RABAT: Morocco has decided to suspend the operations of the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television news channel in Rabat and withdrawn the accreditations of its staff, the commmunications ministry announced yesterday. The ministry said |the sanctions followed "numerous failures in (following) the rules of serious and responsible journalism".thestar...

Web Stores Show 3.99% Fall In Canon PowerShot S95

Web stores show fall in concrete transaction figures for the Canon PowerShot S95 for October 30th 2010 Internet shops in Finland had the poorest day with figures down 8.45%. Spain, Greece, Morocco and Australia also had rather frail figures. Fifty-seven online stores reported an upturn of more than sixteen with the most robust at 16.16%,...

Morocco - € 11 Billion in Transport Infrastructure Investments

Morocco (Marrakech) - Transport and Equipment Minister Karim Ghellab said that Morocco has earmarked 11 billion euros for transport infrastructure over the period 2008-2012.Ghellab, who was speaking during a meeting on "The risks of under-investment in infrastructure," held in Marrakech as part of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East...

Schwab's '2010 Social Entrepreneur of the Year' prize awarded to Morocco's M'hammed Abbad Andaloussi

Marrakech - The 2010 Social Entrepreneur of the Year in the MENA region prize, awarded by "Schwab" Foundation for social entrepreneurship, was given, on Tuesday in Marrakech, to Morocco's M'hammed Abbad Andaloussi, president of the "Al-Jisr" association. Through this prestigious award the Foundation will support the "Al-Jisr" association,...

Farfus tops morning practice

BMW Team RBM’s Augusto Farfus posted the quickest time in morning practice for the World Touring Car Championship races at the Okayama International CircuitAfter switching to a six-speed sequential gearbox - as his team-mate Andy Priaulx had done the day before – Farfus’s time of a minute 38.085 seconds was set halfway through the 30-minute...

MOROCCO LAUNCHES TWO-YEAR ANTI-CORRUPTION DRIVE

Morocco unveiled a two-year plan on Friday aimed at fighting corruption, saying graft destroys 2 percent of gross domestic product and saps its "cultural values".Among 43 new measures are asset declarations for top state officials, government protection of anti-graft whistle-blowers, anti-graft classes in schools and channels for the public...

British Ambassador: Morocco is making great efforts in economic development

Morocco (Rabat) - The British Ambassador in Rabat, Timothy Morris, has said his country is impressed by Morocco's efforts in the area of economic development, expressing the UK's willingness to benefit from the investment opportunities the Kingdom of Morocco has to offer."Morocco is making great efforts in the area of economic development,...

The view from Morocco, MENA's western frontier

If vibrant colors, sights and sounds were rated as indicators to attract business and foreign direct investment, Marrakech and Morocco in general would win that competition hands down. Entering the giant market square Jemaa El Fna a half hour before sunset takes one to a bygone era. Traders, craftsmen and the odd purveyor of black magic...

Boy Killed By Spanish Police in Occupied City, in Northern Morocco

A 16-year-old Muslim teenager from Melilla was killed, on Thursday evening by a rubber bullet fired at close range by the Spanish Civil Guard, in clashes between demonstrators and the police in the "La Canada de Hidume" neighborhood in the occupied city of Melilla, media reported on Friday.The young Younès died of his wounds, the same sources...

Morocco Foreign Investment May Rise to $3.5 Billion

Morocco expects foreign direct investment to increase by as much as 40 percent in 2011 as the global economy recovers from its worst recession since World War II, a government minister said.The North African country may attract up to $3.5 billion next year, compared with an estimated $2.5 billion in 2010, Economy and Finance Minister Salaheddine...

Funding development - Kuwait invests $1 billion in Morocco

Morocco (Rabat) - The Kuwaiti investments in Morocco reached about 8 billion dirhams ($1 billion) in various sectors, Morocco's Economy and Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar said on Thursday. These investments significantly increased with a tendency for more sectoral diversification, Mezouar told the press following the signing ceremony...

Economic Commission for Africa: Morocco adopts green economy approach

Addis Ababa - Morocco is among the first African countries to be committed to a "green economy" rich and efficient at the energy level, said the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Morocco's commitment to a "green economy" would open up new prospects particularly in terms of sustainable growth, employment and skills development, said...

Football-CAF Cup: FUS of Morocco beats Al-Ittihad of Libya

Fath Union Sport (FUS) of Morocco on Friday beat Al-Itti had of Libya 2-1 at 11 June Stadium of Tripoli in the first leg of the semi-finals for the Confederation Cup. Hammouda Ben Chrifa scored a goal in each for FUS before Al-Ittihad pulled one back deep inside injury time through Younes Chinbani.afriquejet...

Morocco seeks 175,000 T milling wheat on local mkt

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's state grain agency ONICL is seeking 175,000 tonnes of soft wheat from its domestic market aimed at supplying mills to make subsidised flour, it said on Friday. The tender will take place on November 3 at 1000 GMT, ONICL said in a statement. Morocco, the world's tenth-biggest wheat importer, favours its local production...

Gulf offers great opportunity for tapping into MENA potential, says Bahrain Economic Development Board chief

BAHRAIN. There are great opportunities to invest in the Gulf and tap into the growth of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), told CNBC on Wednesday. In an interview from the World Economic Forum (WEF) on the Middle East and North...

Middle East Global Forum Shows Path to Prosperity

MARRAKECH - The Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) region "is poised to reclaim the great leadership it showed 1,000 years ago when it was at the cutting edge of civilization", according to businesspersons and government officials. The logic behind this 'vision for the future' -- presented by a leading U.S. manager, David M. Rubenstein,...

A history of drama in Africa’s club final

It was in 1997 that the current format of the CAF Champions League was introduced, a radical change for the competition from decades of straight two-legged knockout rounds. The advent of television coverage, a single sponsor for the tournament and a dividend for the participating teams was a giant leap for African football into the modern...

Rally de Maroc: Despres' happy return

The Morocco Rally finished with a Red Bull 1-2-3 with France’s Cyril Despres finishing ahead of Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues and Marc Coma of Spain third. Despres had returned from six months away from the sport following the birth of his daughter to win the Morocco Rally. While his team-mate Marc Coma completed a remarkable comeback of his...

Zenagui Says Morocco Tourism Revenue Growth to More Than Double

Oct. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Moroccan Tourism Minister Yassir Zenagui said growth in tourism revenue, a major contributor to the North African state’s economy, is expected to more than double this year. Almost 10 million tourists may visit, with revenue growth accelerating to 14 percent from 6 percent last year, Zenagui said in an interview recorded...

Attijariwafa Bank of Morocco Plans to Open New Branches in West Africa

Attijariwafa Bank, the largest publicly traded lender in Morocco, is planning to open more branches in West Africa, Co-Chief Executive Officer Ismail Douiri said. “We want to expand around the markets we already have in West Africa,” Douiri said yesterday in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Marrakesh. Attijariwafa operates in 22...