News Flash

Wind-blown dust from the Sahara boosts ocean life, study finds

Wind-blown dust from the Sahara, a desert spanning across North Africa, is crucial for ocean life, a new study revealed on September 20. The secret is in the iron carried by Saharan dust which helps tiny ocean plants, known as phytoplankton, grow. In their study, titled «Long-range transport of dust enhances oceanic iron bioavailability», and published by Swiss peer-reviewed, open-access, scientific journals publisher Frontiers, scientists explain that the growth of phytoplankton

Spain : Three Moroccans arrested for recruiting Moroccan workers with illegal labor contracts

Spanish National Police officers in Palma arrested a man of Moroccan origin as the main suspect in crimes related to human trafficking for labor exploitation, facilitating irregular migration, and belonging to a criminal organization, La Razon reported. Two of his relatives responsible for a company that brought in Moroccan workers who paid between 15,000 and 22,000 euros for a work contract that allowed them to come to Spain legally were also arrested. They also charged between €6,000

Polisario cautious on Rifian Nationalist Party cooperation

Since its creation on September 17, 2023, in Brussels, the leaders of the «Rifian nationalist party» have been constantly reaching out to the Polisario to establish cooperation between the two entities. In the Tindouf camps, these calls are greeted with suspicion. The article published on Sunday, September 22, by a Front media outlet bears witness to this. «Any Polisario participation in an activity devoted to the Rif question must be preceded by a precise assessment of

Moroccan medical teams conduct historic dual liver transplants

The Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Ibn Sina announced on Sunday that its multidisciplinary teams, in collaboration with the team from the French Paul Brousse Hospital, had carried out two new liver transplants in Morocco from related living donors in less than 48 hours, claiming that this was a first at the national level. On the night of September 9-10, 2024, an emergency liver transplant treated fulminant hepatitis in a 19-year-old woman with acute coma-stage liver failure using the

Futsal : Portugal's 4-1 win over Morocco sends Atlas Lions to round of 16

Morocco's futsal team suffered a 4-1 defeat to Portugal on Sunday in their final Group E match of the 2024 Futsal World Cup, held in Uzbekistan. Despite the loss, Morocco finished second in the group and advanced to the round of 16. Portugal took an early lead with Erick scoring in the 2nd minute, followed by a double from Bruno Coelho, who netted a penalty in the 18th minute and added another just after halftime in the 21st minute. Zicky sealed the victory with a goal in the 38th

United States : Algeria entrusts the defense of its interests to a pro-Israeli firm

Algeria appears to be softening its stance on Israel and is seeking to strengthen its ties with the United States. In a surprising move, Algiers has contracted the BGR Group, a firm with alleged ties to Israel, to represent its interests in the United States. The contract is valued at $720,000 annually, according to Jeune Afrique magazine. The co-founder of the BGR Group, Haley Reeves Barbour, is a prominent member of the Republican Party. This suggests that Algeria is anticipating a potential

Moroccan forces seize 8.1 tons of cannabis resin in Safi

Moroccan security forces thwarted a large-scale drug trafficking attempt at the port of Safi on Saturday evening, seizing 8.1 tons of cannabis resin (chira). In a coordinated operation involving the provincial security services of Safi and the National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ), authorities intercepted a Morocco-registered freight truck carrying the illicit substance concealed in 199 bales. The drugs were bound for international shipment by sea. Twenty-one individuals, aged 24 to

Severe weather alert : Thunderstorms and hail Saturday and Sunday in Morocco

The Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) has issued a severe weather alert for several Moroccan provinces on Saturday and Sunday. Thundershowers, accompanied by hail and gusty winds, are expected to affect the provinces of Assa-Zag, Es-Semara, Boujdour, Oued Ed-Dahab, and Aousserd from 8:30 PM on Saturday to 6:00 AM on Sunday. Rainfall in these areas is forecast to reach between 30 and 50 mm. An orange alert has been issued for the provinces of Tata, Tinghir, Zagora, Figuig, Errachidia,

Two dead, 14 missing in Tata floods

Following severe thunderstorms and exceptional flood flows in the Tata region, local authorities reported on Friday that a passenger bus was swept away by floodwaters in the Tata valley, resulting in the deaths of two people. Thirteen others were rescued, while 14 passengers remain missing. Additionally, the same source stated that a woman is missing in the Ighourten district of the Takzmirt commune, Addis command, due to the floods. The exceptional thunderstorms caused water levels in many

Air Arabia Maroc launches new Casablanca-Madrid flights

Air Arabia Maroc announced the launch of new direct flights between Casablanca and Madrid, beginning on October 27, 2024. The new route will connect Mohammed V International Airport to Madrid Barajas International Airport with four weekly flights. The addition of Madrid to Air Arabia Maroc's international network underscores the airline's commitment to providing comfortable and affordable travel options for its passengers, according to a statement.

