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Moroccan Lawyers File War Crimes Complaint Against Israeli Military Commander

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Sami Turdjeman

Casablanca - Four well respected Moroccan lawyers have jointly filed a complaint against General Sami Tordjman, the Israeli Military Commander in charge of the Israeli attack on Gaza, alleging “war crimes.”

MWN previously reported that General Sami Turdjeman, the Israeli Military Commander in charge of the ongoing assault on Gaza who was responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians on the Gaza Strip, had caused an uproar in Morocco because of his Moroccan origins.

Today, four Moroccan lawyers filed a complaint appealing to the public prosecutor in Rabat during a press conference, to prosecute Tordjman for having committed countless “war crimes” during the ongoing assault.

Born in Marrakech, Tordjman is directly responsible for the massacre of hundreds of unarmed Palestinian in Gaza. Because he is of Moroccan descent, the group of lawyers believes that he is legally punishable in a Moroccan court.

The signatories of the complaint are the following: Khalid Sefinani, Abderrahim Jamai, Abderrahman Benameur, and Abderrahim Ben Barka. They have also confirmed their intention to pursue "all military and civilian leaders of Israel before the International Criminal Court.”

Meanwhile, they are encouraging other NGOs and representatives of civil society to take similar measures. Furthermore, Abderrahim Jamai also called for the adoption of a law that would allow Morocco to take action addressing Israel’s war crimes.

In addition, Khalid Sefiani harshly criticized French President François Hollande and U.S. President Barack Obama for "having publicly displayed themselves as allies of Israel . . . they [just] want to stop the firing of missiles against Israel and forget the killing of children.”

The Moroccan lawyers hope to win the case so that General Sami Tordjman will have to face punishment in one of Morocco’s prisons.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed


Saudi Men Banned From Marrying Bengali, Pakistani, Chadian, Burmese Women

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Saudi Arabian Government Sets New Rules for Saudi Men Marrying Foreigners

Meknes - A new law in Saudi Arabia bans men from Marrying Bengali, Pakistani, Chadian and Burmese women, while it sets new restrictive rules on marrying Moroccan women.

According to the Saudi daily Makkah newspaper, any Saudi man who wishes to marry a Moroccan woman has to prove that her profile is free of any crimes and serious diseases, and that she is not a drug addict.

Even though a Moroccan woman’s profile meets all the requirements, in order to be able to marry an already married Saudi man, he must obtain formal approval from his first wife.

In addition, an applicant who is already married to a Saudi woman must attach a medical report on the status of his wife, confirming that she is sick, disabled, or cannot give birth.

The newspaper added that "Saudis will not be able to marry citizens of four nationalities," namely Chad, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Burmese.

Speaking to the same newspaper, the director of the Mecca Police, Major General Assaf Qurashi said that requests for marriage from outside Saudi Arabia are made through official procedures under very strict terms. Among those restrictions, the age gap between the couple must not exceed 25 years.

To marry from outside the Kingdom or the GCC, Saudis must submit an application to a government committee and wait for the approval or rejection, which could take quite a long time.

There have been no official statements from the government clarifying these tougher curbs on mixed marriage, tougher conditions on marrying foreigners, precisely Moroccans, and barring Saudis from marrying women from certain Muslim countries.

Islam imposes no restrictions for men wishing to marry non-Muslim, let alone Muslim women.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

Israeli Soldiers’ Confessions Proves Army’s Intentions to Kill Civilians

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The Israeli Defense Force IDF in Gaza

Fez- ‘The Independent' learned of Israeli soldiers’ attitudes about the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza. 

Al Jazeera reported Monday, August 4, that prominent British newspaper The Independent published interviews with members of the Israel Defense Forces in which they confessed to being forced to shoot whomever appeared in their sights in their offensive on Gaza.

The soldiers revealed that high-level officials in the army demanded a severe and emotionless fight with the Palestinian resistance, no matter the casualties.

The testimonies of the Israeli soldiers show that the present attack on Gaza is violently reminiscent of 2012 attacks, wherein numerous civilians were either killed or badly injured.

