Marrakech- The Irish based Circle Oil announced that it had found a new onshore gas discovery with the CGD-12 well according to its website. It said that the well encountered 9.7 meters of net pay.

The two target reservoirs are the main Hoot reservoir which had gas flowing at a rate of 4.62 million cubic feet per day, and the secondary Intra Hoot reservoir which had 2.21 million cubic feet per day. Circle said the well drilling will now be completed to allow for future production.

The chief executive of Circle Oil, Chris Green, said he was “very pleased” to have achieved another successful discovery on the Sebou Permit with “additional reserves for potential gas production.” He noted that this was the second of six well programs to be drilled in connection with ONHYM which is linked to another six well drilling program on the Lalla Mimouna permit. Circle will now drill the KSR-12 well on the third on the Sebou permit.

In a note to investors, the company Investec, quoted by the Irish Times said that although the discoveries by Circle were small, so far they had low well costs due to Morocco’s favorable fiscal policies and the local demand for gas.

The Irish Times notes that Circle Oil signed a loan agreement of $100 million earlier this year to fund new discoveries in Egypt and Morocco. The loan becomes repayable in June 2018.

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New York (UN) - Guatemala and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) called on Tuesday in New York parties to the conflict over the ‘Western Sahara’ to "show political will and cooperate in order to provide a platform conducive to dialogue" stressing their support for UN efforts for a "just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution."

The deputy permanent representative of Guatemala to the UN Monica Bolanes Peres underlined her country's support for UN efforts aimed at helping the parties to the conflict "to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution."

For Guatemala it is "necessary to urge the parties to continue to show political will and cooperate in order to provide a platform conducive to dialogue with the aim to engage in a more intensive and substantial stage of negotiations in accordance with the relevant resolutions", the Guatemalan diplomat added during a meeting of the UN 4th Committee.

The settlement of this issue is necessary for "the stability, security and integration of the Maghreb", she noted.

Speaking on behalf of CELAC which consists of 33 states, Costa Rica's ambassador to the UN reiterated support for "efforts aiming at promoting more intensive and substantial negotiations under the auspices of the UN and in accordance with the Security Council resolutions in order to reach a final solution to this issue."

France- A Liberian man who was the first person diagnosed with Ebola outside of Africa has died in a Texas hospital, officials said Wednesday.

"It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning at 7:51 am (1251 GMT)," said the statement from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas spokesman Wendell Watson.

"Mr. Duncan succumbed to an insidious disease, Ebola. He fought courageously in this battle."

Meanwhile, US media reported that airports were to begin tougher screening of passengers arriving from the West African nations where Ebola has killed more than 3,400 people since the beginning of the year.

Quoting a federal official, the Washington Post reported that travelers from West Africa would be subjected to Ebola screening at five US airports -- Atlanta, Chicago's O'Hare, New York's JFK and Newark airports and Dulles in Washington -- as early as this weekend.

CNN, also citing anonymous sources, said temperatures would be taken of travelers from a so-called "Ebola zone," including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.

NBC News added that travelers would be asked to fill out questionnaires as well

Duncan flew from Liberia to Texas to visit family, arriving in Dallas on September 20. He began feeling sick four days later, but was not hospitalized until September 28.

The Texas health care system came under heavy criticism for initially turning Duncan away when he first sought care on September 25.

Duncan was sent home even after he reported Ebola-like symptoms and said he had recently traveled from Liberia, the hardest-hit nation in the current outbreak.

"The past week has been an enormous test of our health system, but for one family it has been far more personal. Today they lost a dear member of their family," said Texas health commissioner David Lakey.

"They have our sincere condolences, and we are keeping them in our thoughts."

Lakey said that the medical team in Texas has "provided excellent and compassionate care, but Ebola is a disease that attacks the body in many ways."

Duncan's condition worsened from serious to critical over the weekend. On Saturday, he began receiving an experimental treatment called brincidofovir.

On Monday, doctors said his liver function had declined, and that he was on a ventilator and was receiving kidney dialysis.

Health officials are monitoring dozens of people who may have come in contact with Duncan, including about 10 who are considered at high risk of contracting Ebola.

The virus is spread through close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, or by touching the corpse of a person who has died of Ebola, experts say.

US hospitals in Nebraska and Georgia have successfully treated and released three American missionaries who were infected with Ebola in West Africa.

A fourth US doctor was treated at Emory University Hospital after becoming infected with Ebola in Sierra Leone. His name and condition were never released by officials.

Another US national who worked as a freelance cameraman for NBC News, Ashoka Mukpo, arrived in Nebraska this week for treatment after catching Ebola in Liberia.

The first known US citizen to come down with Ebola, dual American-Liberian national Patrick Sawyer, died in July after traveling by plane from Liberia to Nigeria.

