By Kainoelani Lee

Rabat – The White House recently welcomed their new community liaison under the Office of Public Engagement, Zaki Barzinji, former Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Gov. Terry McAuliffe, according to The Huffington Post.

Barzinji plans to reach out to Muslim Americans, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Hindus working to ensure that the communities are represented at a federal level.

“A big part of this role is making sure the national conversation about these communities is not framed through a single lens, but covers the full range of issues that Muslims and other Americans face,” Barzinji, 27, said in a statement to The Huffington Post.

Previously, Barzinji served as a liaison to the Virginia Asian Advisory Board, directed outrach to Arabic American, Asian American and Pacific American communities for McAuliffe’s 2013 campaign, and was the former president of Muslim Youth of North America.

Barzinji’s new role consists of coordinating public speaking engagements for the Obama Administration in Muslim American communities, ensuring that Muslim American communities are represented in the Administration’s work, and working to promote civic involvement within faith communities.

“I look forward to working hand in hand with my fellow Muslims and other communities of faith to build upon the policy priorities that this administration has worked tirelessly to promote over the past seven years,” he said.

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Ouazzane - Hundreds of Jewish pilgrims from around the world gathered on Thursday in the city of Ouazzane (north) to celebrate the Hilloula.

On this occasion, a ceremony was organized by the Council of Jewish Communities in Morocco in the mausoleum of rabbi Amrane Ben Diwane and was attended by pilgrims from Morocco and abroad.

The ceremony was held in the presence of several Moroccan officials as well as by civilian and military figures.

Aloun Sami, a member of the Council of Jewish Communities in Morocco, told MAP that the celebration of this annual religious ceremony showcases the attachment of Moroccan Jews to their homeland, where they enjoy full respect.

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Rabat - Moroccan social media users have reacted with indignation following  French TV channel France 3’s airing of a TV program critical of King Mohammed VI.

The documentary, which was aired on France 3 yesterday night, was produced by the French journalist Jean-Louis Perez. After the channel announced that the program would be shown, many social media users launched calls for Moroccans to show solidarity with King Mohammed VI.

The documentary focuses on the king’s reign, personal life and wealth. Many Moroccans consider the latter two violation of the king’s privacy.

Ahead of the film’s showing, many Moroccan Facebook users replaced their profile pictures with pictures of the king and posted and shared excerpts of the king’s speeches and news about his activities.

Immediately after the program was aired on French TV, many Moroccans flooded Facebook with comments condemning the documentary.

One commenter on social media denounced the program as part of the “systematic war against Morocco aimed basically at destabilizing the most stable country in the MENA region.”

Another wrote that French journalists have an “obsession with Morocco” as well as a tendency to perceive the country from their “egocentric perspective.”

Many comments argued that the program was an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Moroccan monarch.

Others criticized the channel for airing video footage and pictures taken in Tunisia but presented as taking place in Morocco.

“No relevant analysis and no effort in the choice of casting (the Benchemsi-Moulay Hicham duo could have been selected even by my 13-year-old nephew) and above all, [the program made] accusations [and used] facts that have not been proven in court, not even in France,” Simo Berrada, a Moroccan journalist based in Rabat, wrote on his Facebook page.

“The cherry on top: [the program uses] pictures taken in Jordan (or Tunisia) giving the impression that it is Morocco,” Berrada wrote.

Edited by Kelsey Fish 

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Rabat - Morocco's Minister of Industry, Trade and New Technologies, Abdelkader Amara posted a statement on his Facebook page on Wednesday denying rumors that a nuclear power plant would be constructed in Morocco.

The Arabic newspaper Akhbar Alyaoum was one of the first to publish claims of a nuclear plant project. The story was later repeated in many media outlets, including Huffpost Maghreb.

According to Amara, there is no such project in the works. “I confirm there is no upcoming plan of constructing a nuclear power plant,” Amara wrote.

An article published by Huffpost Maghreb last October reported that a group of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) came to Morocco for an eight-day mission to evaluate the capacity of the kingdom to develop one or more nuclear power plants in the future.

According to the same source, the experts determined that the creation of a nuclear power plant in Morocco is possible.

“The Moroccan state considers within its energy strategy, nuclear power as an option within the national mix of [energy sources] in the long term,” Amara reportedly said at the time.

Edited by Kelsey Fish

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By Soukaina Abbou

Rabat - Miss Morocco 2016, ostensibly a respectable beauty pageant to elect Morocco’s beauty queen, in reality seems to be a case of deception and exploitation.

The beauty contest known as “Miss Maroc” launched for the first time in 2012 by 3Box Event, an events-management agency in Marrakech. The second time it took place was 2015. This year’s pageant crowned the third Miss Morocco for 2016. While supposedly a legitimate beauty contest of Moroccan beauties in kaftans, questions have been raised as to whether the supposed “competition” is real or whether it was rigged and just a sham. MWN assigned an investigative reporter to find out the facts.