Army officials gave orders to bombard various sites in the Gaza Strip without regard for the human and material cost. These attacks have targeted not only to resistance tunnels and apartment buildings, but even shelters and mosques.

According to The Independent, some members of the Army have shown sympathy with the civilian victims, particularly children. But authorities have been very strict in their orders, asking soldiers to fight without feeling, which is the essence of Israeli military training, the soldiers added.

Israeli violence against Gaza strip has killed more than 1870 Palestinians since the conflict began, mostly women and children.

The violence against Gaza has intensified during latter days, with bombs and missiles targeting even UNRWA-run schools, which housed children and their mothers who had escaped and sought shelter from the ravage of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Morocco: Benkirane’s Wife Sparks Controversy on Social Media

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Abdelillah Benkirane with his wife

Rabat- The picture of Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane and his wife, Nabila Benkirane, with American President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hasn’t gone unnoticed in Morocco. It went viral on Facebook, stirring a controversy.

Nabila Benkirane has received compliments as well as harsh criticism following her appearance in a Moroccan Djellaba in the picture.

The picture was taken during the US-Africa Summit, which is taking place in Washington from August 4 to 6.

Some Facebook users expressed their appreciation of Nabila Benkirane, who kept her Moroccan character by posing with the President of the world’s most powerful country in a traditional Moroccan Djellaba.

However, many criticized the quality of Nabila’s Djellaba, comparing her to a” sack of flour,” according to hespress. According to the same source, some Moroccan Facebook users slammed Nabila Benkirane, stressing that she shouldn’t have worn the traditional Djellaba in such important international event.

Other Facebook users wondered if the PM’s wife has sought advice from dressing specialists before going to the White House to meet Barack and Michelle Obama.

In addition, others said that Nabila’s Djellaba offends the elegance of Moroccan women. They pointed out that her Djellaba “was very wide and baggy, and its color was not suitable to Nabila’s face. “ They called on Nabila Benkirane to "learn a little" from the elegance of Morocco’s Princess Lalla Salma.

A Number of Moroccan media outlets, such as Hespress, quoted the Moroccan Fashion Designer Fatima Ezahra Yaacoubi as saying that Nabila Benkirane “should have worn a silky Caftan rather than wearing that sack of flour.”

Spain: 14 Year Old Girl Arrested on Terrorism Charges

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Spanish police

Rabat- A 14-year-old girl was arrested, along with another teenage girl, in Spain for attempting to join a network that sends volunteers to fight with the Islamic State jihadists.

“For the first time in Spain, two women, including an underaged girl, were arrested as they were about to join terrorist cells of the Islamic State," or ultra-radical Sunni jihadists, according to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.

A video released by the Interior Ministry showed two women dressed in black niqabs getting off a plane, each flanked by two policemen. The video did not specify where the girls had been transferred.

The 14-year-old girl and the other girl, Fauzia Mohamed Allal, aged 19, were arrested in Melilla, the Mediterranean town at the north of Morocco disputed by Spain and Morocco. "The two women were willing to cross borders to Morocco to contact the network that would send them to a conflict zone between Syria and Iraq," the Ministry said in a press release.

"Their plan was to join one of the cells of the terrorist organization of the Islamic State, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” the Ministry highlighted, stressing that it was among the first arrests in Spain "after the call to jihad launched on August 1st by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi."

The Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz had warned in March, on the anniversary of the Islamist attacks of March 11, 2004 in Madrid, that "Spain is one of the strategic objectives of global jihad."

Since 2004, he added, 472 jihadists have been arrested in Spain, 105 before this year.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

Italy Expels Moroccan Imam for Preaching Annihilation of Jews

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Italy Expels Moroccan Imam for Preaching Annihilation of Jews

Rabat- Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano ordered on Tuesday, August 5th, the immediate expulsion of a Moroccan imam after a video emerged online of a Friday sermon in which he publicly called for Jews to be killed "to the very last one.”