Fez- One of the world's most prominent Islamic institutions, Al-Azhar Mosque and University, denied it had issued a formal statement implying the invalidity of the celebration of this year's Eid al-Adha in Morocco. Whereas Eid al-Adha, one of the Islamic lunar calendar's holiest days, was celebrated on Saturday in most Muslim countries, Morocco celebrated the Eid on Sunday.

In clarifying the confusion, Al-Azhar said that views, opinions or statements by scholars associated with the University do not reflect the official position of the institution.

According to Moroccan news website hespress.com, Dr. Abbas Shuman, Secretary General of the Council of Senior Scholars of Al-Azhar, said that the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, has never given a fatwa or a statement regarding the invalidity of Eid al-Adha celebration in Morocco.

Dr. Shuman described published claims that Al-Azhar denied the validity of the celebration as"fraudulent and an unacceptable fabrication," and said that they do not reflect the institution's official opinion. He pointed out that scholars associated with Al-Azhar are free to express their views, but those views should not to be attributed to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, nor to the official establishment.

"The Under secretary of Al-Azhar confirms that the establishment of al-Azhar as well as all bodies affiliated with it did not issue any statement or announcements that invalidate Morocco's celebration of  Eid al-Adha on Sunday," a statement by the under secretary of al-Azhar said.

In a controversial statement, Youssef Eid, Secretary General of the Fatwa at Al-Azhar Mosque, said Sunday that Morocco’s celebration of the first day of Eid al-Adha“is religiously not permissible because it violates Muslim customs and breaks the consensus.”

The Egyptian scholar said that Moroccans should celebrate EidAladha, which is the 10^th day of the Islamic lunar month of DhoulHijja, on the same day as Saudi Arabia, where the Muslim annual hajj (pilgrimage) takes place on the day of Arafat, the 9th day of Dhoul Hijja.

He went on to add that Morocco’s Eid prayers, as well as fasting, is invalid, since doesn’t coincide with the dates used by Saudi Arabia. It is a “breach of the consensus among Muslims and not religiously permissible,” he claimed.

New York (UN) - Morocco reiterated before the UN fourth committee its steadfast attachment to the political process in the ‘Western Sahara’, which necessarily depends on the UN Secretariat's neutrality and MINURSO's impartiality.

While its condemned Algeria's involvement in this issue, he warned that any attempt to override this mandate will endanger the presence of the mission itself.

As part of its right to respond to some delegations which called for broadening the MINURSO mandate to include a human rights mechanism or for self-determination, Morocco's deputy permanent representative to the UN Abderrazzak Laassel underlined that Morocco is against any alteration of principles and parameters governing whether the presence of MINURSO in the Sahara or facilitating political negotiations, and warned that any attempt to override the MINURSO mandate would put at risk the presence of the mission itself.

 The Moroccan diplomat expressed his astonishment about Algeria's use of its right to respond without being named or cited by Morocco while it claims that it is not a party to the dispute over the Sahara.

Laassel denounced Algeria's stance of misreading UN resolution 1514 and recalled that the Sahara issue is dealt with by the UNSC under Chapter VI of the UN Charter for peaceful settlement of disputes and not as a matter of decolonization as claimed by Algeria which made reference to the latest report by the UNSG.

The Moroccan diplomat recalled also that the UNSC has, in a wise gesture, overlooked the report's deviations.

By Majid Morceli

San Francisco - The recent arrest of the British citizen who happens to be gay shed light on several issues in Morocco.

The flawed judicial system, incompetency of the authorities, the prison conditions, the rampant injustice, child abuse, and, on the positive side, the happy ending to Mr. Cole’s saga, also demonstrates that human kindness wins in the end.

In Morocco you can be arrested and prosecuted based on a hunch from someone in authority. Mr. Ray Cole and his chat friend were at a bus stop when they were interrogated, had their belongings confiscated, and were ultimately arrested and imprisoned. Law enforcement authorities reported that photos found on his phone were sufficient to build a case against the two men.

Such thing would never happen in a place where the rule of law is the rule and not the exception.

Many say that Morocco is a Muslim country and homosexuality is a criminal offense, and I happen to agree with that. Everyone should follow the rules of the host country. Mr. Cole was never caught in the act, never exhibited a homosexual behavior in public, he was simply waiting for the bus with his friend or lover. In 2014 in Morocco, you are still and always at the mercy of someone’s likely ill-conceived judgment.

 I am the product of Morocco and I remember vividly when police officers or auxiliary forces would come out of nowhere to ask us to show identity documents for no valid reasons. If one happens to forget one’s National ID card, this is grounds for arrest or detention.

