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

Imlil Murder : Investigating judge hears Swiss-Spanish suspect

The investigating judge in charge of terrorism affairs at the annexe of Salé's appeal court heard, on Monday, a Swiss national of Spanish nationality, for alleged links with the perpetrators of the murder of two Scandinavian tourists on 17 December in the commune of Imlil (El Haouz province). The investigating judge initiated this process as part of the detailed interrogation procedure, while the hearing of the other defendants in this case was postponed, says a judicial source. The

Hirak : Nasser Zefzafi moved from prison cell to hospital   

Hirak figure Nasser Zefzafi, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence, was moved from his prison cell to the hospital for a check-up, wrote his father Ahmed Zefzafi on his Facebook account. For the record, last week, Nasser Zefzafi’s family and lawyers said that the detainee developed complications that could lead to a «stroke», responding to a communiqué published by the prison administration. They also denounced the way in which he was taken care of in prison. The

Africom : Flintlock military exercise brings Moroccan and Algerian soldiers together

Launched by the United States counterterrorism forces in 2005, Flintlock is an annual regional exercise that is back for a new edition. The military exercise will be held from February the 18th to March the 1st in Mauritania and Burkina Faso, announced Africom. Directed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, Flintlock is expected to bring together more than 2,000 soldiers from 30 African and Western countries. Morocco is on the list

Fisheries agreement : Luis Planas hopes Spanish trawlers will resume activities before summer

Spanish Fisheries Minister Luis Planas wants EU trawlers to resume activities in Moroccan waters «before the end of the summer». «I hope that the EU-Morocco agreement will be adopted by the European Parliament in February. It should then be approved by the Moroccan parliament. I would like to see that happen before the summer, Spanish vessels will be able to fish again in Moroccan waters», the Minister said in an interview conducted by EFE. The Minister of Agriculture

Police in Cape Verde seize around ten tons of cocaine in a Russian vessel traveling to Morocco

Authorities in Cape Verde seized around ten tons of cocaine and arrested 11 people who were carried by a Russian vessel, reports Reuters quoting police on Friday. The ship was traveling to Morocco, according to the police, who stated that the 9.5 tons of cocaine were shipped in Latin America. The vessel loaded with cocaine stopped at the port pf Praia after a crew member died. Police in Cape Verde were alerted by the Maritime Analysis and Operation Center, which «suspected the ship of

Melilla : A young Moroccan dies while trying to reach Spain

A 24-year-old Moroccan man died on January the 15th as he was trying to reach the Spanish coast, Spanish daily Publico reported on Monday. The deceased was hiding under the wheels of a truck that links Melilla to Spain. A week after his death, his older brother went to Melilla to see his brother’s body. His family paid around 3,500 euros to repatriate him to Morocco. He was buried on January 28 in Fes. His relatives say they do not know if an investigation was opened in Melilla to

The Syrian Democratic Forces arrest a Moroccan ISIS fighter

Six people suspected of fighting for ISIS were captured during an operation led by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), reports Emirati online newspaper The National. «Six foreign jihadists of various nationalities who had actively participated in terrorist activities of the group for years were captured alive in an operation», the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said in a statement released on Saturday. One of these fighters is Moroccan, while others are from

Marrakech tops a list of 25 African destinations, according to a TripAdvisor ranking

Hotels and destinations in Morocco and Mauritius top a ranking for the African continent, according to a 2019 list compiled by American travel and restaurant website company TripAdvisor, reports EastAfrican. The 2019 Travelers’ Choice Awards is based on «reviews and opinions of people who rate facilities they visited in the past year», the same source said. Riad Kheirredine in Marrakech is one of the top luxury hotels in Africa, according to the ranking, which reported

Prison administration says it respected the law when dealing with Zefzafi’s health

The General Delegation of Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) said on Saturday that it has always acted in accordance with the law with regard to dealing with the health condition of Hirak figure Nasser Zefzafi. The DGAPR reacted to a video published on Facebook by the father of the detainee, in which «he accuses the administration of the local prison of Ain Sebaâ 1 and the Delegation of several lies and untruthful allegations». Since the beginning of his

