Magharebia

The National Defence Administration defended the Islamist government's first piece of legislation.

Conflicting reports about terrorists uncovering yet more weapons in northern Mali highlight continued instability in the Sahel.

The European Union pledged aid for Mauritanian stability and co-operation.

Greater Sahel-Saharan co-operation could mitigate the prevalence of drugs and arms trafficking in the region, Moroccan authorities say.

Democratic change is driving a renewed push to strengthen the Maghreb Union.

The first post-Kadhafi vote could be delayed amid a series of appeals by candidates.

As new MPs take their seats in the People's National Assembly, protests continue in an effort to boycott parliament.

The killer of a foreign education worker in Mauritania still faces death after a failed appeal.

Islamist rebels in northern Mali are linking up with their secular counterparts in a push to form an independent Touareg state.

With an Islamic state declared in northern Mali, Mauritania is stepping up security along the country's eastern frontier.

This year's event managed to draw both crowds and performers to Morocco for songs sans subsidies.

After receiving assurances of a fair trial from Libya, Tunisian judicial authorities agreed to send Moamer Kadhafi's prime minister back home.

Young people continue to lend their support to a Mauritanian movement calling for religious laws on personal conduct.

"Democratic transition is a prerequisite for Maghreb integration," the Maghreb Centre for Strategic Studies director said this week in Nouakchott.

In official meetings between the two countries, Interim Prime Ministers El Keib and Jebali committed to bilateral co-operation and partnerships.

Women and independent candidates joined the rolls in great numbers for Libya's upcoming vote.

Italy and Tunisia have signed development agreements in the hopes that growth in Tunisia will slow down illegal immigration into Italy.

Opposition parties created the "Front for the Protection of Democracy" under a declaration to change the political landscape of the country and overturn the election results.

A show of force by Tunisian salafists is a sign of hard-line Islamists' growing political activism, analysts say.

Islamist parties express no confidence in the Algerian government following what they describe as "massive fraud" during the elections.

As the country reflected on the 9th anniversary of the Casablanca attacks, organisations united to call for a government fund for victims.

"Mali does not deserve this," interim Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra said of the latest violence to strike the country.

The beloved voice of Warda El Djazairia, nicknamed "the Algerian Rose", was silenced last week. On Saturday, her native Algeria tuned out to mourn her passing.

The Moroccan prime minster answered criticism from the opposition on his first months in office.

Secular secessionists in northern Mali say they have linked up with their Islamist rivals.

A new government panel aims to protect judicial independence and modernise the courts.

The fifth round of the International Student Film Festival was organised in Casablanca to help Moroccan students benefit from the experiences of their counterparts from around the world.

The birth of a new Touareg autonomy movement is encouraging citizens to rise up against armed Islamic groups in northern Mali.

Salafists protested at Tunis-Carthage Airport as security expelled two fundamentalist theologians.

The stance taken by the head of Moroccan government over the recruitment of graduates for government jobs is causing anger amongst unemployed youth.

As the Malian interim government's deadline approaches, stakeholders struggle to find common ground.

Salafists in Tunisia are set to compete in the country's newly liberated political scene.

Moroccan activists aim to put people with special needs on equal footing with everyone else.

After seizing control of Timbuktu and Gao last month, extremists re-opened schools and imposed new rules on students and teachers.

Libya's post-revolution reconstruction could provide as many as a half million new jobs for Tunisians, according to one study.

Despite last year's cancellation, 1,500 Jews returned for the pilgrimage to Djerba amid tight security for the two-day event.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has brought in Pakistani specialists to train their new recruits in Timbuktu.

Unhappy with the official outcome from the legislative poll, Islamists in Algeria are threatening to withdraw from the national assembly.

Mali-based terrorists are now exploiting refugees as a means to infiltrate Mauritania.

Recent arrests, seized weapons and investigations are helping Moroccan authorities track down a terrorist group.

This week's election in Algeria did not lead to the victory expected by the country's Islamist parties.

Tunisia should see the economic stimulus funds by September, visiting EBRD bank chief Thomas Mirow said.

An Islamist attack on a young woman in the Moroccan capital is raising concerns about civil liberties.

Legislative elections in Algeria saw neither the high level of abstention feared by the outgoing government nor the "green wave" predicted by Islamist parties.

Politicians and campaigners alike insist that family and society have a primary role in influencing youth behaviour.

The Tunisian prime minister pointed toward a new constitution, upcoming elections and economic relief as he presented his 2012 plan to the Constituent Assembly.

Unprecedented anti-fraud measures and stepped up security greeted Algerians as they headed to the polls to elect new representatives.

In a move drawing sharp criticism from free speech advocates, a Tunis court fined the Nessma TV head for showing "Persepolis".

Polls will open to more than 21 million Algerian voters on Thursday to elect the 462 MPs in the next People's National Assembly.

AQIM terrorist arrests at the Mali border prevented an attack on the capital, security sources said.

World Press Freedom Day saw a political consensus on the need to solidify freedom of expression.

Islamist groups are defending their right to use religion in their election campaigns but Algeria's election monitoring committee is urging political parties to choose their words carefully.

Security forces in Morocco have conducted another successful raid on terrorists.

To demonstrate their impatience with the pace of judicial reforms, Tunisian judges are wearing red armbands.

Terrorists in Mali are threatening to attack Algeria if their ransom demands are unmet.

Politicians from across Europe and the Sahel agree that international teamwork will be required to combat crime and terrorism in the region.

Repeated al-Qaeda attacks on civilians are damaging the terror network's ability to garner support.

West African leaders are prepared to send troops to Mali as hard-line Islamists desecrate centuries-old heritage sites.

Despite an evolving political climate, young Moroccans still aspire to true involvement in national affairs.

Newly released papers from al-Qaeda's former leader show a terror group wracked with internal divisions and under pressure for killing innocent civilians.

Algeria said it would consider IMF pleas for advanced economies to fund the global economic recovery.

"Arab Idol" runner-up Dounia Batma tells Magharebia where she plans to take her career. The young singer also offers advice for aspiring artists in the Maghreb.

Libya and Tunisia are working together to boost regional security.

Hundreds of EU, OIC and Arab League monitors are helping Algeria ensure the legitimacy of the May 10th legislative elections.

Athletes from Morocco, Libya and Tunisia attended a clinic in Salé to prepare for new careers as trainers.

The Mauritanian government is teaching young people about money management. The programme also aims to boost job growth and improve the country's future economy.

A failed counter-coup in Mali is the latest in the litany of challenges facing the Sahel.

Many rights organisations and political figures in Tunisia noted repressive actions by police recently.

An Aleg seminar called on imams and sheikhs to teach moderate values of Islam.

After the Tunisian government's pledge to provide security, hundreds of Jews will once again return to the island of Djerba to perform a pilgrimage.