EU to give Morocco €200 million for quake reconstruction efforts  (Read more...)

Video shows Algerians blocked Berkane players from entering pitch

New revelations regarding the cancelled match between Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) and Union Sportive de la Médina d'Alger (USMA) in the African Football Confederation Cup semi-finals have emerged in the form of a video posted on social media. The footage, which lasts around two minutes, refutes the Algerian version of events. The video shows that the Moroccan players were indeed at the match and were preparing to enter the pitch despite the confiscation of their shirts.

French Interior Minister in Morocco to discuss strengthening cooperation

Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit received his French counterpart Gérald Darmanin in Rabat on Monday. The two ministers met and reviewed issues of common interest and examined ways of further strengthening cooperation in line with the vision of both King Mohammed VI and President Emmanuel Macron for the future of the relationship. Laftit and Darmanin welcomed «the solid foundation represented by security and migration components in the deep and multidimensional bilateral

South America : Human rights group expresses concerns about Polisario actions

During a meeting in Santiago, Chile on April 20, the Human Rights Without Borders collective, composed of NGOs from several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), adopted a motion regarding Western Sahara. The motion, presented by the Saharawi Association for the Defense of Human Rights, expressed concerns about actions taken by the Polisario Front. A statement sent to Yabiladi reads: «The Polisario Front, an armed organization, continues to act in ways that restrict the

Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces intercept 52 migrants off Dakhla coast

Units of the Royal Armed Forces responsible for coastal surveillance intercepted 52 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa on Sunday. Their pirogue ran aground approximately 170 kilometers south of Dakhla city. The migrants, who were reportedly aiming to reach the Canary Islands, received first aid from the Royal Armed Forces before being handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for routine administrative procedures, according to a statement from the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces.

Marrakech to host 53rd National Festival of Popular Arts

The High Atlas Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, and with the support of local authorities, has announced the 53rd edition of the National Festival of Popular Arts under the royal patronage. The event will be held in Marrakech from July 4th to 8th, 2024, under the theme of «Timeless Rhythms and Symbols». Over 600 artists from across Morocco are expected to participate. According to a statement from the High Atlas Association, the

Algeria pushes for zellige recognition by UNESCO

Algeria's Culture Minister Soria Mouloudji has announced a UNESCO application for «the art and architectural decoration – zellige». The minister added that her department was working to inscribe this ancestral know-how, which she described as «Algerian», on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list by month's end. The Algerian media Echorouk, which reported the news, accused Morocco of promoting the fact that zellige was of Moroccan origin. According to the same

Moroccan Futsal team dominates Afcon awards

The Moroccan national futsal team swept the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) awards, mirroring their dominating performance on the court. Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, Moroccan players received top honors: Abdelkrim Anbia won best goalkeeper, Sofiane Chaaraoui claimed the top scorer award, and Bilal Bakkali was named best player of the tournament. For the record, the futsal Atlas Lions secured their third consecutive AFCON title on Sunday, defeating Angola 5-1 in the final held at the

Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah frustrated by limited role with Atlas Lions

Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah expressed his disappointment at not being called up more frequently by national coach Walid Regragui. In a recent interview, Hamdallah criticized the coach's selection decisions: «Since the 2022 World Cup, I've only featured in one match, against Cape Verde. Coach Regragui substituted me right after halftime. If I wasn't a dedicated player, I wouldn't have a successful 12-year career outside Morocco». Hamdallah questioned the coach's evaluation

Oscar-winner Colin Firth to film new series in Essaouira

The crew of «Flights 103» is expected to arrive in Essaouira on Monday, April 22nd, 2024, to begin filming the new series. Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth will star in the lead role, with Michael Keillor directing and NBCUniversal producing. The series is inspired by the sensitive story of the bombing of Pan American Airlines Flight 103, which tragically killed over 270 people in Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. «The majority of the series' scenes will be filmed in

CAF refers USM Alger vs. RS Berkane cancelled match to «competent bodies»

