Magharebia

Casablanca protests have called for the end of the city's contract with Lydec because of high water bills. The City Council has been prompted to look into the problem and prepare for an extraordinary session on the subject.

Algeria is seeking to better care for its high population of kidney disease sufferers by making transplants available at all university hospitals and putting a dialysis centre in each district of the country. Transplants were once frowned upon for religious reasons, but religious scholars have now endorsed the practice.

Moroccan music group Nass El Ghiwane has just released a new album called "Ennehla Shama" (A Bee Called Shama). Group musician Omar Sayed discussed the new album with Magharebia.

The seventh Vintage Car Rally took place in Tunis October 28th-29th. Tunisian collectors enthusiastically explained their hobby, but bemoaned the fact that participants in the rally have to pay. They feel organisers should pay them for helping to promote Tunisia.

Morocco created the Assadissa television station last year to specialise in religious issues. While helping to fill a void, the channel still needs improvements to fulfil its mission and attract a younger and wider audience.

Algerian officials are increasingly understanding the need to offer more effective protection for endangered species. New laws are being made to avoid the irreversible loss of the country's rich diversity in flora and fauna.

Tunisia's headscarf debate has recently heated up after Tunisian opposition leader Moncef Marzouki called for civil disobedience on Al-Jazeera because of the issue. While many people feel freedom of dress is a human right, some fear Islamists are insincerely using the defence to advance their agenda.

The Algerian parliament, currently debating the 2007 finance law, has passed an amendment to ease the launch of investment projects.

The Arabian Sights Film Festival will take place October 27th to November 5th in Washington, DC. Festival director Shirin Ghareeb talks to Magharebia about the featured films and the event's goal of breaking stereotypes about Arabs and terrorism.

Algeria has more than 1.5 million living in poverty, according to a study into the "map of poverty" carried out by the National Land Development Agency. Pockets of poverty remain concentrated in rural areas, which have not benefited as much from economic development plans.

As the month of Ramadan comes to an end, Tunisians are evaluating the Ramadan serials on their state channel (Tunisia 7) and the private Hannibal TV. Tunisian viewers, as well as some television professionals, describe their local TV series as boring and repetitive with weak scripts.

The date is one of Algeria's main agricultural products, and the Deglet Nour, or the "queen of dates", the variety that is exported, is renowned for its quality. This year, production has beaten all records. To protect its exports from "unfair competition", Algeria will simplify exportation and label its dates.

Throughout Algeria, a feverish atmosphere across towns exists as people rush to make Eid al-Fitr purchases. Shops in central Algiers are crowded with customers -- particularly parents looking for nice clothing for their children.

After the controversy sparked by the serial "Al Hour Al Ein" last Ramadan, Syrian director Najdat Anzour is addressing terrorism and its causes in the serial "Al Mariqoun", which is being broadcast exclusively by Lebanese satellite channel LBC SAT this Ramadan.

Algeria is remaining vigilant in the fight against terrorism as evidenced by numerous search operations carried out over the past two months against the Salafist group for Preaching and Combat. The nation is particularly concerned by the group's recent merger with al-Qaeda, which may undermine its national reconciliation plan.

New Esperance coach Jacky Duguépéroux led his team to victory in the Tunisian domestic league over Etoile du Sahel. After five straight losses, the team now hopes it can defend its title.

With a flourishing hydrocarbon market, Algeria is taking the opportunity to maximise profits and control of the industry by amending laws favouring Sonatrach, the country's national oil company.

The Moroccan government prevented the Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty from holding a protest. Group co-ordinator Abdelilah Benabdeslam is frustrated by the lack of progress in drafting legislation outlawing the practice.

The November 2005 World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis saw One Laptop per Child unveil a $100 computer to sell to developing countries. The NGO recently reached an agreement to provide laptops to Libya's 1.2 million schoolchildren. Egypt and Tunisia are also interested in the programme.

Morocco has recently been taking serious steps to crack down on piracy, which is estimated to cost the country $226m per year. Authorities have recently been closing down shops and music stands that sell pirated goods. Music vendors worry that the recent crackdown could harm their businesses, while the Moroccan Copyright Office says the new measure will help domestic production.

