News Flash

Spain : Two Moroccans rescued after swimming to Ceuta

Two young Moroccan men have attempted to reach Cadiz (Spain) by swimming across the Strait of Gibraltar from the Moroccan coast. Fortunately they were rescued on la Bolera beach in Ceuta, says online newspaper Infomigrants. The Spanish Civil Guard found the two migrants in the morning of Thursday, July 19th. The two young men behaved violently and threw rocks at the agents, according to Civil Guard sources cited by the Spanish media. One of the migrants, assisted by the Red Cross,

Sound Energy partners with oil company Schlumberger to develop its Moroccan assets

Sound Energy, a well-funded African and European upstream gas company, announced that it is partnering with French oil company Schlumberger Limited for its eastern Morocco assets, said Proactive Investors on Monday. Schlumberger, the world's largest oilfield services company, will receive a 27.5% participating interest in the Tendrara Lakbir permits and the Matraka reconnaissance license, says the same source. «I am delighted to have begun the process of bringing Schlumberger

Egypt to export grape seedlings to Morocco

The Egyptian Minister of Agriculture Ezz Eddin Abostain announced Monday that his country will start exporting grape seedlings to Morocco for the first time, says online newspaper Egypt Independent. The decision was taken by Egyptian quarantine authorities after holding a series of negotiations with their Moroccan counterparts, the minister said in a press release. Negotiations were mainly held to discuss the quality of Egyptian exports and see if they meet the safety requirements of

Morocco to host the 2019 African Games

Morocco will host the 12th edition of the African Games in October, 2019, reports MAP news agency. The decision was taken after Equatorial Guinea said that it cannot host the tournament, indicates the Moroccan Youth and Sports Ministry in a statement issued Monday. The African sports event has been held every four years since 1965. The 2019 African Games is a qualifying event for several sports for the 2020 Olympic Games that will take place in Tokyo. «The African union felt that the

Morocco sets new measures for entering vehicles registered abroad

Marhaba Operation to introduce new measures to improve collection of taxes and customs duties. These flexible procedures cover vehicles registered outside the Kingdom and owned by Moroccans living abroad. «From now on, vehicles registered abroad, placed under the temporary admission regime, can be driven in Morocco by the spouse or by a descendant (also resident abroad), of the owner». Furthermore, «a vehicle admitted temporarily can be driven by a resident in Morocco

Clancy Exploration to buy a new cobalt exploration license in Morocco

Australian company Clancy Exploration has been granted an exploration license to exploit a Moroccan cobalt mine, located in Bou Azzer (120 km south of Ouarzazate). The location is a Managem’s initial mine that has been active since 1928. It produces around 1 800 tons of Cobalt per year in addition to 450 tons of tailings. On July 22th of 2018, the company signed an agreement with the local Moroccan company Chater SARL for a period of three years (from the 12th of July 2018 to the 12th of

Fisheries agreement : The Polisario Front reacts to the recent developments

After Morocco and the European Union managed to reach a common ground for renewing the 2014 fisheries agreement, the Polisario Front reacted, denouncing the decision. Speaking on Sunday, 22nd of July, the Front’s «delegate minister for Europe» Mohamed Sidati, said that by «negotiating with Morocco on Western Sahara-related matters, the EU Commission violates the EU Court of Justice». Sidati believes that «the Union’s Member States and the Members of

The Spanish Super Cup game between Barcelona-Seville to be played in Tangier

The Spanish Super Cup between Barcelona and Seville will be played on Sunday August the 12th, at 9 pm in Tangier, confirmed Sunday the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Up until now the super cup match has always been played over two legs, each at one of the club's ground, this August. It is the first time that a super cup match is taking place in Tangier’s Ibn-Batouta Stadium, reports the BBC. A statement released by the (RFEF) on Sunday announced that : «The

Italy : A Moroccan-Belgian national arrested for terrorism

A Belgian citizen of Moroccan descent has been arrested in the municipality of Sarnico in Italy, reports the Italian news agency Ansa. Vacationing in Italy, the 41-year-old man from Brussels was subjected to an extradition demand, issued by the Moroccan authorities in March. He is accused of joining a terrorist organization, homicide and carrying weapons and explosives, says the same source.The detainee was transferred to Bergamo Prison pending extradition to Morocco.

