King Mohammed VI oversees Family Code reform: 100 proposed amendments under review  (Read more...)

Spanish government pushes Back on PP’s claims linking Morocco to Pegasus scandal

Spain's Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, criticized the People's Party (PP) on Tuesday for persistently accusing Morocco, «without proof», of being responsible for the alleged spying on government officials' phones, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Robles' response came during a parliamentary session in which the PP questioned the status of the investigation into the phone hacking case, reopened last April by Spanish authorities. The PP also implied a connection

Mauritania requests the absence of the Polisario leader at an education congress

Mauritania is hosting an African congress on December 10-11, focused on education and youth employment. Notably absent from the official photo was Polisario leader Brahim Ghali, following a request from the Mauritanian government for him to delegate Polisario's representation to «Minister of Education» Khatri Adouh. This move highlights ongoing diplomatic sensitivities surrounding Ghali's international appearances. Despite his absence, Ghali remained active over the weekend in

Ayoub El Kaabi named 2024 Greek League foreign player of the year

Moroccan international Ayoub El Kaabi was named Best Foreign Player in Greece for 2024. The player was awarded during an awards ceremony, held on Monday in Athens, Greece. The award recognizes El Kaabi's exceptional performance last season, where he played a key role in leading Olympiacos to its first-ever European Conference title—an unprecedented achievement in Greek football history. Expressing his gratitude, El Kaabi shared his joy on Instagram, writing: «Thank God, I am very

Polisario threatens Africa Eco Race over passage through Sahara

After three weeks of silence, the Polisario Front has issued threats against the 16th edition of the Africa Eco Race, set to take place from December 29, 2024, to January 12, 2025, with stages in the Sahara and a passage through El Guerguerate en route to Mauritania. «They are responsible for the consequences of entering and crossing Saharan national territory», which the Polisario considers a «war zone». The Front warned, «The Saharawi Republic reserves the

Critical Mineral Resources signs first antimony ore deal in Morocco

Critical Mineral Resources PLC (CMR), a UK-based company focused on the exploration and development of critical mineral resources, has signed its first offtake contract in Morocco to purchase high-grade antimony ore from a small-scale operator, Proactive Investors reported on Tuesday. Through this agreement, the company will acquire all crude ore mined at this Moroccan source, a semi-massive stibnite (antimony sulfide, Sb₂S₃) product. CMR noted that the price of antimony metal has

Human rights groups urge Morocco to release Hirak Rif leader Nasser Zefzafi

Human rights groups have called for the immediate release of Hirak Rif leader Nasser Zefzafi. The Committee for Justice (CFJ), which advocates for victims of human rights violations in Egypt, the Middle East, and North Africa, the US-based NGO Freedom House, and the MENA Rights Group, which focuses on human rights in the Middle East and North Africa, praised the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s (WGAD) recently announced opinion qualifying «Zefzafi's detention as

Morocco shines as the backdrop for Netflix's 2024 biblical epic «Mary»

Morocco served as the primary filming location for the newly released Netflix film «Mary», a 2024 epic biblical drama directed by D.J. Caruso, from a screenplay by Timothy Michael Hayes. Starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, one of Britain's most recognizable and prolific actors, the movie tells the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, portrayed by Israeli actress Noa Cohen. To represent Jerusalem and Bethlehem, where the events unfold, the producers selected Morocco. Filming took place in

Honoring the legacy of Moroccan Goumiers, heroes of France's liberation

A tribute was paid to the Moroccan Goumiers who sacrificed themselves for the freedom of France at a ceremony held this weekend in the commune of Fréland, near Colmar (Alsace), to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its liberation from Nazi occupation. Mobilized to carry out risky operations, often on the front line and in extreme conditions, these fighters demonstrated courage and bravery in defending liberty and fraternity, playing a key role in the liberation of France and leaving

Moroccan YouTuber «Weld Chinwiya» sentenced to 3 years in prison

A Casablanca First Instance court sentenced Moroccan YouTuber Reda Bouzidi, known as «Weld Chinwiya», to three years in prison on Monday. He was convicted on charges of threatening to assault individuals, publishing and disseminating false information and allegations intended to defame others and harm their private lives, as well as insulting public officials while on duty. The prosecutor also pursued charges against another defendant, a woman known on TikTok as «Bent

