Sweden: Moroccan-Swede singer wins Eurovision Song Contest

Sweden: Moroccan-Swede singer wins Eurovision Song Contest

 


Via NPR:

Sweden's Loreen clinched the top spot at this year's Eurovision Song Contest with her dance hit "Euphoria," pushing aside competition from a sextet of Russian grannies and a Serbian balladeer.

Juries and television viewers from across Europe awarded Loreen a total of 372 points, handing her an easy win in an event that ended in the early hours Sunday in host country Azerbaijan. Sweden will take over hosting duties next year.

Softly spoken Loreen, a 28-year-old of Moroccan-Berber descent, thanked her fans for their support.

(source)

READ MORE - Sweden: Moroccan-Swede singer wins Eurovision Song Contest

Italy: Moroccans in quake area return home

Italy: Moroccans in quake area return home

Via AKI:

At least 100 Moroccans are returning home after the area in northern Italy where they were residing was struck by an earthquake five days ago.

The immigrants were forced to abandon their homes in the town of Finale Emilia in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region where a 5.9-magnitude quake early Sunday morning killed seven people and left around 5,000 homeless. A Moroccan working a night shift in a factory was among the dead.

(source)

READ MORE - Italy: Moroccans in quake area return home

Netherlands: Moroccan 'lover boys'

Netherlands: Moroccan 'lover boys'

 


Via Al-Jazeera (h/t Snaphanen):

As part of his research, Bovenkerk sent a group of field researchers to talk to prostitutes in De Wallen, Amsterdam's red light district.

They discovered that a significant number of women had been recruited as young girls by second- and third-generation immigrant boys, largely in places where youngsters gather in outlying villages.

And a series of interviews with convicted 'Lover Boys' suggested some of them had been influenced by American TV images and video clips glamorising relations between pimps and their girls.

The interview evidence, coupled with an analysis of police CCTV footage, led Bovenkerk to estimate that there were around 100 'Lover Boys' operating in Amsterdam. In all likelihood, he concluded, 'Lover Boys' usually run more than one girl at a time so there could in fact be several hundred 'legal' prostitutes working for them.

Bovenkerk insists that although 'Lover Boys' do exist, media reports are often exaggerated and hard to prove. And, with such issues quickly picked up by right-wing groups, their existence becomes a convenient tool for those with an anti-immigrant agenda.

(source)

READ MORE - Netherlands: Moroccan 'lover boys'

Belgium: Moroccan Expatriates to Back Development Initiatives at Home

Belgium: Moroccan Expatriates to Back Development Initiatives at Home

Via StarAfrica:

IOM and the Belgian Embassy in Rabat have signed an agreement to launch an innovative project aimed at encouraging Moroccans living in Belgium to start businesses back home in Morocco.

The EUR 1.2 million, two-year programme seeks to encourage Moroccan expatriates to invest their savings, knowledge and expertise into the setting up of private ventures that will further the development of impoverished regions in the north and east of the country.  

(source)

READ MORE - Belgium: Moroccan Expatriates to Back Development Initiatives at Home

Belgium: Moroccans upset at immigrant 'starter kit'

Belgium: Moroccans upset at immigrant 'starter kit'

Via HLN:

The Moroccan community is upset at Flemish Minister Geert Bourgeois. "In his new 'starter kit' for migrants he portrays Moroccans as stupid beasts," says actor Noureddine Farihi.  "The brochure and accompanying video are patronizing and full of prejudices."  Bourgeois says it's unjustified criticism.  "The majority of them happen to be very ignorant of our norms and values."

"It is forbidden to hurt someone mentally or physically, including your partner or children."  That is just one of the many remarkable - and for Moroccans, offensive - sentences from the new 'Starterskit Migrating to Flanders'.

Flemish Minister of Integration Geert Bourgeois (N-VA), flew to Casablanca specially this week in order to hand out the first copies.  At the local press conference there was a lot of criticism from local journalists.  But the Moroccan community in Flanders are also critical.  "I read the brochure and watched the video," says Noureddine Farihi.  "Geert Bourgeois  apparently thinks that Moroccans live on another planet.  One that is far, far from the sun.  It's sad."

2,500 Moroccans migrate to Flanders and Brussels every year as part of marriage-migration or family reunification.  From the Belgian state they get a valid visa.  Flanders is responsible for their integration.  Once on Flemish soil, they must go to an integration course, which focuses on teaching Dutch.  But Bourgeois wants the integration process to start earlier and together with the King Baudouin Foundation he developed a starter-kit for migration who are about to move to Flanders.

The minister thinks the criticism is unwarranted.  "I invite Mr. Farihi and other Moroccans in Flanders to calmly clarify everything.  But they are naturally not the target audience for whom this kit was developed.  We know from a study last year that a majority of family-migrants are unemployed and very ignorant about the norms and values which are acceptable in Flanders.  This think the wording is not patronizing, but simple and comprehensible.  Presently attuned to the target audience."

