By Rachid Elmoutaouakel

Rabat- At the end of every semester, Moroccan university students show either a great dissatisfaction with low grades or a great surprise with high grades. When students check their results online or see them hung in the windows of the classrooms, every one of them will say either, “I worked very hard; why did I get a low grade in this subject?’’ or, “I am lucky. I did not expect this high mark.” This disparity in grades is not only due to the level of work, but also the educational system of universities, which is not always based on obvious rules. That is to say, the criteria for the assessment of students are ambiguous.

Many critics describe the educational system of Moroccan universities as weak and unfair because the real level of achievement in a student is not reflected in their grades. This is due to many reasons. Firstly, there is a lack of organization and coordination concerning the exams and curricula. Every professor gives his own exam and uses his own curriculum. This means that every professor follows his own personal educational strategy in order to evaluate the students. The fact that university exams and curricula differ from one professor to another constitutes an unequal standard for testing the abilities of students fairly. That is to say, certain exams are tougher than others, and some curricula are complicated to deal with, whereas others are easier.

Another important weakness of the Moroccan educational system centers on the criteria of grading. There are no clear and official ways of assessment for the marks of the students. Again, every professor depends on his own methods. For instance, some professors insist on the importance of attendance and participation; but, according to many students, these two criteria are not completely reflected in the grades. This matter, in turn, is controversial. It leads us back to the sincerity and conscience of the professor to give each student what he or she deserves.

When the students ask professors about a low mark, most of them reply that the student did not do very well on the exams. This leads us to ask the following question, what are the criteria of evaluating an exam itself? One might think that this question should not be asked, for the answer is clear. In general, content, coherence, and organization are taken into consideration when grading exams. If this is the case, why do some professors want rote memorization, while others ask, explain in your own words what you understood.

Thus, for the former, even if the students had a piece of work that respects the three mentioned criteria of the exams, they would get a bad grade since they did not write exactly what the professor wanted. For the latter, some professors tend to impose their personal beliefs. This leads to the subjectivity and bias of a professor. Consequently, the only victim of this catastrophe is the student. The last major reason behind this issue is that of authority.

A professor, in general, should not be given complete freedom in grading student work because the teacher is a human, and a human is fallible. Moroccan university professors are free to give anyone any mark they want, but this is a large barrier that hinders the achievement of academic transparency and credibility. For this reason, there should be accurate monitoring by the administration. When the students ask for clarification, the professors must elaborate on what basis the marks are given.

Doubtless you have seen a Moroccan university student working hard throughout the semester, but at the end he received a mark that absolutely does not reflect his or her real level. This is due to the poor system that Moroccan universities follow. There should be more coordination, as well as monitoring, of professors in order to guarantee an appropriate, balanced, and just system for all the students.

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

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

Rabat - Foreign minister Salaheddine Mezouar said on Thursday that the year 2015 will be important for the Moroccan national cause.

Talking about the latest developments of the cause of the Western Sahara during a joint meeting of the committee of foreign affairs, national defense, endowment and Islamic affairs, and Moroccan expatriates at the lower house, and the committee of foreign affairs, borders, occupied zones and national defense at the house of advisors, Mezouar said that the year 2015 will be important for the Moroccan first national cause at the levels of official and parallel diplomacy.

On the official diplomacy, Mezouar said that Morocco's stand is clear on the need to muster all necessary conditions to revive the process through providing explanations for Morocco concerning the nature of the UNSG personal envoy mission, the attachment to settling the dispute under chapter VI of the UN charter and maintaining the MINURSO mandate, namely ceasefire.

Regarding parallel diplomacy, the minister insisted on the need to continue the mobilization and coordination between the different stakeholders, government, parliament, and civil society to intensify efforts to foil any attempt that might undermine Morocco's achievements.

