Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz ready to write history with Morocco  (Read more...)

Marhaba 2018 : Over 842,000 passengers enter Morocco via Tangier-Med Port

A total of 842,698 passengers crossed the northern port of Tangier-Med to enter Morocco since the beginning of the Marhaba operation 2018 on June 5 and until August 25, 2018, Tangier Med Port Authority said. During the same period, 221,992 vehicles and 1,851 buses crossed the same port to enter Morocco, according to the same source. During the same period, exit movement via the same port involved 371,861 passengers, 118,579 vehicles and 1,695 buses. The operation of receiving Moroccans

Canary Islands : Some Sahrawis have allegedly sought the help of the Polisario

Families of seven young Sahrawis who have illegally immigrated to the Canary Islands sought the help of the Polisario, urging the authorities to release their sons, reports pro-Polisario online newspaper Futuro Sahara this weekend. The same source indicates that the young people arrived to the Spanish islands on Wednesday, after they were stranded for 36 hours in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. «Once there, they phoned their families in Western Sahara before being arrested by the

Authorities in France extends Saad Lamjarred’s custody

In custody since Sunday morning, Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred to stay for 24 additional hours in the Saint-Tropez police station. The pop star was arrested on Saturday night after a woman lodged a complaint against him, claiming that he «raped» her, said the prosecutor’s office in Draguignan (France). According to the same source, the case requires «further investigation» as the accused and the alleged victim have two completely different accounts, reports AFP

Four people arrested in Tetouan for international drug trafficking

Tetouan Judiciary police arrested, on Saturday, four people for their alleged belonging to a criminal gang specialized in international drug trafficking and seized 376 kg of chira in their possession, said on Sunday the national police (DGSN). The two main suspects, with criminal record for drug trafficking, were nabbed with their accomplices in Sidi Abdesslam village, in the rural commune of Azla, said the police in a statement. Police officers also seized money, cell phones and a car

Two Moroccan-Dutch brothers arrested for alleged involvement in «La Crème» café shooting

The national judiciary police squad, in close coordination with services of the directorate general of national territory surveillance, arrested on Sunday two Dutch brothers of Moroccan origin for their alleged direct links with members of the criminal network that executed or contributed to the execution of the first-degree murder with the firearm, which took place at the «La Crème» café in Marrakech in November 2017. According to a statement from the national police

France : Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred arrested again on new rape allegations

Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred, facing charges for alleged sexual assault, was arrested this weekend in Saint-Tropez (France) for allegedly raping a woman, reports Agence France Presse. The pop star is currently held in custody at the Saint-Tropez police station, after a woman lodged a complaint, accusing him of «raping» her, says the same source citing the prosecutor’s office in Draguignan. It is not the first time that Lamjarred receives similar accusations. In October

A 22-year-old Moroccan man convicted in Dubai for offering sexual services on Snapchat

A Moroccan man was sentenced to one year in prison for «offering sexual services on Snapchat», reports online newspaper Gulf News. A lieutenant at Dubai Police’s Cybercrime section stumbled upon the man’s profile while on a cyber-patrol mission, says the same source. On the spot the man in question confessed to having «created a Snapchat account, published pornographic photos and promoted prostitution with men,» said the same source. The Dubai Court of

King Philippe of Belgium sends his sister Astrid on a mission to Morocco

The sister of King Philippe of Belgium, Princess Astrid, is expected to visit Morocco from the 25th to the 30th of November, announced Friday the Belgian Royal Palace. In an economic mission to Morocco, Princess Astrid will visit, along with several federal and regional ministers, the cities of Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier, says DenD. She will also be accompanied by representatives of the Walloon Agency for Export and Foreign Investment (AWEX) and those of the Brussels Invest & Export

Ceuta : The Spanish government explains why it expelled 116 migrants

After returning the 116 migrants who forced their way into Ceuta to Morocco on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister of Spain Carmen Calvo reacted to the decision in a press conference, reports TVE. The Spanish Socialist Workers Party politician said that people should make a difference between land and sea illegal migration. «Legally, it is very different to save someone at the sea, in a situation of humanitarian emergency, and expel someone who is violently attacking your

