Suspended jail term for Tunisia Bouazizi's mother

The mother of Mohamed Bouazizi, the street vendor whose self-immolation sparked Tunisia's revolution, was given a suspended four-month jail term on Friday for insulting an official, the justice ministry said. Manoubia Bouazizi, 60, was handed the suspended sentence after being convicted by a court in the central western town of Sidi Bouzid of insulting an official, ministry official Mondher Bedhiafi said. Earlier, a court source told AFP that she was found guilty of "insulting an official while...

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PIXELS - ShortFilm

Though set in New York, Pixels is an example of the best from Europe and France. French filmmaker Patrick Jean had made several short animations before hitting the big time with Pixels. Adam Sandler (The Wedding Singer) liked it so much that he struck a deal with Jean to turn his simple, high-concept idea into a Ghostbusters-like action comedy. Pixels sees New York invaded by a bunch of classic 8-bit creatures (such as Donkey Kong and Pac-Man). Written, directed by : Patrick Jean Director of...

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Moroccan activists Renew Call for Freedom To eat in Public During Ramadan

With this year’s Ramadan approaching, some “irreligious” Moroccan activists have launched a Facebook page where they call for people not to fast during Ramadan. Under the name “Masayminch: We are not fasting” the group explained that that they believe that “Any Moroccan who feels the urge to drink and eat during Ramadan must be allowed to do it.” As seen during last year’s Ramadan, this Moroccan movement has been met with harsh condemnation, not only in Morocco but also from Muslins around the...

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Digg acquired by Betaworks

Digg, once the darling of start-up world, Digg has sold its brand and its Web site to the New York-based technology company Betaworks. The deal closes the final chapter on the story of Digg’s meteoric rise and ultimate decline. In a blog post announcing the deal, Betaworks — which makes the popular app News.me — said it will be returning the company to its roots. “We are turning Digg back into a startup,” read a post on Betaworks’ company blog. “Low budget, small team, fast cycles.” The news...

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Qatar's Royals Buy Valentino

Qatar's royal family is buying storied Italian fashion house Valentino, said a person familiar with the matter, in the latest sign of the tiny oil-rich country's appetite for prestigious luxury brands. Valentino said Thursday it had been acquired by an investment vehicle called Mayhoola, which is backed by a private investor from Qatar. A person familiar with the matter said the buyer was the royal family of the Persian Gulf state. The value of the acquisition wasn't disclosed, but the person...

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French disabled swimmer spans Europe and Africa

Frenchman Philippe Croizon, who has lost all of his limbs, continued his quest to swim between al the continents on Thursday by crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, an organiser said. "He has just reached the rock on the Ciress beach near Tangiers, having swum 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) from Tarifa in five hours and 20 minutes," Anne Bayard, one of the organisers of Croizon's project, told AFP. Completing the stretch between Tarifa in southern Spain and Tangiers in northern Morocco was the third...

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McDonald's Big Mac sauce revealed

Dan Coudreaut, executive chef for McDonald's fast food restaurants, has revealed the secret behind the Big Mac's secret sauce. All you need to make the Big Mac sauce is store-bought mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, classic yellow mustard, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday. The paprika, Coudreaut said, "gives it a little flavor but it also helps to enhance the color a little bit." Coudreaut recently made a video demonstrating...

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Yahoo confirms theft of 450,000 users' passwords

Some 450,000 Yahoo users' email addresses and passwords have been leaked because of a security breach, the company confirmed Thursday, adding that just a small fraction of the stolen passwords were valid. The company said in a statement that an "old file" from the Yahoo Contributor Network was compromised Wednesday. Among the stolen emails and passwords were many from Yahoo's own email service along with those of other companies. The Yahoo Contributor Network is a content-sharing platform. Yahoo...

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Morocco's Taarabt extends QPR contract

Morocco forward Adel Taarabt has extended his contract with Queens Park Rangers for three years, the Premier League side announced on Wednesday. The 23-year-old was heavily linked in the media with a move to French big-spending side Paris Saint Germain, but he moved to quell speculation and pledge his future to QPR. "I am very pleased to have signed this contract," Taarabt told the club's official website. "When I first arrived here I honestly thought it would be just for a short period but...

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Moroccan activists demand sex before marriage

Moroccan Justice Minister Mustafa al-Ramid lashed out at a request submitted by a group of activists asking for the legalizing of sexual relations outside marriage and called the initiative a promotion of debauchery. “Revoking the law that criminalizes sex outside marriage is a propagation of corruption that will deal a fatal blow to Moroccan values,” Ramid said Monday in parliament, answering a question about his response to the sexual freedom initiative. A group of Moroccan activists called...

