Morocco ranks low on inclusive growth, development ranking: WEF

Rabat – Morocco has been ranked low in a first of its kind global rankings about inclusive growth and development issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The Switzerland-based think tank has ranked Morocco in the bottom half of the 38 countries that make up the lower middle income category. The report assesses the efforts of 112 economies to foster economic growth and reduce income inequality.

Areas where Morocco ranks low include employment and labor compensation (productive employment, wage and non-wage labor compensation), where it ranks 27 out of 38, on Education and skills Development (access, quality, equity) at 24 and 18th on corruption and rents (business and political ethics and concentration of rents).

However, Morocco does demonstrate leadership in other areas. It ranks third in fiscal transfers (tax code and social protection), on asset building and entrepreneurship (small business ownership) at 4th and on basic services and infrastructure (basic and digital infrastructure, health-related services and infrastructure) at sixth. Morocco also ranks 13 out of 38 in financial intermediation of real economy investment (financial system inclusion, intermediation of business investment).

Globally, Norway has come on the top in terms of labour, employment and compensation, while Switzerland is on the top in terms of basic infrastructure and services. Finland is ranked at top of education and skills, asset building and entrepreneurship.

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Leaked Video Shows Inhumane Conditions in Polisario Prisons

Rabat – A video posted on YouTube shows the inhumane conditions inside a Polisario prison in the Tindouf camps in Algeria.

The jail has been allegedly used by separatists with the support of the Algerian secret services  to house prisoners who disagree with the leaders of the front or  believe that  Morocco’s Autonomy Plan proposal is the most realistic solution that would pave the way towards finding a mutually acceptable political solution to the long-lasting Western Sahara conflict.

The video shows the living conditions behind bars in the Polisario-run prison, with prisoners kept in inhumane and miserable conditions. .

The video highlights the other face of the Polisario conflict that goes unreported in most mainstream media. Prisoners opened their hearts to the cameraman and talked openly about the sufferings they undergo every day in this hell.

One of the prisoners was burned in both palms of his hands and his belly, apparently from the cruel tortures he experienced inside the prison. While he needs medical care, he has not been offered any.

Another prisoner who introduced himself as Mohammed ben Mahmoud Messoud said: “I am here in the prison for more than one year without trial. I am calling on the Human Rights Organization to find a solution to our ordeal. I and some others are minors, and the elders harass and abuse us.”

The third prisoner who appeared in the video does not know his name, where he is from nor that he is behind bars.

When asked, the only reply he gives is “I don’t know,” with an innocent smile that reveals his mental illness.

A 14-year-old young boy, who introduced himself as Si Mohamed Lamine Ahmad sidi Ahmed Khayri, said “I am sentenced to one year jail.” He called on Human Right Organizations to take their case seriously.

Many prisoners, including underage children, disabled and mentally challenged people are suffering alone inside the prison of shame away from international public awareness. Many are kept for years without trial and without the possibility for their families to come and visit them.

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Van Gaal Says £36m Anthony Martial Fee was “Ridiculous”

Rabat – Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal admitted that the amount of money his club spent to sign the teenage Anthony Martial from AS Monaco is “ridiculous.”

The 19-year-old French international joined Manchester United from Monaco during the summer transfer window in an initial £36 million deal, which could rise to £58.8million.

Speaking at an hour-long fan event in Manchester on Wednesday night, Van Gaal said the deal showcased how United routinely charges over the odds for players because of how much money they have at their disposal, according to The Times.

The Times quoted the 64-year-old coach as saying that “the projected fee paid for the 19-year-old Frenchman was ‘a ridiculous amount of money’.”

Meanwhile, he believed that Martial would be a success in the future, adding that he bought the player with a long-term view in mind.

“I have not bought Martial for me, I have bought him for the next manager of Manchester United,” he said.

He added of Giggs: “I feel I am introducing the next manager of Manchester United.”

The United manager also said that he doesn’t expect his club to win the Premier League title this season, saying he believes the Red Devils will finish third or second.

However, Van Gaal did not wish to comment on a separate report in The Times that senior players had revolted against his training methods.