“Behind the Scenes” of the Miss Maroc Academy

Scroll back in time to Friday, May 13, one week before the “election” of Miss Morocco 2016. The final contestants gather at a hotel in Marrakesh where they have a full week of successive rehearsals, exercises, and choreography before the big finale show, the ceremony at Morocco Mall, Casablanca. This is a private gala for the elite, with the presence of fashion brands’ representatives and some media.

Sixteen candidates are on board, “elected” throughout seven casting stations: Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Fes, Meknes and Tangier. Their ages range from 18 to 25, and they include MA holders, BA holders, and… well heck! Some have no degree at all. “I postponed my baccalaureate exam for the next year,” an 18-year-old finalist says.

[caption id="attachment_187564" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Photo: Miss Maroc Facebook Page[/caption]

Whereas most beauty pageants these days include an intellectual or humanitarian component in their qualification criteria, this one seemingly does not. Why did the organizing committee accept candidates who have not attained any educational goal?

MWN asked about the pageant’s criteria for choosing the contestants. Some of the contestants who preferred to speak on the condition of anonymity said:

“When it comes to selecting the finalists, there are no specific criteria to check off, besides this: the president is the only member of the committee who chooses the candidates. He has the first and the last word.”

Education may be one criterion for selecting Miss Maroc. However, a healthy body, healthy mind and beyond the body, the soul are all taken into consideration according to universal beauty contest standards. As Federica Tamarozzi and Anne Monjaret, ethnologists, state in their article on beauty contest criteria, the definition of beauty for competitors and consequently for representations of the body takes into account both the measurable and the non-measurable, which interact throughout the event.

The candidates spend a 10-day training under the supervision of coaches and professionals in the field of choreography and modeling. They live as roommates together during the training; they get to know each other and open up to one another about their motivations and aspirations. They also criticize and observe the process of electing the Miss Maroc.

But what is really going in with the Academy? Some have commented as to “how some finalists don’t match the requirements and the criteria and they still take part in the competition.” According to one finalist who preferred to speak on the condition of anonymity, the competition is “filthy and fishy”:

“We all already know who is going to be Miss Maroc 2016. We have spent two days together now and we can tell who is the only candidate who is having a special treatment . . . All the coaches, the organization committee members know her personally, take selfies with her, call her by her name. She even shares the room with one of the coaches, an international model and her best friend. They are making it obvious that she is the winner ….. On the top of this; she has a tattoo and apparent plastic injections, which violates the universal criteria and standards of electing the Miss.”

Indeed, the one the speaker referred to was crowned Miss Morocco 2016 as all the finalists expected.

Rumors have been trending on social networks criticizing the winner for having resorted to plastic surgery. Dr. Tarick Smaili, a plastic surgeon in California, congratulated her via Instagram, posting her photo. Hashtags of thesmileySarah; her previous Instagram username and Dr T. Smiley, noticeably having matching usernames, emerged in overflowing humorous comments on his post.

Many social media users took this to mean that the 25-year-old Moroccan was Smaili’s client and accused her of winning the title by resorting to “fraudulent” methods.

[caption id="attachment_187036" align="aligncenter" width="694"] Sara Belkziz, Miss Maroc 2016[/caption]

Sources acquainted with the Miss Morocco 2016 organizing committee told Morocco World News that “there is no doubt that Sara Belkziz has undergone several plastic surgeries.” MWN tried countless times for three days to reach Sara Belkziz to get her version of the facts, but her phone remained off. She did not answer the questions we left on her voicemail.

Back at the Miss Morocco Academy, three finalists left the training and quit the competition due to the ambiguity of their contracts and the apparent unfairness in their dealing with the candidates. They clearly perceived that the organization committee was supporting one candidate who would eventually be the winner. Loubna Mahloub and Ibtissam El Yousfi explained to MWN the reasons why they quit the contest:

“Besides the haziness of the contract that states only the firm enslaving obligations of the candidate, since the first day of the competition we have noticed that the Miss had a special ‘luxurious’ treatment from of the jury” Ibtissam El Yousfi said.

On the same wavelength, Loubna Mahloub added:

“It’s no more a competition for me when I see some candidates with plastic injections, others who don’t match the universal beauty contest standards in terms of class and education. This is just pathetic.”

The actuality of three finalists leaving the competition on the third day of the training and just four days before the finale caused the organization committee to face a reputation-threatening challenge and rush to contact new candidates. According to our sources, one of them is a former girlfriend of the president of the organization committee.