Moroccan Tiktoker returns home after unsuccessful cancer treatment in France

Hicham, a well-known TikToker, returned to Morocco with his wife, Khadija Sadik, after an unsuccessful cancer treatment in France. Khadija shared on her Instagram account that doctors have confirmed there is nothing more they can do for Hicham. She expressed her gratitude to King Mohammed VI for his support. Last July, she announced that King Mohammed VI had responded to her and her husband’s appeal, offering to sponsor Hicham’s treatment in France. Hicham has been battling

New EU diplomat seeks stronger ties with Morocco

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, had a telephone conversation on Monday, December 9, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, who succeeded Spain's Josep Borrell on December 1. The Estonian expressed her satisfaction on X for having had «a useful exchange» with the head of Moroccan diplomacy regarding «the situation in the Middle East». «I know we can count on Morocco to

Berkane plays in jersey featuring full map of Morocco, sparks anger in Algeria

Far from home, Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) secured an important victory yesterday against the South African club Stellenbosch (1-3). In this match, part of the first day of the group stage of the African Confederation Cup, RSB wore a jersey emblazoned with the map of Morocco, including Western Sahara, sparking outrage in the Algerian media. Last night, a commentator on the sports channel Al Haddaf denounced the CAF's decision to allow «RSB to play with the fictional map of

Moroccan Finance Minister : Cryptocurrencies key to financial inclusion

Cryptocurrencies could become a significant lever for boosting financial inclusion in Morocco, stated the Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, during an event in Casablanca on Monday. «Despite the risks associated with cryptocurrencies, they can also be viewed as an opportunity, particularly to promote financial inclusion», Fettah remarked during a panel discussion titled «A New Era for African Finance: Has the Time of Champions Finally Arrived?» held as part

RAM launches Toronto-Casablanca direct route

Morocco's national carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) inaugurated, Sunday, its direct air route connecting the Canadian city of Toronto to Casablanca, thus strengthening the commercial positioning of the airline in North America.The flight departing from the Canadian metropolis took off from Toronto International Airport on Sunday evening, carrying 289 passengers, while the first flight departing from Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca recorded 204 travelers. According to RAM, this new connection,

13-year-old discovered hidden in van from Morocco to Genoa

Border police in the Genoa port discovered a 13-year-old boy curled up inside a compartment beneath the two front seats of a van arriving from Morocco, ANSA reported on Saturday. A 44-year-old Moroccan man, the van's owner, was arrested. He could not explain how the child ended up in his vehicle. Investigators suspect, however, that the driver is allegedly part of an organization facilitating the irregular reunification of minors with relatives in Veneto, northeastern Italy. Before

Moroccan man sought by Thai police for suspected murder of transgender girlfriend

A Moroccan man is wanted by Thai police for the suspected murder of his transgender girlfriend in Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand. According to local media, Thai police have sought the help of Interpol to arrest the man, who is believed to have fled the country. The lifeless body of T.D. was discovered on Friday, December 6, in the beauty clinic she owned. The transgender woman was found lying on a bed in her third-floor bedroom. Police reported bruising around her neck, suggesting

Morocco hopes «recent shift will bring stability to Syria» in first official response to Bashar’s fall

«Morocco hopes that the recent developments in Syria will bring stability, fulfill the aspirations of the Syrian people, and offer a better future for the country» said Morocco’s Foreign Minister on Monday, marking the kingdom’s first official reaction to the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. During a press conference held today in Rabat with the former Prime Minister of Kenya, Nasser Bourita stated that Morocco «has always advocated for the national

Moroccan tourism shatters records with 15.9 million tourists by the end of November

In a historic milestone for Moroccan tourism, the country welcomed 15.9 million tourists during the first eleven months of 2024, marking a 20% increase, or 2.6 million additional visitors, compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and the Social and Solidarity Economy. This growth was fueled by a significant rise in foreign tourists, which increased by 23%, or 1.5 million additional visitors, alongside a 17% surge in Moroccans Residing Abroad