Islamophobic extremist : Unraveling the Magdeburg attacker's motives  (Read more...)

Ryanair to launch Paris-Beauvais to Essaouira flights in March 2025

Ryanair is set to expand its operations from Paris-Beauvais with the introduction of a new route to Essaouira, located on Morocco's Atlantic coast. Starting March 31, 2025, the airline will offer two weekly flights on Mondays and Fridays, providing options for both short and extended stays. This addition is part of Ryanair's broader strategy to enhance connectivity between France and Morocco. For the summer of 2025, Ryanair will already be operating flights from Paris-Beauvais to Marrakech,

Morocco secures 860 million dirham deal for advanced Small Diameter Bombs

The U.S. State Department has greenlit a potential foreign military sale to Morocco, involving GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB-I) and associated equipment, with an estimated price tag of $86 million, equivalent to approximately 860 million dirhams. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) informed Congress of this prospective transaction on Saturday. Morocco's military has expressed interest in acquiring 500 GBU-39B Small Diameter Bombs I (SDBI) along with two GBU-39 (T-1)/B inert

King Mohammed VI receives the Mauritanian president

King Mohammed VI welcomed Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani at the Royal Palace in Casablanca today. The «This meeting is part of the strong relations of trust and cooperation linking the two countries and the sincere fraternal ties uniting the two brotherly peoples», reads a Royal Cabinet communique. During their discussions, the two leaders expressed satisfaction with the positive development of the Moroccan-Mauritanian partnership across various sectors.

Saudi Crown Prince inquires about King Mohammed VI's health post-surgery

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia phoned King Mohammed VI on Friday to inquire about his health and extend his best wishes for a swift recovery. This gesture was reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). King Mohammed VI expressed his gratitude to the Crown Prince for the thoughtful call and well-wishes, as noted by the SPA. It is worth mentioning that King Mohammed VI recently underwent successful surgery earlier this December, following an incident during his regular

T-Man Holding launches new Alsa production line in Morocco

T-Man Holding's Matheï industrial complex in Bouskoura has inaugurated a new production line dedicated to Alsa products, marking a significant expansion of its food manufacturing capabilities. The inauguration ceremony took place on December 19, 2024, in the presence of Industry and Commerce Minister Ryad Mezzour. This initiative is the result of a strategic partnership between T-Man Holding and the German food giant Dr. Oetker, owner of the Alsa brand. The new unit has an annual

Rising significance of Moroccan clementines in the German market

Moroccan clementines are establishing a stronger presence in the German market, offering the most competitive prices in the clementine segment. However, the increased market share comes with mixed quality reviews from buyers, according to recent market observations. According to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) in Germany, Moroccan imports have attracted increased attention in the citrus market, particularly in the post-Saint Nicholas week period. The report indicates that

Morocco chosen as filming site for epic «Cleopatra» film

Morocco has been chosen as the shooting destination for the upcoming epic period film Cleopatra. The movie is currently in active development by the American production studio Universal Pictures and film financing and production company Atlas Entertainment, according to the pre-production listing service Production Bulletin. The latter indicates that the Cleopatra production team has featured Morocco as a new location for the film. Israeli actress Gal Gadot will be starring as Cleopatra and is

Pharma 5 launches Morocco's first generic medicine based on medical cannabis

Moroccan laboratory Pharma 5, specialized in the field of generic drug development and manufacturing, has announced the development of the first 100% Moroccan generic drug based on cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychotropic substance derived from medical cannabis. This new anti-epileptic medication, designed to treat resistant epilepsy, marks a key step in the fight against this pathology. The substance, a result of an investment of 250 million dirhams, is registered under the name CANNABIDIOL

Snowfall expected in Morocco this weekend

Snowfall is forecast on heights above 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) in some of Morocco's provinces, the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) reported on Friday.  Snowfall ranging from 10 to 40 cm (4 to 16 inches) is expected from Saturday at 8 a.m. to Sunday at 12 p.m. in the provinces of Azilal, Al Haouz, Tinghir, Midelt, Ouarzazate and Taroudant, according to DGM's orange-level weather alert.

