdom of Morocco (Royaume du Maroc, El Reino de Marruecos, Das Königreich Marokko), kingdom (1954 est. pop. 40,161,000), 171,834 sq mi (900,050 sq km), NW Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea (N), the Atlantic Ocean (W), Mauritania , and Algeria (E). Principal cities include Rabat (the capital), Casablanca, Marrakech, and Fes. The Atlas Mts., rising to 13,671 ft (4,167 m) in Jebel Toubkal in the southwest, dominate most of the country.