READ MORE - Belgium: Moroccans upset at immigrant 'starter kit'

Amsterdam: Moroccan woman attacked in racist incident

Amsterdam: Moroccan woman attacked in racist incident

Via Parool h/t NRP:

A pregnant Moroccan woman out walking with her Surinamese boyfriend was attacked March 26th.  The attackers, five Moroccans in their twenties, followed the couple, and called the woman a 'nigger whore'.  Her boyfriend responded, which led to a fight.  The woman was also pushed, beaten and kicked.

The attackers were arrested and the woman was treated in hospital.  Her injuries seemed light, but a week later she went into premature labor and the baby did not survive.

READ MORE - Amsterdam: Moroccan woman attacked in racist incident

Belgium: Moroccan killed in first homophobic murder

Belgium: Moroccan killed in first homophobic murder

Via VRT:

On Sunday, the body of a 32-year-old man was found in a field in Villers-le-Temple, between the cities of Huy and Liège in Wallonia. Four suspects have been apprehended, and there are strong indications that they had homophobic motives. The case is causing commotion both in Wallonia and in Flanders.

The man had gone missing one week before his body was discovered in Liège province. "The victim left a bar and was approached by four men in a car. He entered the car voluntarily. A couple of hours later, nothing was heard of him and a friend informed the police", Danièle Reynders of the Liège judicial authorities explains.

The four suspects have all been apprehended. Just like the victim, all four are of foreign descent. According to the suspects, the victim "made advances".

(source)

Fatima Omari, the lawyer of victim Ihsane Jarfi, published the family's statement, thanking all those who supported them in their difficult time. "Ihsan has never hurt anyone, unless his homosexuality, his Moroccan origins and his Muslim faith are a crime."

READ MORE - Belgium: Moroccan killed in first homophobic murder

Belgium: Moroccan PM insults female minister, Moroccan-Belgian MPs want Belgian response

Belgium: Moroccan PM insults female minister, Moroccan-Belgian MPs want Belgian response

Via HLN:

Moroccan PM Abdelilah Benkirane recently met in Rabat with two Belgian ministers: Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders (MR) and Justice Minister Annemie Turtelboom (Open Vld).  However, during the meeting he barely paid attention to Turtleboom, and instead focused on her male colleague, Reynders.  Benkirane praised Reynders' French, and told him he 'didn't have to come with an interpreter'.  Turtleboom made it clear who she was, but Benkirane continued to ignore her.
 

Turtleboom was upset, but swallowed the insult since she didn't want to cause a diplomatic row.  Moroccan-Belgian MPs say her reaction is unblievable, and that Belgium should respond.

Yamila Idrissi (sp.a) and Nadia Sminate (N-VA) say that Turtleboom should have walked out of the meeting.  But Idrissi says it's not too late for a response.  "Belgium shouldn't leave things like that and make a point of it," she told Het Laatste Nieuws.  "This is outrageous and unacceptable."

Sminate agrees.  "This is disappointing from a strong woman like Annemie Turtelboom.  If this isn't worth a row, than what is?  Turtleboom should have responded .. this is a bad message for Moroccan women in Belgium."

READ MORE - Belgium: Moroccan PM insults female minister, Moroccan-Belgian MPs want Belgian response

Morocco: Italian fashion company upsets Muslims with madrassa pictures

Morocco: Italian fashion company upsets Muslims with madrassa pictures

Italian fashion designer Fornarina got Muslims upset by their latest advertising shoot in Marrakesh.  Fornarina used an abandoned madrassa to advertise their new collection, with their scantily-clad model posing in front of various Koran quotes on the walls.  Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya devoted considerable time to the incident, interviewing Moroccans at home and in Italy, who condemned the company.  Fornarina, who say they got all the necessary permits for the shoot from the Moroccan government, say they will remove the offending images. 

READ MORE - Morocco: Italian fashion company upsets Muslims with madrassa pictures

Netherlands: Moroccan, Polish criminals speak each other's language

Netherlands: Moroccan, Polish criminals speak each other's language

Via De Telegraaf:

Acting police chief in the Haaglanden district, Paul van Musscher, says that Moroccan youth speak with their criminal colleagues in Polish and vice versa.

Van Musscher says this shows there's a melting pot in the neighborhoods and that they have close contacts with each other as they enter the criminal world.  "By speaking each other's language you create new trade relations.  This is truly a 'VOC mentality' of which Balkenende will probably not be proud."

Former Dutch PM Balkenende used the term 'VOC mentality' (Dutch East India Company) to encourage Dutch entrepreneurship.

READ MORE - Netherlands: Moroccan, Polish criminals speak each other's language

Morocco: Danish Hizb ut-Tahrir member suspected of terrorism

Morocco: Danish Hizb ut-Tahrir member suspected of terrorism

Via Politiken:

Danish newspaper Politiken reports that Thami Najim (37), a Danish Moroccan, was arrested February 3rd in Morocco and suspected of terror activities. According to Moroccan papers, he served as head of an active cell fighting the state. He's also suspected of receiving foreign funds for terrorist activities.

