Dutch-Moroccan ex-anti-terrorism official denies «spying for Morocco», seeks PM's testimony  (Read more...)

A British-Moroccan terror-suspect wants to return to the UK after fighting in Syria

Sufyan Mustafa, the son of Egyptian hate preacher Abu Hamza and his Moroccan wife, is planning to return to the UK after fighting in the Syrian civil war against Bashar al-Assad’s regime, reports Metro UK. Mustafa who is accused of terror-related offences and is suspected of being a Jihadi said that he is «desperate to return to Britain». However, the British authorities might not accept Mustapha’s request as he was stripped of his British citizenship. According to the

Morocco’s Permanent Representative to UN briefs Security Council on visit to Bangui

Morocco’s ambassador to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, briefed the Security Council, on Thursday, on his recent visit to the Republic of Central Africa, as Chair of the Central African Republic Configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission. Hilale said that exchanges with civil society revealed an enormous appetite for peace and justice, as well as hope for a better future. Communicating the agreement’s contents and challenges will be key, and translating the text into Sango,

A Danish pension fund removes OCP from its portfolio over the Western Sahara conflict

MP Pension, a Danish pension fund for academics, has decided to cut €10.7 million worth of holdings after releasing a list of firms that operate in warzones, reports Denmark's biggest pension fund IPE in a statement published Tuesday. MP Pension’s decision, taken after a position paper on the firms in question, targets Morocco’s OCP, the same source pointed out. «MP Pension has divested from Moroccan state-owned fertilizer producer OCP Group, citing its

According to Melilla’s president, borders with Morocco «are filled with pressure»

A few days after King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain visited Morocco, the president of Melilla referred to a «dark and  very worrying» situation in the borders between Morocco and the autonomous city, reports local online newspaper El Faro de Melilla. Juan José Imbroda’s comments were made while he was discussing issues related to borders with Morocco, including trade. Moreover, the president said that «the central government visited Morocco, where it

Following Spain’s footsteps, Morocco denies sea rescue services' deal with Madrid

After the Spanish Interior Ministry denied having concluded a deal with Morocco to allow Spanish sea rescue services to return some migrants to Moroccan ports, the Moroccan government issued its own response. Speaking, Thursday, in a press briefing held in Rabat, government spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi stressed that «there is no such agreement between Rabat and Madrid», reports MAP news agency. «This information is false», El Khalfi told reporters. The

Morocco denies Nasser Bourita’s secret meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu

After Israeli free-to-air television Channel 13 reported that Benjamin Netanyahu and Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita held a «secret» meeting in September, 2018, in New York, the Kingdom denied the reports. In a press briefing held Thursday in Rabat, Government Spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi told reporters that «the Kingdom does not reply to rumors».  The Moroccan government’s answer comes after the Israeli channel revealed, quoting a source

UK : A new book changes stereotypes associated with Muslim women

Tired of the stereotypes associated with Muslim women in the West, feminist author Mariam Khan compiled the essays of 17 Muslim women to tell their stories, reports Reuters. Her book, entitled «It’s Not About the Burqa», released Thursday at Main Market, brings together activists, journalists and researchers, mostly British, who wrote personal stories about their mental health, sexual identity, divorce, feminism and the hijab. «Burqa is the most politicized word around

Germany arrests a German-Moroccan couple for trying to plan a terror attack

Authorities in Germany arrested, Thursday, a German-Moroccan couple for attempting to plan a terror attack, reports the Associated Press. 12 other suspects have seen their houses searched, following a series of raids, said Frankfurt prosecutors. Quoting Frankfurt prosecutor Nadja Niesen, the American press agency wrote that the German-Moroccan suspects were «in the early stages of planning an attack in Germany». «There was not yet a concrete attack target that we're aware

UN Alliance of Civilizations to launch peace through culture call from Mohammed VI Museum

The Alliance of Civilizations will launch next April the global call of peace through culture from the Mohammed VI Museum for Modern and Contemporary Art of Rabat, a place that reflects the ability of Morocco to combine modernity and tradition, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Angel Moratinos told MAP. «I intend as the new High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations to visit Morocco during the first half of April in order to hold a debate that

