On the political side, the United Nations’ 193 member nations voted on October 21, 2011, in New York City to approve Morocco’s bid to serve as one of five new non-permanent members on the UN Security Council in 2012-2013. Morocco received 151 votes from the UN’s members in the first round of voting, well over the two-thirds required, and will join the 15-member UN Security Council in January 2012.
On the business side, Insituform Technologies, Inc. announced today, 10/24, that its joint venture, UPS-Aptec Limited, was awarded a $67.3 million (USD) project for the installation of approximately 135 miles of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liner in pipelines located in the Khouribga basin in Morocco. UPS-Aptec Limited will install the HDPE liner in new pipelines for the Office Cherifien des Phosphates (OCP) Slurry Pipeline project.
Also, major U.S. and international media outlets write about three European aid workers who were abducted from a refugee camp in Western Algeria. Two Spaniards and an Italian were snatched from the Rabuni camp, mainly inhabited by refugees from Western Sahara. The Algeria-based Polisario movement, which is seeking independence for Western Sahara and runs the refugee camp, said armed men abducted the three just before midnight on Saturday.
Politics
Times Live (10/24) – Moroccans protest polls, violence in the capital
Press TV (10/24) – Moroccans rally, demand vote boycott
Ennahar Online (10/24) – Belaouar acquired weapons from Libya financed by Morocco and France
Take the Square (10/23) – Demonstrations brutally repressed in Morocco. A second dead in the 20F movement
Alert Net (10/23) – Moroccans protest polls, violence in the capital
Channel News Asia (10/22) – Pakistan, Morocco lead Security Council newcomers
Haaretz (10/22) – Pakistan, Morocco, Togo and Guatemala elected to UN Security Council
Pacific Scoop (10/22) – Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan And Togo Join Security Council
Market Watch (10/21) – Morocco Wins Vote for Seat on UN Security Council–Recognized for Role in Arab Spring Reforms, UN Peacekeeping, & Confronting Security Risks to Region
Breitbart (10/21) – Pakistan, Morocco lead Security Council newcomers
Y Net News (10/21) – Pakistan, Morocco elected to UNSC
Boston.com (10/21) – Death penalty sought in Morocco bombing trial
CBS News (10/20) – Death penalty sought in Morocco bombing trial
Economy/Business
Market Watch (10/24) – Insituform Technologies, Inc. Joint Venture Awarded $67.3 Million (USD) Tite Liner(R) Project in Morocco
Business Wire (10/24) – Insituform Technologies, Inc. Joint Venture Awarded $67.3 Million (USD) Tite Liner® Project in Morocco
Fish Newseu.com (10/21) – Scots support Morocco fisheries agreement
Society/Culture
Morocco Board (10/20) – Morocco: Marrakech – A City Of Contrasts
MENA Region
Associated Press (10/23) – 3 aid workers kidnapped from camp in Algeria
CNN (10/23) – 3 aid workers kidnapped overnight from camp in Algeria
BBC (10/23) – Three European aid workers kidnapped in Algeria
News 24 (10/23) – Foreigners kidnapped from Algeria camp
Aljazeera (10/23) – Aid workers abducted in western Algeria
MENAFN.com (10/23) – 2 Spanish Aid Workers Kidnapped in Western Sahara
MENAFN.com (10/23) – UAE’s nonoil trade up 22%
Xinhuanet (10/23) – Backgrounder: Basic Facts about Tunisia
Monsters & Critics (10/23) – Spanish, Italian aid workers abducted by gunmen in western Algeria
Ennahar Online (10/21) – Nine drug traffickers, including a Libyan sentenced in Oran