Minister Alfano ordered the expulsion of Raoudi Abdelbar, imam of the mosque in San Dona di Piave, a town near Venice, on grounds of causing serious public disorder, being a threat to national security, and advocating religious discrimination, according to an Interior Ministry press release.

Several sermons were delivered July 18-25, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), and then posted on the Internet. In one, he can be heard saying, “Oh Allah, bring upon them that which will make us happy. Oh Allah, count them one by one and kill them to the very last one. Do not spare a single one of them. Turn their food to poison, make the air they breathe blazing hot, make their slumber full of grief, and make their days black. Plant fear in their hearts,” according to a MEMRI translation.

The Italian Minister of the Interior said that Muslim cleric Sheikh Abd Al-Barr al-Rawdhi's sermon, delivered in the northern Italian city of San Donà di Piave on 29 July, had a "clear anti-Semitic tone" and constitutes "incitement to violence and religious hatred," according to a press release.

"Let my decision serve as a warning to all those who think it is possible to preach hatred in Italy,” warned Minister Alfano, stressing that he had made this decision after a thorough anti-terrorist police investigation conducted in collaboration with Venice’s public prosecutor.

During the expulsion of the imam, a member of the regionalist party and anti-immigrant Northern League called for the outright closure of the Mosque of San Dona di Piave and "a suspension of the opening of new mosques in the country."

Edited by Elisabeth Myers

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

High-Tech: Small Ring-Like Device Might Change Lives for Millions of Blind People

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High-Tech- Small Ring-Like Device Might Change Lives for Millions of Blind People

Casablanca - Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab have developed a device that is able to scan and read a text on a screen or a page, mainly to assist blind people. 

The so-called “FingerReader” is a device that contains a small camera and can be worn on an index finger. It reads aloud the given text through a synthesized voice.

Its goal is to read print materials as well as onscreen text to the blind, but it still has certain issues with touchscreens since text is moved around and therefore cannot be as accurate.

Furthermore, the main job of FingerReader, a prototype produced by a 3D printer, is to read texts such as menu cards, books and so on in real time. It can also be used to learn a new language, since it offers options such as translation and pronunciation. All of these features will give blind people more access to printed materials and better learning and productivity in their daily lives.

Certainly, this invention does not replace Braille, a writing system used by visually impaired people, but it would enable blind people to gain a wider access to a vast number of books, newspapers, magazines and so forth that are not yet available in Braille.

But, even though the FingerReader has undergone three long years of experimentation through code software and group feedback, it still needs some fine-tuning before it will be ready for sale.

Expat’s Success Has Positive Impact on Morocco’s Development: Minister

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Minister of Moroccans Living Abroad and Migration Affairs, Anis Birou

Rabat - The success of Moroccan expats in their host countries will necessarily reflect back on the Kingdom’s march of development, said minister of the Moroccan expatriate community and migration affaires, Anis Birou.

"Moroccans of the world contribute socially, economically and culturally to the march of development of our country," Birou told MAP on the occasion of the National Migrant’s Day (August 10).

Academic success of the Moroccan community abroad contributes positively to the rise of future active and influential actors in the socio-economic and cultural fields within host countries, he stressed.

Concerning challenges facing the Moroccan community, Birou notably underlined the need to preserve the identity of Moroccan expats in order to strengthen their attachment to their homeland, while taking advantage of the dual belonging to both Morocco and their host countries.

"Moroccans of the world are real ambassadors of the Kingdom thanks to their exemplary integration, respect for others, tolerance and openness", added the minister.


Saudi Arabia Bans Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia Muslims From performing Hajj

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HACI ADAYLARI KUTSAL TOPRAKLARDA

Fez- Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health decided to ban Muslims from West African countries from performing Hajj or Umrah (Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca) this year amid growing concerns of the spread of Ebola virus.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Health Dr. Khalid Marghalani, was quoted by Alarabiya as saying that individuals from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, where the Ebola virus is most prevalent, are not allowed to obtain visas to perform the Hajj or Umrah.

“We have communicated the instructions to the officials of all ports of entry. We have trained our personnel on how to identify and deal with Ebola cases and control virus infection, should it happen,” the spokesman said.