Sexual relations outside marriage are punishable by law in Morocco. If you happen to be walking in the street with your sister, female cousin, or god forbid a girlfriend, any law officer has the right to inquire about the relationship between the two of you. Moroccan decision-makers need to decide if we want to be Morocco or would rather be Saudi Arabia or Iran. We cannot be both. It is wrong and it goes against the image that we try to project to the outside world.

We cannot tell the world that we are an open-minded, accepting society when in fact we are not. I understand that a big part of Morocco’s economy is based on tourism, and we need to be attractive to potential tourists, but we simply cannot lie and hope that the world is naïve and will believe everything we say when our actions are totally different from what we preach.  One way to entice potential tourists to come visit and invest in Morocco is by working on reforming our judicial system. Prospective visitors or investors need to feel that they are safe and their rights are protected when they are in Morocco.

After his release, Mr. Cole shed light on the prison conditions in Morocco, stating that they were “horrendous,” with inmates as young as 10 and as old as 90 being held “for nothing.”  Moroccan prisons are extremely crowded and our flawed judicial system is to blame. Due process is nonexistent and our attorneys and judges are corrupt, incompetent, or powerless. However, to be fair to these public officials, they have not chosen the environment in which they work. They did not create this legal environment, and it exists because it is not economically viable to have a system in place that works.

Injustice in Morocco is so prevalent that it has become normal. You can spend time in jail for petty crime, and the real criminals never spend a minute in jail. They are able to corrupt themselves out of any situation, including capital crimes. Every now and then, you read that a high-level personality has been prosecuted. This is simply to show that Morocco is reforming the justice system when in if fact it is not; the road to reform is arduous and very few are willing to tackle this problem.

Mr. Cole has seen children as young as ten years old in prison, and he is not making this up.  Children in Morocco do get arrested without any possibility of ever getting help. Children are children and should not be treated or tried as adults. Children need help and if their parents or guardians cannot help them, there should be a mechanism in place that will get them the help they need. When the authorities in Morocco jail children, they need to understand that they are creating future monsters. A prison is not a juvenile rehabilitation facility.

Elderly folks also rot in jail for long agonizing years and get forgotten because no one asks for them anymore. Aren’t we supposed to be Muslims and are not Muslims supposed to be compassionate and forgiving toward their fellow men and women, especially when they are at an advanced age?

I read many of the comments in social media about this case and the majority of Moroccans sadly believe that jails should be harsh and inhumane because it would discourage people from committing crimes. I like to inform those who hold this view that jails are harsh and inhumane in Morocco and they have not discouraged anyone from committing a crime; as a matter of fact, jails are getting more crowded even if their conditions are horrendous.

People choose not to commit crime in order to be a good citizen, and not out of fear of being jailed. The politics of fear never work; it is the tool of those who will take your rights away.

Lastly, and this is probably the most touching for me, is Mr. Cole statement that “I'm terribly sorry about him [his companion]- I want to do anything I can to help Jamal Wald Nass.”

Cole’s son, Adrian, added they would be consulting their legal team later, to discuss how they could help Mr. Nass.

This is real human kindness that we rarely witness in our own people. Anyone in Mr. Cole’s situation would forget about the whole thing, and try to move on. Instead, Mr. Cole and his family want to make sure that Wald Nass is not forgotten—they intend to hire a legal team to free him if he’s not already freed.

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

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Marrakech - On the occasion of the United Nations International Day for Older Persons on October 1, Help Age International launched the Global Age Watch Index, which ranks 96 countries in regards to the social and economic well-being of older people.

The index measures well-being for older persons in four key areas: income security, health, personal capability, and an enabling environment.

Morocco is ranked 83; the best-performing African countries are Mauritius (38), South Africa (80), Ghana (81), and finally Morocco (83).

The Carnegie Foundation states that no more than 45 percent of the working-age population in Morocco is actually employed, due to low workforce participation among women and high unemployment rates, particularly among young people.

The Foundation says that the Moroccan pension system covers barely one-third of the working population in Morocco, in comparison with 60 percent in middle-income countries and 80 percent in OECD member states. This is mainly a result of the spread of unregulated businesses that employ workers informally, as well as the presence of a large segment of self-employed people who are excluded from access to existing pension programs.

The Carnegie Foundation adds that Morocco has a fragmented system with a limited number of subscribers. This reduces the viability of a fully-fledged “pay-as-you-go” pension system in Morocco. The number of pensioners among civil servants and employees in state-owned enterprises has seen a significant increase in recent years, compared to the growth in flow of new employees. The latest figures indicate that the ratio of contributors to pensioners in the government is equal to three, in comparison with double that number a decade ago. This ratio is expected to continue its decline, given the rapid aging of the population of civil servants.

