Americas Columns International Op Eds

Atheist Shrugged: Muzzled US candidates cannot debate Republicans on Ayn Rand

What muzzle did US Vice President Joe Biden agree to wear in the veep debate against Rep. Paul Ryan, the runningmate of Republican Mitt Romney? Pres. Barack Obama appeared to be muzzled also during his appearance with Mr. Romney in Denver 8 days earlier. Why the word “muzzle?” The incumbents and the hopefuls for the […]

Blogs Community

Interpol Urges Enhanced North African Cooperation

Interpol has urged countries of North Africa and Middle-East to enhance their cooperation in the struggle against terrorism and extremism which are threatening the security and stability of the whole region. During its latest regional “Fusion Task Force” meeting held in Abu Dhabi (UAE) with the participation of counterterrorism experts from some 30 countries and […]

Lifestyle Technology

MENA under another cyber attack

Cyber attacks are becoming rampant in the MENA region after another discovery of a related program to the flame named as “miniflame”. The software is capable of executing more precise attacks on targets and has already affected almost 50 “high-value” machines according to a Kaspersky Lab research report. The behavior of Miniflame is described as […]

Algeria Headlines

Algeria-China: is the honeymoon over?

In the wake of the Islamic insurgency that rippled Algeria for a decade, authorities set themselves to reconstruct the country, rehabilitate infrastructures and construct thousands of new homes to meet the growing demand. Soon, Algeria was transformed in a large open construction site but this building spree brought new comers to the North African country: […]

Business Finance

Morocco: More than 3 million people to benefit from microloans by 2020

Morocco, which is already a regional leader in microcredit, is poised to develop its strategy in the sector, the aim being to increase the number of beneficiaries to 3.2 million people and to create some 2 million part time jobs by 2020. The announcement was made last week on the sidelines of the international conference […]

Business Emerging Markets

Foreign Investors Courting Libya

Few months after the collapse of the despotic regime of Muamar Gadhafi and despite the difficult democratic transition the new Libya is experiencing, several foreign businessmen operating in various industrial and services sectors are packing and preparing for their return to this North African country, dubbed “land of opportunities”. Despite the recent unrest, there is […]

Headlines Mauritania

Mauritania’s Wounded President Appears on TV

Mauritania president has appeared on his country’s state TV on Sunday after he was shot and wounded in what was described as a “friendly fire” by soldiers who were said did not recognize the presidential convoy as it passed by. During his TV appearance from hospital, president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz called Mauritanian people to […]

Features Op Eds Opinions

On the Right Track? Post-Arab Spring EU Policy towards the Maghreb

The creation of a new post of EU Special Representative for the Southern Mediterranean Region in July 2011 symbolizes the importance the region has gained in European eyes. Focusing specifically on the Maghreb, there are a number of reasons why it is vital for the Union to engage closely with this region located on its […]

Features Headlines Portrait Profile

Ismail Serageldin, an enlightened scholar brought to court

Ismail Serageldin, the director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, is being sued for squandering public funds after library staff accused him of abuse of power claiming he unfairly appointed advisors and gave them huge salaries. He was also accused of embezzling donations destined to the library and illegally transferring them to a bank account controlled by […]

Lifestyle Technology

Tamazight Windows: Good News for North Africa Berbers

The newest version of Microsoft Operating system Windows 8, which has generated a lot of buzz in the IT industry, offers to the Berber-speaking populations across North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya) the possibility of using their personnel computers in their native spoken language. A preview of Windows 8, to be officially launched in […]