Polisario Front-Morocco: Algeria hopes for substantive and fruitful talks ALGIERS- Algeria hopes that the forthcoming talks between the Polisario Front and Morocco, scheduled for 10 and 11 February near New York, will be "substantive and fruitful," declared Monday here Minister of Maghreb and African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel, "Algeria, like the United Unions, hope that the talks between the Polisario Front and Morocco, and which are in preparation for the fifth round of negotiations between the two parties, will be substantive and fruitful," Messahel said at a TV programme "Questions d'actu" on "Canal Algerie" channel.

Tunisians recount bloody events of Sakiet Sidi Youcef
SAKIET SIDI YOUCEF (Tunisia)- The Tunisian solidarity with the Algerian people who were struggling for their independence is a source of "great pride" for the witness of the bombing of Sakiet Sidi Youcef by the colonial air force on 8 February 1958. During the commemoration of the 52nd anniversary of the bloody chapter in the contemporary history, Mohamed Ali Nessaibia, a 65-year-old Tunisian citizen told the APS about his "great pride" for the Tunisian solidarity with the Algerian brother people in their struggle for their independence.

Seminar on combating violence in football stadiums
ALGIERS- The renovation of football stadiums and the tightening of laws against people involved in acts of violence are the key to eradicate hooliganism, said Monday here British experts at a seminar on the safety in stadiums. The head of Security, Safety and Stadia at the British Football Association (FA), Chris Whalley emphasized the need to build new infrastructures or modernize the old ones so as to provide all the required security measures and curb violence in football stadiums.

Invest in Med: Training in Germany for private Algerian employers BRUSSELS (Belgium)- The "Invest in Med" programme has scheduled a training course from 8 to 11 February in Germany for a group of private Algerian employers. Funded by "Invest in Med" as part of its "Made in Euromed: Partners for a sustainable economic development" initiative, the training will take place in Munich and Berlin. This technical assistance mission is aimed primarily at staff of the Algerian employers' organization, the General Confederation of Algerian Companies (CGEA) in partnership with "Made in Euromed" initiative, said Invest in Med in its February newsletter.

Toyota Algeria imported 488 vehicles affected by defects

ALGIERS- The "Toyota dealership in Algeria has imported 488 vehicles affected by the defects disclosed by the Japanese automaker," the Trade Ministry's Economic Control and Fraud Squad announced on Monday. The Toyota brands concerned are Auris (440 cars), Avensis (44) and Rav4 (4), the source pointed out in a statement. A total of 309 vehicles out of all those imported by Toyota were sold in Algeria, including 303 Auris, 3 Avensis and 3 Rav4 vehicles, added the source. It called the owners of these cars to approach the concerned company where the defects can be covered, while assuring that the provincial trade departments remained at their disposal if need be.

More visitors at Nasreddine Dinet Museum of Bou-Saada (M'sila)

M'SILA (Algeria)– The Nasreddine-Etienne Dinet Museum of Bou-Saada (M'sila, 248 km southeast Algiers) has welcomed some 8,000 visitors in 2009, the museum's management reported on Monday. In addition to its collection of eleven authentic works by the Orientalist painter, the museum also organized last year a series of painting exhibitions by a host of renowned visual artists, the source said. This increasing number of visits (no less than 5,000 people visited the museum in 2008) "reflects the growing interest of local audiences for art," according to the same source, which aims to diversify its future activities with more exhibitions, lectures and debates on pictorial art.