Headlines Portrait Profile

Moroccan Benomar Hired as UN Secretary General Special Adviser

UN envoy to Yemen Jamal Benomar has been appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as his Special Adviser, at the level of Under-Secretary-General. “Mr. Benomar is a veteran United Nations senior leader who brings to this position a deep understanding of political dialogue processes and international peace-building efforts,” said Ban in a statement issued by his […]

Headlines Mauritania

Mauritania: NGOs demand release of anti-slavery activists

A group of 17 NGOs including Amnesty International Wednesday called for the immediate release of two Mauritanian anti-slavery activists arrested one year ago and handed a two-year prison sentence by a Mauritanian court. “Mauritania must immediately set free the two anti-slavery activists who have been in custody for one year while one of them is […]

Headlines Libya

Libya-UAE: Emirati arrested in Tripoli for spying

Tripoli Attorney General’s office announced Wednesday that an Emirati has been nabbed for spying for the United Arab Emirates in the aftermath of the Leon-gate which revealed that former UN mediator collided with the Emiratis against the Tripoli-based Libyan administration in the Libyan peace Dialogue Al-Siddiq Al-Sour, head of the Investigations Bureau at the Office […]

Egypt Headlines

Egypt: Militant attack kills nine family members

Unknown militants raided a house in the city of Arish Wednesday, killing nine family members including a three-year old child and severely wounding one person, Sinai governor, Abdel Fatah Harhor, said. “A group of masked men raided a house nearby Arish police station and planted a bomb in the house’s car parking. The bomb exploded […]

Headlines Morocco

Morocco Bans Plastic Bags in a Major Environment-Friendly Move

Morocco, which will host the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22) next year, has adopted a major green move translating its attachment to the protection of the environment. Six years ago, the North African country banned black plastic bags. Now the Moroccan House of Representatives (Parliament) has […]

Columns Headlines Opinions

The Roots of the Moroccan-Algerian Discord: Historic Rights vs the Inviolability of Colonial Borders

Following the Moroccan Monarch’s speech on the occasion of the Green March, a recurrent spat sparked in the Moroccan and Algerian press reflecting the increasing tension between the two countries. Yet, the causes of the Morocco-Algerian discord remain largely misunderstood, because most analyses on the issue focus on the symptoms rather than on the deep […]

Headlines Morocco

Morocco’s King defers official activities because of severe influenza

King Mohammed VI of Morocco has to cancel all official activities for a couple of weeks at the advice of his physician who diagnosed him with a severe influenza syndrome. The King contracted the flu during his recent visit to India but the syndrome became more severe with bronchopulmonary and oropharyngeal symptoms and a voice […]

Egypt Headlines

Egypt: Investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat Released

Egyptian investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat was released this Tuesday by the military following his arrest for “publishing false news”. The 37-year-old’s release was confirmed by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR,) the human rights group he founded, and the news website Mada Masr, to which he is a contributor. His arrest was made within […]

Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia: Nidaa Tounes weathering as 31 MPs resign

After deciding last Wednesday to suspend their membership in Nidaa Tounes, the 31 members of parliament (MP) on Monday resigned from the party and vowed to form an independent group “to protest the non-democratic way in which the party has been managed” said Hassouna Nasfi, one of the protesting deputies. The resignation will reduce the […]

Africa Headlines International

North Africa faces unprecedented brain drain phenomenon, ILO

The international Labour Organisation warned of the unprecedented departure of young North African talents and skilful manpower towards European countries due to high unemployment rate and lack of incentives to retain the qualified manpower. In a recent report titled “Brain drain or movement of skills? A vision of the Maghreb” the International Labour Organisation (ILO) […]