Fez - BuzzFeed ranked Fez among the 18 top travel places for 2016 based on its charm reflecting both authenticity and modernity.

BuzzFeed, a social news and entertainment site, ranked Fez at no. 11 for the opportunities it offers for tourists to visit the old medina with its winding streets that have witnessed twelve centuries of civilization, markets selling leather, ceramics and brassware, and monuments such as Al-Qarawiyyin University which is  the oldest university in the world.

According to BuzzFeed, “Fez is the oldest imperial city, and today blends old world charm with modern luxury for the ideal holiday experience.’’

“Fez el-Bali, the city’s oldest quarter, is an amazing peek into Morocco’s medieval history, and its winding and crumbling alley ways are painfully insta-worthy,’’ the same source added.

Fez outranked Acadia National Park, Maine, USA (12), Taipei, Taiwan (13), St Helena (14), Abu Dhabi, UAE (15), Guam (16), Quito, Ecuador (17), and San Sebastian, Spain (18).

First place in the ranking was dominated by Normandy, France, with its marvelous landscape, followed by the spellbinding Faroe Islands off Denmark, and Zion Park, Utah, USA, with its heavenly beaches and mountains.

Fez also appears in Fodor's Go List 2016 describing it as “three cities in one: medieval Fez el-Bali (Old Fez), thirteenth-century Fez el-Djedid (New Fez), and the twentieth-century Ville Nouveau, built by the French.’’

Fez has established itself as one of the most attractive cities in the world as it offers an abundance of newly restored riads, luxurious hotels, and excellent restaurants, shops and galleries.

Edited by Elisabeth Myers

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Fez - Abdellatif Hammouchi, the Director of Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security, has launched the second and final stage of the new information system, known as GESTARR, that will digitize police departments and police station services around the country.

The initiative is part of the continuous efforts of the Directorate to keep up with advancements in technology and to facilitate cooperation between police departments and stations.

The system of global computerization will affect all police activities including interventions, arrests, and judicial and administrative operations.

The aim of this procedure is to facilitate access to administrative documents for citizens and to help police collaborate more easily to fight crime.

The computerized system will keep records of filed complaints and help track them. It will also enable police to collect statistics about the frequency of crimes and places where they occur which is expected to help the police develop effective plans to fight crime.

After a successful trial period in Tangier and Rabat, the system will be accessible to all police departments in Morocco.

The new project is the result of the cooperation of Moroccan experts and veterans in the domain to guarantee more safety and security for Moroccans and reduce the use of hand written documents in police offices to facilitate tasks.

Since being appointed as a the Director of Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security in May 2015, Hammouchi has made significant efforts to re-organize the work of the police, which has succeeded in dismantling a significant number of terrorist cells, rendering Morocco a model for combating terrorism.

Edited by Elisabeth Myers

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

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Fez - Morocco’s Ministry of Tourism has adopted a rigorous strategy for developing Morocco’s tourism sector to make Morocco one of the world’s leading travel destinations and to sustain tourism as the driving power for economic, social, and cultural advancement in Morocco.

The government’s 2020 Vision Plan, which aims to increase revenues from tourism to MAD 140 billion by 2020, focuses on authenticity to make Morocco a more attractive destination for tourists. The ministry will adopt preemptive measures to preserve Morocco’s natural and cultural heritage to strengthen Morocco’s cultural identity.

The 2020 Vision also encourages Morocco’s diverse sub-cultures, natural resources, and ecological system, and openness to Africa and Europe, The Ministry of Tourism works on these factors to make them meet the expectations of tourists.

The 2020 Vision also focuses on service quality and entertainment to complement the basic tourism infrastructure. Morocco will increase its accommodation capacity, focusing on varied entertainment and leisure facilities in order to compete with other international tourism chains.

Sustainable tourism is also among the major objectives of the 2020 Vision. The Ministry of Tourism will continue working on factors that have made Morocco a better touristic destination. The strategy will take into consideration maintaining authenticity and modernity through implementing an integrated system that involves monitoring and evaluation by the Sustainable Tourism Commission and the High Authority of Tourism.

In order to cater to this ambitious vision, Morocco will double its residential capacity by creating 200,000 beds, double domestic tourism, and create 470,000 jobs.

