Morocco's Royal Navy foils migrant hijacking attempt off Tan-Tan  (Read more...)

Russia 2018 : King Mohammed VI calls Renard and Benattia to encourage the Atlas Lions

King Mohammed VI held on Wednesday a phone conversation with the coach of the national football team Hervé Renard and team captain Mehdi Benattia, said a statement issued by the Royal Office. During this phone call, the King conveyed his and all the Moroccan people's wishes of full success for the national football team members and supervisors, ahead of Russia World Cup, it said. The sovereign reiterated on this occasion to the national team his full support and encouragements in this

Morocco to honor its promises even after losing the right to host the 2026 World Cup

The projects presented by the 2026 World Cup Committee to host the international tournament will be fulfilled, said Morocco bid Chairman Moulay Hafid Elalamy Wednesday in Moscow. According to a communiqué issued after FIFA revealed the voting results, the Kingdom is planning to honor its promises. «We have managed this candidacy in a spirit of fair play and we will continue on our path with the same spirit», said Elalamy. On the other hand, Moroccan Royal Football

2018 World Cup : The Spanish coach sacked two days before La Roja's opening game

The Spanish Football Federation has decided to sack Julien Lopetegui the manager of La Roja, a few days before its first World Cup match, reports France Football. The decision was announced, Tuesday, in a press conference, where the president of the federation said that Lopetegui will join Real Madrid as a coach. Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish federation, said he was «informed five minutes before Real issued a press release. We cannot accept that». He explained that

African Union and the Sahara : PJD MPs submit a written question to Nasser Bourita

Two weeks before the African Union 31st summit, hosted by Mauritania, MPs from the Justice and Development Party (PJD) submitted a written question to Nasser Bourita, referring to the measures the Foreign Minister intends to take to defend the Moroccan Sahara at the meeting. The MPs have urged Bourita to reveal the strategy his department is following to make the African Union adopt a more balanced stance on the territorial dispute. They have also warned against the report the Chairperson of

The World Bank grants Morocco $125 million to finance the Nour-Midelt complex

The World Bank has granted Morocco $125 million as additional support for the adoption of innovative solar technology, announced the organization on Monday 11th of June. The decision is to support Morocco’s national goal of developing its world-class solar and wind energy resources, to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and move toward a green energy future. The financing is to benefit the Nour-Midelt complex which is set to produce 52 percent of Morocco’s

Paris and Brussels to set up a ministerial four-party conference including Morocco

France and Belgium announced, on Monday in Paris, that they will establish a «Ministerial Four-Party Conference» including the Justice Ministers of their countries in addition to those of Spain and Morocco to give concrete substance to their governments' commitment and solidarity in the fight against Islamist terrorism. Determined to fight against terrorism and violent radicalization, France and Belgium have decided to establish a «Ministerial Four-Party Conference»

Protesting against Aziz Akhannouch : RNI calls the situation «suspicious and irresponsible»

Nearly four days after crowds protested against Minister of Agriculture Aziz Akhannouch, during a royal visit in Tangier, the National Rally of Independents which he heads issued a communiqué Monday denouncing what happened. Without referring to the viral video that showed people chanting «Akhannouch, go away», demanding that the minister and businessman quits his post, the party wrote that its press release «responds to the suspicious behavior». The same source

2026 World Cup : African voting federations urged to vote as a continent and back Morocco

Morocco and the North American bid leaders met on Monday, 11th of June, voters from five of FIFA’s six continental bodies, says Associated Press in a live article. The two bidders are expected to meet the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) on Tuesday, only one day ahead of the FIFA vote scheduled for the 13th of June in Moscow, Russia. According to the same source, 50 African voting federations are «being urged» to unify their decision and vote for

Rachid Benzine's Letters to Nour to be performed on June 27 in New York

Letters to Nour, a play by French-Moroccan political scientist Rachid Benzine, will be performed Wednesday, 27th of June, at the Instituto Cervantes of New York, indicates a poster sent to Yabiladi on Monday. The work of art narrates the account of a Muslim philosopher's letters to his daughter «Nour» who decided to join ISIS in Iraq. The event is organized by the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations and the International Committee on Crime and Radicalization

Huelva Gate : A demonstration to take place in front of the Ministry of labor in Madrid