Mezouar reviewed the main stages of the issue of the territorial integrity of the Kingdom since the launch of the political process in 2007 after Morocco had submitted the autonomy initiative, adding that after 13 rounds of negotiations, no progress has been made due to the lack of a serious involvement of Algeria in the talks, the absence of a debate on the essence of the problem and the “exploitation by the Polisario of these meetings for propaganda purposes.”

By Mohamed Saoudi

Rabat- Teaching of the Amazigh language in Morocco has become more prevalent in recent years in comparison to other countries in North Africa. Amazigh is. Amazigh is now taught not only in primary schools, but also in some Moroccan universities. The implementation of the language in some Moroccan universities has been gradual and still has some way to go, but the efforts to broaden the teaching of Amazigh language in all Moroccan universities are becoming fruitful. While integrating the Amazigh language into the curricula of Moroccan universities has perhaps not gone as well as planned, there are both benefits and challenges.

1. The Benefits

Research on the Amazigh language and culture began during Morocco’s colonization period in the middle of the 20th Century. French anthropologists and linguists such as David Cohen, Camps, and others conducted research on both the Arabic and the Amazigh languages. After independence in 1956, there was a tendency in Moroccan universities to encourage students to research Amazigh language and culture. In the 1980s, a group of teachers at the University of Fez created a laboratory called the Research Group on Linguistics and Literature to motivate and supervise students to write BA monographs, Master’s theses, and doctoral dissertations on the Amazigh language and culture.

Now with the creation of The Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture (IRCAM) and the institutionalization of the Amazigh language under the new Moroccan Constitution in 2011, there has been progress in the process of teaching Amazigh language not only in primary schools, but also in universities. The Royal Institute has signed agreements of co-operation and collaboration with the Ministry of Education to further develop the teaching of the Amazigh language and culture. At least three universities have since introduced the teaching of the Amazigh Language and culture. The universities of Agadir, Fez, and Oujda have each created a Department of Amazigh Studies to improve the teaching and the learning of both the language and culture.

The University of Ibn Zohar in Agadir was the first university in Morocco to integrate the Amazigh studies in the education system. The Amazigh department consists of an undergraduate program, a Master’s program, and doctoral program. The undergraduate program aims at teaching students the basics of Amazigh studies, conducting research and surveys on the Amazigh language as well as studying its socioeconomic and sociocultural environment. The program is a module system. The students have to take four modules each semester and the whole program is six semesters.

The course subjects range from history and linguistics to culture. The Master’s program aims at introducing pedagogical tools that can help students and researchers conduct significant studies of the Amazigh language and culture. The mastering of the language is also another goal of this program, and it offers students the opportunity to study different Amazigh dialects and varieties. It provides students with the necessary tools for cultural mediation, translation, and teaching of the language in both high school and at the college level. Until now, there has been no doctorate program in Amazigh studies; however, university officials and academics are working on a project to integrate Amazigh studies into doctorate programs.

There are other masters programs in other Moroccan universities that are focused on the Amazigh language and culture, such as “Amazigh Studies and National Heritage” in Rabat. The Master’s program of Arabic and Amazigh Linguistics in Tetouan is a comparative study that addresses both languages and trains students enrolled in the program in the modern theory of linguistics. The objective of this program is to provide students with theoretical and extensive courses in Arabic and Amazigh languages, ensuring a laboratory to explore and evaluate the theoretical and empirical status of modern linguistic theory, and preparing students for positions related to the field of the Arabic and Amazigh languages. The masters is designed to enrich scientific research in both the Arab and Amazigh language. It aims at preparing students for a Ph.D. program in Arabic or Amazigh linguistics, training school-teachers, and cultivating translation opportunities.

2. The Challenges

Unfortunately, the implementation of Amazigh studies in Moroccan universities is still limited due to many factors that hinder its complete integration into the curriculum. Along with the insufficiency of pedagogical tools, the lack of resources, and the bureaucracy of the Ministry of Education, the lack of qualified human resources is a big challenge to the development of the departments of Amazigh Studies.

