News Flash

South Africa's election : ANC's decline could boost Morocco's Sahara stance

Could the defeat of the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa's legislative elections on May 29 be an «opportunity for Morocco on Western Sahara», asks the daily Le Monde? «The weakening of the ANC, which won 40.21% of the vote and thus lost its absolute majority, would be 'good news for Morocco'», the French daily estimates. Nevertheless, the reality of the numbers gives Cyril Ramaphosa's ANC every chance of leading the country for at least the next five

Confusion reigns over 2025 Afcon in Morocco

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) denied, on Wednesday, the statement made by its secretary general on the postponing of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), originally planned for Morocco, to early 2026. In a statement shared to social media, the African football body called Veron Mosengo-Omba's announcement «false». «The CAF Executive Committee will meet to deliberate and take a decision on the dates of CAN 2025», reads the statement. «CAF will

Electrical short circuit behind phosphate conveyor belt fire in Boukraa

A well-informed source told Yabiladi on Wednesday that a fire broke out in the phosphate conveyor belt at the Boucraa mine due to an electrical short circuit. Maintenance teams have already begun repairs on the damaged section and aim to complete them as soon as possible. The incident did not cause any human injuries, and only about 10 meters of the 200-kilometer-long belt, the world's longest, was affected. All human and logistical resources have been mobilized to return the conveyor belt to

From Rabat to Doha : Amazigh jewelry takes center stage

Shown abroad for the first time between February 21 and May 20, 2024, the «Berber Jewelry from the Royal Palace» exhibition closed to great acclaim from visitors to Doha's Museum of Islamic Art. This event, which kicked off the Qatar-Morocco 2024 cultural year, was organized in partnership with the National Museums Foundation (FNM) and supported by the Kingdom's embassy in the Gulf country. It was intended to be «a unique window on Moroccan culture». It also bears

Mauritania's presidential elections are also being played out in Morocco

Mauritania's presidential elections, scheduled for June 29, have echoes as far away as Morocco. In Laayoune, a committee has been set up to support the candidacy of incumbent President Mohamed Cheikh Ould El Ghazouani, who is seeking a second term, according to a media outlet in Nouakchott. The initiative, launched by a Mauritanian investor in the city, is aimed not only at the Mauritanian community settled in the province, but above all at the thousands of Moroccans who have acquired

Spain creates commission to examine Morocco's relations with Ceuta, Melilla

Tuesday, June 4, the Spanish Senate approved the creation of an inter-ministerial commission to examine Morocco's relations with Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish media reported. The People’s Party (PP), Spain's main opposition party, proposed the creation of the commission due to Morocco's stance on Ceuta, Melilla, and delayed customs openings. The far-left supported the initiative, while the ruling PSOE opposed it, fearing a «diplomatic conflict». The socialists argued that

Methanol poisoning : Death toll rises to 8

The death toll from the methanol poisoning incident in Sidi Allal El Tazi commune (Kenitra region) has reached eight, reported the Regional Directorate of Health and Social Protection in Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region on Wednesday. «Between 6 pm on Monday, June 3 and 8 am on Wednesday, June 05, 2024, 114 cases of methanol poisoning were confirmed in the commune», the directorate said in a statement, citing the Moroccan Center for Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance in

Morocco approves 28 projects worth 20.5 billion dirhams

Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch chaired, Tuesday, June 4, in Rabat, the fifth meeting of the National Investment Commission, as directed by King Mohammed VI. This marks the third meeting held in 2024 and follows the implementation of the new Investment Charter since March 2023. The Charter aims to strengthen support for private investment and job creation. At this session, 27 projects were approved under the main scheme, representing a total investment of nearly 7.7 billion dirhams.

Moroccan AI influencer makes Miss AI shortlist

A Moroccan influencer has been shortlisted for a new beauty pageant. However, this Instagram influencer and the nine other contestants share a very interesting feature: they are not real. The frontrunners for the first Miss AI beauty pageant are all AI-generated. The recently published shortlist includes AI influencers from all over the globe. Representing Morocco is Kenza Layli, who boasts 192k followers on Instagram. Through her content, the Moroccan AI-generated influencer can earn

Did the Polisario cause the Boucraa phosphate conveyor fire?

