In this edition: Muammar Gaddafi is in Italy for an historic state visit; a Mauritanian religious school challenges the stereotypes; western Sahara refugees returns to Algeria after getting an education in Cuba.
Opposition lawmakers threatened to boycott a speech by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on an official visit to Italy, his country's former colonial ruler. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, however, accorded Gaddafi a red-carpet welcome.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was welcomed in Italy for a landmark visit meant to close a painful chapter of colonial history. The visit seals the reconciliation under way since a 2008 treaty under which Italy will pay $5 billion in reparations.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko met with Lybian Prime Minister Baghdadi Mahmoudi to discuss energy cooperation in a bid to reduce her country's dependence on Russian oil and gas.
For the first time, Libya has agreed to agreed to take back boat people picked up off its shores by Italian vessels, prompting concern among human rights and humanitarian groups.
The week in the Maghreb takes a look at Mauritania's June presidential election, a gigantic oil project in Libya and Moroccan private investigators - a profession that is rapidly gaining in popularity.
In this edition: Libya looks to free trade to boost North African economies during the global downturn, Mauritanian fishermen feel the squeeze and a fresh wave of designers mix old and new on the catwalk, pushing the classic boundaries.
Two boats bearing hundreds of Europe-bound migrants sank off the Libyan coast in separate incidents, killing at least 21 people, according to Libyan officials. Hundreds of people were still missing.
The ship, which left Libya’s northern Mediterranean coast on Sunday morning with 350 migrants on board, sank about 30 km off the Libyan coast due to a holed hull. Rescue operations are underway, but dozens are thought to have drowned.
