FACEBOOK WILL END ON MARCH 15th!

PALO ALTO, CA –

Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will be shut down in March. Managing the site has become too stressful.

“Facebook has gotten out of control,” said Zuckerberg in a press conference outside his Palo Alto office, “and the stress of managing this company has ruined my life. I need to put an end to all the madness.”

Zuckerberg went on to explain that starting March 15th, users will no longer be able to access their Facebook accounts.

“After March 15th the whole website shuts down,” said Avrat Humarthi, Vice President of Technical Affairs at Facebook. “So if you ever want to see your pictures again, I recommend you take them off the internet. You won’t be able to get them back once Facebook goes out of business.”

Zuckerberg said that the decision to shut down Facebook was difficult, but that he does not think people will be upset.

“I personally don’t think it’s a big deal,” he said in a private phone interview. “And to be honest, I think it’s for the better. Without Facebook, people will have to go outside and make real friends. That’s always a good thing.”

Some Facebook users were furious upon hearing the shocking news.

“What am I going to do without Facebook?” said Denise Bradshaw, a high school student from Indiana. “My life revolves around it. I’m on Facebook at least 10 hours a day. Now what am I going to do with all that free time?”

However, parents across the country have been experiencing a long anticipated sense of relief.

“I’m glad the Facebook nightmare is over,” said Jon Guttari, a single parent from Detroit. “Now my teenager’s face won’t be glued to a computer screen all day. Maybe I can even have a conversation with her.”

Those in the financial circuit are criticizing Zuckerberg for walking away from a multibillion dollar franchise. Facebook is currently ranked as one of the wealthiest businesses in the world, with economists estimating its value at around 7.9 billion.

But Zuckerberg remains unruffled by these accusations. He says he will stand by his decision to give Facebook the axe.

“I don’t care about the money,” said Zuckerberg. “I just want my old life back.”

The Facebook Corporation suggests that users remove all of their personal information from the website before March 15th. After that date, all photos, notes, links, and videos will be permanently erased.

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INDH gets 5-year Morocco review

On the fifth anniversary of the National Human Development Initiative (INDH), Moroccan officials held a forum November1st-2nd to take a closer look at progress made and address obstacles.

"Despite the unquestionable advances which have been made, we are aware that this experience has highlighted certain limitations, which will naturally form a part of any innovative programme of this size," Moroccan King Mohammed VI said in a message to the forum participants.

"Hence our desire to ensure that it is followed up on the ground, along with constant monitoring at various stages, with a view to improving programmes, encouraging a more integrated approach to projects, and overcoming obstacles," the King said.

International partners at the Agadir forum included members of the European Union. French Secretary of State for Urban Affairs Fadela Amara lauded the initiative as an exemplary development model.

Others, however, highlighted the obstacles that the programme still faces, particularly regarding the long-term future of economic plans.

Since its launch in 2005, INDH has notched up 22,000 development projects helping 5 million people, at a total cost of more than 10 billion dirhams (887 million euros). It has produced more than 3,400 income-generating activities, which have created 40,000 jobs.

"The efforts should certainly be acknowledged, and have enabled many families to move out of poverty," said sociologist Samira Kassimi, adding, however, that the initiative would become more effective if the projects could be put on a more permanent footing.

"We have seen problems regarding the viability of the projects. This comes from a lack of follow-up mechanisms for beneficiaries," Kassimi said. She added that it is not enough to set up small projects but the important thing is to maintain and develop them.

The King emphasised that development problems have to do with "targeting populations and areas, intensifying activities to generate income and spreading the participative approach". He also highlighted "the decisive role that the regions and territorial authorities must play in the move to promote the well-being of the citizen".

"Weaknesses will always be found in any new experiment, but the evaluation which has been carried out to date will allow improvements to be made," said Moroccan Finance Minister Salaheddine Mezouar at the opening of the meeting.