Two foreign journalists expelled from Al Hoceima

Spanish photojournalist José Colon and his Dutch colleague Koen Greven were expelled Thursday, 19th of July, from Al Hoceima. On his Twitter account, José Colon stated that he «had to leave the city (Al Hoceima). On Thursday, July 19, 2018, at 1 am, the Moroccan secret police came to our hotel to say that we could not work, threatening to to expel us and confiscate our equipment». Hemos tenido que salir de la ciudad ( Al Hoceima) . El jueves 19 de julio, 2018, a la

Nearly one million Moroccans living abroad are vacationing in the Kingdom

The Minister in charge of Moroccans residing abroad and migration affairs, Abdelkrim Benatiq said on Thursday, July 19 in Rabat, that over 961,000 Moroccans living overseas entered the Kingdom to spend their summer vacations. A number that, according to the minister, will reach a peak in the next following weeks as well as in the week preceding Aid Al Adha. In a presentation on the 2018 Operation Marhaba to the government council, the Minister stressed that maritime transportation

Maroc in Mode – Maroc Sourcing show spotlights the Moroccan textile industry

The next edition of Maroc in Mode-Maroc sourcing show will be held in Marrakech on October the 11th and 12th, 2018, says Drapes online. The show will present multiple sustainable eco-systems including fast fashion, jersey, knit, lingerie, technical clothing, sportswear, leisurewear and denim cluster, with about 1500 visitors expected from Africa, Europe, and America. The event will be a good introduction to the country’s capabilities in this field, adds the same source. Organized

AMU’s secretary-general urges Maghreb nations to submit a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup

Secretary-General of the Arab Maghreb Union Taïeb Baccouche has sent a letter to the leaders of five Maghreb countries, urging them to submit a joint-bid to host the 2030 World Cup. In a communiqué issued Thursday, the organization indicated that the Tunisian politician «sent letters to five heads of states in the Maghreb, calling them to work on a Maghrebian candidacy to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup». Baccouche stressed in his letter that these countries should

Moroccan goalkeeper Munir El Kajoui joins Malaga C.F

Moroccan international player Munir El Kajoui has officially joined Malaga C.F, announced the Spanish club in a press release issued on Thursday 19th of July. After the end of his contract with CD Numancia where he spent the last four seasons, the goalkeeper signed a four-year contract with Malaga. El Kajoui is the third player to be recruited by the Andalusian club for the 2018-2019 seasons, the statement said. He will be joining his Moroccan teammates, midfielder Badr Boulahroud,

Casablanca : A M'dina Bus' driver involved in a serious traffic accident

A bus has been involved in a traffic accident that resulted in a fire, Thursday July 19, at around 6 am in the Bachkou roundabout in Casablanca, said the company in charge M'dina Bus in a statement. According to the initial findings of the investigation, the accident occurred because of reckless driving and therefore the driver bears full responsibility for it. Fortunately, this accident did not cause causalities. While heading to the company’s facility, the bus driver did not comply

USA : Muslim children kicked out of a public swimming pool for wearing hijabs

Muslim children have been kicked out of a public swimming pool in Wilmington, Delaware for wearing «cotton-based» religious clothes, reported the Washington post on Thursday. On June 25th, Muslim kids at a summer camp were swimming in the Foster Brown public pool when they were told to leave. The pool’s manager told the facilitator of the summer Arabic enrichment program, Tahsiyn A. Ismaa’eel, that the kids couldn’t wear «cotton», while swimming

BCIJ dismantles a criminal gang involved in facilitating and organizing illegal immigration

The central bureau for judiciary investigations (BCIJ) said Thursday that it has dismantled a criminal gang which has branches in several cities of the Kingdom and is involved in the falsification of travel and residence documents used in facilitating and organizing illegal immigration operations. The arrest, part of the ongoing efforts to combat crime in all its forms, was conducted by the countering organized crime brigade on the basis of specific information provided by the directorate

Rihanna faces backlash over her new Moroccan-inspired palette's advertising campaign

Barbadian singer and song-writer Rihanna has stirred controversy on social media after releasing a promotional video for her new Moroccan-inspired eyeshadow palette «Moroccan Spice», reported online newspaper Arab News on Thursday. The 30-year-old star has been slammed for not hiring a Moroccan model when advertizing for her new makeup product. The desert-themed video was posted on the singer’s Instagram on the 6th of July, it has since then received many