Abderrafie Zouiten, Morocco’s General Manager of National Tourism (ONMT), said in a meeting last Wednesday that “Morocco wants to attract 1.5 million tourists in the next two years” which will require an additional MAD 400 million over and above the cost of 2020 strategic vision. This plan focuses on tourists from Germany and the United States. Morocco’s plan is to forge new partnerships with airlines and open 57 aerial routes.

Zouiten also explained that the office primarily uses digital media to provide information regarding Morocco’s geographical distribution of tourism, enhance Morocco’s reputation for tourism, and announce the administrative procedures needed for foreign tourists to come to Morocco.  “These steps which will be available next month, will enable 80 percent of tourists to use the Internet for planning and booking their trips,’’ he added.

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Fez - The Canary Association of Victims of Terrorism (ACAVITE), intends to sue the Polisario Front for committing “crimes against humanity”, according to Spain’s ‘’El Confidencial’’ newspaper.

ACAVITE claims that 300 people, mostly businessmen and fishermen, were assassinated and 50 others were injured, tortured, or kidnapped by Polisario’s militia between 1970 and 1980.

The Spanish Interior Ministry has acknowledged the existence of 130 cases of victims of the Polisario, which, under the 29/2011 Law, grants them the same status as victims of terrorism.

According to the same source, this acknowledgment from the ministry was described as “satisfactory” by Lucia Jiménez, President of ACAVITE.

Nevertheless, Jiménez claimed to be disappointed that none of the murders have been resolved by the Spanish courts, and the perpetrators enjoy impunity.

The Canary Islands have not yet recognized the sad story of these victims, and “remains the only Spanish autonomous community that does not respect, honor, or value the bloodshed of the islanders,” ACAVITE’s President said last November.

Jiménez, whose father was injured in one of the Polisario attacks 40 years ago, wants to compensate the victims’ families and prosecute the perpetrators, the same source noted.

“The Polisario Front and the Canary Islands Independence Movement -MPAIAC- in the seventies and eighties attacked our parents and siblings with bombs, assassinations, kidnappings and disappearances,” Jimenez stressed in a previous statement.

ACAVITE’s President Jiménez found it inappropriate that the President of the Canary Islands regional government, Fernando Clavijo Batlle, met with a delegation of the Polisario.

ACAVITE called on President Clavijo to instead support the victims of the attacks and their families.

Political experts in the subject of the Polisario agree this case is complicated, sensitive, and requires national and international support.

The , the last recorded Polisario crime of the 1980s was in 1985, when the Algeria-backed separatist movement attacked a small Spanish fishing boat in international waters near Cape Bojador off the coast of the so-called Western Sahara, in Morocco. .

The Polisario reportedly killed one fisherman and kidnapped five others during the assault. The victims were dragged to Tindouf, in East Algeria, the same source said.

On November 6, 2015, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior recognized the Canary Islands’ victims of the Polisario terrorism, in a ceremony held at the Canary Islands Government Delegation.

Forty-nine victims were decorated, in an act of “memory, dignity, justice, and truth”, according to a report by Spanish newspaper ABC.

Moving forward, ACAVITE has reportedly hired lawyer Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Arias, as its representative to sue the Polisario Front for “crimes against humanity.”

Rodríguez Arias was responsible for the prosecution of five leading members of ETA, a separatist movement in Spain.

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Fez - Recently, a horrible video was posted on YouTube showing a naked same-sex male couple being assualted in a house in Beni Mellal. The attackers, who allegedly broke into the couple’s place, callously insulted and beat the couple while one of them bled profusely.

The attackers subsequently forced one of the victims to go out naked in public. The macabre scene caused multiple reactions while Moroccan authorities did not side with the victims, but surprisingly sentenced one of them to four months in jail and are waiting for the other’s prosecution.

Same-sex sexual relations are illegal in Morocco and Article 489 stipulates six months to three years in jail for anyone involved in such activity.

This legislation is unfair, as homosexuality itself, though rejected by some, remains an option and personal choice for people. Muslims, however, consider it sinful; many of them encouraging severe punishments to curtail homosexual activities.

Why should we charge homosexuals and put them in jail? Do they embezzle money, steal public funds, or advocate terrorism?