Nino, the Big Boss

Naamane Touimer, known as Nino by his friends, is the president of the organization committee. He is an Algerian national who lives in Switzerland and manages some projects in Morocco, such as Miss Morocco. He graduated from a school of civil aviation as a Manager of Ground Handling of General Aviation in 2002.

Naamane is the CEO and General Manager of several production and event management agencies, Smartprod, Night Star Maroc and 3Box Event, which organizes the Miss Morocco competition.

[caption id="attachment_187568" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Naamane Nino Touimer, during Miss Maroc 2015[/caption]

3Box Event was created in 2011, based at C.E Invest, an accounting office in Marrakesh with a capital of MAD 10,000. The legal status of the organized competition remains ambiguous for MWN and even for Miss Morocco insiders. The team of Nino gets on his nerves whenever they ask him about the legal authorization. The big boss turns into an angry devil and shuts them down, an insider source confided to MWN.

As stated in the sponsoring file, the team consists of Moroccan and international collaborators. The “big boss” couldn’t keep it fair. One of Leila Hadioui’s friends told us that the document mentioned her, as well as Miss England 2015 as collaborators to charm the sponsors. But in fact both celebrities rejected Nino’s request for collaboration.

MWN wanted to know more about president Nino. Two of the contestants told MWN that Nino did not pay people who worked for him.

“His team members did all the hard work and they did not even get paid for their efforts. This reflects the lack of professionalism and a megalomaniacal attitude in his character as a Big Boss.”

However, Nino dismissed these “accusations” and claimed that he “lost his own money” in the preparing the beauty pageant.

“The members of the committee would get 10% of the profits if the sponsors offered cash… Since Miss Morocco competition has made absolutely no financial earnings, there is no income to provide. Why does no one seem to accept to offer me a 10% recompense of my money loss?” he told Morocco World News.

Still, the president has not revealed any details regarding his financial loss and alleged 0% of revenue. In contrast, leaks from some contestants affirmed with confidence that the profits had in fact reached MAD 300,000, which remains to be confirmed by Nino. As assumed by our sources, the sponsors actually offer presents to the finalists, the runner-ups and the Miss. Nino prefers to keep sponsors’ gifts as souvenirs for himself and his family.

Flaws and Failures Continue

The Miss Morocco 2016 pageant has huge flaws, both in terms of the organization and in terms of the lack of objectivity. The reputation of the Miss Morocco competition has taken a tumble. The project “Miss Maroc” is mistaken for the official national beauty contest.

The Miss Morocco competition has failed a number of times and in its three editions. Naamane Touimer is trying to give it more luster and credibility, but the ploy still does not seem to work.

According to our sources, the winner of Miss Morocco 2016 Sara Belkziz and the president Mr. Nino agreed in advance to hand her the crown of Miss Morocco upon the condition that Sara pay a big check so she can participate in Miss World.

[caption id="attachment_187566" align="aligncenter" width="720"] The moment Sara Belkziz was pronounced Miss Maroc 2016[/caption]

A finalist, who was elected among other runner-ups, lost her title once she asked president Nino for gifts and her ticket back to Saint Tropez. The finalist had arrived in Morocco on May 13 to participate in the competition and she won the title of a runner-up. However, she eventually received nothing as a reward. In addition to that, Nino promised to take charge of her roundtrip tickets. But he never honored his word and he deprived her of her title instead.

MWN’s investigation revealed that Nino is running a business using the name of a sovereign country of which he is not a citizen and benefitting financially from exploiting the beauty of young Moroccan women full of ambition and enthusiasm who only wish to represent their country in a fair competition.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Connecticut - Morocco has recently made significant strides in inviting foreign investment to boost tourism but it is also leaving a tasteful footprint in the culinary art internationally.

Moroccan chefs are achieving high recognitions for the best savory and sweet creations. The country recently won the prize for the best “main course” at the International Culinary Competition in Spain. The famous Lamb Tagine with prunes and almonds, always a favorite. The sweet and savory combination in this dish brings the world into a silky, buttery pause where all your senses gather around the addicting aroma of freshly picked saffron. You’d never want to press play again.

As a result, big productions such as Master Chef have decided to set up shop in Marrakesh, the culinary heart of Morocco. It is but an obvious choice, Marrakesh is a whimsical culinary hub of snake charmers, mounts of divine marinated olives, decadent lamb head invitingly smiling at you to eat it, and my all-time favorite Lamb Tanjia. A simple but intricate dish carefully seasoned in a clay jar and baked underground for two days. My soul is currently teleporting to Marrakesh as I describe it.

