A Moroccan MP has demanded that the government explains the circumstances surrounding the killing of two Moroccan nationals near the country's maritime borders with Algeria.
The Algerian coastguard shot dead two tourists who apparently strayed into Algerian waters on jet skis last Tuesday, with a third person arrested.
Fatima Tamni, from the Federal Democratic Left party, said the government must provide the public with an official statement on the incident.
“The tragic death of a Moroccan citizen, who is the holder of French citizenship as well, by live bullets from Algerian authorities, has sparked a lot of resentment and condemnation, and revealed a clear violation of international conventions,” she said in a written address to Morocco's Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.
There are several methods – other than killing – by which states’ territorial integrity could be protected
Fatima Tamni,
Federal Democratic Left
“In view of this situation, and at a time when Moroccans have been awaiting clarification from the government, it only devoted a period not exceeding five seconds to comment on the tragedy … throwing the ball to the judiciary,” she added.
Ms Tamni demanded answers to appease the bereaved families and provide more information on the member of the group who was arrested.
There has been no official comment from either Algiers or Rabat about Tuesday’s incident at a time of increased tensions between the two North African countries.
Coverage of the incident on local news outlets was limited in both Algeria and Morocco.
An investigation was launched by the public prosecutor’s office in Oujda, the capital of north-eastern Morocco and a city bordering Algeria, on Wednesday, a judicial source told the official state news agency MAP.
Ms Tamni said the Algerian authorities had no need to use such excessive force.
“As per the Montego Bay Convention relating to maritime borders, there are several methods – other than killing – by which states’ territorial integrity could be protected,” she said.
Both Algeria and Morocco ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, otherwise known as the Montego Bay Convention, in 1996 and 2007 respectively.
Ms Tamni accused Algiers of violating the stipulations of the aforementioned UN convention.
Several Moroccan human rights activists have also condemned the incident and the lack of official response.
A protest is to take place in front of the Moroccan parliament next Monday.
The French Foreign Ministry released a short statement, describing it as “an incident involving several of our nationals”.
Paris said its “crisis support centre and our embassies in Morocco and Algeria are in close contact with our fellow citizens' families, to whom we are offering every support”.
Tuesday's deadly shooting comes at a time of increased tensions between Morocco and Algeria, exacerbated by a dispute over territory in Western Sahara.
Morocco has claimed control of the region, while Algeria has been backing and providing support for the Polisario Front, the main political actor attempting to receive international recognition for the Western Sahara’s autonomy.
As a result, the border between the two countries has been closed since 1994 and Algeria broke off diplomatic ties in August 2021, accusing Morocco of “hostile acts” – a decision Rabat called “completely unjustified”.
In July, Morocco's King Mohammed VI said he hoped for a return to normality and reopening of borders with Algeria.
However, Israel's recognition of “Morocco's sovereignty” over Western Sahara added to tensions with Algeria, which called the Israeli move a “flagrant violation of international law”.
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
THE POPE'S ITINERARY
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
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Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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SHAITTAN
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The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg:
Juventus 1 Ajax 2
Ajax advance 3-2 on aggregate
