Magharebia

Liberal politicians from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania met for the first time in Marrakech last week to discuss accelerating the Arab Maghreb Union.

A newly established office will make sure delegation officials will not abandon pilgrims to perform Hajj themselves.

Eid al-Adha is a time for family celebration, but for many Moroccans, the customary sheep purchase also means it is time to incur a financial burden that takes months to repay.

For a new study on AIDS awareness, a Moroccan organisation chose to survey a population living in the shadows: prostitutes. Results showed members that their message about AIDS is "not getting through".

Performers from different countries arrived in Algeria to participate in the Arab-African folk dance festival. Organizes and people see the festival as a bridge to connect cultures and traditions.

Although the Moroccan and Dutch foreign ministers signed agreements ranging from wire transfers to protocols for naming children, the citizenship question remains unresolved after their Rabat meeting.

Moroccan football teams scored a total of 17 goals in Round 12 of the Premier League tournament.

The Moroccan government is expected to pass a new law guaranteeing the protection of personal information from misuse of theft.

During a round table in Tunisia, cinema experts said films with European funding have more chances to screen around the world than Maghreb films. One solution, they say, is to turn to the DVD format.

With the recent global fall in oil prices, many Moroccans are waiting for a similar diminution in domestic fuel prices. The government says its system of subsidies does not allow this sort of rapid reduction.

The rural practice of unregistered marriages has long posed a problem in Morocco. Now, armed with bullhorns at farmers' markets, a women's group is reaching out to get people registered before the government deadline.

Private Algerian telephone company Lacom blames the company’s collapse on the failure of the ARPT to remain neutral after the market was opened up to competition.

Mohamed Tamaldou, president of the new Network of Arab Liberals, speaks to Magharebia about his organisation's goals and the agenda of a meeting in Marrakech that begins on Saturday.

By 2011, Moroccan officials hope that millions of citizens will have registered in a new modernised civil registry system. "It will mean a higher quality of personal attention," they said.

National Press Day in Morocco came and went with a tone of resentment from journalists over the harsh reality they face in the practice of their profession.

The group of "5+5" concluded its annual meeting on Monday, promising to prioritise Maghreb transportation networks and to alter legislation to meet demands.

The 8th Marrakech International Film Festival opened Friday. Movie stars from around the world arrived in the city to attend the event. More than 100 movies will be screened and 15 will compete to win top honours.

Citing article 51 of the constitution, the Finance and Economic Development Committee rejected proposals by MPs from the opposition.

Tunisia hosts $50 billion in foreign investments and is reaching out for more. Foreign investment grew by 38% in the last nine months.

The Moroccan city of Fez hosted the sixth UNDP Match against Poverty on Monday, energising the city with the appearance of football stars Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo and their celebrity teams.

Morocco's top football tournament continued with a surprisingly calm contest Sunday between Wydad and Raja Casablanca.

Notorious for its role in cannabis production, Morocco has stepped up its fight against the drug trade, both domestic and international. With help from neighbouring countries and new technology, Moroccan officials have delivered encouraging results in 2008.

The Algerian health ministry has undertaken a new campaign to inform parents about the benefits of breastfeeding. With fewer mothers nursing their children, health professionals grow concerned about the health risks of exclusive bottle-feeding.

Officials from Algeria, Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad gathered in Mali this week to plan a unified strategy to counter crime and terrorism in the Sahel

Algerian medical personnel are demanding pay rises and improved bonuses. They claim their counterparts elsewhere in the Maghreb earn more than they do, and cited a recent 300% salary increase for Algerian MPs that was made for similar reasons.

Mauritania's ruling military council transferred deposed President Abdellahi to his hometown of Lemden on Wednesday. Critics say the move is an attempt to avert looming EU sanctions.

A new work schedule imposed by the Tunisian government doesn't seem to be working for civil servants. Tunisians complain that the new system doesn't match school hours and they have to leave home early anyway to drop off their kids.

The Algerian Parliament voted overwhelmingly in support of President Bouteflika's proposed constitutional amendments on Wednesday. The changes will allow Bouteflika to run for a third term in April 2009.

Moroccan Justice Minister Abdelwahed Radi said that while he intends to leave his position in the cabinet when he takes charge of the USFP, the move may take time.

Twenty-one Islamists were released from prison in Tunisia on Sunday. Some had been serving life sentences since 1991. Some experts believe this will close the book on political Islam, but others disagree.

Day 11 of the Algerian football championships included wins from ASO Chlef, MC El Eulma, USM El Harrach, MSP Batna and JSK, while the newly-re-integrated RC Kouba managed to pull out a goalless draw.

Tunisia hosted experts on public policy and environmental issues over the weekend to discuss ways that the Arab and Mediterranean regions can co-operate to fight climate change and enhance human security.

The president of a new political party for young people in Mauritania speaks to Magharebia about his group's stance on critical issues facing his country.

Female doctors in Morocco are protesting a change in policy that allows them to be assigned to jobs far away from their families. The health ministry says there is no solution on the horizon.

In a true clash of football titans, long-time Tunisian rivals CS Sfaxien and ESS began the home stretch of the CAF Cup with a scoreless draw.

The Moroccan government approved a 28-km tram system as part of a Casablanca development plan. Officials said this is only the start, with more public transportation developments planned for the future.

Two weeks into a new round of talks with the government over labour issues, representatives of Morocco's trade unions are complaining of a lack of progress.

Veteran Moroccan singer Hassan Migri released a new album recently entitled "Eddar Elbayda by night". The album features a blend of Moroccan and international influences that he calls "a humanistic message targeting all nations and civilisations".

Morocco's less-privileged families now have easier access to medical care, thanks to a programme launched Tuesday in Tadla Azilal. The RAMED system will ultimately provide coverage to 8.5 million poor Moroccans.

Under the theme "Read me a book", this year's Algiers International Book Fair was unique.

Morocco announced a package of relief measures it is taking to help people start over after a rash of severe flooding. The interior minister praised the government for its swift action, but some victims disagree.

New developments caused a Tunis court to suspend hearings in the censorship case brought by journalist Ziad El Heni against the Tunisian Internet Agency.

More victories and defeats in the eighth round of the GNF1. AS Sale was defeated at home, Raja Casablanca defeated Oujda and several teams tied.

With its members divided between two conferences, the World Amazigh Congress is facing a leadership crisis. The fracture has reverberated throughout the Amazigh movement.

Participants at the recent Arab-European Days forum in Tunis encouraged officials to facilitate cultural and educational exchanges between Arab countries and Europe.

Ethiopia received its first Golden Tanit at the Carthage film festival, Palestine received silver and Tunisia settled for bronze.

Terrorist groups like al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb rely on the desperation and overcrowding of Algeria's prisons to recruit new members. The Algerian government is responding with a programme of moderate religious education intended to dissuade potential recruits.

Two Austrian hostages held for months by an al-Qaeda affiliated group were freed on Thursday. Austrian and Malian officials denied paying any ransom to liberate the tourist couple.