The fuzziness of the objectives of these departments is another serious challenge to its continuity. Until now, the studies offer only theoretical courses to students of the department. This pedagogical limitation needs to be remedied very soon because students after graduation face the bitter reality of the lack of positions that are linked to the domain of their specialty. The absence of the doctorate research and laboratory is also another factor that limits the number of the enrolled students in the department.

Teaching all courses in French is also a real problem that should be resolved immediately. The fact that courses are taught in French raises questions and has caused skeptics to accuse the departments of being guardians of French interests in Morocco. This has legitimized to some extent the claims of Arabophones that the programs are a racist scheme that threatens national unity. The lack of communication between the departments of Amazigh language in Moroccan universities reduces the rate of gradual integration of the Amazigh language and culture into the curricula. The lack of the cooperation between the Ministry of Education and the IRCAM also shackles the efforts of academic officials to improve the conditions conducive to the teaching of Amazigh.

Today, Amazigh studies is a specialty in some Moroccan universities; however, the mere creation of departments of Amazigh Studies has not yet reached the objectives nor provided the expected results. Decision makers should redouble their efforts to reach the goal of widespread teaching of Amazigh language and culture.

References

Boukous, Ahmed. Revitalizing The Amazigh Language Stakes, Challanges,and Strategies. Rabat: Royal Institution of Amazigh Culture(IRCAM), 2011. Carcia, Joshua Fishman and Ofelia. Hand Book of Language and Ethnic Identity: The Success-Failure Continuum in Language and Ethnic Identity Efforts. London : Oxford University Press, 2011.

Edited by Elisabeth Myers

Casablanca - The latest toll of the collapse on Friday of three residential buildings in Casablanca climbed to 15 as a woman and a man were unearthed this Sunday morning from the rubble.

Rescuers have temporarily stopped the search because of the subsidence risk of the fourth floor of one of the buildings, pending the arrival of a long arm backhoe.

Five corpses were unearthed on Sunday from the rubble, including the corpses of actress Amal Maarouf and her mother, a young man aged between 18 and 20 years and two kids, says the source.

Some inhabitants of the three buildings are still reported missing. The previous death toll had said 13 people perished and 17 persons were still in hospital. Three other adjoining buildings were evacuated for safety reasons.

London - Efforts made by Morocco to revive the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) and consolidate regional integration were highlighted by the Oxford Business Group, a London-based think-tank group in a recent study.

The economic intelligence consultancy office stresses that the visit of King Mohammed VI to Tunisia was an opportunity for the two countries to endeavor to give a new impulse to this grouping which held its last summit in 1994.

It also recalls how the King in his address to the Tunisian national constituent assembly called Maghreb countries to "overcome the artificial hurdles and obstacles hindering the effective launching of our Union in an environment characterized by trust, dialogue, good neighborliness and mutual respect for our national specific features."

The Moroccan monarch also insisted on the need to move forward to establish a free-trade agreement in the Maghreb in order to facilitate trade and create more economic opportunities, the study notes.

The study also points out that intra-regional growth perspectives of the five UMA countries (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) are tremendous as the region boasts important natural resources, vast gas and oil reserves as well as a vibrant manufacturing sector and competitive services.

It adds that trade between the five countries remains below the existing potentials, quoting figures of the World Bank which said that the non-Maghreb entails a loss of between 2 and 3 points of the GDP every year.

According to the study, the volume of exported goods in the Maghreb progressed from 1.5 billion dollars in 2001 to 7.6 billion dollars in 2011, but their share of the region's overall exports, worth 170.6 billion Dollars, is tiny.

Inter-maghreban exchanges represented 3pc of the five countries' annual trade in 2008, compared to the European Union (63.3pc) and the Association of South-East Asian countries (24.6pc).

The Oxford Business Group estimate that there is a long way to go before reaching regional integration but pending the settlement of some thorny issues, the dynamism brought by Moroccan-Tunisian cooperation could be a good inspiration for strong and efficient Maghreban integration.