A demonstration will be organized Monday, 11th of June, before the Minister of Labor, Migrations and Social Security in Madrid, to protest against the abuses Moroccan strawberry pickers are subjected to in Huelva’s fields. Several feminist associations and unions are urging Spaniards to join the demonstration. For the record, three arrests have been made in Spain after hundreds of complaints have been filed by women in the fields to denounce sexual and labor abuses. Nuestras hermanas

Liverpool fans want Hakim Ziyech to join the club after Nabil Fekir’s failed move

After Liverpool failed to assure a move for Lyon’s attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir, fans are demanding the club to convince Ajax midfielder Hakim Ziyech of joining its ranks, says 90 Min. If Liverpool have indeed ended all interest in Nabil Fekir, who should Klopp look at next? — Oliver Bond (@Oliver__Bond) 10 juin 2018 Fekir was about to be part of Liverpool FC after the negotiations failed to convince the French side. The player’s move was cancelled last week

Morocco’s army sets up a field hospital in Gaza

Announced by a television report broadcasted by Al Ghad TV channel, Morocco’s army has set up a field hospital in Gaza. The decision was taken in May, following the instructions of King Mohammed VI in an attempt to provide civilians in the Gaza strip with the necessary assistance. The hospital will be managed by 97 people, including 13 doctors and 21 nurses. The facility contains 30 beds and 30 others that can be added in emergency cases. «The blockade imposed on Gaza

Moroccan-Dutch forward Mounir El Hamdaoui joins Ittihad Tanger football club

Moroccan-Dutch forward Mounir El Hamdaoui has joined Ittihad Tanger football club for two seasons. The international footballer returns to the Kingdom to be part of the Moroccan championship «Botola» after playing with FC twente. His contract with the Dutch team reached an end. The 33-year-old previously played for Tottenham, Fiorentin, Ajax Amsterdam and Malaga. Transfert. Mounir #Hamdaoui ?? s’engage avec l’Ittihad de Tanger pour une durée de deux saisons.

Huelva Gate : Spanish strawberry pickers are also denouncing alleged sexual abuse

Suspected of sexually assaulting four of his Spanish workers, an individual who runs a strawberry farm in Aljaraque (Huelva) has been arrested, says ABCdesevilla Huelva Monday. The four women have filed a complaint against their manager on the 7th of June, says the same source. This arrest comes as a 47-year-old man was arrested on May the 25th for blackmailing Moroccan workers into having sex with their managers. The suspect was released later and is awaiting his trial, after an

Gas pipeline : Morocco and Nigeria agree on the project’s upcoming phases

King Mohammed VI, and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed Sunday, 10th of June, in the royal palace in Rabat three cooperation agreements, including an agreement on the Nigeria-Morocco onshore/ offshore gas pipeline, says MAP news agency. «The Nigerian and Moroccan parties have worked effectively and constructively to ensure that the feasibility study for the pipeline», said Farouk Garba Said, General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and Amina

2018 World Cup : The Atlas Lions arrive in Russia

The Moroccan national football team arrived Sunday morning in Voronezh, a city located 446 km south of Moscow, ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Upon their arrival at Voronezh International Airport, the team was welcomed by Morocco's ambassador to Russia, Abdelkader Lachheb. Morocco will compete in Group B along with Spain, Portugal and Iran, with a campaign set to begin on 15 June against Iran before facing Portugal on 20 June and finally Spain on 25 June.

2018 World Cup : Morocco defeats Estonia 3-1 in a friendly

Morocco national football team defeated on Saturday, 9th of June, the Estonian team 3-1 in a friendly held ahead of the 2018 World Cup. The first goal was scored by French-born Moroccan professional Younes Belhanda 11 minutes after the game started. The second Moroccan goal was signed by midfielder Hakim Ziyech 27 minutes later. During the game’s second half, Youssef Naciri scored the Atlas Lions’ third goal. Four minutes later, Estonian player Ats Purje. The game is a way for

African Development Bank loans Morocco 200 mln Euros to fund agricultural industries

The African Development Bank (AfDB) loaned Morocco 200 million euros (around 2.2 billion dirhams) to fund the support program for agricultural industries' inclusive and sustainable development, said the ministry of economy and finance. The loan agreement was inked, on Friday in Rabat, at a ceremony chaired by economy and finance minister Mohamed Boussaid, in the presence of Leila Mokadem Farah, resident representative of AfDB national bureau in Morocco and Nezha El Ouafi, secretary of