Sahara : The Biden administration reaffirms support for the autonomy plan  (Read more...)

Over 1 ton of chira seized in Northern Morocco

The royal gendarmerie in the northern city of Tetouan arrested, Friday in the province of Chefchaouen, two individuals on board a car carrying 46 packages of chira, with a total weight of one ton 340 kg, said local authorities. According to the same source, the two traffickers were brought to justice and the investigation is underway to identify possible accomplices.

Brussels : Nasser Bourita meets with EU high representatives for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Foreign minister Nasser Bourita met, Friday in Brussels, with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. The meeting is part of regular contacts with European officials regarding a solid multidimensional partnership, Bourita told MAP after the meeting which was attended by Morocco's Ambassador to the European Union Ahmed Réda Chami. This meeting was also an occasion to discuss other regional and international issues, he

Quebec : Hijab-wearing candidates can run for election

In Quebec, Hijab-wearing candidates will be able to run for elections without removing their headscarves or showing theirhair, announced Tuesday, February the 20th, the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec, Pierre Reid, reports Le Devoir. In fact, women wearing the hijab, chador and Sikh turbans can submit their candidacies, while the niqab and burka-wearing women will still be banned. The Electoral office has indicated that it updated its regulations dating back to 1980, and which obliges

Morocco will work on ensuring the extradition of Said Chaou, according to Mohamed Aujjar

Morocco «will keep making efforts to ensure» the extradition of Said Chaou, a Moroccan national living in the Netherlands who is accused of drug trafficking, said Friday the Minister of Justice, Mohamed Aujjar. Speaking to MAP news agency, Aujjar pointed out that the Morocco have taken note of the step taken by the Dutch authorities. They have decided to appeal against the court’s decision regarding the extradition of Said Chaou, who is subjected to two international arrest

Spain : A Moroccan national to serve a prison sentence for terrorism

Judge Carmen Lamela confirmed yesterday that the Moroccan national accused in Spain for terrorism will have to serve a prison sentence, said the regional online newspaper La Verdad. Khalid E., 31, who is legally residing in Spain, is accused of joining a terrorist organization and trying to recruit jihad candidates. He is prosecuted for carrying terrorist indoctrination and being a terrorist sympathizer. Judge Carmen Lamela stated that the individual is an integral part of the terrorist

USA’s Nexteer Automotive to build a new facility in Kenitra

Nexteer Automotive, a Michigan-based automotive parts supplier, is building a new production facility in Kenitra. The Morocco plant will be used to manufacture Single Pinion-assist Electric Power Steering (SPEPS) systems with the objective of extending production to driveline products, reports Automobilwoche. The 18,000 m2 plant will be inaugurated in March, as the first Africa facility of the American company while production is expected to start in 2019. The construction of Nexteer’s

Denouncing corruption : the number of reported cases moves from 7K to 13K annually

The number of reported cases of corruption has risen from 7,000 to 13,000 annually since the launch in 2015 of the anti-corruption toll-free number by the ministry of Justice and Liberties, said, Thursday in Rabat, minister delegate for Relations with the Parliament and Civil Society, Government spokesman, Mustapha El Khalfi. Since the launch of the toll-free number, several people have been sentenced to prison terms in 31 corruption cases, El Khalfi said, answering a question on the

Mauritanian Prime Ministers receives a Polisario envoy

Mauritanian Prime Minister, Yhya Ould Hademine, received, Thursday,  Abdelkader Taleb Omar, the former «prime minister» for the Polisario Front. «The meeting focused on the Sahara issue, especially the UN and the bilateral meetings held between the parties concerned to find a peaceful solution, taking into account the right of Sahrawis to self-determination», he told the Mauritanian news agency. «The latest decision published by the European Court and the

Dozens of public officials are prosecuted for corruption, according to El Othmani

Prime Minister, Saad Eddine El Othmani, said Thursday that dozens of public officials are prosecuted for corruption, and that their cases are processed by the courts that «will have to pronounce their verdicts». Speaking at the government council, El Othmani stated that several other officials are currently being investigated for curroption allegations while others are being tried. «We do not have the right to denounce a person arrested for corruption, as he or she can be

