News Flash

Morocco takes center stage at SIAL Canada 2024

Morocco has been chosen as the guest of honor at the 21st edition of the Salon international de l'alimentation (SIAL Canada), held May 15-17, 2024, at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal. The event will highlight Morocco's rich culinary heritage and diverse agri-food and fishery products, marking the kingdom's 14th participation. SIAL Canada brings together industry leaders to discover market trends, boost exports, and forge strategic partnerships. Eighteen Moroccan exhibitors will

Three Moroccans sentenced to life in Italy for murder

An Italian court in the northern city of Pavia sentenced three Moroccan migrants to life imprisonment for the murder of Tunisian citizen Anis Hasnaoui on November 23, 2022. According to Italian media reports, surveillance cameras captured the brutal assault on Hasnaoui by the three men. The victim was stabbed and beaten in the street before being bundled into a car, driven outside the city, and abandoned in a riverbed. El Hasnaoui died the following day.

Heatwave to grip parts of Morocco from Tuesday to Friday

A heatwave is expected to hit several Moroccan provinces from Tuesday to Friday, with temperatures ranging from 37°C to 44°C, the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) announced on Tuesday. Temperatures between 40 and 44°C are expected from Tuesday to Friday in the provinces of Assa-Zag, Es-Semara, Boujdour, Oued Ed-Dahab, Aousserd and Tata, the DGM said in an orange alert bulletin. On Wednesday, the mercury will be between 37 and 40°C in Fquih Ben Salah, Marrakech,

UM6P : Shaping Africa's future at the Bridge Africa Summit

On Monday, the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) launched the «Bridge Africa» Summit at its Benguerir campus. The event, an initiative of the university, brings together nearly 140 participants from 25 African countries (May 6-8, 2024) to «explore innovative solutions to the challenges of development» on the continent. The event brings together «dynamic and committed young African leaders and talents, around three themed days: inspire, involve and act,

ONTM showcases Morocco's diverse offerings at Dubai's Arabian Travel Market

From May 6 to 9, 2024, Dubai will host the 31st edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the Middle East's leading travel and tourism event. The Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONTM) is participating with 26 joint exhibitors. Morocco's stand was inaugurated on Monday by Ahmed Tazi, Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, and Adel El Faki, Director General of the ONTM. According to a statement by the ONTM, Morocco's participation aims to boost its share of the Middle Eastern travel

Ryanair connects Ouarzazate to Tangier in new domestic route

Irish airline Ryanair recently launched a domestic route between Ouarzazate and Tangier, offering two flights per week. A 180-seat Boeing 737, on the first flight of the new route, arrived at Ouarzazate Airport from Tangier-Ibn Battouta Airport. A ceremony was held at Ouarzazate International Airport in the presence of airport director Ismail Aghouzaf and local officials. During the ceremony, Aghouzaf stated that the inaugural flight carried 120 passengers and emphasized that this new service

Polisario sets conditions for mending ties with Spain

The Polisario Front conditions resuming relations with the Spanish government, suspended in April 2022, on Spain cancelling its support for Morocco's autonomy plan. Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front, clarified this position on Sunday, May 5th. Previously, on March 14, 2022, Ghali had stated, «We are waiting for the situation to be corrected», emphasizing the importance of maintaining ties with Spanish society. He acknowledged the «solidarity movement» in Spain

Imprisoned ex-Minister Moubdii resigns from parliament

Mohamed Moubdii, former Minister of civil Service and Administrative Reform in the Benkirane government, has resigned from his seat as a deputy. The resignation was announced by the Secretary-General of the Lower House of Parliament on Monday, May 6, at the beginning of the weekly oral question session. Moubdii was arrested on April 26, 2023, on charges of misusing public funds while heading the municipal council of the city of Fquih Ben Salah. He held the position since 1997 until November

US startup Iozera's Moroccan AI project sparks questions

American technology startup Iozera has raised questions with its announcement of a partnership with the Moroccan government to build a massive data center in Tetouan, northern Morocco. The planned facility is touted as innovative and environmentally friendly, aiming to revolutionize the artificial intelligence industry by making high-performance computing (HPC) resources more accessible. This strategic partnership aims to democratize access to GPU-based processing for researchers,