A Moroccan Kick to Your Taste Buds

Similarly, across the Atlantic, American chefs are venturing off and using uniquely Moroccan spices such as “Rass El Hanout,” where even “Moul Hanout” doesn’t know what’s in it. I was pleasantly surprised while watching the finale of “Top Chef,” where chef Amar Santana bravely reenacts the traditional Bastilla with a Dominican twist. The Dominican-American chef contestant whose roots dwell in the beautiful island of Dominican Republic, has fallen in love with the Moroccan flair and its cuisine. He was introduced to the culture, the food and people thanks to his friend and business partner, Ahmed Labbate, a seasoned restauranteur whose experience in hospitality stems from working for the most prestigious and luxurious hotels in Morocco and Germany. He forged his way into the highly competitive American culinary scene, bringing a unique identity, worldly passion and unprecedented experience.

Also part of the team, Moroccan chef Ghali Benhima. Chef Ghali brings Casablanca flair to Orange county, California in the fashionable city manner it is done a la Casablancaise. Together with Chef Amar, they promise an unforgettable culinary experience that takes your soul from the Caribbean to the exquisite scent of bubbling goat meat tagine in the hills of Agadir. The three enjoy making loyal patrons happy at two very busy Orange County restaurants: Vaca and Broadway by Amar Santana.

Another renowned Moroccan chef gracing Americans with Moroccan taste is Chef Mourad Lahlou, owner of Aziza in San Francisco. A native of Marrakesh, he traveled to the U.S. to study Economics and fell in love with cooking while feeling homesick as an international student. A Master’s degree earned, and his love of food only grew bigger. His dream was to revolutionize the Moroccan Cuisine.

[caption id="attachment_187546" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Mourad Lahlou Chefowner of Aziza in San Francisco Demonstrated the Power of the Tagine[/caption]

He opened Aziza to introduce innovation to culinary traditions ancient in nature. The San Francisco chronicle awarded Chef Mourad 3 stars and was named a StartChefs Rising Star. Big networks quickly noticed his talent and casted him in prime time shows as a culinary expert and judge, shows like Top Chef, Iron Chef and his own show on the PBS channel. Today, Chef Mourad has earned the respect of world renowned culinary experts. He opened his second restaurant named Mourad, earning great reviews from critics and foodie fans alike.

It is safe to say that anytime you pair something with the taste of Morocco it is bound for success. Americans have clearly fallen in love with the Moroccan flair, from its sense awakening spices to its dreamy mosaic, Morocco constantly takes first place in making memorable, out of this world experiences.

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Rabat - Islam as it is practiced in Morocco is a source of inspiration for the development of a European Islam, said Friday in Skhirat, Belgian minister to Youth Aid, Houses of Justice, Sport and Promotion of Brussels at the Federation Wallonia-Brussels, Rachid Madrane.

"Moderate and tolerant" Islam as it is applied in Morocco is an Islam that would respond much better to the quest for meaning and identity faced by younger generations in Europe, said Madrane who was speaking at a meeting themed "living together: between radicalism and Islamophobia".

The meeting is meant to shed light on Islamophobia, radicalism and living together, and to propose concrete actions involving all key stakeholders: politicians, academicians, civil society and institutional actors.

For his part, Chairman of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), Driss El Yazami, said that fighting radicalization requires the adoption of a comprehensive approach by mobilizing for example human sciences, notably history, sociology, and theology.

Minister in Charge of the Moroccans Living Abroad and Migration Affairs, Anis Birrou, highlighted the causes of the current situation of mistrust towards foreign communities, noting that it is the result of an accumulation of facts, namely the 2008 economic crisis, terrorist acts in Europe and the rise of far-right parties.

With MAP

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Tangier – Moroccan football squad beat Congo Brazzaville 2-0, on Friday at the Grand Stade de Tanger, in a friendly game in preparation of the qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations (CAN-2017). Ziach Hakim scored twice in the 4th minute and the 56th minute (penalty) for the Atlas Lions. In its forthcoming qualifier game […]

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Rabat - Cristina Aguilera is due to perform at the closing ceremony of Mawazine Festival on Saturday night in Rabat.

The American singer arrived in Morocco on Friday. This coach and judge on the American TV show "The Voice" arrived today with her husband, and published a picture on her Instagram account showing herself coming out of a plane in Morocco.

#morocco ?????

A photo posted by Christina Aguilera (@xtina) on May 26, 2016 at 11:38am PDT

Aguilera also stated to HuffPost Maroc that she is looking forward to meeting her fans, and that she appreciates all the singers who came to the festival. "I am very glad to participate in closing the Mawazine festival," she said.

Thanks to her hit songs that have sold more than 50 million albums around the globe, Christina Aguilera is one of the most well-known singers in the world.

Her first album was released in 1999 and sold 16 million albums—this album contained her famous single, « Genie in a Bottle, » ranked number one in many countries.