Why do we treat homosexuality as such an odious sin that calls for direct intervention from the public while so many other horrible acts take place daily without creating much of a reaction in our society?

I have witnessed thousand cases when individuals publicly insulted God in public and nobody dared to interfere. Is not that a gross sin that Islam completely rejects? Is it not true that insulting God is the worst sin in Islam?

What about the daily scenes that we see in Hookah cafes where female minors, boys and prostitutes meet, take drugs, and make deals, which involve paying for sexual intercourse. Have we ever thought about the street children who roam Morocco without shelter and are vulnerable to exploitation? Are we not going to hold someone accountable for not providing a shelter for them?

Why do we overlook serious crimes that directly harm our society yet harshly interfere with minor cases such as homosexuality?

Clamping down on homosexuals will not make Morocco economically stronger or release it from its overhead debt. We have to learn how we can live together, since modern Morocco is a place that connects many ethnic and religious groups. Let us live in peace and respect the differences of others.

This is not a call to promote homosexuality. It is rather an invitation to respect people’s privacy so long as they are not harming the freedom of others.

With this in mind, Article 489 of the penal code is a violation of human rights and only encourages violence toward innocent people simply for being different.

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

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

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Rabat – The Grammy award-winner and hip hop legend Wyclef Jean left thousands of Moroccan fans in a frenzy on Sunday at OLM Suissi stage during the Mawazine Festival and did not miss the opportunity to express his disagreement with Donald Trump’s opinions.

Wyclef started his performance with a song that included, ‘’ I hate you Donald Trump, and I love Morocco.’’

The celebrity is against Trump’s views on immigration, Islam, and Muslims.

Applauses and cheers overwhelmed Wycleff who interacted greatly with the fans, including children four of whom the celebrity invited to perform with him on stage, which further excited the audience.

The star praised Morocco, covered himself with the Moroccan flag, hailed peace and co-existence in the kingdom, and showed pride in his African roots.

Wycleff celebrated the soul of Bob Marley singing ‘’No Woman No Cry’’ – adding to it some messages such as his disapproval of Donald Trump’s opinions.

He also sang ‘’Killing Me Softly’’ and dedicated it to Morocco and sang for immigrants who chose to continue their lives in other countries. He said repeatedly that ‘’he is an African immigrant who wants to live in peace.’’

 Wyclef also enchanted the audience when he shouted ‘’Allah Akbar,’’ (God is the greatest) celebrating Islam and Muslims during his performance.

The Haitian artist left an indelible impression on the audience and succeeded in representing the principles of tolerance and multicultural diversity which Mawazine has defended since its inception.

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Fez - The Executive Branch of the Organisation Marocaine des Droits Humains (OMDH) released a statement calling for Morocco to adopt a minimum age of employment of 18 years old.

The organization based its recommendation on the United Nations convention on the Rights of the Child, whose first article stipulates that “a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years.”

The OMDH called for creating a special law limiting the tasks domestic servants should do and the number of working hours.

The OMDH also reminded the government of the international conventions such as the International Labor Organization 182 Convention in 1999 in Geneva, which concerns the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, and the International Labour Organization 138 Convention in 1973, which Morocco signed in 2001.

This convention stipulates in Article three that “The minimum age for admission to any type of employment or work which by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out is likely to jeopardize the health, safety or morals of young persons shall not be less than 18 years.”

The Moroccan organization of human rights emphasized the need to "come to grips" with the phenomenon of child labor through implementing compulsory education to the age of eighteen, preventing children dropping out of school, and eradicating poverty, which are the main leading causes behind child labor used mainly as domestic servants.

The rabat-based organization pointed out that domestic labor is one of the worst forms of child labor that we should prohibit because of the long hours of work, the use of chemical and poisonous products, carrying heavy loads, the use of sharp-edged instruments, living in unsuitable conditions, ill-treatment, and being exposed to physical and verbal violence and sexual harassment.

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Fez - Lalla Salma, consort of Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco, has attracted the attention of international mass media thanks to her elegance, benevolence, and involvement in social projects.