A phosphate conveyor at the Boucraa mine, located 100 km east of Laayoune, caught fire. «The investigation has just begun», said a security source contacted by Yabiladi: «It is still premature to draw any conclusions». «Investigators are working on the theory of a technical failure that may have triggered the flames in the world's longest phosphate conveyor. The possibility of an isolated act by a Polisario supporter based in the Sahara is not to be ruled out,

Leïla Kilani's film «Indivision» to premiere in Tangier

The latest feature film by French-Moroccan filmmaker Leïla Kilani, «Indivision», will be screened at the Alcazar cinema in Tangier on June 8 at 7 pm. The film, shot in the same city, is part of the World Environment Day (June 5) celebrations organized nationally by the Moroccan Coalition for Climate Justice (CMJC). The screening is the result of a partnership between the CMJC and the director, which aims to combine the film with «discussions and hearings on environmental

EU invests €600,000 to boost Morocco's cultural and creative industries

A partnership agreement between the European Union and the General Confederation of Enterprises in Morocco (CGEM) allocates 600,000 euros to the Moroccan Forum of Cultural and Creative Industries (FICC), to support this sector at national level. A signing ceremony was held on Monday June 3, attended by Patricia Llombart Cussac, Ambassador of the EU Delegation, and Chakib Alj, President of the CGEM, in the presence of Neila Tazi, President of the FICC. The project, titled «ICC:

Morocco's police chief meets Italian security director

The Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, Abdellatif Hammouchi, held talks Monday with the Director General of Italian Public Security, Vittorio Pisani, during a visit to the Kingdom at the head of a large security delegation. The two parties reviewed the various security threats and current international crises and their potential impact on the security of Morocco and Italy, as well as the dangers of transnational crime, including human trafficking, irregular

Three dead, 18 hospitalized in Morocco after consuming alcoholic substance

Three people died and 18 others were placed under medical surveillance on Monday in the commune of Sidi Allal Tazi, following intoxication by an alcoholic substance unfit for consumption, local authorities said. An investigation by the Royal Gendarmerie led to the identification of the suspects and the arrest of two individuals, aged 41 and 21. The two suspects were placed under medical surveillance at the Kenitra provincial hospital, pending their recovery to expedite the judicial

Morocco backs Biden's proposals on Gaza crisis

Morocco stresses the importance of the proposals put forward by US President Joseph R. Biden to promote a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, the return of displaced persons and the reconstruction of destroyed areas, the Foreign Ministry said Monday. The Kingdom «hopes that the various parties concerned will adhere to this initiative and commit themselves to the implementation of its various stages», the ministry stressed in a

Etihad Airways and Royal Air Maroc partner to boost travel experience

The United Arab Emirates' Etihad Airways and Morocco's national carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), signed a new agreement on Monday to improve travel for their customers, according to a press release. The partnership aims to expand cooperation in several areas, including: Increased flight options, enhanced frequent flyer programs, and streamlined travel experience. The two flag carriers will explore adding codeshare routes on domestic flights within Morocco and Africa. They will also work

Tangier drug case uncovers grocer's 6-year-old intrafamilial murder

In Tangier, an investigation into drug trafficking led the police to discover the body of a grocer who had been missing for six years, «embedded in a wall of his own home in Tanja Balia», reports Le360. On Sunday evening, around 10:30 pm, the accused were brought before the Tangier public prosecutor and then before the investigating judge. They are a mother and her five children. The accused family is charged with torture resulting in death, complicity, and failure to report a

Moroccan man fatally struck by train at Bolzano station in Italy

A Moroccan man died from his wounds on Sunday after being struck by a train at the Bolzano railway station in northeastern Italy. The accident occurred on Saturday, June 1st, when 32-year-old Moroccan Redouan Amiri was talking on his phone while sitting on a bench between platforms 3 and 4 at the station. Known to Italian police as a political refugee, Amiri got up from the bench, approached the tracks while still on his phone, and was subsequently hit by the train. The man was struck by a