Targets include simplifying administrative procedures and putting support mechanisms in place to help beneficiaries to become more autonomous. He added that from now on the idea is to strengthen the network of voluntary organisations involved in setting up various human development projects.

Moroccans from underprivileged backgrounds pinned their hopes on the project. Craftsman Bousselham Boujemâa, 32, told Magharebia that he hopes to set up a small business and receive funding from the INDH.

"I'm also hoping to get some training so that I can adapt to the market and manage my project properly. A friend of mine has really benefited financially. But he's run into some problems and there's a risk he could go under," he said.

The second phase of the initiative is slated for 2011. It aims to step up the pace, by introducing new rules, facilitating business set-up procedures and encouraging income-generating activities.

From : magharebia

Morocco's press union denounces banning access of Moroccan journalists to occupied Melilia

Rabat - Morocco's press union (SNPM) denounced on Tuesday banning access of a group of Moroccan journalists to the Moroccan Spanish-occupied city of Melillia and the confinement of two cameramen by Spanish civil guard while they were trying to enter the city through its crossing point.

In a statement, the SNPM added that the behavior of the Spanish civil guard is a repressive practice against Moroccan journalists, who wanted to accomplish their mission as defined by all laws and international standards, including the legislation of the Spanish state itself.

The union said that the purpose of these practices is to "harass journalists particularly from Moroccan TV channels that broadcast programs on the sufferings of Moroccans in the city where they are repressed by the Spanish forces."

It recalled that it is not the first time the Spanish forces in the occupied city avail themselves of these repressive practice, calling on national and international organizations to strongly condemn these acts.

Abderahim El Bouhedioui from 2M TV channel and Rachid Laatabi from Al Oula TV channel were kept in a location by the guards, who also confiscated the passports of three other Moroccan reporters without explaining motives behind this measure.

Badiaa Zeghnini (Al Oula), Azzedine Lamrimi (Arabic-speaking paper Al Ahdat Al Maghribiya) and Said Youssi (Morocco's news agency MAP), who were accompanying the cameramen, intended to enter the city to cover the latest developments of the incidents that occurred recently in Melilia.

From : map

More migrants should become homeowners, Dutch government says

Amsterdam - Immigrants in the Netherlands should purchase a home there rather than in their native countries, the Dutch government said in a new integration policy mission statement released on Tuesday.

Some 40 per cent of Moroccan and 26 per cent of Turkish immigrants are homeowners, compared with 60 per cent of native Dutch nationals.

Immigrants should make a "conscious choice" to invest in a home and future in the Netherlands, the mission statement said.

Integration Minister Eberhard van der Laan (Labour) acknowledged he cannot "force immigrants to stop saving money for a home in their native countries."

"But it is our explicit wish that people should not focus their lives on their return, but on their future in the Netherlands."

The minister said he also had an "uncomfortable feeling" about the idea immigrants often save money for a home in their native countries while local Dutch authorities and publicly subsidised housing corporations spend millions in renovation and maintenance work in neighborhoods populated by immigrants.(dpa)

From topnews.

HM the King inaugurates craft training center

Fez - King Mohammed VI inaugurated, here Saturday, a craft training center, marking the launch of the 12th national campaign for solidarity that runs from November 15 through November 25.

The 36 million dirham- (4.7 million U.S. dollars) facility aims at providing vocational training for youth to facilitate their socioeconomic integration by providing training sessions for craftsmen in the field of management, marketing, NTIC, quality, hygiene and security.

Built on 5,150 m², the centre will also encourage and support project holders during the process of setting up their businesses and marketing their products.

The 12th national campaign for solidarity confirms the choice to make training a key aspect in the implementation of the projects and programs carried out by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity.

The campaign helps raising funds from Moroccan citizens and institutions to finance social projects across the north African country that are aimed to fight poverty and exclusion.

On this occasion, the sovereign handed commemorative plaques to princesses Lalla Aicha and Lalla Malika for their precious financial contributions to implement the Foundation’s projects.