Thami Najim is one of the top members of the Moroccan branch of the extremist Islamic party Hizb ut-Tahrir, and served as its webmaster and IT chief. Najim was born and raised in Denmark, and was very influential in the inner circle of the party's Danish branch. In 2007 he moved to Morocco with his family.

Najim and his family say he is not a terrorist. Najim says the 'foreign funds' are money transfers from his former Danish employers.

READ MORE - Morocco: Danish Hizb ut-Tahrir member suspected of terrorism

Austria: Far-right party probed over ‘racist’ poster slammed by Morocco as ‘humiliating’ (update: FPÖ apologizes)

Austria: Far-right party probed over ‘racist’ poster slammed by Morocco as ‘humiliating’

(APA/ROBERT PARIGGER)

Update: FPÖ apologized and removed the posters

Via AFP:

Austrian prosecutors said Friday they are investigating the far-right Freedom Party for alleged incitement of racial hatred after complaints about campaign posters for local elections next month.

The FPOe party’s posters for the election in the western city of Innsbruck carry the slogan “Heimat-Liebe statt Marokkaner-Diebe,” meaning “Patriotism not thieving Moroccans.”

The Moroccan embassy in Vienna issued an angry statement attacking what it called the FPOe’s “defamatory and discriminatory behavior” and accusing it of “humiliating, stigmatizing and discriminating against” the Moroccan community.

(source)

READ MORE - Austria: Far-right party probed over ‘racist’ poster slammed by Morocco as ‘humiliating’ (update: FPÖ apologizes)

Italy: Supreme court rejects ethnic-religious argument for child abuse

Italy: Supreme court rejects ethnic-religious argument for child abuse

Via ANSA:

The Italian Supreme Court on Friday upheld a sentence for abuse and aggravated assault by a Moroccan father against his 12-year-old daughter.

Defense lawyers maintained that the father, who allegedly beat his daughter with a broom handle for "corrective" purposes after she could not properly recite the Koran, did so because of "cultural" reasons and should be given a lighter sentence accordingly.

(source)

READ MORE - Italy: Supreme court rejects ethnic-religious argument for child abuse

Milan: Man arrested, suspected of planning synagogue attack

Milan: Man arrested, suspected of planning synagogue attack

Via ANSA:

Police arrested a suspected terrorist in the northern city of Brescia early on Thursday who they believe may have been planning an attack on Milan's synagogue.

The 20-year-old, a Moroccan citizen who has lived in Italy since he was six, is also suspected of setting up secret Facebook pages providing training on making bombs and using weapons for budding terrorists.

(source)

READ MORE - Milan: Man arrested, suspected of planning synagogue attack

Netherlands: Town vandalized with pro-Moroccan, anti-Dutch slogans

Netherlands: Town vandalized with pro-Moroccan, anti-Dutch slogans

22 cars were vandalized with white paint in the town of Zundert last night. The vandals also hit walls, fences and a school playground with pro-Moroccan, anti-Dutch slogans.

READ MORE - Netherlands: Town vandalized with pro-Moroccan, anti-Dutch slogans

Finland: Moroccan crowned Miss Finland 2012

Finland: Moroccan crowned Miss Finland 2012

On Sunday, January 29, 2012, the Moroccan Sara Chafak was crowned as Miss Finland 2012 (Miss Suomi 2012) in a ceremony that was held at the Vanajanlinna Castle, Hameenlinna in southern Finland. Sara will represent Finland in Miss Universe 2012 later this year in September/October. (source) (photo)

READ MORE - Finland: Moroccan crowned Miss Finland 2012

Morocco: Danish citizen arrested on terror charges

Morocco: Danish citizen arrested on terror charges

Via JP (h/t JIHAD I MALMÖ):

Moroccan police have arrested a Danish citizen on terror charges, according to the Associated Press.

The Dane, who is of Moroccan descent, was arrested along with two other men for having planned terror attacks against the Moroccan state. The three suspects are believed to be members of a terror organisation going by the name the Party for Moroccan Islamic Liberation.

According to Morocco’s Interior Ministry, the Danish citizen travelled to Morocco to supervise the execution of a plan that aimed to “undermine the country’s security and stability” by recruiting “indoctrinated” people.

Authorities believe the terror cell is financed by supporters in Europe.

(source)

READ MORE - Morocco: Danish citizen arrested on terror charges

Netherlands: Freedom Party shocked by integration report

Netherlands: Freedom Party shocked by integration report

Via RNW:

Freedom Party MP Joram van Klaveren says the annual integration report from the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) paints a “shocking” picture of crime among non-Western ethnic minorities.

The SCP report is not due to be published until 8 February but, according to the anti-Islam Freedom Party, the figures show that Moroccans and Antilleans are more than five times as likely to be crime suspects than indigenous Dutch people.

(source)

READ MORE - Netherlands: Freedom Party shocked by integration report