The Moroccan government has proposed raising the pension age for men to 62, but this has been met with considerable opposition from unions. As with European pension systems, Morocco’s system is in need of reform; otherwise, pension funds are likely to be bankrupt by 2020. This is because pension funds will not cover the increase in the pensioner population.

The 2014 Index shows that most African countries are still ranked low; since these countries have predominantly young populations, ageing issues are rarely high on domestic policy agendas.

Few African countries are included in the Index because internationally, comparable data sets on older people are missing. Kenya is one such country not included in the Index, despite being a regional power.

Mauritius does particularly well in the income security domain (8) and fairly well in the enabling environment (38), reflecting its long-term investment in social security for older citizens.

Other African countries included in the Index are clustered at the lower end of the rankings, with income security for older people being particularly weak. This reflects the absence of pensions and the strain on household incomes, reducing the amount of cash or in-kind support available to older family members.

The Global Age Watch Index report for 2014 focuses on pension policy and how this is being managed across the globe. Only half the world’s population can expect to receive even a basic pension in old age, and although policies supporting people in later life exist, they need to be implemented faster and more systematically, the report concludes.

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Marrakech- Civil rights activists accused New York City authorities on Tuesday of continuing to support discriminatory police surveillance of Muslims.

The complaints stem from a city appeal against a federal judge’s decision that the practice of discriminatory surveillance against Muslims is unlawful. The city urged that the surveillance was a lawful way to detect terrorist threats.

The judge’s decision in February was in response to a lawsuit accusing the New York Police Department (NYPD) of illegally spying on ordinary Muslims in mosques, restaurants, and schools in New Jersey, based on religion and race following the 9/11 attacks.

The civil rights activists claimed that Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration does not care about Muslim’s right to pray.

One advocate said the city’s stance on the issues shows that the new administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio does not care about protecting Americans’ basic right to pray,” according to the Associated Press (AP).

The Boston Marathon Bombings on April 15, 2013 caused a widespread negative reaction by Americans against Muslims.

A statement from the New York City Law Department said the brief was being misinterpreted.

Marrakch- The number of German tourists arrivals in Marrakech over the first eight months of the year rose by 36.5% compared to last year. Nights spent in Marrakech by tourists rose by 34%.

The Moroccan Tourist Office is designating Germany as a strategic market, noting that German tourists take 82 million trips per year, making it the largest market for tourism package flights. Germans are high-spending tourists who travel an average of 5 days. In Morocco, the total expenditure of German tourists increased by 13% between 2010 and 2011, from 1.46 to 1.65 billion dirhams, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the Observatory of Tourism, according to L’Economiste.

Marrakech’s Menara airport recently added an airline route to Frankfurt, operated by Lufthansa. The Frankfurt link comes after the airport recently established a link to the German capital, Berlin.

Marrakech now has 34 flights to six German cities: Berlin, Munich, Dusseldorf, Hahn, Cologne/Bonn, and Memmingen. Three additional routes are scheduled to open in 2014-15, including Düsseldorf (operated by Air Berlin) and Hamburg (operated by Germania) and Vienna (operated by Niki Air).

Lahcen Haddad, the Minister of Tourism, reassured local authorities and tourism professionals in Marrakech that the tourism market was stable, after reported cancellations due to a French government tourist warning for 28 Muslim countries, including. Morocco.

Abdessalam Bikrat, the Wali of Marrakech, stressed that there had been no evidence of tourist cancellations and no cancellation of any events in Marrakech’s busy calendar of conferences and shows.

Hamid Bentahar, the Chairman of CRT Marrakech, also confirmed that the activities in the city remained unaffected and the general trend remained extremely positive.

Rabat - King Mohammed VI delivered a speech before both houses of the parliament on Friday at the opening of the first session of the fourth legislative year of the 9th legislature.

Here follows the full text of the speech delivered by the Moroccan monarch.

Praise be to God

May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Members of Parliament,

The legislative session I am opening today is special in that it comes two years before the end of the current legislature, which, according to the Constitution, is the deadline for the adoption of all regulatory texts.

It is also a session during which the development of the political and institutional setup should be completed in order to consolidate Morocco’s economic and social achievements in various fields, which I had the opportunity to speak about in the State of the Nation and 20 August speeches.

As I said on an earlier occasion, we know who we are and where we are going. We also know what our assets are and what difficulties and challenges face us.

By the grace of the Almighty, Morocco has made substantial progress. Our vision is clear and our institutions are strong, thanks to the powers they have under the rule of law.

This is a source of pride for all of us. Whether individually or as groups, and wherever they may be, Moroccans can be proud to belong to this country.

As a Moroccan, nothing else is more valuable to me than the sense of belonging to this nation.