Here are eight things you might not know about the princess:

The first Moroccan consort to be given a royal title

Unlike her predecessors, Lalla Salma is the first consort to appear in public and be given a royal title. Many consider this a transitional period in the history of Morocco which symbolizes modernity, transparency, and a huge initiative to promote the role of women in the Moroccan society.

She is from an upper middle class family 

She was born in Fez. Her father was a teacher, and her mother died at the age of three. She moved to Rabat, where she lived with her maternal grandmother and attended school.

The princess grew up in the Qbibat neighborhood of Rabat. This is the same place where the princess sometimes takes her kids to remember her childhood, according to Telquel.

She was valedictorian of her class at ENSIAS

After receiving her baccalaureate in mathematical sciences, Lalla Salma spent two years of preparatory classes in Moulay Youssef  High School in Rabat and entered Higher National School of Computer Science and Systems Analysis (ENSIAS)  in 2000 Where she was valedictorian and received the State engineering  diploma in computer Engineering.

[caption id="attachment_188636" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Queen Letizia of Spain and Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco walk down the red carpet at Rabat Airport on July 15, 2014 in Rabat, Morocco. Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images Europe[/caption]

The most elegant guest

Princess Lalla Salma attended the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011, among several public figures. The elegance of Lalla Salma caught the attention of the British magazine Hello and its fans who elected the princess as "The Most Elegant Guest" of the ceremony by 55 percent due to her sumptuous pale pink caftan, which was decorated with gold.

[caption id="attachment_188627" align="aligncenter" width="663"] Princess Lalla Salma at the Prince William and Kate Middleton wedding[/caption]

Lalla Salma is fond of traveling

Lalla Salma loves traveling, a passion she shares with her husband, Mohammed VI. From Greece to China, via Egypt or Ireland, the royal couple does not miss the chance to spend holidays with their two children.

 She was elected world’s third most beautiful first lady and Africa’s most beautiful first lady 

In a ranking published by the American site Richest Lifestyle in 2014, Lalla Salma dominated the third position with her taste for fashion, sophisticated kaftans, distinctive red hair, and commitment to the fight against cancer. The princess founded an association in 2005 which aims at preventing and treating cancer. The association succeeded in drawing many partners, raised public cancer awareness in Morocco, and enabled patients to have higher standard of cancer care. The same site ranked Lalla Salma as the most beautiful first lady in Africa in 2014.

Mohammed VI helps to choose her outfits

Lalla Salma has a team of stylists who help the princess to be elegant in all circumstances, but Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, also advises his wife about her outfits. A source close to the royal family said that "the king chose her official uniforms.’’ This was revealed in a dossier on "the privacy of the three kings" published by Tel Quel in 2012.

She is down to earth

Like Mohammed VI, Lalla Salma does not hesitate to take pictures with passersby. She is also attentive to the needy and the poor and sometimes shares the same table with her staff, according to the Arabic-language newspaper Al Jarida Al Oukhra, which published a record of the wife of the Moroccan king in 2005.

[caption id="attachment_186003" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Princess Lalla Salma Chairs Opening Ceremony of 22th Fez Festival of World Sacred Music[/caption]

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Rabat - Since ancient times, Morocco has been a safe haven for Jews.  Throughout its history, Morocco has protected its Jewish population in times of conflict and persecution in the world. Now in the 21st century, Morocco’s reformed constitution of 2011 recognizes Jews as one of Morocco’s national identities and core constituents, making Morocco a unique model of co-existence and religious diversity in the Arab world.

Estimates and historical references indicate that Jews lived in Morocco during the reign of the Phoenicians. However, the biggest influx of Jews to Morocco dates back to the fifteenth century when Granada fell into the hands of Queen Isabella of Spain in 1492, and Spain forced 165,000 Jews to convert to Catholicism or face expulsion.

The protected status of Jews in Morocco remained unchanged during the French protectorate years of the 20th century as the number of Moroccan Jews increased to 250,000 in 1940, when they represented 10 percent of the country’s citizens. In the 1950s, the number of Moroccan Jews expanded to 300,000 citizens who enjoyed the freedom to practice their religion and social customs.

