A House of Morocco in Canada next year

The first Moroccan cultural center in Canada, which aims to support cultural Moroccans residing abroad, should be operational in 2011.

Called Dar Al Maghrib, the construction of this center will join modern and traditional architecture on a background Judeo-Moroccan start in late August to be completed in the first half of 2011 in Montreal.

In addition to the courses of Arabic, French and English, the House of Morocco will host exhibitions, concerts, film screenings and symposia.

The project was launched in November 2008 during a working visit to Montreal of the Minister for MRE Mohamed Ameur. It is part of a cultural program led by Morocco to the MRE, which includes construction of five such centers in Brussels, Paris, Barcelona, Montreal and Tripoli.
> www.bladi.net

Read More

The 20 most downloaded songs ever

All 20 of these songs were released in the last 40 months, which makes sense. This is the period in which digital song sales have exploded. The oldest song on the list is "Apologize" by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic, which was released in April 2007. The newest is "TiK ToK," which was released in October 2009.
Surprisingly, four of the top 20 digital sellers failed to reach #1 on the weekly Digital Songs sales chart. That simply means there was never a week when the hit was the best-selling download in the country. These songs are Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours," Taylor Swift's "Love Story," Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold" and "Need You Now."
Seven of the top 20 digital sellers failed to reach #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, which combines digital sales and radio airplay points. These smashes are the four songs listed above plus Train's "Hey, Soul Sister," Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" and Miley Cyrus' "Party In The U.S.A."
Here are the top 20 songs in digital history, as measured by Nielsen/SoundScan. The songs are ranked by their sales totals as of this week. I show where the songs peaked on the Hot 100. I also indicate the songs that won Grammys and/or received Grammy nominations for Record or Song of the Year.




1. The Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling," 6,049,000.
2. Flo Rida featuring T-Pain, "Low," 5,640,000.
3. Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis, 5,616,000. "Just Dance.
4. The Black Eyed Peas, "Boom Boom Pow," 5,517,000.
5. Lady Gaga, "Poker Face," 5,451,000.
6. Jason Mraz, "I'm Yours," 5,267,000.
7. Ke$ha, "TiK ToK," 5,078,000.
8. Timbaland featuring OneRepublic, "Apologize," 4,747,000.
9. Taylor Swift, "Love Story," 4,654,000.
10. Flo Rida, "Right Round," 4,594,000.
11. Coldplay, "Viva La Vida," 4,588,000.
12. Soulja Boy Tell'Em, "Crank That (Soulja Boy)," 4,520,000.
13. Katy Perry, "Hot N Cold," 4,461,000.
14. Train, "Hey, Soul Sister," 4,311,000.
15. Beyonce, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," 4,166,000.
16. Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance," 4,154,000.
17. Kanye West, "Stronger," 4,106,000.
18. Miley Cyrus, "Party In The U.S.A.," 4,105,000.
19. Lady Antebellum, "Need You Now," 4,028,000.
20. Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love," 4,026,000.


> Yahoo!

Read More

Lady Gaga leads with 13, most VMA nominations in history

Lady Gaga may be the one bowing under the most VMA nominations in history, but Eminem's the one who's angry.

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards nominees have been officially announced with Gaga leading with 13 nods -- the most in VMAs history -- and Eminem following close behind with eight nominations.

"Apparently, MTV doesn't care that I have two massive stadium shows on the other side of the country the day after the VMAs. F me, right?!?!" Eminem said in a statement.

"I mean, I'll be there, but don't expect me to be nice about it."

The rapper's "Not Afraid" music video is up for Video of the Year and he is also up like Best Male Video and Best Hip-Hop Video.

Meanwhile, Gaga was a little more gracious about her record number of nods, which included two nominations for Video of the Year, for "Bad Romance" and "Telephone," making her the first female artist to be nominated for two videos in one year.

"I'm so honored for all the little monsters and self-professed freaks of the universe, to have more VMA nominations in a single year than any artist in MTV history," she said in a statement. "Ironically, I'm even more proud it's an unlucky number: 13."

She later sent a special message to her Twitter followers.

"13 VMA noms lilmonsters. Breakin records+breakin rüles," she tweeted Tuesday afternoon. "I love you, you Bad Kids are a part of me. PAWS UP"

Other big name nominees include Katy Perry, who is up for Best Female Video, alongside Gaga, for "California Gurls." Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" and Taylor Swift's "Fifteen" are also in the running for the award.

Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber leads the Best New Artist category alongside Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo, Ke$ha and Broken Bells.

"Just found I was nominated for Best New Artist at the VMA's! WOW!!" Bieber tweeted Tuesday afternoon. "I remember walking the red carpet last year and no one knew my name

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards air September 12 at 9 p.m. on MTV.

Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com where they can find a full list of nominees and vote for the winners from Tuesday through September 12.
> www.nydailynews.com

Read More

Casa Connect - I'm from Morocco

Read More

Maroc competitors arrive from all over the world

The competition on the Rallye International du Maroc knows no bounds. One of the latest entrants for the marathon event comes from as far afield as Australia: the home of many classic targa events.

