Moroccan prosecutors prioritize conciliation over public prosecution in new directive

The head of the Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued a directive to prosecutors general of the King at the Courts of Appeal and prosecutors at courts of first instance, calling for the implementation of conciliation as an alternative to prosecution. In the directive, he urged that conciliation be made a priority within criminal policy, advocating for it to become the primary approach in handling criminal cases. Prosecutors are encouraged to propose conciliation to the parties, or

Inmates allowed food baskets during Eid al-Fitr

Inmates in Morocco’s prisons will be allowed to receive food baskets on a one-time basis starting from the second day of Eid al-Fitr, the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR) announced. The measure follows a decision by the DGAPR to exclude religious holidays from the ongoing ban on food baskets, citing their positive psychological impact on inmates and their role in strengthening family ties, according to a statement. Under this exception, inmates will

Berklee at Gnaoua 2026 welcomes global musicians to Essaouira

The third edition of the Berklee at Gnaoua and World Music Festival is set to unfold from June 22 to 27, 2026, in Essaouira, preceding the 27th edition of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival. Aspiring participants have until April 20, 2026, to submit their applications. This immersive six-day program will be spearheaded by Leo Blanco, a Berklee professor specializing in piano and African music studies. This year's theme is «Listening with a Global Ear – Playing with a Global

French-Tunisian man wanted by France arrested at Casablanca airport

A 24-year-old French national of Tunisian origin was arrested on Monday at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport, upon arrival on a flight from Tunis, after being flagged in Interpol’s database. According to security sources, he was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by French authorities on suspicion of involvement in a criminal network linked to cocaine trafficking, as well as illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The suspect has been placed

Spanish city A Coruña drops out of 2030 World Cup host bid

The city of A Coruña has announced its withdrawal from the bid to host matches during the 2030 FIFA World Cup, for which it had been one of the candidate cities in Spain’s joint organization with Morocco and Portugal. Local media reported that Mayor Inés Rey said the decision was taken for organizational and economic reasons. She stressed that the city is «fully qualified» to host matches, but chose not to proceed with the project due to the significant

Sahara discussed in phone call between Paris and Algiers

On March 15, French Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot held a phone conversation with his Algerian counterpart, Ahmed Attaf. «The ministers exchanged views on key diplomatic issues of mutual interest in Africa and the Middle East, notably the regional escalation surrounding Iran and recent high-level discussions concerning Western Sahara», said a communiqué from the French foreign ministry. On the Algerian side, the statement stressed that the two officials

Six months in prison for false claims during search for missing girl Soundouss

The primary court in the city of Chefchaouen sentenced an individual to six months in prison after he was prosecuted for spreading false information. The case stems from his claims about the whereabouts of two-year-old Soundouss, who had been missing for two weeks before her body was found. During the search operations, the man alleged that the girl was with a woman in the city of Chefchaouen. However, investigations carried out by the competent authorities revealed that these claims were

Sahara: Polisario members enter the buffer zone

For the past few days, members of the Polisario Front have been entering territories located west of the Sand Wall, without intervention from Royal Armed Forces (RAF) drones to stop them. «Among the groups accessing these areas are men, women, and even children. They have set up tents and raised the Polisario flag. FAR drones are monitoring these movements», a source close to the matter told Yabiladi. This new development raises questions about the objectives of these temporary

France: An uncertain future for the Épinay-sur-Seine mosque

In the first round of France's municipal elections, Hervé Chevreau, the incumbent mayor of Épinay-sur-Seine, secured 50.87% of the vote. He has controversially vowed to demolish the town's mosque if re-elected, proposing to replace it with a small public square. Anasse Kazib, national spokesperson for Permanent Revolution, has issued a stark warning to Chevreau, condemning what he describes as «disguised Islamophobia masked as bogus development

France arrests two Moroccan brothers for plotting terrorist attack

Two Moroccan brothers who also hold Italian citizenship were placed under investigation and detained in France on Sunday on suspicion of planning what authorities described as a «deadly and anti-Semitic» terrorist attack. The French National Counterterrorism Prosecution Office said the brothers, aged 20 and 22, were arrested at dawn on March 10 inside a car parked near Longuenesse Prison in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. During questioning, the suspects admitted they

Court sentences two police commissioners over tampered evidence in adultery case

Last week, the Rabat Court of Appeal delivered its verdict in a case involving two police commissioners accused of embezzling seized items and falsifying official documents. The court upheld the initial ruling, sentencing both men to two years in prison, including 14 months to be served and the remainder suspended. The case involves a senior police commissioner who headed a security precinct in Khemisset and his deputy, both of whom have been in detention since 2023. According to the newspaper

894,000 direct jobs in Morocco's tourism sector in 2025

The number of direct jobs in Morocco’s tourism sector reached 894,000 in 2025, compared with 802,000 in 2022, according to a statement from the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy. This represents an increase of 92,000 jobs over three years, exceeding the roadmap’s target of 80,000 additional jobs by 2026. These results reflect a broader positive performance across several indicators. Morocco welcomed nearly 20 million tourists in 2025, while the

Morocco 2025 AFCON breaks records with 61% global viewership surge

The Morocco 2025 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations continues to break records. Preliminary figures from independent research agencies show the tournament recorded a 61% increase in global viewership, confirming it as one of the fastest-growing sporting events worldwide. The full report will be published in the coming weeks by global research firm Nielsen, but early data attribute the surge to record international media coverage and an expanded broadcast network, CAF wrote on Monday. The

Migrants from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa reach Ceuta amid bad weather conditions

Several migrants from sub-Saharan African countries and Morocco managed to reach Ceuta in the past few hours, either by swimming or by scaling the double border fence, taking advantage of the bad weather conditions in the area. Security sources told the Spanish news agency EFE that most of the migrants who climbed over the fence are from Guinea and Sudan. They are in good health and are currently staying at the temporary migrant reception center in the city. At the same time, four Moroccan

Tanger Med and Casablanca Ports lead Arab maritime connectivity

The ports of Tanger Med and Casablanca rank among the leading port hubs in the Arab world in terms of connectivity to the global maritime transport network, according to a report by the Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (Dhaman). In its fourth sectoral report for 2025, published on Sunday, the institution notes that the two Moroccan ports, alongside Jebel Ali, Khalifa, Jeddah, Alexandria, Port Said, Dammam, Damietta, and Salalah, are among the top-ranked ports out of 71

Desert locusts advance in Morocco, reach north of Agadir

In its latest bulletin published in early March 2026, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned of a renewed resurgence of desert locusts in Morocco. In the Sahara region, the UN agency reported an increase in groups of adult locusts moving northward. Reproduction has resumed, while some groups of adults have reached the Canary Islands and Algeria, according to the organization. The FAO also confirmed the presence of locusts in Mauritania. At the same time, control operations against

Man arrested in Marrakech after harassing tourist in viral video

The Marrakech Police Department has reacted to a video circulating on social media on Friday, March 13, showing a man harassing a tourist in the old medina of Marrakech. According to a security source, investigations launched following the circulation of the video revealed that the case is currently being handled by the Marrakech Police Department. The suspect has been identified and subsequently arrested. The individual, who has a criminal record involving several previous offenses, has

Trump’s Gaza plan envisions Moroccan troop deployment starting in May

Israel is preparing to take a new step in the plan proposed by President Donald Trump for the Gaza Strip, which involves the deployment of thousands of foreign troops as part of an International Stabilization Force (ISF). According to Israeli media, the force is expected to begin operations on May 1. The initial deployment will take place in the Rafah area, around the Palestinian city currently under construction with the support of the United Arab Emirates, before gradually expanding to other