The singer has gone on to produced many successful albums and collaborate with famous artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Elton John, and Mick Jagger.

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By Nassim Chaoui Ghali

Fez - Sufism is difficult to describe because it cannot be reduced or categorized. It is as elusive as the scent of a rose to someone who has never experienced it, and remains difficult to describe even for someone who has.

Labels such as mysticism, spirituality, or esotericism provide points of reference; nevertheless, they are often too limited to express Sufism and its associated phenomena throughout history (Chittick 2000, 1). The term Sufism is a misnomer in the sense that words ending with "-ism" indicate philosophies and social movements that have distinct beliefs and qualities, which is inappropriate for Sufism (Ernst 1997,19).

Muslims and non-Muslims oftentimes intermingle Sufism as a sect of Islam. Rather, it is more accurately depicted as an aspect or dimension of Islam. The 14th century Arab historian, Ibn Khaldun, described Sufism as:

"......... dedication to worship, total devotion to Allah most high, disregard for the finery and ornament of the world, abstinence from the pleasure, wealth and prestige sought by most men, and retiring from others to worship alone."

 Ibn Khaldun's statements are a veracious description of the Sufi people. Sufis assert that Islamic knowledge should be learned through teachers instead of books because it is based on lived experience. Tariqas can trace their teachers via generations (Silsila) to the Prophet (peace be upon him). While the Sufi population is relatively small, it has made an impact on Islamic thought and history through precious contributions to Islamic literature. For instance, Imam Al-Ghazali, or the so-called Hujjat al-Islam (proof of Islam), wrote more than 70 books about distinct spheres including sciences, Islamic philosophy, and Sufism.

Imam Al-Ghazali's influence has extended beyond Muslim lands and is quoted by Western philosophers and writers. Today, several of Al-Ghazali's books are discussed and analyzed in many American and British universities, especially “The Revival of Islamic Sciences” and “The Alchemist of Happiness.” One should not forget, however, that Sufis were contributors to the permeation of Islam throughout the world.

Sufism remains one of the Islamic sciences that was established roughly in the first few centuries after the Prophet's death (peace be upon him) to further the Hadith (an account, report, or speech, concerning the words or deeds of the prophet Muhammad, his tradition), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and Tafsir (discussion, interpretation of the sacred texts). Basically, these Islamic sciences were generated to prevent Islam from being modified or vilified. Hence, the representatives of traditional Islamic learning (ulamaa al-umah) decided to found the rules and principles of these sciences, which ensure continuity for religion and Islamic knowledge.

The efforts of religious scholars were split into many parts, and each body was responsible for realizing one genre of the sciences. For example, some scholars specialized in Hadith, others worked on Islamic law (jurists), and so on. In fact, all of these sciences were not present at the time of prophecy; nonetheless, they were established later on so as to return Muslims to the state of the age of prophecy. The Islamic sciences were not rejected or refuted by people, who agreed that they would operate in favor of religion.

Sufism itself was brought up in accordance with the Holy Quran and tradition of the Prophet as other schools were formed, such as Tafssir, Fiqh, and Nahw. The primary purpose of setting up the science of Sufism was to pave the way for spirituality and ethics to settle in peoples’ hearts, returning to the ways prevailing during the life of the Prophet.

There are several instances in the Quran and Hadith that discuss such meanings and their salience to Muslims' lives. Furthermore, the spiritual and ethical life is paramount for those seeking knowledge of Allah. In Islam, these meanings describe the locus and intention of practicing religion.

To summarize, Sufis had to translate and record a science which serves to protect this knowledge, namely the "spiritual and ethical," by grounding the legitimacy of this science with a manner conforming to the Holy Quran and Sunna  (what the Prophet said, did, agreed to, or condemned).

Reference

Chittick, William. 1983. The Sufi Path of Love. NY: State University of New York Press.

Ernst, Carl. 1997. The Shambhala Guide to Sufism. Boston: Shambhala Publications Inc.

Ibn Khaldun. 1377. The Introduction. Page (3/989).

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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By Myriam Ait Malk

Rabat - Mustapha El Khalfi, Morocco’s Minister of Communication, has voiced concern over the deteriorating Moroccan press sector after a meeting with the Moroccan Federation of Newspaper Editors (FMEJ) on May 24. In an extraordinary move, the Ministry decided to ban the free reading of newspapers in public spaces.

The FMEJ previously presented a report to El Khalfi regarding the written press sector in Morocco.

The Moroccan written press “has lost approximately $150 million per year due to the population’s access to newspapers that are left behind in public places,” the report said.

The FMEJ also presented a demand to the Ministry of Communication for an emergency plan to stop what was described as the “bleeding of the sector.”

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Communication, such an emergency plan should be put in place on an interim basis pending “more radical solutions in order to assure the continuity of the national press and enable it to play its role in society.”