USA : A Moroccan jihadist’s widow sued for supporting ISIS

Samantha Marie Elhassani, known as Samantha Sally, appeared before the US federal court on Wednesday, 23rd of August, supporting ISIS.   The 32-year-old woman is the widow of Moroccan jihadist Moussana Elhassani, who was killed in Syria. She has been on trial since last month for involvement in terrorism, as well as false giving false information to the FBI. Quoted by the Chicago Tribune, a statement by the US District Attorney for the North District Court of Indiana, Thomas Lee Kirsch

Australia's first Muslim senator warns against normalization of racism

55-year-old Mehreen Faruqi is the first Muslim woman to be part of the Australian senate. She was elected on August the 15th as a senator, representing the New South Wales state, reports the Guardian. On Tuesday and during her inaugural speech, she delivered a strong message, denouncing institutionalized racism in Australia. «I am a brown, Muslim, migrant, feminist woman», she proudly stated. «The existence of racism, sexism and other discrimination is not new, but what has

Morocco’s Sofyan Amrabat signs a four-year contract with Belgium’s Club Brugge

Dutch-born Moroccan footballer Sofyan Amrabat has joined the Belgian league after his former club Feyenoord Rotterdam reached an agreement with Club Brugge on Friday, 24th of August, says the Belgian club on its website. The midfielder signed a four-year contract with the club for a 2.5 million-euro deal. The 22-year-old player joined the Dutch club Feyenoord in 2017, where he made 21 appearances and scored one goal. He played four seasons, before that, with FC Utrecht. Although he was

ISIS claims responsibility over a Knife attack that left two dead near Paris

Two people were killed and one «badly injured» in a knife attack Thursday in Trappes, a suburb west of Paris, according to France's National Police. The attacker was also killed, police said. «After the attack, he ran into a house to hide. He left shortly afterward and threatened police before being neutralized», police added. The two people who were killed were the attacker's mother and sister, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry told reporters. Interior Minister

«Modern slavery in France» : A court rules in favor of the four Moroccan lumberjacks

A labor court in France has ruled in favor of four Moroccan nationals who left the Kingdom for Indre, a department in central France, to work as lumberjacks, reports France bleu. The four workers, namely Driss, Rashid, Mustapha and Hamid claimed in June that they have been exploited by their employer, who paid them 2,000 euros for working one year for him. The latter was found guilty by the Conseil des Prud'hommes in Châteauroux on Thursday, 23rd of August. The employer will have

Marrakech : Traditional wooden spoons, manually carved to serve Ramadan’s famous dish

In Marrakech wooden spoons are skillfully carved by the local craftsmen. Using their hands, feet and some woodcarving tools, these men manage to create 120 spoons a day. The traditional spoon carving process is showed in a video shot by a tourist and made public on August the 16th. The footage dates back to 2016, but showcases a craft that has survived nowadays' technology. Made from rough wood, a carver starts by giving the spoon its shape using a small axe then another craftsman carves the

Two Moroccan architects awarded in New York by the 2018 Architizer A + Awards

Moroccan architects Tarik Zoubdi and Mounir Benchekroun were awarded at the 2018 Architizer A + Awards in New York, reports Huffpost Morocco. The two men were granted the jury and public prize for the «primary and secondary schools» category. Indeed, Zoubdi and Benchekroun designed a secondary school for the children of OCP Group employees in the city of El Jadida. The school was dubbed «The Wall of Knowledge», adds the same source. «This is a great victory for

Police seize 160 kg of cannabis resin at the Tangier Med port

Police and customs officials at the Tangier Med port have seized, Wednesday night, 160 kg of cannabis resin, known as chira, aboard a commercial Belgian-plated car, reports MAP press agency. After researching the car, the drug carefully hidden inside was found, added the same source. The driver, who is Moroccan, was arrested. The suspect, aged 39, was placed in custody and an investigation was launched to determine the circumstances surrounding this operation.

Germany bans a Moroccan national involved in the Sept. 11 attacks from entering its territory

Convicted in Germany of helping three of the suicide pilots in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Moroccan national Mounir al-Motassadeq is banned from entry the country for 90 years, reported German media on Tuesday. The inmate was convicted in 2007 of «membership in a terrorist organization and accessory to murder for aiding the three hijackers who lived in Hamburg», says the same source. After being deported to his country of origin, Mounir al-Motassadeq