H1N1 flu : Death toll reaches 11

Eleven people, out of the 58 registered H1N1 flu cases in Morocco, have died so far, said the Ministry of Health on Sunday. According to the same source, 15 people who caught this flu variety have fully recovered while 32 are still undergoing treatment in public and private health facilities. The deaths are mostly related to complications, listed by the Health ministry, including age, pregnancy, and chronic diseases. These cases are spread over various provinces of the Kingdom with four cases

The city of Chefchaouen decorated with 1,500 Chinese red lanterns

The city of Chefchaouen has been decorated with 1,500 Chinese red lanterns, scattered along its colorful walls and alleys, Chinese press agency Xinhuanet said. A combination of red and blue lanterns that has created a warm atmosphere for the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival, which will take place on the 5th of February in Chefchaouen. The Chinese Embassy in Morocco and the Chinese Cultural Center in Rabat have organized activities called «Happy Chinese New Year» in several Moroccan

Moulay El Hassan represents the King at funeral of Count of Paris Henri d’Orleans

Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan represented King Mohammed VI at the funeral of Henri d’Orleans, Count of Paris, which took place on Saturday afternoon at the Saint-Louis Royal Chapel in Dreux, northern France. Upon his arrival at the Chapel, Prince Moulay El Hassan, who was accompanied by an official delegation that includes the King’s advisor Fouad Ali El Himma and Morocco’s ambassador to France, Chakib Benmoussa, was welcomed by the son of the deceased, Prince Jean

Nine people killed by H1N1 flu, Health Minister says

H1N1 flu has killed 9 people in Morocco, minister of Health, Anass Doukkali, said on Saturday, noting that the epidemiological situation remains normal compared to previous years. The Central Unit in charge of monitoring the epidemiological situation continues to provide epidemiological surveillance and to verify all data relating to H1N1 cases, Doukkali told reporters following a meeting of the unit, adding that unfortunately nine deaths have been recorded so far. According to the minister,

Morocco rejects HRW's, Amnesty International's position on «Racines» Association dissolution

The Moroccan authorities have expressed their categorical rejection of the position of «Human Rights Watch» and «Amnesty International» regarding the verdict on the dissolution of the «Racines» association, considering that this position is an abusive interference in justice affairs. The Inter-ministerial Human Rights Delegation expressed, in a statement, its astonishment at the joint statement by the two organizations concerning the verdict by the

Imlil killings : The Swiss-Spanish suspect to appear in court Monday, his lawyer says

Accused of having alleged links to the terrorist cell suspected of killing the two Scandinavian tourists in Morocco, the Spanish-Swiss national, known as Abdellah, is to appear in court Monday, reports AFP quoting his lawyer. «After the preliminary hearing, there will be a more detailed hearing, which will be longer, with more detailed questions», the man’s lawyer Saad Sahli told the French press agency on Friday. According to Sahli, «other suspects» will attend

Muslim parents in the UK sign a petition against a school's LGBT lessons

In Birmingham, 400 parents have signed a petition calling the Parkfield School to drop an equality classes for LGBT community from the curriculum, reports The Guardian. This project, entitled «No Outsiders in Our School», aims to educate students about the fight against homophobia in schools. Mostly Muslim, the signatories threatened to withdraw their children from this school. Andrew Moffat, assistant headteacher of the school reported that he was threatened in a flyer

Morocco-EU agreements : The Polisario sends a delegation to Brussels

After MEPs at the European Parliament voted in favor of the Association agreement concluded between Morocco and the European Union, the Polisario sent a delegation to Brussels. This week, members of «Bnat Sakia El Hamra and Oued Ed-dahab», a pro-Polisario association, held a series of meetings with MEPs in the Belgian capital. According to the Front’s news agency, these «activists» are currently visiting Brussels to «raise awareness about the consequences

Morocco, EU discuss means to advance cooperation in vocational training

State Secretary for Vocational Training, Mohamed Rherras, held talks on Thursday in Rabat with Head of Cooperation for the European Union (EU) Delegation in Morocco, Philip Mikos, on the means to step up bilateral cooperation in the area of vocational training. During this meeting, the two sides discussed the progress of the EU program aimed at supporting Morocco's reform of the vocational training system, which is currently being implemented, as well as the means to advance cooperation with