News Flash

Hirak : Two activists sentenced to 20 years in prison

Two Rwandan activists were sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Al Hoceima Court for participating in the social protests that took place in the Rif region, reports EFE news agency. The two defendants were accused of «setting a house and vehicles to fire, injuring police officers and taking part in an unauthorized demonstration», as well as «insulting public officials, destructing public property and carrying weapons», said the same source. The court also

The 10th edition of MEDays Forum launched on Wednesday in Tangier

The 10th edition of MEDays Forum 2017 was launched on Wednesday, 8th of September, in Tangier. Entitled «From defiance to challenges : The era of major upheavals», the forum is supposed to host 150 stakeholders and 3,000 participants from all over the world. This edition will focus on the economic, social and environmental development of Africa and is set to compare it to other regional powers in both the North and South. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the forum, the

2018 World Cup Qualifiers : Morocco national football team arrived in Abidjan [Video]

Morocco national football team arrived on Wednesday night in Abidjan, where it is supposed to face on Saturday its Ivorian counterpart in a decisive match for the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers. On their arrival at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny International Airport, the technical and administrative staffs accompanying the team and the delegation of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation were received by the Ambassador of Morocco to Cote d’Ivoire, Abdelmalek Kettani, and a huge crowd of Moroccan

The International Monetary Fund urges Morocco to accelerate structural reforms

An International Monetary Fund staff team headed by Nicolas Blancher visited Morocco from the 25th to the 7th of November 2017 to conduct discussions with the Moroccan authorities on the 2017 Article IV consultation, as well as on the third review under the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) arrangement approved in July 2016, said a statement issued on Tuesday by the international organization. «In recent years, the Moroccan economy has benefited from the continuation of prudent

Sahara : The UN refuses to comment on the royal speech delivered on the 42nd anniversary of Green March

The UN has refused for the moment to comment on the royal speech delivered Monday November the 6th on the 42nd anniversary of the Green March. Yesterday, during his daily press briefing, the Secretary-General spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, refused to answer a question saying «I'm not going to react to the King's speech». A cautious answer that aims at avoiding tension between the two parties after the sovereign’s speech. On the Green March commemoration day, King

Arianespace launched on Tuesday the Mohammed IV Earth observation satellite

Arianespace, a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world’s first commercial launch service provider, has launched on Tuesday, 7th of November, a Moroccan Earth observation satellite to low-Earth orbit on a Vega rocket, reports Space Flight Now, an online space news portal. The launch took place on 8:42 p.m. at the Guiana Space Centre or, more commonly, Centre Spatial Guyanais, a French and European spaceport to the northwest of Kourou in French Guiana. The Mohammed IV

Is King Mohammed VI expected to visit Indonesia ?

King Mohammed VI could visit Indonesia, reports the Jakarta Post. The Moroccan sovereign is expected to take part of the 10th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF), scheduled for December in Bali. The King’s participation to the Forum was «confirmed» by the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita who told the Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohammed Fashir during a meeting they both attended on Friday 3rd of November in Rabat, adds the same source. The

Brahim Ghali meets Ahmed Ouyahia in Algiers

The Polisario Front’s leader, Brahim Ghali, visited Algeria on Tuesday, the APS news agency reported. He held talks with the Algerian Prime Minister, Ahmed Ouyahia. «The talks have made it possible to assess the situation of the Western Sahara conflict at the regional, African, and international levels and review cooperation between Algeria and SADR», said a statement issued by the prime minister’s office. This visit comes three weeks before the 5th AU-European

BIXPO 2017 : EMSI’s «SmartiLab» wins two silver medals in South Korea

The SmartiLab research, development and innovation laboratory, part of the EMSI Group, won two silver medals at the BIXPO 2017 (Bitgaram International Exhibition of Electric Power Technology), which took place from the 1st to the 3rd of November in Gwangju, South Korea. The BIXPO is one of the most important inventions competitions in the world, with more than 60,000 visitors and nearly 3,000 inventors, from more than 48 countries, specializing in electricity, energy, ICT, ecology and domestic