You, too, should express your pride in belonging to this country. You should express this pride every day and at all times, in your work, in your dealings, in your conversations, at home and in discharging your responsibilities.

For those who do not know the meaning of patriotism and who fail to praise Almighty God for all He has bestowed on this country, I say: Look at what is happening in several countries in the region. This is a lesson for those with good judgment. Morocco, for its part, is confidently forging ahead to catch up with emerging countries.

The sense of pride in belonging to Morocco is a sincere feeling of patriotism all Moroccans should share.

It is not some commodity which can be bought and sold, nor does it fall from the sky. It is a noble feeling which comes straight from the heart and is the result of a proper upbringing and strong moral principles. It grows inside the citizen, reinforcing not only his faith but also his sense of belonging to the nation.

This feeling of pride, however, does not mean reclusiveness or superiority over others. Moroccans are known for their open-mindedness and for positive interaction with other peoples and civilizations.

To preserve and nurture this feeling, many efforts are needed, together with untiring action to make sure all citizens lead a dignified life and enjoy their rights as citizens. In return, they are expected to fulfill their duties.

Now I should like to speak to you, the politicians, and say: You are at the forefront of those who are expected to maintain and consolidate this sense of pride by enhancing the citizens’ confidence in public and elected institutions, and by increasing the credibility and efficiency of those institutions, so that the citizens feel they are actually being served by them.

To Moroccans in general, I say: You are both the source and purpose of this sense of pride. There can be no homeland without you. You should therefore strive to reflect that pride by engaging in all aspects of national life, especially by voting in elections - which is both a right and a national duty - and thus choose those who will be in charge of running public affairs.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Members of Parliament,

At both regional and global levels, Morocco is a respected, trusted country which enjoys credibility, and which has a positive image worldwide.

Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that there are, on the other hand, parties that are envious of Morocco, its political achievements, its march towards progress, its security and stability, its historical and cultural heritage and Moroccan national pride.

My ancestor, the Messenger of Allah, may peace be upon him, said: "O God, let the number of those who envy us grow". If many people envy you, it means you have abundant assets or you have achieved a lot. Conversely, if you have nothing, you cannot be envied.

Notwithstanding the schemes of the envious, we are keen to uphold rights and freedoms. In parallel, civic duty requires state institutions to be respected. The protection of those institutions is the responsibility of the government and judicial authorities concerned, together with human rights organizations and regulatory and good governance agencies - each within their field of competence.

We are not against freedom of expression or constructive criticism. What we are against are nihilism and disloyalty to the homeland. Morocco will always be a country in which the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution will be upheld and respected.

Our country needs all its sons and daughters - all its vital, influential resources, especially civil society organizations. In this regard, I have been encouraging the constructive initiatives undertaken by civil society groups, given the positive role they play as a counterbalancing force and as a powerhouse of suggestions that contribute to constructive criticism and balance between the different powers.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Members of Parliament,

Given the matters to be dealt with, the current legislative session is of great importance as far as the country’s political process is concerned.

I should like to emphasize, in this respect, that the democratic choice made by the Moroccan people is irreversible. In fact, I am committed to seeing that this choice is further consolidated.

The pressing, inevitable question today is: Have all political stakeholders kept up with this evolution, in word as well as in deed?

Political discourse requires being honest with the citizens, making objective analyses and ensuring that stakeholders show mutual respect, so they can all be partners in serving the nation, and not just politicians divided by narrow interests.

Observers of the national political landscape in general, and of parliamentary life in particular, note that the political discourse does not always fulfill the citizens’ expectations because it is excessively centered on partisanship and party politics.

While each Member of Parliament and all political parties are rightly entitled to keep their political future in mind and to seek the confidence of voters, this should not be done at the expense of the nation’s major issues or of the citizens’ real concerns.

Political practice should primarily be based on close attention to the citizens’ needs, on constant contact with the people, on compliance with laws and on observation of ethical standards, contrary to what some elected officials do - thereby damaging their reputation and that of their party, harming their country’s best interests and undermining political practice in the truest sense of the term.

This calls for the adoption of a broad-based ethics charter, which would not be limited to articles in the rules and regulations of the two Houses of Parliament.

Above all, it is necessary to determine national priorities in a very responsible manner, and to make the spirit of compromise prevail, particularly when adopting the regulatory texts relating to constitutional institutions and the nation’s major reforms.

In this regard, the adoption of bills related to the reform of the justice system, particularly the setting up of the Higher Council of the Judiciary and the adoption of the statute for judges, should be given priority.

Indeed, the justice system guarantees the security and safety of citizens and protects their property. It is also the backbone of judicial safeguards, which in turn boost development and investment.