Rabat-King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Prince Moulay Rachid and Princesses Lalla Salma, Lalla Meryem, Lalla Asmae and Lalla Hasnae, offered, on Monday at the Rabat Royal Palace, an official Iftar in honor of King Felipe VI and Queen Letezia of Spain.

The Iftar was attended by members of the official delegation accompanying the Spanish Sovereigns, the Head of Government, the Speakers of both Houses of Parliament, HM the King's advisors, members of the Moroccan government, members of the Spanish community in Morocco, representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited to Morocco, and several civil and military officials.

This is King Felipe’s first visit to Morocco after his coronation last month following the abdication of his father, former King Juan Carlos. Morocco is the third country visited by the Spanish monarch after the Vatican and Portugal, and the first country outside of the European Union.

With MAP

Rabat- The Jewish community in Morocco on Monday hailed the diligence and the skill of police services who arrested the alleged author of a double aggression perpetrated last Friday against two Moroccan Jews.

"Our community hails the diligence and the skill of police services for the outcome of these matters," the secretary general of the Moroccan Jewish community, Serge Berdugo, said in a statement.

The Jewish community "trusts the legal system will administer the suitable punishment to the perpetrators of these acts contrary to the fundamental values of our country", added the same source.

The Casablanca police arrested on Monday morning the alleged author of an assault against a Moroccan Jew last Friday.

The man, apparently suffering from psychological problems, was arrested as he was throwing stones at another Moroccan Jew, the police said in a release.

The alleged author of this double-assault was officially identified by his victims. He is presently being investigated under the supervision by the general prosecutor's office in order to define circumstances and motivations of this criminal act.

Rabat - Moroccans who hold top positions at the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), plot terrorist attacks in Morocco, said on Tuesday Interior Minister, Mohamed Hassad.

A total of 1,122 Moroccans are affiliated to terrorist organizations in Iraq and Syria, together with Moroccan-born European nationals whose number is estimated at some 2,000 persons, the minister said during the question-time session at the House of Representatives, noting that Moroccan authorities investigated 128 Moroccans who returned to Morocco.

These Moroccan fighters hold leadership positions at the ISIL (such as military Emir, Emir of the financial commission, Emir of the Turkman Mountains Zone and Emir of land borders), explained the minister who noted that that these individuals join ISIL ranks, not only to fight but also to undergo trainings in order to carry out attacks against the Kingdom. What is more worrying, he went on, is that these enrolled Moroccans accept to carry out suicide attacks, knowing that 20 Moroccan fighters have already conducted attacks of this type.

Hassad who answered a question from the National Rally of Independents (RNI), Party for justice and development (PJD), Constitutional Union (UC), Istiqlal, popular movement and the Party for Progress and socialism (PPS) stressed that intelligence information revealed the existence of coordination between ISIL and other extremist organizations active in the Sahel and North Africa regions to designate parties that will carry out the terrorist plan in Morocco.

This information also revealed that the terrorist plot against Morocco targeted public interests and personalities, he said, adding "we possess a list of these personalities."

There are also audio and video recordings broadcast on the Internet of Moroccan fighters threatening terrorist operations against Moroccan public figures, he told representatives.

After surveying counter-terrorism strategies adopted by European and Arab countries, the minister insisted that the Moroccan government's strategy seeks to protect the Kingdom against the phenomenon of terrorism, by reinforcing the work of the intelligence services and coordination between the competent parties, at the central and local levels as well as overseas.

This proactive policy has helped dismantle rings that were getting ready to conduct terrorist attacks, he pointed out, explaining that the interior ministry's integrated strategy of vigilance includes coordination between various departments and defining the mission of each department as far as prevention, intervention and repression are concerned.

Hassad further revealed that the walis and governors nationwide have been instructed to reinforce customary counter-terrorism measures and raise the level of controls at airports and ports, as well as in the Kingdom's eastern provinces.

