Diaspo #432: Abdou Bouzerda, the Moroccan voice explaining the Middle East in the Netherlands

Abdou Bouzerda, a Moroccan-Dutch journalist, built his career covering Middle Eastern affairs thanks to his mastery of Arabic, which allowed him to report on developments such as the Syrian war and the rise of ISIS. Now an analyst at the Dutch broadcaster VPRO, he provides insights into the region’s conflicts and their global implications.

1979 : When Juhayman al-Otaybi led the Grand Mosque seizure of the Masjid al Haram in Mecca

In 1979, Masjid al-Haram was seized by a group of 500 men under the leadership of Juhayman al-Otaybi, protesting against the Saudi monarchy. Islam’s holiest site was under siege for two weeks before Saudi Special Forces broke into the Mosque with the help of France and Pakistan.

Morocco and Spain cooperation reduces West African migration by 63 percent

Operational cooperation between Spain and Morocco has led to a significant reduction in irregular migration along the West African route, with a 63% decrease in monitoring operations and a 17% drop in departures from Morocco, according to an EUAA report. Meanwhile, the European Union's new unified list of «safe countries of origin» could accelerate asylum procedures for Moroccan citizens, who filed 21,000 applications in 2025.

Morocco grants public sector exceptional day off on March 23 for Eid al-Fitr

State administrations and local authorities in Morocco will benefit from an exceptional day off on Monday, March 23, 2026, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. The decision was announced in a statement by the Head of Government’s Office, which explained that the measure was taken in accordance with Article 3 of Decree No. 2.05.916 of 13 Jumada al-Akhira 1426 (July 20, 2005), as amended and supplemented, regulating public holidays and exceptional leave within public administrations.

Des fossiles de dinosaures datant de 100 millions d'années découverts dans l'est du Maroc

Une équipe de chercheurs marocains a découvert les restes d’un dinosaure ayant vécu dans l’est du Maroc il y a plus de 100 millions d’années. Cette trouvaille a été réalisée par des scientifiques de la Faculté des sciences de l’Université Mohammed I d’Oujda, en collaboration avec des experts internationaux, dans la région de l’Oriental. L’annonce a été faite par

Fósiles de dinosaurios de hace 100 millones de años descubiertos en el este de Marruecos

Un grupo de investigadores marroquíes ha desenterrado los restos de un dinosaurio que habitó el este de Marruecos hace más de 100 millones de años. Este significativo hallazgo fue realizado por científicos de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad Mohammed I de Oujda, en colaboración con expertos internacionales, en la región del Oriental. El anuncio fue realizado por Yassine Zarhloule, presidente de la universidad, a través de su

100-million-year-old dinosaur fossils discovered in Eastern Morocco

A dinosaur that roamed eastern Morocco more than 100 million years ago has been brought back to light by Moroccan researchers. Scientists from the Faculty of Sciences at Mohammed I University of Oujda, working alongside international researchers, have uncovered the remains of a previously unknown dinosaur skeleton in Morocco’s Oriental region. The discovery was announced by president of Mohammed I University in Oujda, Yassine Zarhloule, on his official Facebook page, describing it as a

Tangier court sentences man to six months for breaking Ramadan fast in public

On Tuesday, the Tangier Court of First Instance handed down a six-month prison sentence to a man who was caught breaking his fast in public during Ramadan. According to the ruling cited by Al3omk, the court found the defendant guilty of publicly breaking his fast without a valid excuse. In addition to the prison term, the man was fined 1,200 dirhams, and a knife found in his possession was confiscated.

Tiago Pitarch says he has not decided between Morocco and Spain

Real Madrid player Thiago Pitarch has said he has not yet decided on his international future, as he weighs whether to represent Morocco or Spain. The midfielder has previously played for Spain’s youth teams. Speaking after Real Madrid’s match against Manchester City on Wednesday, in which he featured, Pitarch said: «I haven’t made my decision yet. Brahim talks to me a lot about Morocco and feels very comfortable within the team». If Brahim can help convince

Four migrant bodies found in Morocco’s Figuig region

Four bodies of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were discovered in the Figuig region on Wednesday, March 11, according to the Moroccan Association for the Assistance of Migrants in Difficult Situations. The association said three bodies were found near Aïn Chaïr, while a fourth was discovered along the national road linking Figuig and Bouarfa. The remains were transferred to the morgue at Hassan II Hospital in Bouarfa, pending an autopsy in Oujda. According to the association, the