The FMEJ and the Minister of Communication agreed upon the following actions:

Modifying the Contract Program’s written press contract

Increasing the prices of administrative and judicial advertisements, as well as enabling electronic journalism to take advantage of such advertisements with payments by the Ministry of Communication

Banning the reading of newspapers in public areas through the Press and Publication Law

Forming a committee to establish a public fund specifically to stimulate the purchase of Moroccan newspapers

Launching a special study of the advertising market in Morocco.

Participation of an FMEJ representative on the Ministerial committee to find urgent solutions for the protection of the economic model of the Moroccan online press

Participation of the FMEJ at the negotiations scheduled with Google and Facebook concerning the alleged unfair position of the Moroccan online press in terms of online advertisements

According to a report published by the international auditing company KPMG, “readers of written press constitute merely 1 percent of the Moroccan population.” This translates to no more than roughly 330,000 Moroccans out of a total population of about 33 million.

KPMG also explained that the problem is rooted in “various socio-economical factors including Morocco’s low literacy rate and the low and ineffective distribution of newspapers.”

In response to questions about the new regulations, Minister El Khalfi said in an interview with Huffington Post Maghreb, “Newspaper editors are undergoing a crisis and we need to limit the damage.”

“According to the FMEJ report, each newspaper copy is read by an average of five people,” El Khalfi said.

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Rabat - Morocco has been ranked 113 on the list of top countries to “meet women,” according to Ranker.com, a website for online ranking of various subjects.

The ranking for top country to meet women was compiled through votes cast by people who had visited or lived in the countries.

Sweden appears at the top of the list of 125 countries, followed by Ukraine in second position, and Estonia in third position.

Those three European countries are also typically known for having the most beautiful, friendly, and intelligent women.

France ranked at 11, following England at number 10, while the United States of America was positioned 17th and Spain 23rd.

Other North-African countries were included. Tunisia was came in at 62, Egypt at 110. Middle East countries included Kuwait (122), Iraq (120), and Qatar (121).

The ranking is impacted over all by the number of women with respect to men in each country. In countries such as in Latvia, Russia and Ukraine, because women significantly outnumber men, it might be easier for men to meet women.

The countries of Eastern Europe were judged to be great destinations to meet women. Australia, Columbia, and Brazil were also considered to be good.

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Stockholm – The Moroccan Muay Thai team won one gold medal, two silver and two bronze ones at the Muay Thai World Championship, held in the city of Jonkoping in Sweden.

Champion Saad Saadoun (57 kg) won a gold medal after beating Friday night in the final Rustan Bayramduryen (Turkmenistan).

For his part, Aziz El felak (- 81 kg) won a silver medal after his defeat in the final by Russian Sergey Veselkin.

The second silver medal was won by Issam Bougadir (54 kg) who played the final against Dmitriy Zuyev (Kazakhstan).

The two bronze medals were won by Salaheddine Nait El Ghazi (60 kg) and Ilham El Bourkadi after being outclassed in the semi-finals of this world championship.

Saturday, Meriem El Moubarik will play the final against Vietnamese LY Bui Yen, three times world champion.

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New York - The number of Syrians living under siege has grown by some 75,000 to total 592,700, UN aid chief, Stephen O'Brien, said Friday.

The new figure, up from 517,700, marks a further increase from a previous estimate of 486,700 people living in besieged areas, he told the Security Council via video-link from Geneva.

He said that the vast majority of them, some 452,700, are living under siege in the rural outskirts of Damascus, while 20,000 are besieged in the province of Idleb, 110,000 in Deir Ezzor (east) and 10,000 in the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk in Damascus.

O'Brien also emphasized the need to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to populations in several remote areas.

The five-year-old civil war in Syria has killed at least 250,000 people. Millions have been displaced and many of those are now refugees living abroad.

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Rabat - The service of Casablanca judicial police seized, on Saturday, three tons of cannabis resin on board a freight truck.

Three suspects aged between 30 and 44 years were also arrested during this operation, including a wanted person, the national police (DGSN) announced.

Two individuals were arrested on board the truck on Ouled Ziane road in Casablanca, while the third suspect was arrested at the scene on board a car, said a statement from the DGNS.

The defendants were remanded in custody and investigations are underway to arrest all those involved in this criminal activity, according to the statement.

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Stockholm – Morocco's Meriem El Moubarik (51 kg) won a gold medal, Saturday, after beating in the final Vietnamese Ly Bui Yen at the Muay Thai World Championship, held on 19-29 May in Jonkoping, Sweden.

This victory against Ly Bui Yen, three times world champion, brings to two gold medals won by the Moroccan team participating in this world event.