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Tattoos For Good Cause: Brazilian Artist Covers Scars for Women Victims of Crime

Casablanca – A scar lasts a lifetime and are a constant reminder of what has happened.

For victims of violence or serious illnesses, scars are often an ordeal that they have to relive on a daily basis. Flavia Carvalho, a tattoo artist from Brazil decided to help a client’s disfigured skin (due to gunshot wounds, knife wounds, open fractures and mastecomy-surgery to remove a breast) by covering scars with beautiful tattoo designs.

Without payment, Carvalho stitches the tattoos on female scars as a sign of strength and beauty. Equally important to note, the aim is to give these women a new sense of life without feeling ashamed of their skin and story. By turning their scars into something beautiful, these women can move on and learn to accept themselves for the way they look.

Moreover, in 2012 Flavia Carvalho founded the project ‘A Pele Da Flor’ (in English: The Skin of the Flower) in her tattoo studio located in the city of Curitiba in southeastern Brazil. In her studio, Carvalho welcomes every woman that wants to hide a traumatising scar without charge.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, the artist said that “everything started when a woman asked me to cover a large scar on her abdomen with a tattoo. She was stabbed by a man in a nightclub. When the woman saw the finished tattoo, she was so happy … that has touched me very much.”

From then on, Carvalho’s idea was born. However, the generous tattoo artist never really thought that the national and international feedback would be so great, which she explained in the following way to Huffington Post: “I started the project in order to help women victims of crime. I never thought that this would receive so much media attention…”

Many of the victims were either sexually abused, in an abusive relationship or are cancer survivors. Thus, the tattoo artist used her talent to “erase” the scars of the negative experience by covering them artwork.

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Hachim Mastour: I am Proud to Play for Morocco

Rabat – Italian-born Hachim Mastour said in an interview with Qatari-owned BeIN Sports that he is proud to play for the Moroccan national team.

The 17-year-old midfielder, who made his international debut for Morocco against Libya on June 12th, confessed to the BeIN Sports microphone that his choice of the Moroccan national team stems from the fact that he is, first and foremost, a Moroccan.

Mastour, who recently joined Spanish side of FC Malaga on loan from AC Milan, also denied that Milan had anything to say regarding his decision to wear the Moroccan jersey.

The Moroccan wonderkid still can’t play for Malaga because he is only 17. However, Mastour said that playing for the Andalucian side is an essential phase for his growth as a player.

The former Real Madrid target took part in in his first training with FC Malaga on Sunday.

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Made in Morocco T-shirts Cause Controversy in France

Taroudant – “T-shirts made in Morocco were distributed by French far-right party National Front have created controversy in social media in France.

Being a fervent defender of goods made in France, the party came under a wave of criticism for importing t-shirts from Morocco.

The sale of goods manufactured abroad does not fit with the official view of the party of Marine Le Pen.

Sylvain Chazot, a political reporter for Europe 1, posted on Twitter a photo with statement that reads the T-shirts sold at the party’s Summer University are labeled “Made in Morocco”.

Les Tshirts FN vendus à l’université d’été sont made in Morocco http://pic.twitter.com/HvJomsVt1F

— Sylvain Chazot (@sychazot) September 5, 2015

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David Perrotin, a society journalist for BuzzFeed France, also posted another photo of a product that is made in China.

Un produit dérivé du #FN made in China, c’est ballot quand même #préférencenationale #udtfn http://pic.twitter.com/XTUsxZRZYV

— David Perrotin (@davidperrotin) September 5, 2015

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When asked by the French press about the t-shirts made in Morocco sold by her party, National Front President Marine Le Pen did not wish to speak, apparently uncomfortable.

“I assure you that the National Front does buy anything made by foreign companies. It exclusively works with French companies employing French employees,” said a party activist.

“I do not understand why we have these T-shirts,” said another activist, interviewed by Le Point. “We take only ‘made in France’ products. If Marine Le Pen saw them, she would immediately remove them,” he added.

Other activists said that the only reason t-shirts made in Morocco were sold at the Summer University is the fact that “these t-shirts are cheaper than those made in France.”