The Monarch also decorated several donators that have financially contributed to the implementation of the projects of the Foundation.

As part of the support that the Foundation provides to NGOs, the Sovereign donated 2.5 million dirhams to several NGOs and cooperatives partners of the Foundation and working in the craft industry.

From MAP.

Authenticity and Modernity Party strongly denounces comments of Aminatou Haidar

Rabat - Secretary General of the Authenticity and Modernity Party Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah strongly denounced, on Sunday, the statements of Aminatou Haidar, describing her "provocative act" as "treason against the Nation."

"Despite the fact that she travels across the world to undermine the territorial integrity of Morocco, and to offend the patriotic sentiments of the Moroccans, Aminatou Haidar was, and is still, a Moroccan citizen," which is a truth she can't deny, Biadillah told MAP.

The political leader noted that everyone knows that the "intelligence of a neighbouring country is behind Aminatou Haidar and her likes," who take advantage of the climate of freedom in the north African kingdom to achieve "personal objectives that have nothing to do with human rights."

Biadillah accused Haidar of taking part in a campaign of false allegations, which is being led by the enemies of Morocco’s territorial integrity and other European parties, who ignore the reality of the region.

The Moroccan political parties representing the government and the opposition have unanimously denounced the comments and behaviour of Aminatou Haidar, accusing her of treason and of being supported by foreign parties.

Haidar, who holds Moroccan ID card and passport, refused, Friday morning upon arrival in the airport of the southern town of Laayoune, to fill in the embarkation form, and denied her Moroccan identity.

She also supported the theses of the Algerian-backed Polisario separatists, who lay claims to Morocco's Southern Provinces, the Sahara, a Moroccan territory that the north African kingdom had retrieved after Spain pulled out in the mid-Seventies.

From MAP.

Six Senses Spa to open at The Baglioni Marrakech, Morocco by 2011

Morocco’s first Six Senses Spa is scheduled to open by late 2011. The spa having an area of 1,500 sq mt will be a centrepiece of The Baglioni Marrakech — a boutique five-star hotel set within 34-acre parkland resort and residential development.

The Six Senses Spa at The Baglioni Marrakech will have indoor treatment rooms including two couple’s rooms with sunken bath for half day and full day package getaways. The special feature of the spa will be the traditional hammam heat experience, which will offer hammam journeys for individuals, couples and small groups.

The extensive spa facility will comprise eight single treatment rooms set around ponds, an outdoor terrace for group treatments, a 60 sq mt gym, sauna, experience shower and a floatation pool.

The spa will offer a consultation room and a roof-top yoga pavilion ideal for corporate wellness conferences and programmes. The spa will service The Baglioni Marrakech guests, resident owners and private members only.

By HBI Staff.

Arab Journalism Award delegation to tour various Arab countries

A delegation from Dubai Press Club is embarking on a tour of various Arab countries tomorrow with a view to promote participation in the 9th edition of the Arab Journalism Award.

The tour comes right on the heels of the call for nominations for the award in line with the new structure of the award, which not only did away with or merged some of the old categories, but also added new ones such as young talent and online journalism.

The General Secretariat of the award, based in Dubai Press Club, revealed that the promotion tours would consist of three phases, the first of which was already kicked off within the UAE. The second phase, starting tomorrow, will cover Qatar, Syria and Lebanon while the third one will take the DPC delegation to countries of North Africa, such as Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt.

During the tour, the delegation will hold numerous meetings across the spectrum of the Arab media to persuade various media organizations to maximize their participation in the award program in terms of submitting entries from journalists of all hues.

Meanwhile, the General Secretariat has already begun receiving entries from journalists across the region. It is expected that the number of entries this year will far exceed that of last year, which was well over 3000 entries. The last date for receiving entries is January 14, 2010.

The constitution of the judging panels is currently underway, which will see the appointment of around 60 judges with five or six adjudicating in each category. The names of the judges will be revealed only on the day of the distribution of the awards.