Despite the outbreak of the virus in Nigeria, Saleh Okenwe, from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, reassured the pilgrimage applicants that there are no worries of "banning Nigerians from participating in Hajj because of Ebola."

"Just a few days ago we received a password for processing the Hajj visas from the Saudi authorities," Okenwe was quoted by Voice of America as saying.

The Nigerian Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said that "the government is taking extraordinary measures to stave off the spread" of the virus.

According to International Business Times, the population of Muslim community living in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia is approximately 13.5 million people.

Young Moroccan Women Lured by Jihadists in Syria

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Young Moroccan Women Lured by Jihadists in Syria

Casablanca - An alarming phenomenon was recently highlighted in the bulk of Moroccan news media: young Moroccan women are joining the Jihadist movement ISIL.

In its issue for this weekend, the Moroccan daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribiya presents accounts of several Moroccan women, of various ages and from different social classes, who joined ISIL as early as the beginning of the civil war in Syria.

One of these Jihadist Moroccan women was a young freshman at the National School of Applied Sciences (ENSA). Promised a brilliant future by the Jihadist movement, the young Moroccan student headed to Syria through Turkey.

Her family and friends have been in utter shock since they learnt of her joining ISIL, according to the same source.

A similar path was taken by another Moroccan woman from Kasbat Tadla, 136 miles south east of Rabat. According to the same source, she headed to Syria mainly to marry a Moroccan Jihadist, whose wife had deceased there.

More shocking, however, is the case of Nora, a 15-year-old Moroccan girl based in France, who went to Syria without her parents’ knowledge on January 23. Her parents subsequently received a phone call from an anonymous man from Syria asking for her hand.

The case of Nora has since alarmed Moroccan families in the kingdom as well as abroad, calling for urgent precautions in order to increase the awareness of the young population to prevent all sorts of brainwashing they risk being subjected to.

International Peace and Security on the Brink of a Meltdown

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the offensive on gaza

By Hicham Ahamdi

Rabat - The main functions of the United Nations are maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, and providing humanitarian aids. None of these functions seems to be exercised when it comes to the crisis in Gaza Strip. Once again, the Israeli regime has launched an all-out attack on Gaza. 1967 people have been killed in cold blood, 1700 of them defenseless civilians, and 400 innocent children.

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), says that,“There is literally no safe place for civilians in Gaza,” as the hawkish regime has escalated its merciless military bombardment. More than 500 houses have been destroyed by Israeli air strikes. Gaza has been under heavy artillery fire for the last four weeks. Israel has shelled houses, mosques, hospitals, shelters, and UNRWA-run schools. According to UN reports, 90 UN premises and 134 schools have either been wiped out or severely damaged.

Modern concepts and notions such as security, peace, international law, human rights, democracy, and international organizations have been completely eradicated by Israel's brutal atrocities with respect to the Gaza population. Such a loss is a stain on the world's honor and should pique the world’s conscience.

Former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brezekinski said that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu "is making a very serious mistake—he is isolating Israel. He's endangering its longer-range future."

In the view of some, Israel has far surpassed the barbarism of Hitler’s Third Reich with this latest barrage. Thousands of people have taken to the streets of many world capitals to condemn the killing of unarmed Palestinians. Demonstrators have carried signs such as “Down with Israel,” “Stop Israel state terror,” “I stand with Gaza,” “Gaza—end the siege,” and others.

Friday morning, August 8, saw the continuation of Israel’s thirst for bloodshed. A child was killed by an Israeli air strike prior to the end of the fixed-term truce. Meanwhile, most governments refuse to condemn Israel’s brutality against the Palestinians. In fact, the ignominious silence of the P5 —China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US— is not only legitimizing Israel’s inhuman acts, but also encouraging Israel’s deliberate and ongoing breach of international norms. Needless to say, billions of dollars and military support are annually given to Israel, allowing it to repeat hideous attacks on Gaza.

The angry voices of protesters have not done much to deter the Israeli regime. The current tyranny and oppression of Israel’s military attacks will not stop soon —unless the world calls Israel to account and puts the Israeli regime on trial.