Morocco showcases tourism assets to Chinese audience in Beijing

Morocco's tourism assets were showcased at a promotional event in Beijing on Thursday, attended by Chinese journalists and industry professionals. Organized by the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (ONMT), the event highlighted Morocco's diverse tourism offerings, including its rich gastronomy, ancient culture, and high-quality hotel and transport infrastructure. Addressing the event, Abdelkader El Ansari, Ambassador of Morocco to China, reviewed the dynamic growth of Morocco's tourism

Moroccan computer scientist Rachid Guerraoui wins prestigious Dahl-Nygaard Prize

Moroccan computer scientist Rachid Guerraoui has been awarded the Dahl-Nygaard Prize, a prestigious recognition given annually to a senior researcher in software engineering. With over three decades of experience as a computer scientist, Guerraoui has held professorial positions at several prestigious organizations, including the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique de Saclay, Hewlett Packard Laboratories, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Guerraoui is best known for

Morocco and Japan sign 1.85 billion dirhams Universal Health Coverage Loan agreement

Morocco and Japan signed an Exchange of Notes on Friday in Rabat to finance the «Development Policy Loan for Universal Health Coverage» program, amounting to 1,850,000,000 Dirhams. The announcement was made in a press release by the Japanese Embassy in Morocco. The Exchange of Notes was signed by Kuramitsu Hideaki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Morocco, and Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, in the presence of Khalid

Spanish court denies Moroccan asylum claim, cites poverty not valid reason

Spain's National Court has ruled that poverty in Morocco does not qualify as grounds for asylum, rejecting an appeal from a Moroccan man who entered Ceuta by swimming during the May 2021 migration crisis. The court stated that «alleged poverty or labor and economic needs» are insufficient to constitute a social group meriting asylum protection, according to Spanish media outlet rtvce. It dismissed the appellant's claim of «terror of dying from not being able to feed

Severe thunderstorms forecast for Morocco on Friday

The General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) has issued a red-level alert for severe thunderstorms, accompanied by hail and strong winds, in several Moroccan provinces on Friday. Heavy rainfall, ranging from 50 to 80 mm, is expected from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. in the provinces of Es-Semara, Assa-Zag, Tata, Zagora, Ouarzazate, Tinghir, and Errachidia. An orange-level alert, indicating moderate rainfall of 20 to 50 mm, is also forecast for the same day in the provinces of Taroudant, Azilal,

Spanish Court rejects urgent measures for deportation of Sahrawi man

On Thursday, Spain's National Court rejected a request for urgent measures filed by the lawyers of Hamou Ali, a 30-year-old Sahrawi man, against the deportation decision issued against him by the Ministry of Interior. According to Spanish media, Ali Hamou Ali, who had applied for international protection, is «deaf and has cancer». He has been detained in the asylum rejection hall at Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suarez Airport for over a week and now faces possible deportation to

World Bank to boost foreign investment in Morocco through guarantees

The World Bank plans to leverage guarantees to attract more international financing to Morocco, according to Hiroshi Matano, Executive Vice President of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). «We believe our guarantees can help Moroccan borrowers, including sub-sovereign entities and state-owned enterprises, diversify their funding sources by accessing private capital», Matano stated in an interview with MAP. The initiative is anticipated to support Morocco's

CNDH urges rights violation victims to report amid mass migration attempts

In response to recent migration attempts from M'diq-Fnideq, the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting human rights. The CNDH urged individuals who have experienced rights violations, including minors and their guardians, to contact the institution for support and protection. The Council invited those affected to come forward within the framework of its central and regional jurisdictions. In a statement released on Thursday, the CNDH confirmed that