The development of electronic commerce in Morocco is dependent upon increasing the number of merchant sites, improving internet access and the active involvement of banks. While still in its early stages, the concept shows a lot of potential in Morocco.

Carthage Cinema Days, which has served as a springboard to the careers of many African and Arab directors, will be held in November. The event envisages the screening of "Indigènes", Moroccan films "Marock" and "I Saw the Murder of Ben Barka and Saudi film "Shadows of Silence".

Morocco is opening more women's centres and professional training centres to help women learn to read, complete their formal education and access training for a variety of careers.

Souheila Al-Jadda, a journalist and producer, talks to Magharebia about Ramadan programming, specifically the emergence of anti-terrorism serials, explaining their role in promoting peace and tolerance.

An Algerian survey looking at the standard of living across households and measuring poverty has shown that Algerians spend 58% of the overall household budget on food and that poverty is a serious problem in Algeria.

With electronic media becoming increasingly prevalent, the Tunisian government and journalists have been working together to find a way to regulate it in the same way as the print media. Issues being discussed include professional management, advertising revenues, citizens' access to information and recognising the importance of news websites.

While Tunisia has a reputation as a pioneering society for gender equality, some laws sill favour men's rights, particularly the national inheritance law. The Democratic Women's Association is among the groups seeking legal changes.

Jason Yossef Ben-Meir, president of the High Atlas Foundation, talked to Magharebia about his foundation's efforts to develop rural Moroccan communities, the assistance of royal advisor Andre Azoulay and the potential for Moroccan expatriates to help.

Algerians are divided as to whether their country should revert to the Saturday/Sunday weekend instead of continuing to observe the Thursday/Friday weekend. The Forum for Entrepreneurs believes the current weekend hurts the country economically, while others feel it preserves the country's Islamic identity.

With trade deregulated and the market flooded with cheap Asian goods, combined with the fall in Algerian tourism during the decade-long civil war and the high cost of raw materials, the Algerian craft industry is struggling for survival.

In an interview with Magharebia, Abderrafie Hanouf, general manager of the Casablanca Technopark, summarises the achievements of the first such facility in Morocco.

Algeria is looking to focus new attention on its elderly as a lowering birth rate means older people will soon make up a larger proportion of the population. New measures being proposed include home assistance, reception centres and higher pensions.

Arab television series "Missionaries at the Gates of Hell", which is airing this Ramadan, sends a strong message against terrorism. The serial criticises extremist groups that manipulate young people to commit terrorist acts.

Many Moroccans have been voicing their unhappiness and protesters have even begun demonstrating in the streets following price hikes over the past several months. Some people are concerned about social upheaval if real incomes do not rise.

Ramadan in the United States, like in the Muslim world, is a time for spiritual reflection, charity and sharing special meals with friends and family. It also provides Muslims a unique opportunity to teach Americans about their religion and to have interfaith dialogue.

A major renovation of Tunis' renowned Bardo Museum will reorganise collections, install up-to-date technology and most of all, creat enough space to display all of its treasures. The museum will remain open during the 27-month renovation.

Algeria will increase its minimum wage for private sector employees effective January 1st. The announcement was made following a meeting between the government and the Algerian General Workers' Union on Sunday. A National Economic and Social Pact also was signed to encourage efficiency in corporate management.

As part of the MEDA programme, the European Commission in Rabat is offering Morocco 50m dirhams to create a network of cultural centres. The project aims at providing areas for cultural activities in areas lacking such social institutions, particularly in remote areas.

There is fan clamouring after a series of poorly-played draws led Esperance President Aziz Zuhair to sack coach Khaled Ven Yehia and seek a foreign replacement. Frenchman Eric Mombaerts is considered a frontrunner.

Algerian consumers are paying especially high prices during Ramadan because of a lack of wholesale markets, where vendors would have to display goods at fixed prices. The Chamber of Commerce estimates that 60 per cent of farm produce is sold on the black market.