Champion Saad Saadoun (57 kg) won a gold medal after beating Friday night in the final Rustan Bayramduryen (Turkmenistan).

Aziz El felak (- 81 kg) won a silver medal after his defeat in the final by Russian Sergey Veselkin.

The second silver medal was won by Issam Bougadir (54 kg) who played the final against Dmitriy Zuyev (Kazakhstan).

Morocco also captured two bronze medals by Salaheddine Nait El Ghazi (60 kg) and Ilham El Bourkadi after being outclassed in the semi-finals of this world championship.

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By Mourad El Hanafi

Rabat - The Moroccan Association of Teachers of English (MATE), in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education, the British Council, the Regional English Language Office (RELO), and Macmillan organized the First National Festival of MATE CIRCLEs (Clubs of Instructional Resources for Culture and Language Enhancement), from May 20 to 22, 2016.

The event took place at the National Center of Trainings and Meetings in Rabat under the theme “School-based & student-centered activities as vehicles of education reform.”

The event, which lasted threedays, gathered 26 CIRCLEs, representing 9 regional academies, drawing 84 participating students.

The event featured a rich program and reflected the amazing activities and great work CIRCLEs do inside their schools. Participating students showcased their talents in presentations, public speaking, acting, plays, drama, ICT productions, poetry, short-story telling, singing, and painting.

[caption id="attachment_187669" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Mr. Noureddine Bendouqi (L), Mohammed Hassim (C), Rachid Belmoukhtar, Minister of National Education and Vocational Training (R)[/caption]

The Festival was also an opportunity to celebrate and commemorate the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s genius and inspiration through poster sessions, galleries, plays, and the recitation of his sonnets.

In the opening ceremony of the festival, Mr. Mohamed Hassim, President of MATE and a member of the organizing committee, explained the general background of CIRCLE, stressing that it is a contribution to the educational reform. “We have to have a say in these moments and give our own vision. It’s not the business of the Ministry alone; …we have to offer certain strategy of the reform, but within the limits of our NGO facilities.”

As he further explains the rationale behind CIRCLE, Mr. Hassim said, “…most of the time the Ministry says we can do clubs in our schools, but there is no support, there is no training, there are no in action solutions and follow up. So, this is the power of MATE. We bring the project [CIRCLE] as well as the structure for follow up and visibility.”

The closing ceremony witnessed the presence of Mr. Rachid Belmokhtar, the Minister of National Education and Vocational Training, alongside his advisor Meriem Dahbi, Rebecca Smoak from RELO (at the US embassy), and Kathryn Kelly, English Projects manager from the British Council.

In his address, Mr. Belmokhtar stressed the importance of the great efforts MATE makes to promote the status of English in Morocco, as well as its remarkable contribution in the educational reforms the Ministry is aspiring for.

 Kathryn Kelly and Rebecca Smoak said they “were aback by the talents Moroccan schools harbor within.”

As a wrap up, prizes and certificates of recognition were distributed to the participants.

“MATE has been in the field for about 37 years now. Clubs of Instructional Resources for Culture and Language Enhancement (CIRCLEs) are the fruit of many years of expertise in various students’ based activities. They are special because they are planned in a way that integrates language learning and cultural enhancement, allowing learners to develop not only the four core language skills, but also 21st century skills, such as collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. Above all, this project is a means to boost teachers’ professional development, as they experiment new pedagogical techniques and develop their leadership potential,” noted Mr. Tighoula Lahcen, a member of the national organizing committee of the festival.

When interviewed on his experience in MATE CIRCLEs, Imam Saktiwy, teacher from the Ibn El Khatib MATE CIRCLE, Casablanca, said, “In our MATE CIRCLE club, the students have the chance to use different skills and discuss a variety of topics. The club is also served as a good solution to involve shy and introvert students with their peers in different activities.

As for the festival, it really fostered a sense of citizenship and belonging among students. It was an occasion for them to reap what they have planted during this year in the club,” she added.

Aberazaq Layat, coordinator of Assa MATE CIRCLE, commented: “MATE CIRCLES 1st National Festival was a good opportunity for me as a teacher of English to witness my students communicate actively with native speakers of English. The event was also a number-one chance for my students to show to the other schools in Morocco everything they have been doing in their CIRCLE such as: plays, posters, brochures, and portfolio.”

Youssef El Kaissy, president of the Essmara MATE branch and coordinator of Essmara MATE CIRCLEs, said: “Joining MATE CIRCLEs project this year as a coordinator and attending its end of year festival is a remarkable point in my personal and professional life and of my students alike. It’s a promising project led by a community of highly experienced MATE professionals. Our students cultivated the fruits of all the year affirms, and the best is yet to come, inshallah.”