During the French occupation of Morocco, the late King Mohammed V adamantly rejected the pressure of France’s Vichy government to discriminate against Jews.  His response to requests by that government to turn over Moroccan Jews to the Nazis was,“There are no Jews in Morocco. There are only subjects.” It was also reported that he hid some Jews from the Nazis in his palace during the rise of anti-Semitism in World War II. His intention was to preserve Morocco’s security and safety, and ensure that there was no distinction between Morocco’s citizens on the basis of religion or creed.

Morocco historically has also recognized the religious practices of the Jewish community.  Three decrees were issued in May 1918, February 1925, March 1928, and March 1957 to reorganize the Hebrew courts in various regions of Morocco that address matters of personal status, inheritance, marriage, pluralism, divorce, and the inheritance system for Jews. The courts still operate under Jewish law.

The atmosphere of respect and coexistence among religions in Morocco has contributed to the emergence of a Jewish elite who have occupied important positions in Morocco’s economic, scientific, diplomatic, and cultural arenas.  Dr. Leon Ben-Zaken, for example, was the personal doctor of King Mohammed V.  He was appointed Minister of Telegraph and Communication after Morocco’s independence in 1956 where he remained until 1958.  Serge Berdigo is one of Morocco’s contemporary high ranking Jews, having held the position of Minister of Tourism in 1993 in the government of Abdul Karim Amrani. Andre Azoulay, was the economic adviser of the late King Hassan II, and he continues his service to Morocco as a senior advisor to the current King Mohammed VI.

The Kingdom of Morocco has historically preserved and protected the religious freedom of Moroccan Jews and their places of worship. The government recently rehabilitated 167 Jewish sites, including a number of cemeteries and synagogues, to preserve the heritage of Moroccan Jews. In 2011, Simon Levy founded the Jewish Museum in Casablanca. The historic site remains a culturally important monument in Morocco connecting the Arab and Islamic world’s past with the present, and highlights Morocco's legacy of religious tolerance and diversity.

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Rabat - Morocco’s Ministry of Health released a statement on Monday indicating that it will reduce the prices of medicines used to treat 139 chronic diseases. The reform aims to encourage the pharmaceutical industry to lower prices, helping to facilitate access to medicines and reduce the burden of health care expenses.

The medicines that will be affected by the price reduction are used to treat inflammatory and infectious diseases, some digestive system diseases, high cholesterol, asthma, and various infections.

Medicines used to treat cancer and digestive issues will now cost 19 percent less.   Medicines to lower cholesterol will cost 45 percent less.  The reform’s success is due to the efforts of laboratories, distributors, and pharmacists.

Since the 2.13.852 decree in 2013, the Ministry has reduced the prices of 2,600 medicines.  The Ministry of Health has promised another price decrease in the near future.

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Rabat - The first annual Ciné –Plage Festival, a large open-air cinema festival, will take place on Sidi Abed beach in Harhoura from July 26 to 30. This cultural project aims to promote quality cinema, theater and musical in order to meet the needs of the audience.

The festival director and organizer is Abdelouahed Mjahed, the president of the Moroccan Association of Arts Without Borders (AMAF). Organizers also include Rachid El Ouali, Abdou Mesnaoui, Abdelkbir Regagna and Faiza Yahyaoui.

The event will host give movie fans and beach lovers free access to a week of  Moroccan features and short films every day and evening.

A jury of cinema professionals including Touria Gibran, Ahmed Herzenni, Tewfiq Jellab, Mouna Fettou and Fatima Ifriqi determined which feature films to show, while Marmid Bilal, Rashid Zaki, Okasha Sonia, Messaoud Bouhcine and Said Bay selected the best short films.

Mr. Mjahed explained that the festival organizers chose Harhoura was not a since it is close to Rabat and Casablanca and is easily accessible from the highway.

The event will honor Rzine Mohamed, Younes Megri and Mouna Fettou, influential figures in the Moroccan cinema whose extraordinary work and talent have earned them national recognition.

Edited by Bryn Miller 

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Rabat - As Moroccan company Meditel prepares to become a part of French telecommunications network Orange , it appointed Yves Gauthier as the new director of Meditel on Monday at a meeting of Meditel’s board of directors in Paris.

The new director of the company, who previously supervised the the Egyptian company Mobinil’s transfer to Orange,  will start his new job in September.