Edited by Elisabeth Myers

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

Moroccans Represent 33% of Immigrants in Spain

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Spain's office of social security

Fez- According to a recent report conducted by the Spanish Permanent Observatory for Migration under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, published last Wednesday, the number of Moroccans living in Spain with legal status as of 31 December 2013 reached a total of 785,180, out of 4.9 million foreigners.

Based on this number, the Moroccan community in Spain represents 33 per cent of the total foreign population in the country.

According to the same figures, the number of Moroccans living in Spain witnessed a decline of about 10 thousand immigrants in the period between March 31 and December 31 of 2013.

The same figures show that the number of Moroccans women in Spain amounted to 324,000 compared to 460 thousand men.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

Son of Australia’s Most wanted Terrorist Holds Decapitated Head Before Camera

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Khaled Sharrouf posted a photo of his sons in front of a ISIS flag on Twitter

Casablanca - Khalid Sharrouf (30), a convicted terrorist, is known for striking terror into people’s hearts both in Iraq and Syria.

Khalid Sharrouf broadcasted a horrible picture through Twitter that caused uproar in international media. He let his Son (7) pose with a decapitated head of a Syrian soldier and shared it through Twitter. In addition, he added to the picture, “That’s my boy.”

Khalid Sharrouf is Australia’s most wanted terrorist. He used to live in Sydney before he fled to Syria last year by using his brother’s passport in order to join the so-called Islamic State’s militants.

Twitter has immediately deleted the terrorist account. According to news-outlet, The Blaze, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Australian radio: “[The] Islamic State — as they’re now calling themselves — it’s not just a terrorist group, it’s a terrorist army and they’re seeking not just a terrorist enclave but effectively a terrorist state, a terrorist nation.”

Not only does the the Islamic State IS use children for the horrific crimes, but also plenty of women are allegedly held as sex slaves. More and more videos and pictures from Syria and Iraq of beheaded men and mass graves keep shocking the world every day.

Thousands of people have fled their homes in fear that the IS could slaughter them. The situation remains intense and the question people around the world are asking is“ Who has the power to restore peace?” Time will tell.

UNAIDS launches the second phase of enhancing HIV healthcare settings in Egypt

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Group picture of project participants at the Qasr Al-Ainy Medical School

By Menan Khater

CAIRO  The United Nations program on HIV/AIDS in Egypt has announced today launching the second phase of a long term project that aims at enhancing the health care settings for people living with HIV/AIDS in Egypt.

The project is a joint collaboration between WHO, UNICEF, IOM, UNHCR and Qasr Al-Ainy Medical School and hospital.

Almost 30% of surveyed men and women living with HIV prefer not to attend a healthcare facility in fear of being stigmatized and rejected, while 73% of healthcare providers said they would refuse treating people living with HIV—according Ford Foundation reports in Egypt.

In February 2014, the Egyptian military research team came up with a machine that they claim will cure both viruses of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C within only 16 hours and only one hour to detect the disease. Medical Personnel widely perceived this invention as a “deception” especially after it was delayed for ‘further testing.’

Sayyedah Abdulateef, a Nursing Professor at one of the most prominent, public healthcare facilities in Egypt: Qasr Al-Ainy, and Head of Nurses at the UNAIDS collaborative program, told MWN “What’s more important than curing HIV/AIDS is preventing it. People refuse to disclose their status due to community stigma.”

She refers to the HIV/AIDS virus itself as an old phenomenon, however when people stopped talking about it, she says it has affected the safety conditions inside the hospital. Medical Personnel sometimes opt not to wear coats or protective gloves during check ups, or wash their hands after checking up each and every patient. Likewise, the patients do lack awareness of the virus transmission methods.

“From this point I saw the necessity of joining the project with UNAIDS, which has motivated me to make a positive change,” adds Abdulateef.