In this context, he paid tribute to efforts made by the security departments to preserve the country's security and stability as well as their continuous vigilance to foil any attempt to endanger Morocco's security.

While we have great confidence in the security services' capacity to face new terrorist threats, as a result of their competence and dedication, these services are facing, in the discharge of their duties, the behaviors of some domestic associations and entities which are active, under the cover of human rights defense, but do not hesitate to hold unfounded accusations against these services, such as kidnapping, torture, and arbitrary detention, in order to undermine their morale, harm the credibility of the security services' action and cast doubts over the measures taken."

The Interior Minister argued that these practices are part of a well-devised campaign serving the interests of some given services through the drafting and presentation of inaccurate reports in order to lead some international organizations and non-governmental organizations to oppose Morocco's interests, including the Moroccan Sahara issue.

These organizations, he went, receive financial support and other advantages from several foreign sources, he pointed out, noting that funds paid to these organizations exceed by 60pc the funds of political parties.

The Interior Minister assured that Morocco will continue to preserve the margins of freedoms, in accordance with the instructions of King Mohammed VI to deepen the human rights culture and consolidate the state of institutions, adding that the schemes plotted by these Ngos will not at all affect the authorities' determination to perfect human rights reforms in keeping with the 2011 constitution.

Gains achieved so far exact that we contribute to deepen the democratic option and show vigilance and mobilization to foil all criminal and terrorist attempts seeking to undermine these endeavors, he concluded.

The parliamentary groups stressed the need to reinforce vigilance in various regions, given the increasing number of Moroccans enrolled by this terrorist organization and take preventive measures to confront these terrorist action and terrorism advocacy through the Internet.

They also hailed the security services efforts and called for intensifying coordination among the different departments. Preserving Morocco against terrorist risks needs a scientific, intellectual and political preventive approach in order to carry on the ongoing reforms meant to reinforce freedoms and human rights and fulfill development, democracy and social justice, the MPS said.

They also recommended that political parties, unions and associations should be given more considerable means, noting the importance of conducting awareness-promotion campaigns for citizens with the participation of political parties, unions, the civil society and the media.

Marrakech- The low-cost airline EasyJet will launch in October a new route connecting Glasgow (Scotland) to Marrakech-Menara Airport.

Fez - Royal Air de Maroc (RAM) was awarded Africa’s best regional airline for 2014 by Skytrax at the World Air Line Awards in Farnborough on Tuesday.

Royal Airlines Morocco landed in sixth place for the quality of the services provided by its staff. It also ranked 7th best airlines in Africa after South Africa Airways, Air Mauritius, Air Seychelles, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and TAAG Angola Airlines.

With this rankingRAM has risen from a 2 star ranking t 3 stars on the Skytrax index.

“Having been awarded Africa’s best regional airline by Skytrax, is a deep tribute to RAM’s staff in order to improve their performance and raise the quality of services to reach the level of the top airline companies in the world, “ said the president of Royal Airlines Morocco, Driss Benhima in a press release.

“We shall be satisfied only when we reach 4 stars in the prestigious ranking of Skytrax”, he added

RAM gained this prestigious award thanks to the votes of passengers. Over a period of 10 months, the Skytrax World Airline Awards interviewed thousands of passengers in more than 160 countries including professional and private travelers.

Rabat- A court ruling that sentenced a 57-year-old pedophile to two years in prison on Tuesday is causing human rights organizations to lobby the government for harsher penalties for convicted pedophiles in Morocco.

It seems as though Moroccan courts encourage pedophilia. Although Morocco’s penal code punishes sex offenders with up to 30 years in prison, a court sentenced a 57-year-old pedophile to only two years in prison after he was caught sexually abusing a 10-year-old child.

The family of the victim, human rights organizations, and the Moroccan people were disappointed to hear the court’s sentence.

