Magharebia

For the average Algerian, the religious ritual of the Eid Al-Adha is observed as a double sacrifice. Buying a sheep often depletes months of savings.

Moroccan Muslims are heading for Mecca to make the annual pilgrimage. New features of these organised journeys include random drawings of applicants and special services for the elderly.

Because of high prices and high demand for livestock this year, many Moroccans are settling for smaller goats and sheep this holiday season. Some are turning to lending institutions to pay for the holiday's expenses.

Now that Muslims are making their annual hajj to Mecca, Tunisians who have been selected to make the coveted trip are expressing their gratitude.

A festive atmosphere can be seen on the Moroccan streets as the country's three monotheistic faiths celebrate their holidays -- Eid Al-Adha, Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year -- side by side. Moroccans hope the rest of the world can learn from their example of tolerance.

Preparing for the pilgrimage to Mecca is a social event in Algeria. It can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Yet it is not without headaches, would-be hajs confirm.

Tunisians are intent on celebrating Eid Al Adha and the official New Year’s -- in spite of seasonal price increases.

Philosopher Jawdat Said has been propagating a vision of Islam free of violence for the past 40 years. His books have been widely read and discussed by Islamic activists in the Arab world.

Algerian environmentalists are advocating for the development of the desert regions in the south of the country, as part of a public campaign to tackle desertification and migration to the northern cities.

The UNDP released a report saying that Arab women lack civil liberties and access to good healthcare and education. Feminists in Algeria are criticising the report for not taking into account the progress Algeria has made in women's rights in recent years.

Real estate companies from the Gulf are investing in a fund enabling middle- and low-income Moroccans to buy houses.

Morocco's ancient city of Fez will host an international seminar on cultural and religious dialogue in January. This will be an opportunity to announce Fez as the Capital of Islamic Culture of 2007.

In 2004, Morocco began removing makeshift homes on the outskirts of its cities. The Towns Without Shanties project has shown impressive results -- particularly in the city of Meknes. But problems persist, such as a rapid proliferation of new shanty towns and a lack of power of the authorities to manage this large-scale project.

The former captain of the French football team, Zinedine Zidane, ended his five-day visit to Algeria on Friday. On Thursday he attended a match in the football championship at the 5 July Stadium in Algiers, which saw Union Sportive de la Médina d’Alger (USMA) facing Jeunesse Sportive de la Médina de Bejaia (JSMB).

Moroccan artists have gained medical insurance under a new deal that envisages extending the benefit to the entire sector.

The 2006 Plages Propres awards were given to local communities and organizations for keeping Morocco's beaches clean.

At a recent Paris-Dakar Rally press conference in Casablanca, race director Etienne Lavigne, set out the programme for the 2007 event. He discussed participation, details of the route, safety, economic benefits and media coverage.

The 3rd international colloquium on Sufism was held in Bejaia. Academics and researchers from the Maghreb, Europe and the United States discussed the faith and its development.

The Middle East partnership Initiative is accepting applications for proposals for its small grants programmes in Tunisia. Ever since it began in 2002, MEPI's grants have funded projects related to education, democratic reform and women's development in the Middle East and North Africa.

The Independent Union of Public Sector Doctors in Morocco staged a two-day strike to protest against longstanding grievances. The strike was observed by 85% of union members.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime awarded the Moroccan Aid Association for Children in Precarious Situations the 2006 Civil Society Award. This NGO has been recognised for its work in helping disadvantaged and troubled children re-integrate into schools and family life.

Thousands of new cases of kidney disease are diagnosed every year in Morocco. But because of the country's limited medical resources, many patients don't get the care they need.

Morocco has slimmed down its public sector by using a system of voluntary departure. It is now looking to redeploy some of its employees from areas where there is a superfluous workforce to regions that lack human resources.

The cases of eleven elected representatives accused of buying votes in the September 8th elections ended with nine of the defendants being convicted, one being acquitted and one still pending. Some say the proceedings were unfair, while others commend this as a crackdown on political corruption in Morocco.

Egyptian director Ines El-Deghidi recently took part in a conference on Arab immigrant women in Casablanca. She said it was an opportunity to talk about her films and discuss laws pertaining to immigrant women. El-Deghidih tells Magharebia about her work and her views on feminism, the headscarf and society.

Former French football captain Zinedine Zidane is visiting his family's native Algeria this week. Accompanied by his parents, he will meet with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, visit Bourmerdes, and Aguemoun.

Leila Hazem, the first woman in the running for the highest post in the Tunisian General Labour Union, spoke to Magharebia about her candidacy, women in politics and discrimination in the workplace.

The Amazigh language is officially taught in Algeria and Morocco. However, difficulties remain -- such as the lack of a standard language and a shortage of Amazigh teachers.

Due to reasonable prices, well-trained doctors, high-quality infrastructure and alluring packages, cosmetic surgery is on the rise in Morocco. Locals, foreigners and a variety of economic classes are increasingly seeking cosmetic procedures in the country.

A survey of religious practices among Moroccans will be published in February 2007. Magharebia has obtained an exclusive preview of the results, which show a decreasing role for religious institutions and growing influence of the media in forming religious knowledge.

Algiers is preparing to be the 2007 Arab cultural capital. Officials have just a few more days to make up for the delays in renovating the city. For a year, the Algerian capital will host a variety of culture and art from across the Arab world.

Algiers recently hosted an international meeting on the fight against drug sales and production. Algeria sounded a warning about the risk of seeing Algeria, up to now a transit country, becoming a drug consumer country.

Government efforts to curb unemployment, through post-graduate apprenticeships, have resulted in young employees sometimes complaining of exploitation.

Morocco announced that it will host North Africa's first international aviation industry exhibition next autumn. The government hopes this exhibition will bolster the industrial sector and attract foreign investment.

The Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Training and Scientific Research has organised a science seminar to encourage young students to study the subjects in the field.

Pension changes begun by Morocco in 2003 are back in the spotlight. The committee in charge of the programme has made proposals, causing concern for many Moroccans.

Moroccan author Loubna Hanna Skalli has recently published a book called Through a Local Prism: Gender, Globalisation and Identity in Moroccan Women's Magazines. In it, she addresses gender, poverty and globalisation. She tells Magharebia about her research.

As the Algerian government prepares for a possible drought due to lower than average rainfall, steps are being taken to ration drinking water. Farmers are concerned about their yields.