Under the title “Knowledge Can Conquer Stigma” Phase I of the project was accomplished, through conducting a Training of Trainers (TOT) that targeted 73 of university professors. Those 73 graduates conducted 18 new training sessions, 10 of them targeted nursing personnel, while the other 8 targeted Med school interns. 

A survey was done by UNAIDS at the beginning and the end of the training to test and evaluate the participants' acquaintance of the virus and dealing with their cases. The results showed that 84% of respondents are now convinced that people living with HIV should not be placed in quarantines compared to 37% at the beginning. There was also a notable increase by 44% among nurses and students who are ok with buying food from a seller living with HIV.

[caption id="attachment_136475" align="aligncenter" width="656"]Qasr Al-ainy Faculty dean Dr Ahmed Khairy (left) with UNAIDS project manager Ahmed Khamis (right) after signing the second phase agreement Qasr Al-ainy Faculty dean Dr Ahmed Khairy (left) with UNAIDS project manager Ahmed Khamis (right) after signing the second phase agreement[/caption]

“I was impressed by the project results and participants commitment” Said UNAIDS program coordinator Ahmed Khamis. “Usually healthcare providers in Egypt are not helpful when it comes to dealing with people living with HIV” he adds.

One of the main attributes for such a collaboration, was the initiative coming from Qasr Al-Ainy, “It has facilitated the progress and made the process much easier for us.” He notes, adding that UNAIDS works mainly on shifting the paradigm of medical personnel and the entire community towards people living with HIV, through sharing knowledge and advocacy.

Phase II of the project is expected to expand the duration of training to one year, in addition to enhancing the evaluation and monitoring system for the training. Part of the training will be online and mandatory for all participants. Moreover, the project will tackle the needs of people living with HIV inside the emergency rooms of Qasr Al-Ainy.

Images Courtesy: Mohamed El Qady/UNAIDS

Morocco: Journalist Steals Bahrain Minister’s Mobile Phone

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Morocco, Journalist Steals Bahrain Minister's Mobile Phone

Rabat- Bahrain’s Culture Minister’s cell phone has been reportedly stolen last week in Assila by a female journalist for a Tangier-based news website.

Following her participation in the International Cultural Festival of Assilah, the Bahraini Minister of Culture Sheikha May Bint Mohamed Al Khalifa was allegedly stripped of her cell phone last Friday.

While the Bahraini Minister of Culture was busy talking to media, the femal Journalist picked up her mobile phone from a table, where it was placed.

Immediately after Shiekha May noticed that her Mobile phone disappeared, her bodyguards, in collaboration with policemen in the district started an investigation in order to find out who stole it.

While checking the security cameras, a female journalist was apparently seen pinching the Bahraini Minister’s phone, before she handed it to a young man who is believed to be his brother.

The thief journalist has been arrested on her way back to Tangier by policemen. She apologized to Shiekha May Al Khalifa and returned the cell phone to her.

Although the Bahraini Minister accepted the female journalist’s apology and forgave her, the police detained the suspect for questioning.

Bahraini Minister of Culture Sheikha May Bint Mohamed Al Khalifa was representing her country in Assila’s International cultural event. Bahrain was the event’s guest of honor.

   

Following Death of His Aunt, King Mohammed VI Cancels Festivities of His Birthday

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Following Death of His Aunt, King Mohammed VI Cancels Festivities of His Birthday

Rabat- King Mohammed VI has decided to cancel all the ceremonies and festivities marking his birthday, following the death Princess Lalla Fatima Zahra, and in "consideration of the place of the late Princess in the hearts of all members of the illustrious royal family and the Moroccan people," announced Tuesday a statement from the Ministry of Royal household, Protocol and Chancellery.

"Following the huge ordeal aroused by the great loss of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Fatima Zahra, may God rest his soul, aunt of HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and daughter of the late King Mohammed V, may God have him in his holy mercy, his Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God preserve him, has decided to cancel all the ceremonies and festivities marking his birthday, in consideration of the place of late Princess in the hearts of all members of the illustrious royal family and all the Moroccan people," said the statement carried by Maghreb Arab Press (MAP).