In July 2015, Orange signed a deal to increase its holdings in Meditel to 49%. This deal set the stage for increasing Orange influence in Meditel and the current transition.

According to Stephane Richard, Chief Executive of Chairman of Orange, preparations to initiate the change are on in full swing . Richard stated: "Change will take place before the end of this year. We are just waiting for the green light from Yves to start.’’

Gauthier explained  that the transition from Meditel to Orange will not only involve changing the brand's colors, but will require the company to focus on Morocco so that consumers in the kingdom feel that their needs are being met.

Edited by Bryn Miller 

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Rabat - Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report on July 12, indicating that at least eight countries around the world, including Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, and Zambia, debase the human dignity of homosexuals and transgender women by forcing anal examinations as part of prosecutions for homosexuality, a practice the report describes as "humiliating.’’

HRW called upon all involved countries to ban this practice, pointing out that some countries use anal examination tests in mutual consent homosexuality prosecutions. HRW urged international and domestic human rights and health institutions vigorously and vociferously to oppose their use.

HRW said that the practice is "cruel, degrading, and inhuman treatment that can rise to the level of torture." The report added that the tests, which are supposed to find "evidence" of homosexual conduct,” are often done by doctors who forcibly introduce fingers or other objects into the anus of the accused.

According to the same source, the practice "violates the Convention against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Convention on Human and Peoples' Rights.’’ The UN Committee against torture has emphasized that the practice “has no medical justification and cannot be consented to fully.”

The report does not list Morocco where a number of associations have opposed discrimination based on gender and have defended homosexuals, calling for the abolition of Article 489 of the Moroccan Penal Code which criminalizes sexual abnormalities. They also call for equality and non-discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, and the right to personal safety, privacy and protection from attacks and taunting public trials.

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Fez - Following the death of a Moroccan woman in the deadly attack on Thursday which targeted crowds in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations the son of the Moroccan victim woman expressed poignantly that his mother was a "Muslim and was killed.’’ The attack caused the death of nearly 84 people and left another 54 in critical condition.

Her son Hamza, 28, said that Fatima, a Moroccan from Tinghir who has seven children, was wearing a veil and practiced moderate Islam. ‘’My mother was a wonderful woman," Hamza added in tears.

Fatima was the first corpse to arrive at the Mediterranean University Hospital Centre in the city of Nice after the attack.

Ahmed, Fatima's husband who miraculously survived the accident, said, "I was about 50 meters away from her, as I had gone to bring the car parked away from the scene [...]I saw the truck throwing victims into the air like spare clothing."

The victim was accompanied by her grandchildren, her husband, and her two sons. She died immediately after the truck hit her, as confirmed by the doctors.

According to investigators, the suspect is a French Tunisian. ISIS has not claimed responsibility for the attack and the real motives behind it are still unknown.

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Fez - On July 14, France’s Bastille Day, France nominated Rachid Yazami, a French Moroccan inventor, for the highest official order in France:  the National Order of the Legion of Honor.

Commenting on the news, El Yazami said that his nomination is "a great honor and joy."

The order, which has been awarded to 39,000 French nationals, was created by Napoleon in 1802 to reward those who have provided great services to the French nation.

El Yazami, who earned his PhD in 1985 for his doctoral thesis about lithium ion batteries, is best known for inventing graphiteanode. This substance is used in billions of lithium ion batteries. For inventing it, he received Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering in 2014 from the National Academy of Engineering in Washington, DC.

El Yazami undergoes his research under the supervision of the National Institute of scientific Research in Grenoble, France. He also gives lectures in many countries, including  Japan, the United States, Singapore, and France.

Yazami was awarded the Royal Medal of Intellectual Competency from Morocco’s King, Mohamed VI, during the Throne Day on July 30, 2014.

The inventor was born in Fez, where he received his baccalaureate degree in 1971, before moving to France to study mathematics, and joined Grenoble School of Engineers in 1975 in order to study ‘’electrochemistry."

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Fez - On the wake of the terrorist attack in Nice that left 84 dead after a lorry ploughed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day, Mohamed Ali Chihi, the Tunisian ambassador to France, expressed his reticence about the statement presented by the French authorities that the perpetrator of Nice’s attack is Tunisian.