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Oum El Ghait Benssahraoui To Release New Album “Zarabi”

Rabat – Following her successful 2013 album, “Soul of Morocco,” Moroccan Sahrawi singer Oum El Ghait Benssahraoui will release her new album, entitled ‘Zarabi’ (Carpets), on September 22 as a tribute to the colorful carpets of M’hamid El Ghizlane, formerly known as Taragalte, a rural commune in the province of Zagora, located in the far south-east of Morocco.

The album features various styles of Moroccan music, including Gnawa, Jazz and Hassanya, that reflect Oum’s creativity and ability to incorporate Moroccan culture into her tracks. It also includes the music of well-known artists such as the percussionist Mohammed Krija and Yacir Rami.

Oum EL Ghait, which literally means “Mother of relief,” is the first name that Moroccan Sahrawi nomads give to baby girls born on a rainy day, believing that it is the luck of the new born that brings with it water and relief.

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Manchester United’s Stars Revolt against Van Gaal Training Methods

Rabat – Manchester United’s Manager Loui Van Gaal is under fire as it was revealed that senior players have apparently revolted against him over his training methods.

The Times reported on Thursday that a delegation of United’s senior players have confronted the Dutchman over what they believe are “stifling methods”.

The seasoned stars report dissatisfaction since according to them Van Gaal’s approach to training is too “rigid” and does not allow to “express” themselves enough.

The players said they no longer enjoy the game, adding that the squad felt they were being turned into “robots”.

A separate report by the Daily Mail claimed the unhappy delegation was led by the United’s Captain Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick.

The Times said that, after dressing-room talks, senior figures had approached the Dutchman several weeks ago “to raise complaints about a lack of creativity” and to express their concern that “training orders have become so inflexible that they are hampering performances.”

This confrontation is reportedly linked to United’s stuttering start to the domestic campaign, in which the English club has scored three goals in four matches in the Barclays Premier League.

Multiple British media reports said although Van Gaal listened to the players’ concerns, nothing has changed so far.

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Morocco Among Top Buyers of French Arms: Report

Rabat – Morocco is the sixth buyer of French weapons in the world during the period 2014-2015, says a new report by the French Defense Ministry.

According to the report, Morocco spent an estimated 1.3 billion EUR to acquire French manufactured weaponry, making the kingdom the first buyer of French arms in Africa and the sixth in the world preceded by oil-rich Saudi Arabia, India, Brazil, UAE and the United States.

Among Morocco’s arms purchases, the kingdom bought 960,000 euros worth of anti-tank missiles and spent 12 million euros on acquiring helicopters and their components. During the same period, Morocco also received spare parts for military vehicles and warships, military telecommunication equipment, tactical equipment and riot gear, 71 automatic rifles and 234 guns.

According to the same report, France sold 8.2 billion euros of weapons in 2014, an 18 per cent increase. The figures put France in fourth place in terms of global arms exports, behind the United States, Russia and China.

France’s main markets over the period 2010 to 2014 were the Middle East (38 per cent), Asia (30 per cent), Europe (13 per cent), the Americas (11 per cent) and Africa (4 per cent).

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The US Opens Military Base in Southern Spain to Cover North Africa Region

Rabat – Spain’s House of Representatives has approved an agreement to allow the United States make its military presence at the Moron de la Frontera military base in Seville permanent.

The American troops stationed in the base are expected to protect American embassies in North Africa and intervene in conflicts and humanitarian crises in the region.

With 239 votes in favor, seven against and three abstentions, the Spanish Senate also agreed to convert the Moron de la Frontera military base into a permanent U.S. base.

The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) recently used the base, located in Spain’s Andalusia region, for crisis response operations in Africa and to contain the Ebola outbreak.

Through the base, the US aims to strengthen its military presence in the North Africa region plagued by insecurity and heightened violence. The base has a task force of 2,200 military personnel, 500 civilians and 21 transport aircrafts.

The US troops were allowed on to the base for the first time in April 2013 following the deadly attack on the US consulate in Libya’s Benghazi on September 11, 2012. The attack claimed the life of US Ambassador Christopher Stephens and three other Americans.

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