Paul Darrouzet, from Sydney in Australia, will drive an ex-Stig Blomqvist V8 Ford Capri Perana on the 9600-kilometre event, having built up plenty of experience with the car both in his native Australia and on other historic events all over the world. In particular, he has contested the East African Safari with the car – so he has some idea of what to expect from the challenge of African roads.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Darrouzet. “I’ve heard so much about this event and I hope it’s going to be well-suited to the car. The Capri is great fun to drive, and I hope that people enjoy watching it just as much as I enjoy driving it. I know that Maroc is not going to be an easy event, but if it was easy then I guess that everyone would do it!”

Darrouzet will bring his Capri to Morocco

> www.rallybuzz.com

Read More

(spanish democracy) Morocco accuses Spain of abandoning sick migrants

Rabat blasts Spain's 'inhuman behavior' against critically-ill African immigrants near Ceuta.

Morocco on Friday accused a Spanish civil guard border patrol of abandoning eight sub-Saharan migrants off the Moroccan coast in a critical state of health.

"A patrol of the Spanish civil guard abandoned on Friday at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) off the Moroccan coast near the rural community of Belyounech eight immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa in a critical state of health," said a foreign ministry statement.

Belyounech is close to Ceuta, one of two Spanish enclaves in northern Morocco seen by would-be migrants from north and west Africa desperate to reach Europe as a potential way northwards to the continent.

On Monday, Morocco expressed its "strong indignation" after police in the other Spanish enclave, Melilla, reportedly beat up a Moroccan student.

But Spain on Tuesday denied any such incident.

According to the Moroccan authorities, the eight sub-Saharan migrants found on Friday morning were four Cameroonians, a Senegalese, a Chadian, a Ghanaian and a Gabonese man.

The foreign ministry said that the immigrants were evacuated and given emergency medical care.

It called the abandonment of the immigrants "... inhuman behavior, in complete contradiction with respect for human dignity and human rights..."

The Moroccan press has recently reported several incidents between the Spanish police and Moroccan nationals at the border posts of Ceuta and Melilla.

Rabat has always considered Ceuta and Mellila as occupied towns on its territory, but Madrid in May reaffirmed Spanish sovereignty over the two enclaves and their "Spanish character" after the Moroccan government called for a dialogue on the matter.
> www.middle-east-online.com

Read More

Morocco

Back to GMT from midnight tonight .

Read More

Death of Ali Mounir Alaoui, head of mission at the Royal Cabinet

Mr. Ali Mounir Alaoui, head of mission at the Royal Cabinet, died Thursday in Rabat at the age of 74 years.

The deceased was responsible for mission in the Royal Cabinet during the reigns of the late Sovereign, His Majesty King Mohammed V and King Hassan II and King Mohammed VI.
Fire Mounir Alaoui Ali also served as a diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he held several positions at the beginning of the independence of the Kingdom.
Writer, the late Ali Mounir Alaoui is the author of several books on the history of Morocco, in addition to literary essays and novels.
The deceased will be buried on Thursday after Asr prayer at Shuhada cemetery.

> www.scoop.ma

Read More

JESSICA Simpson

“We all obsess over looking like the perfect Barbie type, and that’s not always what’s beautiful. It’s about making peace with yourself,” Simpson tells the September issue of Lucky magazine.Jess says flming her VH1 series Price of Beauty really put her in touch with her inner beauty and influenced her style.“Morocco was a huge influence on me when it comes to jewelry and fashion. You can’t help but want to buy caftans when you’re there!” she said.> www.showbizspy.com

Read More

(spanish democracy) Morocco Protests against Spanish police Brutality on Moroccan citizens

Morocco has expressed strong indignation over the physical abuse inflicted once again by Spanish police against Moroccan citizens at the crossing point to the Moroccan, Spanish-occupied, city of Melilla.

During a meeting on Monday in Rabat with Spanish ambassador, Luis Planas Puchades, Morocco's Foreign Minister Taib Fassi Fihri expressed the kingdom's "strong indignation at the unacceptable physical violence inflicted once again on Moroccan citizens," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Moroccan citizen Mostapha Bellahcen, a student aged 30, was physically assaulted on Monday by members of the Spanish police. He was transported to the Melilla hospital after suffering injuries, the statement said.

According to preliminary reports, Bellahcen was accused of holding a plastic bag containing a kilogram and a half of fresh sardines, which do not meet the hygiene requirements, the same source added.

“But instead of fulfilling their mission in accordance with the practices governing such cases, the policemen used force and beat up the Moroccan citizen,” the statement said.

Morocco strongly condemns such actions, which are disrespectful to human dignity, contrary to all ethical rules and indisputably racist,” it added.

This is the third case reported in a few weeks, Morocco “has publicly expressed, on July 16, its firm protest over the physical violence committed against five young Moroccans residing in Belgium, who were bound for Melilla, the statement recalled.

Lagdaf Karim, a citizen who was accompanied by his mother, had also suffered a similar fate, on July 29, at the same access point, the source added.> Map

Read More