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Major Medical Groups Back Sweeteners as Diet Aid

Non-nutritive sweeteners like Splenda, Equal and Sweet'N Low may have a role to play in maintaining or even losing weight, as long as people don't use them as an excuse to treat themselves later with high-calorie goodies. That endorsement of six sugar substitutes as a dietary aid came in a scientific statement released Monday by two major health organizations, the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. "There may be a benefit to people who use them smartly and who don't...

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Google to pay $22.5M fine over Apple Safari

A person familiar with settlement said the fine has yet to be approved by the Federal Trade Commission, which oversees online privacy issues in the US. If approved by the FTC's five commissioners, the $22.5 million penalty would be the largest the agency has ever imposed on a single company. Google, however, has $49 billion in the bank and will generate revenue this year of about $46 billion. The case, nonetheless, raises further doubts about the company's credibility as it grapples with broader...

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Saudi Princess Seeks UK Asylum

Saudi Arabia’s Princess Sara bint Talal bin Abdulaziz is seeking asylum in the UK for herself and her children over fears they will not be safe back home. In applying for asylum, the divorced mother-of-four says she faces persecution by members of her family and also some of Saudi Arabia’s authorities. “My reputation has been besmirched in the media by a baseless and malicious smear campaign,” the princess said in press statement. “For years I have endured all this in silence, while trying...

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Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes reach divorce settlement

Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise and actress Katie Holmes settled their divorce on Monday, taking less than two weeks to end a nearly six-year marriage that captivated the world and prompted questions about raising their daughter in the Church of Scientology. “Mission: Impossible” star Cruise, 50, married Holmes, 33, who first gained fame on television drama “Dawson’s Creek,” in a glamorous wedding in an Italian castle in November 2006. Suri was born about six months earlier. The couple and their...

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Morocco pick Kharja for Olympics

Fiorentina striker Houssine Kharja is one of just two overage players in Morocco’s squad for the men’s Olympic football tournament. The other overage player chosen by coach Pim Verbeek is Nordine Amrabat. Kharja, who was Morocco captian, and Amrabat both part of the Atlas Lions squad at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Goalkeeper Mohamed Amsif and Abdelhamid El Kaoutari were also at the Nations Cup and are in the Olympic squad. Italy-based Omar El Kaddouri is also included in the squad...

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Miracle Fish ///Short film

8 year old Joe has a Birthday he will never forget. After friends bully him, he sneaks off to the sick bay, wishing everyone in the world would go away. He wakes up to find his dream may have become a reality. Oscar nominated short film written and directed by Luke Doolan. Produced by Drew Bailey. Cast: Karl Beattie, Brendan Donoghue, Tara Morice & Kieran Darcy-Smith. ...

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WWF's 'Horrifying' and 'Frightening' Ads

While Sharks Aren't Really 'Horrifying', a World Without Them Sure Is The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) is known for its ads (which are sometimes pretty surreal and strange, like the Fish Head ad reproduced below for your viewing pleasure). I don't really find sharks anything close to 'horrifying', in fact, I'd say that I find them really fascinating. But I understand what they were going for with the ad, and why they needed to write that to make the concept work. Same thing with the bird...

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Sit less, add more years to your life

Restricting the amount of time spent seated every day to less than 3 hours might boost the life expectancy of adults by an extra 2 years, a new study has revealed. The findings also suggests that cutting down TV viewing to less than 2 hours every day might extend life by almost 1.4 years. Numerous previous studies have linked extended periods spent sitting down and/or watching TV to poor health, such as diabetes and death from heart disease/stroke. The researchers used data collected for...

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Russian Wikipedia shuts down site to protest law

Wikipedia has shut down its Russian-language site for 24 hours to protest a law that would give the government sweeping powers to blacklist certain sites. Lawmakers say that the bill, which is to be reviewed in parliament today, is designed to protect the well-being of children. It enables the government to block sites that show child pornography, promote teen suicide, or spread information about drugs. But both Internet users and human rights activists have loudly protested the law. The Presidential...

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Imprisoned Moroccan rapper announces hunger strike

A Moroccan rap artist imprisoned for writing a song alleging police corruption has gone on hunger strike to protest prison conditions, his brother said Monday. Moroccan rapper Mouad Belghouat - known as El-Haqed, "The Enraged" - was convicted May 11 of "showing contempt" to public servants with his song "Dogs of the State". Aderrahim Belghouat told The Associated Press that his brother "is forbidden from using the phone in prison, is harassed by the other prisoners and the guards are constantly...