After Algeria, the Polisario criticizes the United Arab Emirates

The head of the Polisario, Brahim Ghali, lashed out at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday in the Tindouf camps, Algeria. Responding to a question from Algerian media, Ghali called the UAE «a small state, geographically distant from the region, but which opposes the development of the Sahrawi people». He warned the UAE against its «opposition» by stating: «They should not act in this way against the Sahrawi people, as they risk one day suffering the same

Morocco's pop artist Hassan Hajjaj lights up the AlUla Arts Festival in Saudi Arabia

Hassan Hajjaj, a Moroccan pioneer of photography and pop art, has recently been lighting up the international scene with exhibitions in the USA, Morocco, and most recently, at the AlUla Arts Festival held in Saudi Arabia from February 9th to March 23rd. His versatile work, known for its authentic and colorful style, has captivated audiences worldwide. The AlUla exhibition featured images Hajjaj captured during his February 2023 visit. Over three intensive days, he photographed around a hundred

Morocco soars to top 10 in FIFA Futsal Men’s World Ranking

Morocco has climbed to 6th place in the first FIFA Futsal Men's World Ranking, breaking into the top ten. This impressive rise follows a string of recent victories, according to FIFA's May 6th announcement. Morocco secured its high ranking thanks to a dominant performance in 2023. They «destroyed Kuwait 7-1 in the Arab Futsal Cup final», dominated Argentina with a «7-0 beatdown in a friendly», and «escaped the entire 2023 unbeaten». Their dominance continued

Sahrawis seek ceasefire, Polisario vows continued fight

For several weeks now, Saharawis living in the Tindouf camps have been calling in audio messages for a return to the September 1991 ceasefire. They believe that the resumption of hostilities, which took place on November 13, 2020, has not benefited the Polisario. In addition to the high death toll for a population of just a few tens of thousands from Western Sahara, they are concerned about the loss of control over the «liberated territories». However, the Polisario leadership has

Tangier Med : Brazil-Greece smuggling attempt foiled

On Sunday, the Tangier prefectural judicial police department opened an investigation, overseen by the competent public prosecutor, to determine how cocaine was concealed in a shipping container bound for Greece from a Brazilian port. Security sources report that acting on a tip, authorities at Tangier Med port examined a suspicious container from Brazil. A search with a police dog team led to the seizure of 25 sachets containing a white substance suspected to be cocaine, linked to a

Moroccan teenager turns himself in following fatal attack in Germany

A 17-year-old Moroccan and an 18-year-old Tunisian turned themselves in on Monday, following the fatal attack of a 30-year-old man in Paderborn, Germany on May 1st. German media reported on Monday that the victim was punched, kicked in the head, and hit with an object. He died on Friday, succumbing to his injuries. During an argument, an unknown perpetrator is said to have hit him on the head with an object, causing him to fall to the ground. The perpetrator and two other people are then said

Morocco promotes investment opportunities in US roadshow

Moroccan Delegate-Minister to the Head of Government of Investment, Convergence and the Evaluation of Public Policies Mohcine Jazouli is on a mission to promote Morocco as a preferred destination for international investment, particularly in the United States. Between May 6 and 14, Jazouli will lead a roadshow organized by the Moroccan Agency for Development of Investments and Exports (AMDIE) in partnership with the Moroccan Embassy in the United States and the US Embassy in Morocco, reads a

Algeria authorizes Tunisian plane to land in Oran after Moroccan passenger falls ill

A Tunisair plane flying from Casablanca's Mohamed V Airport to Tunis was diverted to Oran's Ahmed Ben Bella International Airport due to a medical emergency experienced by a Moroccan female passenger, Algerian media reported. Algerian authorities authorized the emergency landing, allowing the plane to land safely. The woman received medical attention at the University Hospital in Oran and was later able to continue her journey to Tunis after her condition improved.

South Africa to organize diplomatic forum for Polisario in Tindouf

South Africa is planning to organize a diplomatic forum in support of the Polisario Front in the Tindouf camps in the near future. This announcement was made by Sello Patrick Rankhumise, Chargé d'Affaires of the Pretoria Embassy to «SADR». Speaking at a Polisario-initiated meeting in the Boujdour camp on Algerian territory, the diplomat said that the embassy was «carrying out organized visits to the camps with the aim of ascertaining the situation of the refugees and