Concerning constitutional justice, I will soon officially set up the Constitutional Court, which will have extensive powers. In this respect, I urge both Houses of Parliament to show a keen sense of national responsibility and take into account experience, competence and probity when choosing the members that the two Houses are constitutionally entitled to elect.

Similarly, the task of setting up the institutions for participatory democracy and good governance should be completed in accordance with the new provisions. I invite the Government and Parliament to take more advantage of the expertise available in these institutions.

As you know, there are many important matters to be addressed this year, particularly the launching of advanced regionalization.

With local and regional elections less than a year away, I want to ask all political stakeholders: What programs and elites are you offering with a view to improving the management of public affairs?

The greatest challenge facing Morocco today is not simply the distribution of powers between the central government and the regions and local governments, but more particularly how to ensure that these powers are used properly in order to serve the citizens.

Accordingly, the coming elections should not be perceived as an end in themselves, so much as an opportunity for political contest between programs and elites, avoiding outbidding tactics and partisan bickering.

As far as I am concerned, there are no winners or losers in an electoral competition. All are winners. And the biggest winner of all is Morocco, for even those who fail to win the confidence of most voters contribute, through their participation, to the dynamism of elected institutions.

They are also expected to form a constructive opposition bloc and propose realistic alternatives that will ultimately help them return to the management of public affairs.

The biggest losers are those who consider their seat as a source for rentier income, or as an inheritance that is there to stay forever. When they fail to be elected, they say the elections were rigged; when they are elected, they say nothing and take advantage of the integrity of the vote to run public affairs.

As is the case all over the world, it is true that there can be violations in an electoral process. Such abuses are dealt with by the justice system and the Constitutional Court, which cancelled a number of seats in the last poll.

I therefore invite you all to be well-prepared for the upcoming elections and to show a keen sense of sincere patriotism in respecting the will of voters.

I am sure you are aware of your duty to constantly defend the nation’s territorial integrity.

In this respect, I commend the earnest efforts you have been making through party-based and parliamentary diplomacy. It is my duty as King to warn against flaws and to see to it that they are remedied. It is also my duty to give credit where credit is due.

Since my address to Parliament last year, MPs have made significant efforts, particularly to thwart attempts to exploit the issue of human rights in our Southern Provinces and during our negotiations with the European Union on a fisheries agreement.

I urge you to remain mobilized and vigilant, and to continue to counter the schemes of Morocco’s adversaries.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Members of Parliament,

I perceive human capital as our foremost asset in building on the country’s economic, social, political and human rights achievements. It is also our most important tool in rising to the challenge of development and in engaging with the knowledge and communication-based society.

I have therefore been attaching special importance to training and education, so that our citizens may be proud of their identity and embrace universal values. To this end, I have sought to carry on with efforts to reform the education and training system.

I call on the Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research to reconsider the letter and spirit of the reform as well as the approaches used so far, and to focus on the core issues I defined in last year’s 20 August Address.

I wish to refer in particular to the need to find a solution to the issue regarding the languages of instruction, to overcome ideological disputes that hinder the reform and to implement curricula that meet the requirements of development and the job market.

Moreover, particular attention should be given to vocational training and to ensuring a good command of foreign languages so that graduates may cope with technological progress and access the new jobs being created in Morocco.

I look forward to seeing the Council’s action - regarding the evaluation of the education and training charter, the broad-based dialogue and the regional meetings - lead to recommendations that can help reform Moroccan schools and enhance their performance.

Until the Council comes up with a clear road map, the sectors concerned should carry on with their reform programs and avoid any wait-and-see attitudes.

Finally, and as we celebrate National Women’s Day, on October 10, that coincides with the day on which I announced the Family Code, back in 2003, I would like to pay tribute to Moroccan women in all sectors, positions and social categories, at home and abroad, for their active contribution to the country’s development.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Members of Parliament,

This session marks a watershed in legislation, be it in terms of completing the setting up of institutions, implementing advanced regionalization or reforming the education and training system.

So - may God protect you - be up to the task. Set a good example - in word and deed - for the Moroccan people, who are proud of belonging to this nation.

“And fulfill (every) commitment, for (every) commitment will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning)”. True is the Word of God."

Rabat - A day after the release of British citizen Ray Cole, his Moroccan friend, Jamal Ould Nass has been granted provisional release, but is still likely to face prison time.

After the release of the Cole amid a strong international campaign supporting his case, social media activists launched the #FreeOuldNass movement to call for the complete freedom for Ould Nass, who was jailed alongside Cole in Marrakech for “homosexual acts.”

The petition called on activists abroad to rally to help Ould Nass and to put an end to “arresting mature people because of their private practices.”