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Twenty six people killed in bus crashes in Morocco

At least 26 people were killed and 40 others injured in two separate bus accidents in Morocco on Monday, official media reported. Ten people died and 33 others were injured, five of them critically, when a passenger bus crashed near the northern city of Nador, state news agency MAP reported. Later on Monday, 16 people died and a dozen others were injured when their bus fell into a ravine near the town of Tamanar, 530 km (330 miles) south of Rabat. MAP did not give the nationalities of the...

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Morocco wins Arab Nations Cup 2012 title

Morocco was crowned on Friday the winner of the 9th Arab Nations Cup 2012 for the first time in its soccer history after grabbing a tough 3-1 win over Libya with penalty kicks, in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah. The golden win marks the first Arab title for the Moroccan national team. By coming in the second place, Libya won the silver medal, while Iraq won the bronze medal after it snatched the 3rd place with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Thursday. @Alarab...

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Morocco to host next Friends of Syria meeting

Morocco is to host the next Friends of Syria meeting, the over 100 nations taking part in the current encounter in Paris on Friday said in their final statement. "The participants were pleased that Morocco is available to host the next meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People. Italy has said it is ready to host the following meeting," it said. @...

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Rihanna's father gives blessing to Chris Brown relationship

RIHANNA's father has given his pop star daughter his blessing to embark on a relationship with her ex CHRIS BROWN. The pair split after a well-publicised fight in 2009 and Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting the Umbrella hitmaker the same year, but speculation surrounding the nature of the couple's relationship has mounted in recent months (12) following news they had reunited in a studio to record two new songs. Despite their turbulent past, Rihanna's dad Ronald Fenty insists he is happy for her...

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Solar plane leaves Morocco for Spain

A solar-powered aircraft left the Moroccan capital on Friday for Madrid on its return journey to its home port in Switzerland. Piloted by Bertrand Piccard, the Solar Impulse, an experimental plane which flies without fuel, took off shortly after 6am (1pm Singapore time), heading towards Barajas airport in Madrid. The hi-tech aircraft, which has the wingspan of a jumbo jet but weighs no more than a medium-sized car, is fitted with 12,000 solar cells feeding four electric motors driving propellers. Strong...

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Coca Cola Denies the Existence of Alcohol in its Beverages

Earlier last week, a new research conducted by the National Institute of Consumption (INC) in Paris raised controversy among Coca Cola’s consumers, especially among Muslims. The research claims to have found low traces of alcohol in several popular soft drinks, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi. The research, which was published in 60 Million Consommateurs magazine, showed that some of the most recognizable brands in cola showed positive traces of approximately 0.001 percent of alcohol per liter, which...

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El-Hamdaoui set for Fiorentina move after all

The transfer of sidelined Ajax striker Mounir El-Hamdaoui to Italian side Fiorentina appears to be back on track after the two clubs reached a deal on Wednesday evening, the Telegraaf reported on Thursday. The two sides had agreed a €2m transfer fee and bonuses of up to €3m at the beginning of this year but Fiorentina did not meet the deadline to deliver a guarantee, the paper said. The new terms have not been made public but will give Ajax room to bring in Luciano Narsingh, currently with Heerenveen,...

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Katie Holmes says she is entering 'new phase' of her life

The actress appeared to have been secretly planning the divorce with Cruise for some time. She may have hinted at it in an interview conducted six weeks ago, which is only due to be published in Elle magazine on July 17. She deflected questions about her husband and told the interviewer: "I'm starting to come into my own. It's like a new phase. He has been Tom Cruise for 30 years. I know who I am, and where I am, and where I want to go, so I want to focus on that." She added: "I definitely feel...

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FIFA OKs goal-line technology, headscarves

Soccer gave its stamp of approval Thursday to goal-line technology and headscarves for female Muslim players. Also adopted was a proposal for a five-referee system to officiate matches - placing an additional assistant beside each goal. The three decisions will be "long-lasting and resonate throughout the world," said Patrick Nelson, chief executive of the Northern Ireland association. FIFA said it will introduce the goal-line mechanism at the seven-team Club World Cup in Japan in December,...

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Living alone ups death risk from 45 to 80

An study of stable outpatients at risk of or with coronary disease found those ages 45-80 who lived alone had an increased risk of death, U.S. researchers say. Dr. Jacob A. Udell of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues examined whether living alone was associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular risk in a global study involving 44,573 people -- 19 percent of whom lived alone. The study, published in Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine,...

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Morocco, Libya in Arab Nations Cup final

Morocco and Libya will be playing the final of the 2012 Arab Nations Cup on Friday July 6 at the Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after both teams qualified from the semifinals played earlier this week. Libya knocked out host team Saudi Arabia 2-0 on Tuesday to book their place while Morocco humbled Iraq 2-1 later in the day to reach the final. The 10th edition of the Arab Nations Cup began on June 22 with 11 nations from two confederations, including hosts and defending...