In a statement given to Radio Mosaique FM, the Ambassador asserted that the result of DNA analyzes and fingerprints of the suspect have not yet been concluded, and the world must wait before accusing him.

"Even if it turns out that the author is from a French Tunisian origin, we will ask the French authorities to simply mention his French identity, because his origins are irrelevant," he added.

Another Tunisian radio, Shems FM, reported that the French security authorities are working with the Tunisian security apparatus in order to gain information about origins of the attacker, whether he had  visited Tunisia, or  whether he‘’ had had any links with local extremist groups."

Commenting on the attack, presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump,  tweeted: ‘’Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse.’’

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Fez - In his first statement after the failed coup, Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that those involved in the coup will receive the appropriate response whatever institution they belong to.

He reported that the attempted coup had been plotted over a long period and called for unity and solidarity, vowing that he would teach insurgents a hard lesson.

Turkish Interior ministry said that it shut down the coup, confirming that it was a small-scale one by a faction in the Armed forces. The "NTV" TV station showed footage of Erdogan amid crowds of supporters in Istanbul's Ataturk Airport in the early hours of Saturday morning.

According to media reports the attempted coup has not received the support of many Leaders in the Turkish army, and leaders of the Turkish Special Forces confronted insurgents from the beginning announcing their rejection of the coup.

Live broadcast in CNN showed dozens of soldiers leaving their tanks and waving their hands as a sign of surrender in one of Istanbul's Bosphorus bridges, after having been blocked all night.

Turkish citizens also heeded their president’s order to take on to the streets and oppose the coup until the situation is back to normal, which put the insurgent army in disarray.

The opposition parties including The Gülen Movement, which many think is responsible for initiating the coup, and led by reclusive preacher Fethullah Gülen condemned the attempt to prove its allegiance to the president.

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Fez - Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Saturday that security forces stopped 1500 military personnel in various regions of the country in connection with attempted bloody coup carried out by a group of rebel soldiers. Media outlets have reported that over 2,800 have been arrested.

CNN TV channels showed live video of a group of fifty insurgent soldiers who had been blocking one of two Bosporus bridges leaving their tanks and putting down their arms to surrender to the security forces and others soldiers surrounded by police in Taksim Square.

16 insurgent soldiers were killed at the headquarters of the Turkish gendarmerie in Ankara in clashes with pro-government forces, while 250 others were arrested.

Turkish parliament held an emergency session on Saturday morning in Ankara despite having been targeted by coup leaders with a series of aerial bombardments on Friday night.

Interior Minister Efkan Ala dismissed five generals and 29 colonels from duties while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a press conference on Saturday in Istanbul airport that the people involved in the attempted coup will pay the price. "They are a minority within the army; they will receive an appropriate response, no matter what their affiliations are," he added

The Turkish president also stated that the coup is an ‘’opportunity to clean the army," declaring that "a massive campaign of arrests is taking place within this institution and will include senior officers."

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 Fez - Qandeel Baloch, 26, a Pakistani social media celebrity famous for posting titillating videos, was killed by her brother two days ago in what the Pakistani press has described as an “honour killing.”

The crime took place on Friday night after Qandeel had an argument with her brother, Waseem, 30, who had asked her to quit modeling and stop posting videos of herself on social media. Waseem threatened his sister repeatedly before committing his outrageous crime.

Her body was been found until Saturday morning, and her brother is now on the run from police.

Commenting on her death, Qandeel’s father said, “My daughter was brave, and I will never forgive or forget her death.”

Baloch Qandeel had received death threats from other people after taking pictures and videos showing Mufti Qawi, a famous Muslim scholar in Pakistan, which later went viral in the country, creating a controversy and costing Qawi dismissal from a religious body.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a filmmaker whose documentary, A Girl in the River, won an Oscar this year, commented sadly on the incident:  "I really feel that no woman is safe in this country, until we start making examples of people, until we start sending men who kill women to jail, unless we literally say there will be no more killing and those who dare to do it will spend the rest of their lives behind bars."

Days before her death Qandeel wrote in a post on Facebook:  ‘’At least international media can see what I am up to. How I am trying to change the typical orthodox mindset of people who don't want to come out of their shells of false beliefs and old practices.

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