Hollywood: Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem Black-listed for Anti-Israeli Open Letter

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Penelope Cruz & Javier Barden

Casablanca- Many world celebrities faced widespread backlash for voicing pro-Palestinian opinions on the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Among these celebs, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem are likely to become “Hollywood outcasts.”

The Spanish couple had denounced Israeli “genocide” in Gaza in an open letter—signed by 100 influential celebs—that went viral upon publication on July 25, sparking outrageous recreations from pro-Israelis.

According to Hollywood Reporter, Cruz and Bardem may potentially have their names added to “the Hollywood blacklist” for voicing their anti-Israeli opinion, “in a town whose power brokers tend to be strong supporters of Israel.”

Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh did not mind publicizing his outrage at the Spanish couple, saying that “anyone calling what's going on in Israel 'genocide' vs. self-defense is either ignorant and shouldn't be commenting or is truly anti-Semitic.”

According to the same source, Jon Voight, another Pro-Israeli Hollywood star, fired back at Cruz and Bardem through an open letter on August 2, in which he stated: "I am asking all my peers who signed that poison letter against Israel to examine their motives. Can you take back the fire of anti-Semitism that is raging all over the world now?"

Yet public opinion seems divided as to whether the Spanish couple, along with all other celebs who have expressed similar opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, might face career curbs.

Despite his open letter, Voight himself said that Cruz and Bardem should not to be blacklisted in Hollywood for openly voicing their opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Yet, other reactions echoed serious concern about the professional side-effects of the Spanish couple’s political opinions. Some views in Hollywhood have even anticipated that Cruz and Bardem may face a fate similar to Mel Gibson’s, who was dropped by film agency WME for allegedly making anti-Semitic remarks in 2010.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed

White House: Moroccan Illegal Immigrant Honored as Champion of Change

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Kamal Essaheb, Moroccan Illegal Immigrant Honored as Champion of Change at White House

Rabat- Kamal Essaheb, a young Moroccan who came to US as an illegal immigrant, has been recognized as a "Champion of Change" at a White House ceremony.

In 1992, Karim Essaheb was brought to the United States as an 11-year-old child. He did not have legal status.

Still, Kamal has become a success story in America, after applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program established by President Barack Obama to provide living and working status for undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children.

Karim said in an article in which he told his story that he had such humble ambitions when he was brought from Morocco to the land of freedom in 1992. “At the time, my brothers and I just hoped we would get to see Disneyland one day.”

22 years later, Kamal’s determination and hard work have taken him much further than his humble ambitions, and landed him in the celebrated halls of the white house as 2014’s Champion of Change.

In the years leading up to 2003, Kamal’s father has been working as a cab driver, while his mother was a homemaker. They worked in order to establish a modest life in Queens, NY.

In 2003, the family’s residence in US was put in jeopardy. As a result, “my father, my brothers and I were required to report to our local Immigration and Naturalization Service office at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, which we did,” Kamal said.  “We were all placed in removal proceedings,” he continues.

A few months after the removal proceedings began, Kamal started at Fordham Law School in the Stein Scholars Program in Public Interest Law and Ethics, despite the legal turmoil his family faced.

“Bewildered and overwhelmed by the events of the preceding months which had shattered the constancy and comfort of life as I had known it, I struggled for normalcy and continued to work towards my goals,” he said.

After graduating from Fordham Law School, Kamal became a practicing immigration attorney at CUNY Citizenship Now, a nonprofit immigration legal services provider in New York City. Karim did not have legal status until he was granted it under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012.

Today, he is a DACA recipient who works for the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), where he engages in advocacy and technical assistance related to access to legal status for immigrants.

“At NILC, his advocacy focuses on passage of the DREAM Act, implementation of DACA, and state and local enforcement of immigration law,” reads his profile on the While House website.

This month, the Obama Administration recognized him and nine other young adults from Mexico, Colombia, Taiwan, the Philippines, and New Delhi as Champions of Change at a White House ceremony.

Kim Kardashian: Morocco’s Argan Oil is My Beauty Secret

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Kim Kardashian, Morocco’s Argan Oil is My Beauty Secret

Rabat- Rabat Kim Kardashian has revealed that Morocco’s Argan oil from Morocco is her skin secret.