Thomas Cook to increase the number of British tourists visiting Morocco

Thomas Cook, a British global travel company that owns a number of tour operators, as well as airlines based in the UK, Germany, Belgium and Scandinavia is highly interested in Morocco as a destination for British tourists. At the World Travel Market 2017 (WTM), one of the world’s largest travel fairs, taking place in London from The 6th to the 8th of November, Thomas Cook promised to increase the influx of British tourists heading to Morocco. «Our goal is to reach the

The CAF Champions League cup, a blessing for Al Wydad’s businesses

After securing the CAF Champions League cup by defeating Al Ahly sporting club, Al Wydad Athletic Club is receiving a $ 2.5 million- check, nearly MAD 24 million. Good news for the Casablanca club which plans to purchase a training center set to host the team’s different categories, reports Ecofoot. For a MAD 60 million investment, the center will be the fourth Botola Pro club to host its own training facilities. Al Wydad’s players will also benefit from their recent victory as

Costa Group Holdings Ltd purchases 90% stake in African Blue

Costa Group Holdings Ltd, Australia’s largest horticultural company and a major supplier of produce to food retailers in that country, has purchased 90% stake in the Moroccan joint venture African Blue for $ 68 million, says The Motley Fool, a multimedia financial services company. The purchase is believed to be decided on after the company announced that it wants to increase its stake in its joint venture, African Blue. Since the beginning of the year, shares of the horticultural

Spain : A Moroccan national breaks into a school and threatens to kill children

A 46-year-old Moroccan national was arrested in Spain, Cordoba (Andalusia), after breaking into a primary school and threatening to kill three-year-old kids, according to El Mundo. Friday, November 3, early morning, the individual entered the school Gonzalo Fernández shouting to the glory of Allah, with a box in his hand containing supposedly some kind of poison and threatening to kill children «like lambs». He first arrived at a class of three-year-old children, causing

Egypt: Barclays Bank becomes Attijariwafa bank Egypt

Attijariwafa bank Egypt was launched on Friday in Cairo after Attijariwafa bank's acquisition of the shares of Barclays Bank Egypt last May. "In connection with the acquisition of Barclays Bank Egypt by the Attijariwafa bank group on May the 3rd 2017, the new Attijariwafa bank Egypt brand was launched and the name of the bank and all its transactions and 55 branches that cover the majority of cities and governorates of Egypt," said a statement from Attijariwafa bank group. Congratulations

Following the royal censure, Hakima El Haite to miss a climate summit in Bonn

Hakima El Haite, a climate scientist, politician and former Minister Delegate in charge of the Environment, who has contributed to the United Nations (UN) climate negotiations, will not be able to attend a climate change conference in Bonn on Monday, after the royal censure, reports the Climate Change News an online newspaper based in London. Hakima El Haite, still represents Morocco as a UN «climate champion», said the same source. This role allowed her to guide a

A Moroccan national expelled from Germany to France over 2015 Thalys train attack

A Moroccan national has been expelled from Germany to France for allegedly helping to plan the 2015 Thalys train attack, said a legal source on Friday as reported by AFP news agency. The suspect identified as Redouane Sebbar is believed to have links with Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian-Moroccan terrorist who have masterminded the November 2015 Paris attacks killing 130 people. According to the same source, the 25-year-old Moroccan national has allegedly received orders from Abaaoud to

Winners of the International Short Film Awards «Ana Maghribi(a)» are revealed

The fourth edition of the International Short Film contest «Ana Maghribi(a)» was held Thursday, November 2nd, in Casablanca. During the award ceremony, six prizes were awarded to the participants who submitted videos exceeding 90 seconds on «living together in the city», reports the French institute in a statement. The jury, chaired this year by actress Latefa Ahrrare, has awarded 3 prizes. The first was granted to Naji Tbel's film «The Wall

Sahara : Kim Bolduc leaves the Minurso

Kim Bolduc, known to Moroccans as the head of the United Nations mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, was appointed Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) by the UN Secretary General on Thursday 2nd of November. Her departure from the UN mission was predictable, especially after the appointment of a new personal envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara. Mrs. Bolduc was considered close to the former mediator,