“Ould Nass is not the victim´s real name--this nickname is used in order to protect the victim’s identity; the real name has been diffused to the extremist groups in Morocco and we believe that he is now in great danger; even in case he embraces freedom his life will still be threatened,” the petition said.

Jamal Ould Nass was arrested and imprisoned with Ray Cole for alleged, “gross indecency, homosexual intercourse and possession of pornographic images” on October 2.

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Rabat - Following Dutch media reports suggesting that the government of the Netherlands plans to call off the 1972 Moroccan-Dutch agreement on social security, Morocco’s minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Salaheddine Mezouar called Friday his Dutch counterpart Frans Timmermansm and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Frans Lodewijk Asscher, to express Morocco's deep disappointment and total rejection of this decision.

Mezouar regretted that the Dutch government unilaterally made the decision without consulting with the Moroccan authorities and without prior notification through appropriate channels, a statement of the ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation said.

Moroccan chief diplomat also deplored that such a decision takes place at a time when bilateral relations are witnessing positive developments, the same source added .

The Kingdom of Morocco is surprised that the government of the Netherlands chose to rescind the agreement, while the long-standing and strong relations between the two kingdoms should have favored responsibility and dialogue instead of rupture.

This decision, rare in international relations and unprecedented in our bilateral relations, is perceived by Morocco as an unfriendly gesture, points out the statement.

Morocco which reiterated its determination to protect and defend the interests of Moroccan nationals living in the Netherlands to mobilize all means to this end, hoped that the Dutch government will reconsider this decision and engage in dialogue in order to reach a satisfactory solution for all parties.

Rabat - The Moroccan government calls on the African Football Federation to postpone the celebration of the 2015 African Cup of Nations, which is scheduled to be held in Morocco from January 17 to February 7^th. 

In a communiqué released Friday by the Moroccan Ministry of Youth and Sport, the request was made after the Moroccan Ministry of Health stressed the need to avoid sports events that include the participation of people coming from countries affected by Ebola.

The communiqué added that a Moroccan delegation will meet next week with representatives from the African Football Federation to discuss the viability of this request.

Marrakech - King Mohammed VI delivered a landmark speech before the two houses of parliament on Friday in Rabat.

During his speech, the King criticized the lack of action and effective work of the Moroccan political class, and urged it to develop “a truly ethical charter for political action.”

“Political discourse requires being honest with the citizens, making objective analyses and ensuring that stakeholders show mutual respect, so they can all be partners in serving the nation, and not just politicians divided by narrow interests”, the King said.

Shortly after the speech, a fierce fight broke out between Parliamentary Advisor of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), Aziz Lebbar, and the Secretary General of the independence Party, Hamid Chabat, both from the city of Fez, Morocco’s third largest city.

The fight took place after Chabat addressed Lebbar congratulating him for the feast of Eid Al Adha. Instead of doing likewise, Lebbar answered him and said, “he was just a thief and he sold the city of Fez.” As soon the fight broke out, some members of Parliament tried to end it.

The PAM party member claimed that, “Chabat‘s role within the parliament is protecting thugs who have treated him aggressively.” He also accused him of destroying and burning Fez, making its people homeless, and turning it into the capital of criminality.

Lebbar called PAM, “a clean party”, and urged its members to ”cease all kinds of coordination with parties such as the one led by the criminal Chabat.” On the other hand, he called upon the party to look for other alliances that would push people to eagerly engage in politics.

Abd-el-Kader Kihal, another member of Chabat’s Independence party, condemned the behavior of Lebbar, as he emphasized that the suitable place to discuss the problems of Fez is not in the parliament.

Commenting on this incident, Chabat said, “Lebbar’s behavior is abnormal.” Additionally, he told Hespress that, “All what happened is essentially due to many actions he carried out as mayor of the city of Fez.”

Immediately after the incident the PAM party decided to exclude Lebbar from its ranks.

The incident was commented by Moroccans, who deplored the lack of civility of the MPs and their lack of respect towards the King and the Moroccan people.

Rabat- The African Football Federation (CAF) rejects Morocco’s request to postpone the upcoming African Cup of Nations (CAN) scheduled to be held in Morocco early next year.

In a communique released on Saturday, the CAF said that the CAN 2015 will be held as scheduled, adding that since the first edition in 1957,  "the Africa Cup of Nations has never witnessed a deferral or a change in schedule."

The communique went to add that CAF will examine the Moroccan request at the upcoming meeting of its Executive Committee due to be held on November 2 in Algiers, on sidelines of the second leg of the 2014 CAF Champions League final.

On Friday the Moroccan Football Federation said in communique that it has asked the CAF to postpone the upcoming CAN 2015 because of the spread of Ebola in several Sub-Saharan African countries.