From ameinfo.

Morocco to create agency safeguard oases

Morocco has decided to set up an agency for the development and safeguard of the country's oases and Argan trees, as recognition of their importance.

In fact, HM King Mohammed VI has asked the government to create the new agency called ‘the national agency for the development of oasis zones.'

This agency will have as a mission the protection and the promotion of oasis zones and Argan trees -which have become known worldwide- in accordance to the principles of sustainable development.

It will also strive to protect and upgrade the country's date palms, rationalize the management of water resources and fight against desertification, besides enhancing the living conditions of the populations of these areas.

Oases, which represent 15% of the national territory surface mainly in the Saharan regions, harbor up to 1.6 million inhabitants.

The anticipation of climate change risks and impacts, and the promotion of scientific research relating to this ecosystem are also among its responsibilities.

To be headed by Dr. Bachir Saoud, who has been appointed by the king, the new body will cooperate with the different authorities and ministerial departments, mainly the Agriculture department.

Yesterday, HM King Mohammed VI launched a project for planting one million palm trees in the Tafilalet oases (Errachidia province) by the year 2015.

Worth MAD 1.25 billion (about USD 163 million), the project will benefit some 6000 farmers, help create 450,000 working days and increase production.

It is part of agriculture's “Green Plan”, which intended to develop Morocco's agricultural sector.

By CMC morocco business news.

Arab political parties slam self-rule in Western Sahara

APA-Rabat (Morocco) About one hundred Arab political parties meeting in the Syrian capital denounced separatism, calling it “destructive” referring in particular to Western Sahara whose “Moroccanness” the Polisario Front is disputing since late 1975, the Moroccan press said on Saturday .

The fifth congress of Arab political parties, which ended on Friday in Damascus, said that “the separatist calls” are aimed at “tearing apart the Arab nation.”

The congress, which was founded in 1996, has not failed to express its support to Morocco to also recover “all its occupied territories,” referring particularly to the cities of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco, colonized since 1497 by Spain.

The Arab support strengthens the endorsement of most of the international community regarding Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara, which is deemed as the “only conceivable solution” to end the 34-year old conflict.

However, the Polisario is, on its side, claiming a self-rule referendum which is described as “unenforceable” and “unrealistic” in Rabat supported by influential capitals, including Washington.

In June 2007, a UN-backed negotiation process was initiated on U.S. soil, but it struggles to find common ground between the two main protagonists, Morocco and Algeria-backed Polisario.

The date of the fifth round of negotiations should be set by mutual agreement between Morocco and the Polisario.

YB/mn/sd/ad/APA

HM the King appoints Hassan Aourid Historiographer of the Kingdom

Erfoud (southeastern Morocco) - HM King Mohammed VI received, on Friday at the royal place of Erfoud, Hassan Aourid whom the Sovereign named historiographer of the Kingdom of Morocco, says a release of the Royal Household, protocol and chancellery.

Born in Errachidia on December 24th, 1962, Aourid has a bachelor degree in public law and Ph.D in political sciences.

He served for the foreign affairs department from 1988 to 1992. After spending a career as a political advisor for the Moroccan embassy in Washington from 1992 to 1995, Aourid took the post of teacher at the National school of Administration and at the University of Rabat from 1995 to 1999.

He also served as the official spokesperson of the Royal Palace before he was named in 2005 Wali for the Meknes-Tafilalt.

From Map.

Polisario militant arrested in Morocco

RABAT — Moroccan authorities on Friday detained a Western Sahara activist close to the Polisario Front rebels, Aminatou Haidar, in the disputed territory's main city, a Moroccan security source said.

"Aminatou Haidar was arrested for failing to carry out police formalities when he arrived at Laayoune airport," the source said.

Seven people were held on October 8 at Casablanca airport, after they visited Western Sahara refugee camps run by the Polisario front at Tindouf in southwest Algeria.