Commenting on the Festival, Mouhsine El Aalji, a student from the Tifarity MATE CIRCLE, Azilal, said, “Our club had the chance in this festival to present the activities we have worked on throughout this school year, such as magazine and the posters and decorations by which we celebrated Shakespeare's anniversary. We also learedt how to express ourselves easily, trust our abilities and most importantly, learned to take up the challenge and do what we dream of.”

“Within this three-day event, I had an outstanding experience. Honestly speaking, I enjoyed my time here, practiced different activities, met new people and discovered many cultures around the nation,” said Chifae Toufik, a student from the same club.

According to the Festival booklet, “MATE has launched [this] very ambitious strategic project during the school year 2015-2016 under the name: ‘MATE CIRCLEs’; whose aim is to contribute to the current Moroccan education reform have proven to be a very practical and successful project based on the work done by the teachers and their students while adopting CIRCLEs framework in their schools and activities. Though we consider this year as piloting stage for the project, the work done has shown that it has already been a mature start.”

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By Myriam Ait Malk

Rabat - Lahcen Haddad, Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, spoke at a conference on “Global Economic Mutations and Growth Perspectives” on Thursday May 26, hosted by the Rotary Club in Casablanca.

Haddad underlined the importance of digital media as a “vector for job opportunities” and suggested that the use of digital technologies and mass communication outlets will enable economic growth.

Globally, E-commerce is predicted to contribute 50% to global GDP by 2025. Haddad said that a “digital revolution” is imminent, as the evolution of E-commerce in Morocco is particularly promising.

In Morocco, the average online e-cart of a consumer is about MAD 709, close to that of an American online consumer’s average e-cart which amounts to approximately USD 73.

Various facets of E-commerce are appealing to Moroccan internet users, such as its rapid service, large number of choices in products, and the possibility of easily comparing prices.

Haddad also elaborated on the necessity of an increase in investment in new technology in Morocco, as well as the implementation of Cloud computing data centers, to successfully initiate this “digital revolution” and establish Morocco as a leader in the region.

The relevance of E-commerce to Moroccans in Morocco is significant. Approximately 903,000 Moroccans shopped online in 2014.

“E-commerce websites accumulated a total of MAD 24.09 billion in transactions [in 2014] and MAD 23.1 billion in 2013,” amounting to a noteworthy growth of 4.29% in one year,” according to the National Federation of E-commerce in Morocco (FNEM).

The post Lahcen Haddad: Moroccan E-Commerce Websites Earned MAD 24.09 Billion in 2014 appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat - According to an official report released by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, 431,934 candidates will sit for the 2016 baccalaureate examination this year. 

This year’s national exams are scheduled for June 7-9, while regional exams are planned for June 3-4.

New strict measures will be taken to assure a fairness before and during the exam, the Ministry said.

The total number of male applicants is 237,460, which represents 55 percent of all applicants. The number of female applicants this year only comes to 45 percent.

Public school applicants total 289,440, which is 67 percent of all students. There will be 30,239 private school students, or 7 percent of the whole. Six percent of students have chosen an ordinary baccalaureate. This year’s applicant pool is 10.4 percent less than that of 2015.

The Casablanca-Settat region has the highest number of applicants with 20.8 percent of total students, followed by Rabat-Sale-Kenitra with 14.1 percent, and Fez-Meknes with 10.6 percent.

Seventeen percent of student who registered for an ordinary baccalaureate come from Fez-Meknes, while 16 percent come from Rabat-Sale-Kenitra.

The regions of South Morocco are at the bottom of this year’s baccalaureate’s applicant list: Dakhla - Oued Ed Dahab (0.4 percent), Laâyoune - Sakia El Hamra (1.8 percent) and Guelmim - Oued Noun (2 percent).

As regards the types of exams, 61 percent of applicants chose to sit for the scientific and technological fields exams, whereas the percentage of those choosing literature comes to 39 percent.

Students will take their baccalaureate exams under a number of new measures, including the prohibition of the use of electronic devices and continuous surveillance of the test centers both inside and outside exam rooms. Furthermore, the physical exam booklets will be securely transported from certified distribution centers to examination centers.

National and regional groups have been launched to control information about the exams on the internet. Meanwhile, local and regional groups will try to curb cheating throughout electronic devices by using devices to detect them on test days.

In order to make the applicants aware of the danger of cheating on the exam, participants have attended meetings with proctors, which have been organized locally, regionally, and nationally.

Additionally, each baccalaureate applicant was asked to sign a contract which lays out the student’s responsibility of adhering to ethical rules of conduct, as well as the punishments that may follow from cases of cheating.

Cheating through communication on the baccalaureate exam reached its highest in 2012, with 67 percent of students involved in some form of cheating. That number has declined to 53 percent in 2015.

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