Taroudante- The Court of Strasbourg, in northeastern France, sentenced a man to six months in prison for "direct and public apology of an act of terrorism."

According to Le Figaro, Abdelhafid Ayadi, a 54-year-old Algerian native, on Monday expressed his anger at the premises of the Family Allowances Fund of Strasbourg, principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France, after learning that his rights had been scaled down.

The same source said that the Algerian immigrant, son of a “Harki” (generic term for Muslim Algerian loyalists who served as Auxiliaries in the French Army during the Algerian War from 1954 to 1962), shouted "Long live the Islamic State!" at the headquarters of the the Family Allowances Fund.

"Every time a Frenchman is beheaded, I feel happy," he added.

Before copiously insulting  the employee of Family Allowances Fund who handled his case, the angry man threatened to come back with "a weapon in the name of Islam."

At his hearing, Ayadi burst into in tears, and said he regretted his act. "They are not Muslims, they are dogs," he said about the jihadists of the Islamic State. The prosecutor said “this is not someone who would be likely to go to Syria.”

According to the same source, the man has a record of  "provocations."

In the past, he was convicted for contempt, after insulting Urban Community of Strasbourg officials, who were trying to find him an apartment, the same source said.

Contacted by Le Figaro, his lawyer describes him as "a sensitive person, not a dangerous person, despite a record that can worsen his case."

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By Majid Morceli

San Francisco- Since the collapse of Syria, Moroccan security services have arrested several men who are recruiting fighters to join the ranks of various groups in Syria. They primarily recruited for Jabhat al-Nusra until the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a terrorist group under the leadership Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Morocco has been a major recruitment source for ISIS. The Interior Ministry claims that 1,212 Moroccans are now fighting in Syria and Iraq. This number does not include Moroccans living in other countries who have joined ISIS.

The Moroccan government has also announced that they have dismantled several recruiting cells within the country. These recruits do not seem to be interested in carrying out jihad inside Morocco. After all, it seems that committing a terrorist act in Morocco would be much easier than traveling to an unfamiliar foreign country to commit their acts of terror. It turns out that ISIS’s mission is not based on convenience or opportunity, as is the case with Al Qaida.

We all remember the Argana Café bombing in Marrakesh, which left 17 people dead and 25 injured. A lone terrorist committed this heinous crime, and cowardly went into hiding. ISIS does not function is this manner: it wants everyone to know who they are and what their organization is about. By posting videos of their members beheading of Westerners, crucifying prisoners, and showing mass graves of Iraqi soldiers, they are sending a message not only to their enemies, but also to those who are seriously entertaining the thought of joining them, including many Moroccans.

ISIS has a very different and far-reaching goal than Al Qaida. Its members and those who plan to join them believe it is more useful to fight for the organization’s ultimate goal, which is to turn every inch of this planet into Muslim territory under the command of a single Caliph. Fighting for other causes is a waste of valuable resources that ISIS cannot afford to lose if it hopes to maintain this so-called Caliphate.

But would such measures deter those who plan to the join the ISIS? Can these terrorists ever be rehabilitated? If you ask any expert, the resounding answer is “no”. What should the Moroccan authorities do, besides the measures that have already been put into place?

It simply does not make sense to re-admit a group of people whose goal in life is our destruction. As a matter of fact, all countries of the world should implement this law. It would be foolish to suspect that these terrorists have given up their dream. When we house and feed them, we are actually giving these barbaric monsters a place to gather and plan their next terrorist act.

It's understandable that is not easy implement this law, but is allowing this evil back into the civilized world and giving it refuge the answer?

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

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Taroudante, Morocco - The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) has reportedly decided to expel Aziz Lebbar, the party’s Parliamentary Advisor, because of his fight with Hamid Chabat, the Secretary General of the independence Party.

The decision was made shortly after the end of a meeting of opposition groups in Parliament, which followed the speech given by King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the opening of the legislative session.

In a statement, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) said that it "condemns this irresponsible behavior."

The communiqué added that the party believes that Lebbar’s provocation of Chabat, which ended in a violent clash between the two Fez natives, was not innocent.

"Occult parties planned this argument whose hidden purpose is to torpedo the initiative to coordinate the action of the opposition in parliament," the statement said.

The fight broke out after Chabat said “Mabrouk Eid (happy Eid)”, to which Lebbar rudely replied, “You sold Fez ... thief."

The two politicians clashed immediately. The dispute could have escalated, if not for the intervention of other MPs of the opposition.

During his speech on the occasion of the opening of the legislative session King Mohammed VI, during his speech on the occasion of the opening of the legislative session, urged parliamentarians to have an attitude consistent "with the laws and rules of professional conduct."

 In this sense, the King called for the establishment of a "code of ethics of political action" that must be passed by both houses of parliament.

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