The members of the group are to appear before a military tribunal in Rabat on charges of supporting secession, Moroccan press reported.

Their visit to Tindouf led to an outcry among political parties and Moroccan media. Morocco claims Western Sahara is part of its territory.

The Polisario Front has been fighting for the independence of Western Sahara since Morocco annexed it after Spanish settlers left in 1975.

On November 6, King Mohammed VI warned of a crackdown against "opponents of the territorial integrity of Morocco," referring to Sahrawis who support the Polisario Front.

In a speech to the nation on the 34th anniversary of the "Green March," in which his father Hassan II sent tens of thousands of Moroccans to colonise the territory, the king said "communication with to the enemy amounts to high treason."

"There's no more room for ambiguity or duplicity: either a citizen is Moroccan, or he isn't. (...) It's time for clarity and assuming our duty. Either one is a patriot or one is a traitor. There is no just position between patriotism and treason," he added.

With Algerian backing, the Polisario Front is holding out for the independence.

Morocco has proposed broad self-government under its sovereignty in order to end the three decade old conflict which a string of UN peace plans has failed to solve.

Copyright © 2009 AFP.

Moroccan delegation visiting Kentucky

The Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A group of Moroccan educators will be visiting Kentucky this month as part of an "international civic education collaboration."

The Moroccan delegation will be in Kentucky from Nov. 22 to Nov. 25, starting off in Louisville. While in Kentucky, the Moroccan educators will meet with teachers, lawmakers, university representatives and officials from the state supreme court and the Kentucky Department of Education.

The delegation has stops planned in Frankfort for a traditional Thanksgiving lunch, followed by an observation of a Teen Court program in Newport. The group is also planning to stop at President Abraham Lincoln's birthplace in Hodgenville.

From Kentucky

Turkish Minister in Morocco attends investment meeting

Ergun said that they aimed at increasing trade volume between Turkey and African countries up to 50 billion USD in the next few years.

Turkish Industry & Trade Minister Nihat Ergun said that they aimed at increasing trade volume between Turkey and African countries up to 50 billion USD in the next few years.

Speaking at the Turkey-Morocco Trade & Investment Forum hosted by the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) in Casablanca, Morocco, Ergun said, "Turkey has become one of the first 15 biggest economies of the world with a gross domestic product of 700 billion USD. Turkey's foreign trade volume exceeded 300 billion USD."

"Turkey's commercial relations with African countries are further improving. Our trade volume with African countries increased to 17 billion USD from 5 billion USD in the last few years. We target to increase it up to 50 billion USD in the coming years. Turkish and Moroccan businessmen should cooperate with each other to this end," he said.

From world bulletin

Congress on Ottoman's Mediterranean to be held in Morocco

An international congress on Western Mediterranean under Ottoman ruling will be held on 12-14 November in Moroccon capital of Rabat.

The OIC Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA, Istanbul) and the Royal Institute for Research on the History of Morocco (IRRHM, Rabat) are jointly organising an International Congress on "The Maghreb and the Western Mediterranean during the Ottoman Period".

The congress aims to promote research on the history of the Maghreb and the Western Mediterranean region during the period of the Ottoman State by exploring the existing and new directions of research and offering scholars and specialists an opportunity to present their findings and share information, IRCICA said on website.

"The period will be covered comprehensively, to generate a forum of study and academic discussion on its various aspects. The Ottoman presence in part of the region under study had varying degrees and spheres of impacts on all of the region.

"Thus the theme will cover the relations between the Ottoman State and the Maghreb and Western Mediterranean region with regard to the effects of developments relating to the central state, the provinces, and the neighbouring countries, reciprocally; economic, social, cultural and educational developments, press and publications," IRCICA said.

An important aspect of the congress is that it will also address issues relating to historiography and the state of research on the history of the region during the Ottoman period.

The languages of the congress will be Arabic, Turkish, English and French. Simultaneous translation will be provided.

From worldbulletin