 American reality TV star Kim Karadashian said that Argan oil has a special place in her daily beauty routine in order to keep her skin and hair moisturized.

Called “Liquid Gold”, Argan oil is one of the world’s most rare and expensive essential oils. The 200-year-old Argan tree grows only in the Sous Valley of Southern Morocco. In this region, native Berbers have been using culinary Argan oil in their recipes.

Meanwhile, it has become a source of living for the Amazigh women in this remote region, as it has shown marvelous results in healing skin, hair, and nails, bringing them to excellent healthy condition.

In addition, Argan oil has gained the attention of many of the world’s female celebrities, and has become an essential part of their beauty routine. Those celebrities, includes Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Eva Mendes, Salma Hayek, Taylor Swift, Madonna, and Scarlet Johansson.

The Daily Mail revealed in a recent report that stars’ love of Argan oil boosts business in Morocco and empowers Moroccan women.

“Beauty secret: Radiant beauties Kim Kardashian and Eva Mendes swear by the power of Argan oil - and the production of it in Morocco is helping women earn a living in a remote desert where work is hard to find,” according to Daily Mail.

The British news website points out that the Tighanimine Cooperative, the world’s first Fairtrade certified women’s Argan Oil cooperative, gives Berber women the financial independence to support their families. “The income is helping to change not only the women’s lives, but also their family’s too.” Daily Mail concluded.

 Photo credit: US Magazine.com    

Humans Of New York Creator Displaying Tender Portraits From Middle East

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A young Girl posing to a picture in Middle East

New Jersey - Images found on the popular blog Humans of New York are familiar to many of us: A man wearing dreads talking about his relationship with his father in Central Park. A woman sitting against a wall perhaps waiting for a train at Grand Central Station and even a  group of Muslims praying on a soccer field in Jamaica, Queens.

[caption id="attachment_136621" align="aligncenter" width="960"]Brandon Stanton:Humans Of New York Brandon Stanton:Humans Of New York[/caption]

However as of Aug. 7, creator and photographer Brandon Stanton isn’t in the Empire State anymore, but traveling 25,000 miles on a tour to ten different countries to raise awareness for the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. As part of the initiative, Stanton will help focus on eight objectives from ensuring environmental sustainability to eradicate world poverty and hunger.

we can end poverty 2015

Stanton traveled to the city of Erbil first where the Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking religious minority in Iraq, are escaping attacks by ISIS militants. His photos mark a shift from recognizable sidewalks and park benches to red dirt, open markets, and even a different take on microfashion.

In one image, Stanton reveals a slice of life from a young Syrian refugee who left behind a college career for shelter and work in Iraq. In another, a man in Jordan is seen standing along side a decoratively adorned camel.

[caption id="attachment_136625" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Brandon Stanton:Humans Of New York Brandon Stanton:Humans Of New York[/caption]

In a post to his over 8 million followers from all over the world, Stanton says he hopes these varying stories of individuals will help to inspire a global perspective.

Many HONY followers on Facebook criticize the media for not doing enough to show a different slant to the crisis in the Middle East.

For some, these pictures humanize the unrest in places like Iraq where visions of corruption, death and destruction are overflowing.

One commenter wrote, "In just a few days these photographs have done more to humanize the Middle East than forty years of US media coverage. Thank you HONY."

Another said, "The world really needs to see REAL Arabs instead of mentally dysfunctional terrorists. So thank you so much, HONY, for doing thisPeace from Algeria."

However, not everyone is a believer. Another comment reads, "I don't understand the postings of everyday Jordanian people, how does it make me feel better about Iraq, Gaza and Syria?"

She adds bustling cities in the Middle East have rooftops and women dressed in bikinis just like everywhere else in the world.

Another comment calls these photos "anti-sematic."

After visiting Jordan, Stanton will move on to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya followed by Uganda, Ukraine, India, Vietnam, then to Ecuador and finally the Amazon, according to ABC News.

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