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced, Sunday, it would refer the case of the cancelled CAF Confederation Cup semifinal match between Algerian club USM Alger and Morocco's Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) to the competent bodies. «The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup first leg semi-final fixture today, 21 April 2024, between USM Alger and RS Berkane in Algiers, Algeria did not take place as scheduled», CAF stated. «The matter will be referred to the

King Mohammed VI congratulates national Futsal team for Afcon win

King Mohammed VI sent a message of congratulations to the Moroccan national futsal team following their victory in the African Futsal Cup of Nations (Morocco 2024) held in Rabat on Sunday. The King expressed immense pride in the team's unwavering determination, driven by patriotism and dedication, which secured them a historic third consecutive continental title. He reiterated his congratulations to the players, as well as the technical and administrative staff of the Royal Moroccan Football

Morocco’s Berkane vs. Alger club match cancelled over jersey dispute

The semi-final match between Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) and USM d'Alger in the African Football Confederation Cup has been cancelled by the match referee after the Moroccan players refused to take the field on Sunday evening. This decision stems from the Algerian authorities' refusal to comply with the CAF Interclubs Committee's decision regarding RSB's jerseys depicting the full map of Morocco. On April 20, the African Football Confederation (CAF) ordered Algeria to release the

Morocco wins third straight Futsal AFCON title

Morocco claimed their third consecutive Futsal African Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) title, dominating Angola 5-1 in the final played Sunday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Hall in Rabat. Soufiane Bourite (6th), Idriss Rais El Fenni (16th), Soufiane El Mesrar (17th), Anas El Ayyane (31st) and Bilal Bakkali (35th) scored for the Atlas Lions, while Adérito (7th) scored the only goal for the Angolans. Earlier in the day, Libya secured the third spot with a 3-1 penalty shoot-out victory over

Algeria-led Maghreb project announces meeting in Tunisia without Morocco

The Algeria-initiated Maghreb project, excluding Morocco, is moving forward. Tunisia will host a summit on Monday, April 22nd, between the Tunisian and Algerian presidents, and the president of the Libyan presidential council. The Tunisian presidency's press release, published on social media on Saturday, did not announce the participation of Mauritania's head of state. The meeting in Tunis of the three Maghreb countries follows the March 3rd summit in Algiers, which brought together

FIFA President hails Morocco as football power

Gianni Infantino, President of the International Football Federation (FIFA), praised Morocco's rise as a global football powerhouse. «Morocco has established itself not only on the field with its historic World Cup semi-final qualification, but also as a host country for major events», Infantino told the press upon arriving in Rabat for the Futsal Africa Cup of Nations final. «I'm happy to be back in this football-loving nation, where the sport thrives». Statement of

Morocco team reaches Futsal CAN final and World Cup

The Moroccan futsal team secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Libya in the CAN Maroc 2024 semi-finals on Friday evening, booking their place in both the tournament's final and the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2024 in Uzbekistan. Soufian El Mesrar and Bilal Bakkali each netted two goals, while Youssef Jouad and Anas El Ayyane added one apiece for the Atlas Lions. Morocco controlled the match from the start, putting immediate pressure on Libya and taking a quick two-goal lead within the first four

Fez police arrest suspect in tourist scam

Police in Fez arrested, Wednesday, a 42-year-old man suspected of fraud, blackmail, and impersonating a licensed professional. The arrest came after a video went viral on social media, featuring a foreign tourist alleging they were scammed by the accused. According to a press release from the General Directorate for National Security (DGSN), authorities analyzed the video footage and identified the suspect. He was then apprehended by police and is currently in custody for further investigation.

Moroccan households feel less optimistic about saving

Results from the Haut-Commissariat au Plan's (HCP) household survey for the first quarter of 2024 reveal a decrease in optimism about saving money. Only 9.3% of households expect to save over the next year, compared to 90.7% who don't. The net sentiment on saving opportunities has dipped compared to both the previous quarter (-80.7 points) and the same quarter last year (-76.1 points). The survey also found that a large majority (96.9%) of households reported a rise in food prices over the