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EU Parliament rejects ACTA anti-piracy treaty

The European Parliament overwhelmingly defeated the international ACTA anti-piracy trade agreement Wednesday after concern that it would limit Internet freedom mobilized broad opposition across Europe. The vote — 39 in favor, 478 against and 165 abstentions — means that as far as the EU is concerned the treaty is finished, at least for the moment, though other countries may well participate. Supporters had said ACTA — the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement — was needed to standardize international...

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Morocco Named "2012 Offshoring Destination of the Year"

Morocco Named 2012 Offshoring Destination of the Year\" by the European Outsourcing Association / Martyn Hart, Chairman of the European Outsourcing Association and Armand Angeli, Vice-président, EOA France, present EOA’s 2012 Offshoring Destination of the Year Award to Abderrafie Hanouf, Directeur General of MEDZ Sourcing Morocco and Larbi Bouattaf, Economic Counselor to the Embassy of Morocco to the United Kingdom. Morocco and MEDZ Sourcing have been named "Offshoring Destination of the Year"...

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Anderson Cooper: ‘The fact is, I’m gay’

Anderson Cooper, who has been reluctant to talk about his personal life in public, revealed that he is gay in an essay posted online. The CNN journalist said he had kept his sexual orientation private for personal and professional reasons, but came to think that remaining silent had given some people a mistaken impression that he was ashamed. “The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself and proud,” he wrote in a letter to Andrew...

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Quick HIV test approved for home use

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved OraQuick's In-Home HIV Test for sale directly to consumers over-the-counter, officials said. Douglas A. Michels, president and chief executive officer of OraSure Technologies, said his company's product is the first rapid diagnostic test for any infectious disease that has been approved by the FDA for sale over-the-counter. He said it can detect antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 with an oral swab in an in-home testing option in 20 minutes. "Approval...

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Yasser Arafat 'poisoned with Polonium'

Yasser Arafat may have been killed with a lethal dose of the highly radioactive substance Polonium, it was claimed on Tuesday. Tests performed by a Swiss laboratory found significant traces of Polonium-210 on the late Palestinian leader's clothes, adding a new twist to a case that has obsessed the Arab world for years. Polonium-210 is the same substance used to poison the Russian dissident Alexader Litvinenko in London. The claims are likely to renew Palestinian suspicions that Mossad, the Israeli spy agency, assassinated Arafat, who died...

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CERN gripped by Higgs boson fever

Higgs boson fever has gripped Cern, the particle physics laboratory in Switzerland that is home to the Large Hadron Collider, colleagues say. Two teams of physicists at Cern will announce the results of their latest efforts to discover the particle, first proposed in 1964 by Edinburgh University physicist Peter Higgs. Researchers say it is the most sought-after particle in modern science. The Guardian said rumors and leaks from CERN suggest researchers have seen compelling evidence for the...

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Morocco's El Ahmadi joins Aston Villa

Moroccan international Karim El Ahmadi has completed his move from Dutch club Feyenoord to Aston Villa after signing a three-year deal, the English Premier League side said on Monday. Midfielder El Ahmadi, 27, played a major role in Feyenoord's second-place finish in last season's Eredivisie, which earned the club a place in the Champions League. "It was always a dream of mine to play in the Premier League," El Ahmadi said on Aston Villa's website (www.avfc.co.uk). "I think this is the best...

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MOROCCAN IMAM INVESTIGATED AFTER CALLING FOR JOURNALIST'S DEATH

A Moroccan court has ordered the investigation of a controversial imam, Abdellah Nhari, for inciting hatred, reports Le Soir Echos. In a video posted on YouTube (see below), Nhari suggests that Mokhtar Laghzioui, editor-in-chief of the Arabic newspaper Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, "must be killed" in reaction to his appearance on the new pan-Arabist news channel Al Mayadeen, where he defended individual rights for Moroccan people, especially pertaining to sexual liberties. The imam also...

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Gay Cruise Ship Turned Away by Morocco Docks in Spain

The cruise ship Nieuw Amsterdam, on its present voyage catering to a gay clientele, docked Sunday in the southern Spanish port of Malaga after Moroccan authorities prohibited it from making its scheduled port of call in Casablanca. The vessel, carrying 1,564 passengers and 869 crew members, docked about 7:25 a.m. and was scheduled to depart from Malaga later in the day, Malaga Port Authority spokesmen told Efe. The RSVP Vacations travel agency, which specializes in organizing tourist trips for...

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