Spain slammed by the UN for expelling a Malian child who entered Melilla through Morocco

The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a body of independent experts that monitors and reports on implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, denounced in February Spain’s expulsion of a Malian child who entered the country through Morocco in 2014. According to El Pais, Malian minor known as Moussa, who was 15 years old at the time, tried to cross the fence separating Morocco from Melilla several times. «During these attempts,

For its spring-summer collection campaign, Zara draws inspiration from Morocco

For its 2019 spring and summer collection campaign, Spanish fast fashion retailer Zara was inspired by Morocco. In a video entitled «Woman Campaign Spring Summer 2019» and published earlier this month on Youtube, Zara showcased the essential pieces it designed for its customers this season. Most of these pieces of clothing are inspired by Morocco. The models are wearing lightweight Caftans and hanging out in a tent erected in the middle of the Sahara. One of Zara’s models was

Spain denies having allowed sea rescue services to return migrants to Moroccan ports

Spain and Morocco have reportedly agreed on a new deal to control irregular migration flows. According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, the Kingdom will «allow Spanish sea rescue services to return some migrants to Moroccan ports instead of taking them to Spanish ones». Quoting three sources in the Spanish government, the daily stated that the new deal targets migrants «found in missions where Spanish rescue services are assisting the Moroccan Coast Guard in their maritime area

Antonio Guterres appoints Zia Ur Rehman of Pakistan as MINURSO force commander

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Wednesday the appointment of Major General Zia Ur Rehman of Pakistan as Force Commander of the MINURSO. Major General Ur Rehman succeeds Major General Xiaojun Wang of China, whose tour of duty ended on 17 February 2019, the United Nations said in a release, adding that the UN Chief «is grateful to Major General Wang for his exemplary service and contribution to the work of MINURSO.» Major General Ur Rehman

Morocco signs the Brussels Declaration on Ocean and Climate Change

State Secretary for Sustainable Development Nezha El Ouafi signed on Tuesday, February the 19th, in Brussels, on behalf of Morocco, the Brussels Declaration on Ocean and Climate Change. This declaration, which has been signed be several environment and sustainable development ministers, aims to encourage countries to protect oceans and include national measures related to that. The signing of this declaration took place on the sidelines of the first high-level Conference on Climate Change and

According to Frontex chief, more Moroccans arrive in Europe than Iraqis and Afghans

According to Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri, Europe faces «no burning crisis» over migrant arrivals. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Wednesday, Leggeri said that more people are trying to enter Europe through Morocco, reports the Associated Press. «Right now, we are not in the middle of a migration crisis at the external borders but, of course, we do see that there is still a pressure», Fabrice Leggeri said. «[Spain] is in fact, in absolute figures, the route

NBA to launch an African basketball league and Morocco is part of it

The National Basketball Association (NBA), a men's professional basketball league in North America, has announced that it is launching a basketball league in Africa in 2020, reports CNN. Collaborating with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), NBA’s new African basketball league will include 12 teams from the continent, including Morocco, Tunisia, Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa. In a statement made public by the same source, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that «the

Football : Moroccan-Dutch player Oussama Idrissi joins the Atlas Lions

Moroccan-Dutch football Oussama Idrissi has finally made his mind. The winger, who currently plays for Dutch club AZ Alkmaar, has decided to join the Atlas Lions, reports Voetbal International. The latter recalls that the Dutch-born player had to choose between the Netherlands and Morocco. In November, the 22-year-old winger accepted an invitation to take part in Morocco’s training camp, without making a final choice. Now that he has opted for the Moroccan national

Accused of plagiarism, Gad Elmaleh censures CopyComic’s videos on Twitter

French-Moroccan-Canadian comic Gad Elmaleh has allegedly asked Twitter to remove the tweets made public by the anonymous channel that published the videos, accusing him of allegedly copying the routines of American stand-up comedians. On its Twitter account the channel in question, known as CopyComicVideos, posted a message for Gad Elmaleh. Entitled «shocking», CopyComic alleged that Gad Elmaleh ordered «his lawyers to censure the tweets that contained the channel’s