France : The Paris Appeal Court keeps Tariq Ramadan in prison

The French-Swiss Muslim academic Tariq Ramadan, detained over rape accusations, will remain in prison, according to Agence France-Presse. The Paris Appeal Courton rejected Thursday his appeal against his detention. Before taking a decision, the investigating chamber had appointed a medical expert. The latter ruled that Tariq Ramadan's condition is compatible with his detention. Arrested on February the 2nd, the 55-year-old intellectual has claimed that he was suffering from multiple sclerosis

The Netherlands will appeal the extradition of Said Chaou to Morocco

The Dutch authorities will appeal against a court’s decision demanding the extradition of Said Chaou to Morocco, a Dutch diplomatic source told MAP news agency. «The Minister of Justice and Security and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have taken note of the court's decision on the extradition of Said Chaou accused of drug trafficking», Désirée Bonis the Dutch ambassador in Rabat told the same source. «The Dutch Minister of Justice and Security and the

Spain : A Moroccan national is facing a two-year sentence for assault charges

A 19-year-old Moroccan man is facing a two-year prison sentence for breaking a minor's jaw, La Nueva España newspaper reported. A sentence requested by the public prosecutor at the Gijón court (north), which also demanded expulsing the man from the Spanish territory for eight years. The facts took place on May 21, 2017 at 3 am. Imad A., who had played a boxing match that day, arrived with a 17-year-old miner. With others, he punched the victim several times, the prosecutor said.

A kiss of death : Joseph Blatter supports Morocco’s World Cup bid

Joseph «Sepp» Blatter, a Swiss football administrator who was president of FIFA from 1998 to 2015, has openly backed Morocco’s 2026 World Cup bid. He tweeted on Thursday that «Morocco would be the logical host! And it is time for Africa again!» He added saying referring to the joint bid presented by the three American nations, namely USA, Canada and Mexico : «co-Hosting rejected by FIFA after 2002». This is not the first time that Blatter

A Gdim Izik defendant died Wednesday in Laayoune

Last night at Hassan Belmehdi hospital in Laayoune, Mohamed El Ayoubi, one of the defendants of the Gdim Izik's group, died. Sentenced to twenty years in prison by the Salé Court of Appeal, the deceased enjoyed freedom of movement and lived at his place. He had a serious illness and had never been incarcerated, unlike other members of the group, apart from Hassan Alia, who lives in Spain. Because of his health condition, Mohamed El Ayoubi could not appear at the court which pronounced a

France : Muslim leaders demand the release of Tariq Ramadan

Scholars at the Grande mosquée de Lyon and Villeurbanne have demanded on Wednesday the «immediate release of the Swiss academic (…) accused of raping» two women, reports Ouest France. Kamel Katbane, rector of the Grand Mosque of Lyon and his the one of  Villeurbanne, Azzedine Gaci, insisted that Tariq Ramadan should be released, referring to his medical condition. The two officials issued a joint statement indicating that Ramadan was a «victim of a

Ceuta : A court fines the father of a child smuggled in a suitcase

The father of the Ivorian child, who was hidden inside a suitcase in the Ceuta border crossing, was fined to 92 Euros by the city’s court on Tuesday, 20th of February, AFP reports. He can finally reunite with his family after the audience. «Everything is over now, we can start over all together, my wife, my daughter, my son and I in Bilbao», said the father, Ali Ouattara, referring to the industrial port city in northern Spain. 45-year-old Ouattara was convicted after his

Melilla : New measures to promote a moderate religious discourse

The Melilla Islamic Commission has agreed with the Nador provincial delegation of Islamic Affairs to improve the registration procedures of Imams that operate in 17 mosques in the Spanish enclave, reports Melilla Hoy newspaper. The objective of this agreement is «to promote a moderate religious discourse built on coexistence». In a press release, the Commission said that three agreements were reached during a meeting with the Nador delegation, which tackle issues that impact the

Migration : The Vice President of the National Front puts the blame on North Africa

Invited by the political broadcast, Bourdin Direct, aired on BFM TV and RMC, the Vice President of the National Front (FN), Louis Aliot, criticized Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia when speaking about the migration issue. Also a member of the Eastern Pyrenees, Aliot believes that the North African countries above-mentioned are «destroying their youth», while «sending them to France». Based on a parliamentary report published on Tuesday, 21st of February, by the National