French lawyer details alleged rape case involving prominent Moroccan businessmen’s sons

A Casablanca appeal court held a hearing on Thursday regarding a high-profile rape case involving three men from well-off families in Casablanca. During this hearing, the investigating judge heard from the plaintiff, a French lawyer who lodged a complaint against the three sons of prominent Moroccan businessmen, accusing them of rape. The hearing was attended by Moroccan human rights lawyer Khadija Roukani, who represents the victim, and lasted for several hours. Other hearings were scheduled

Agadir Al Massira Airport welcomes record 3 million passengers in 2024

Agadir Al Massira Airport is poised to achieve a milestone by welcoming a record 3 million passengers by 2024, according to a press release from the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA). In the first 11 months of 2024, the airport experienced a robust 36% increase in passenger traffic, welcoming over 2.8 million travelers. Aircraft movements also surged, with a 29% rise, totaling 19,620 flights arriving and departing. As the third-largest hub in Morocco's airport network, Agadir Al Massira

Inflation Surge : Consumer price index up 0.8% in Morocco

The consumer price index (CPI) has seen a 0.8% increase in November compared to the same month in 2023, as reported by the Haut-Commissariat au Plan (HCP). This change is attributed to a 0.8% rise in the food index and a 0.7% increase in the non-food index, according to the HCP's latest information note on the November 2024 CPI. For non-food products, the variations ranged significantly, with transport seeing a 3.8% decline, while housing, water, gas, electricity, and other fuels saw a

A 2.3 million dirham agreement to relaunch the Mogador resort in Essaouira

Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, alongside André Azoulay, Advisor to King Mohammed VI, presided over the signing ceremony of a major investment agreement in Essaouira on Thursday. The agreement, valued at MAD 2.3 billion, aims to develop the «Mogador» tourist resort to enhance tourism as a driver of socio-economic growth. The deal was inked with a consortium of prominent Middle Eastern investors, including Samih Sawiris, Hussain Al Nowais, and Hossam El Shaer. These

Israel has advocated for Paraguay's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara

The Jerusalem Post highlights Israel's involvement in the Paraguayan Parliament's adoption of a resolution recognizing Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara. This decision comes after discussions led by Amir Ohana, President of the Israeli Knesset, during recent meetings with Paraguayan officials, including President Santiago Peña and Raúl Latorre, President of the Chamber of Deputies. A fervent supporter of Israeli-Moroccan relations, Amir Ohana, the son of Moroccan

US challenges Algeria's terrorist label for Kabylie movement

The United States has expressed its disagreement with Algeria's decision to label the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK) as a terrorist group, considering that this designation is more about «political considerations than security ones». This position, formulated in the latest report from the State Department, emphasizes that the MAK, like the Islamist movement Rachad, also targeted by Algiers, does not appear to have committed terrorist acts as defined by

World Bank funds $250m to boost Morocco’s climate-smart agrifood sector

The World Bank's Board of Directors has approved $250 million in financing for Morocco's Agri-Food Systems Transformation Program. The initiative seeks to enhance the agrifood sector's resilience to climate challenges while improving food safety and quality. Contributing 16% of GDP and 19% of Moroccan exports in 2023, the agrifood sector is a cornerstone of the national economy. It accounts for 67% of rural employment and 36% of total jobs, including 30% in primary agriculture and 6% in

Morocco's Khalil Seddini secures silver at Jet Ski World Cup

Moroccan jet ski racer Khalil Seddini has clinched the silver medal at the 2024 Jet Ski World Cup, which took place recently in Pattaya, Thailand. Seddini secured his second-place finish with a total of 86 points accumulated over two rounds. The gold medal was awarded to Filipino competitor Angelo Vientos, who dominated the event with an impressive 120 points. Meanwhile, the bronze medal was claimed by New Zealander Noah Skipps, who earned 53 points, narrowly edging out Emirati racer Salmane

New late payment penalty calculation effective December 2024 in Morocco

The Moroccan General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) has announced that starting December 1, 2024, invoices with payment delays will incur a monetary penalty. This penalty will be calculated based on the new key rate set by Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), which stands at 2.5% for the first month of delay. «Law No. 69-21 on payment deadlines mandates that any breach of the stipulated payment deadlines for commercial transactions will result in a monetary penalty. This penalty is set at the key rate of