The court sentence stirred controversy in the Moroccan public. Thousands of Moroccans watched the shocking video that shows the moment when the pedophile was caught with the victim in a house in Marrakech. The video went viral on social media.

Talking to Alyaoum24, President of the Human Rights Moroccan Association Ahmed Elhayej said after the Spanish pedophile Daniel Fino Galvan was pardoned, “I am no longer surprised that Moroccan Courts make light sentences for convicted pedophiles.”

Ahmed Elhayej revealed that judges hand pedophiles light sentences “because pedophilia has become something usual for them, as number of pedophilia cases has grown in the past 20 years.”

Elhayej goes on to add that the Human Rights Moroccan Association is not satisfied with these light sentences. “When it comes to pedophilia cases, compassion and tolerance are not allowed to judges.”

Najia Adib, President President of Moroccan association “Don’t Touch My Child,” considered this light sentence as “an encouragement to pedophiles in the country.” Najia Adib goes on to add that Moroccan courts should make penalties harsher for convicted pedophiles in order to stop the rise in the sexual exploitation of children.

Earlier this year, Najia Adib told Radio Sawa in an interview that Don’t Touch My Child and the mothers of pedophilia victims would make an appeal to lawmakers to impose chemical castration or death as punishments for convicted pedophiles.

Rabat - The European Union (EU) has granted Morocco a donation 60 million euros to develop the country's agriculture sector.

The grant, which will be paid over four years starting from 2014, will support the Pillar II of the Moroccan Green Plan, aiming to contribute to improving the income of small farmers by taking into consideration the preservation of natural resources.

 This program will develop several production sectors in the target regions (olives, dates, almonds, sheep meat), to integrate more youth and women to the Pillar II of the Green Morocco Plan, promote several local products and increase the operational and monitoring capacities of the Agriculture and Fisheries ministry.

 Agriculture, rural development and fisheries sectors are at the heart of relations between the EU and Morocco. The EU has allocated nearly 2.6 billion dirhams over the last 30 years to these sectors.

Tinejdad, Morocco- The Moroccan ambassador to Egypt filed a complaint against Amany El Khayat, the Egyptian TV presenter,  who insulted Morocco  in her Daily TV show.

According Alyaoum24, three representatives of the Embassy of Morocco in Cairo visited the office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Egypt Hisham Barakat to file a complaint and a request for compensation against the Egyptian TV presenter, who lashed out at Morocco’s King and ruling Islamists party on the plateau of the ON TV channel

Amid a storm of controversy over the  offensive remarks made by Amany El-Khayat in her Daily TV show, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shokri denounced the TV host’s comments, saying that he was “deeply angered by comments made by private Egyptian news anchor insulting the Moroccan people.”

Despite the apology of Amany El-Khayat to the king and people of Morocco, it seems that her unprofessional gaff won’t stop at this level.

The Association of Moroccan community in Egypt also filed a complaint against the TV presenter on charges of libel and defamation of the king and the people of Morocco, through her TV show on "Online TV "

In a video posted on YouTube  in July 16, Egyptian TV presenter, Amany El-Khayat, lashes out at King Mohammed VI and the ruling Islamists party claiming that the Moroccan economy is based on “prostitution.”

Tinejdad, Morocco- Morocco gained eight places in the ranking of the Global Innovation Index 2014.This year, Morocco ranked 84th, compared to 92nd last year among the 143 countries surveyed.

The Kingdom earned an average score of 32.24 points according to the findings of the report, co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization, an agency of the United Nations.

In the Arab world, the United Arab Emirates was ranked highest (36th). Tunisia (78th) topped the North African region, followed by Morocco.Algeria still lags behind with a ranking of 133.

As far as “best-ranked countries by income groups” is concerned, Morocco ranked among the top 10 of 36Lower-middle-income economies.

