Morocco boosts 2011 subsidies amid regional unrest The Moroccan government on Tuesday said it has decided to almost double funds allocated to state subsidies to counter an increase in global commodity prices amid revolts in some Arab countries. The government will add 15 billion dirhams ($1.8 billion) to the 17 billion dirhams allocated by the 2011 budget for the government's subsidy fund called Caisse de Compensation, the official MAP news agency said. The Finance Ministry declined to immediately say how the government intends to fund this increase in expenditure. Read more here. CPJ denounces Algerian authorities' arrest of two Moroccan journalists The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) denounced, in its 2010 annual report, Algerian authorities' arrest of two Moroccan journalists while reporting on the living conditions of the population held against their will in the Tindouf camps (Algeria's south-west). The CPJ report said that Lahcen Tigbadar and Mohamed Slimani, journalists with the Moroccan weekly Assahra Ousbouiya, “were effectively detained for four days” in Tindouf while they were covering the living conditions of the population held captive in the camps. UN: Smugglers Taking Advantage Of Tunisian Migrants United Nations and international agencies are working to manage the recent influx of thousands of Tunisians into the small Italian island of Lampedusa. The agencies are warning migrants to beware of smugglers waiting to take advantage of them. The Italian government reports more than 5,200 people have arrived in Lampedusa since mid-January, with the vast majority arriving during the past few days. The UN refugee agency says most of the migrants are young men. But, it notes at least 20 women and more than 200 minors, many unaccompanied, also have arrived. Read more here. Marriott debuts in Libya Marriott International has announced the opening of its first property in Libya, the five-star JW Marriott Hotel Tripoli. The debut of the 370-room hotel marks Marriott's entrance into a country with a chequered history of foreign relations. But improved diplomatic relations with the US and other Western countries have opened up the North African country as a tourist destination. Sudan requests “clarifications” on meeting of U.S. diplomat with SPLM The Sudanese foreign ministry has revealed on Monday that it requested “clarifications” from the U.S. on statements allegedly made by the U.S. Consul General Barrie Walkley during a meeting with leading figures from the Sudan people Liberation Movement (SPLM). The Sudanese Media Center (SMC), which is closely linked to the country's National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), reported yesterday that Walkley met with SPLM Secretary General Pagan Amum, head of SPLM Northern Sector Yasir Arman and SPLM leading figure Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu. 211 civilians dead in last week's South Sudan massacre The death toll from last weeks violence in South Sudan has doubled to 211 after more victims, including many women and children, were found in remote areas. The South Sudan army blames rebel leader George Athor for the massacre and claims that the North is supplying militias with arms. A spokesperson from the North's National Congress Party denies the claims.