The report has dedicated a complete chapter to the Kingdom, entitled “the Moroccan Diaspora and its Contribution to the Development of Innovation in Morocco”. It was written by a number of Moroccan officials and researcherscoordinated by Nour-EddineBoukharouaa, from Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office (OMPIC)

“Moroccans living abroad show a strong predominance of young and working-age people,” said the report.

"The expertise of Moroccans living abroad proved able to meet the specific needs of emerging sectors in their country of origin", say experts from OMPIC, adding that that "it is appropriate to draw lessons for other countries with a similar level of development. "

According to the report, the Moroccan diaspora is mainly located in France (32%), Spain (20%), Italy (12%), other European countries, and Arab countries (6%), the United States of America,and Canada ( 3%)

The GIL 2014 reviews 143 economies with 81 indicators for an assessment of capacity for innovation and measurable results.

Tinjedad, Morocco - Following the controversy caused by Egyptian news anchor Amany El-Khayat over her offensive remarks about Morocco, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry,  praised the bilateral relations between the two countries in a telephone conversation with his Moroccan counterpart Salaheddine Mezouar.

The spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry Badr Abdel-Atti said today that Shoukry stressed, during his phone call to the Moroccan Foreign Minister, that the remarks made by the TV host should not affect the relationship between the two countries under any pretext.

"Sameh Shoukry reiterated the high pride of Egypt, government and people, in the leadership and the people of the Kingdom of Morocco and the historic role it plays in the service of Arab and Islamic issues," the spokesman said.

The spokesman for Egypt's Foreign Ministry added that Shoukry and Mezouar also discussed the latest developments in the region, particularly the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip in light of continued Israeli military attacks.

It is worth noting that the Moroccan ambassador to Egypt and the Association of Moroccan Community in Egypt filed a complaint against the Egyptian TV presenter who insulted Morocco in her daily TV show.

In a video posted on YouTube on July 16, Egyptian TV presenter Amany El-Khayat lashes out at King Mohammed VI and the ruling Islamist Party, claiming that the Moroccan economy is based on “prostitution.”

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

Fez- Amid the ongoing Israeli shilling on Gaza, some Israeli newspapers dedicated some lines in their July 21 issue to the Moroccan waiter who was gunned down on the same day of 1973 by the Israeli secret service.

Several Israeli newspapers retold the story of Morocco’s Ahmed Bouchiki in their “Today in History” section on Monday.

On July 21, 1973, Israeli agents in Lillehammer, Norway, killed Ahmed Bouchikhi, a Moroccan waiter, in a case of mistaken identity.

Israeli agents allegedly thought they were killing Ali Hassan Salame, a Palestinian official with Black September, the group that attacked Israel’s delegation at the 1972 Munich Olympics and killed 11 athletes.

On the evening of July 21, a team of Israeli agents shot dead the Moroccan waiter as he walked home from the cinema with his pregnant wife at the resort city of Lillehammer, 110 miles north of Oslo.

Ahmed Bouchikhi, had been living in Lillehammer for nine years and his wife, Torill Larsen, a local woman, was expecting their child. Bouchiki’s murder caused a diplomatic crisis between Norway and Israel. The Norwegian government considered this case more than a murder case, stressing that it was a violation of Norwegian sovereignty.

In January 1996, Israel paid undisclosed compensation to Bouchikhi's family, but did not admit responsibility for the killing.

An article from the New York Times archives was quoted as saying that Israel “will not take responsibility, because Israel is not a killing organization." Norway closed the case in 1999, saying it would be impossible to get a conviction.

Rabat- Morocco’s national football team will play a friendly against Central Africa in October at the Grand Stadium of Marrakech, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) announced on Tuesday evening.

It will be the 3rd test for the Lions of the Atlas ahead of the final stage of the 30th African Cup of Nations, to be held in Morocco on January 17-February 8.

This friendly will be preceded by two other games against Qatar on September 3 in Casablanca and Libya on September 7 in Marrakech.

The Moroccan team fell two spots to number 79 in the latest world rankings, according to FIFA.