Hot weather and strong winds expected in Morocco from Saturday to Monday  (Read more...)

Terrorism : Sentences ranging from 1 to 5 years in prison for 13 accused

13 people arrested for terrorism-related crimes were sentenced from 1 to 5 years in prison, reports MAP news agency. The court of Salé sentenced two defendants to five years' imprisonment for «forming a criminal gang to prepare and commit terrorist acts, incitement to terrorism and attempting to join a fundamentalist organization». One of the defendants, who joined the terrorist group «Daesh», was handed over by the Syrian authorities to Morocco in September

Nasser Bourita : Some countries have tried to prevent Morocco's election to PSC

Morocco’s election to the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) is a recognition of the very constructive role and actions of solidarity carried out by Morocco, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Nasser Bourita said Friday in Addis Ababa. He said some countries have tried to prevent the election of Morocco to this strategic organ of the pan-African organization, noting that these attempts failed because «the credibility of the Kingdom and

Startup.Info awards the Startup of the Year Africa 2018 winners

Startup.Info, a collaborative magazine dedicated to the promotion of startups started in 2011, has revealed on Thursday, 25th of January, during a ceremony held in Casablanca the names of winners of the competition «Startup of the Year Africa 2018», reports the magazine in a communiqué sent to Yabiladi. In partnership with major international groups, such as OCP, ENGIE, QWANT, Finance Innovation, PwC, Labs-NS-Avocats, Holmarcon Group, Royal Air Maroc, Growth Experts, and

AU summit : Morocco elected member of the Peace and Security Council

Morocco is officially elected member of the African Union Peace and Security Council. Its candidacy-the only one presented in the North African region- received 39 votes, while 16 members of the pan-African organization abstained. Morocco’s bid to join the council comes as the Kingdom ratified in mid-January the protocol establishing the Peace and Security Council. The step has allowed Morocco to make this move, knowing that Algeria’s term is expected to expire on March the 31st.

Donald Trump is ready to apologize for anti-Muslim retweets

Donald Trump is ready to apologize for retweeting anti-Muslim videos in November, reports BBC. In an interview conducted by Peirs Morgan, a British journalist working for UK’s ITV channel, the US president said that he did not know about the group that first shared the videos on Twitter. In November, Trump retweeted three videos first put on twitter by Jayda Fransen, a deputy leader of Britain First, a far-right and ultranationalist British political organization formed in 2011 by former

Moroccan authorities denounce the recent HRW’s report on Human Rights situation in Morocco

Moroccan authorities expressed, on Thursday, their rejection of the false allegations contained in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) Report 2017 on the human rights situation in Morocco.  Firstly, allegations of violations of the rights of persons arrested in connection with the Al Hoceima events, arguing that their trial is unfair, are belied by the constitutional, legal and real guarantees provided by the judiciary, given its total independence and the exercise of its powers in the context

AU : Algeria to present its candidacy for the Peace and Security Council in 2019

The elections of the members belonging to the two thirds of the African Union Peace and Security Council, scheduled for February, might be of great interest for Morocco. Algeria’s seat, which is representing the North Africa zone, will become vacant on March the 31st. However, Morocco’s neighboring country is not planning to leave its position at the council for too long, as it has done before during the period between 2010 and 2013. In fact, Algeria is expected to bid for the

A Moroccan-Dutch woman to appear in court over exorcism-related allegations

A Moroccan-Dutch woman is to appear in court, Thursday, in Rotterdam for abusing her 9-year-old son, she believed he is possessed by spirits, reports Dutch News quoting Volkskrant. The mother, 39, is convinced that her son is possessed by a Djinn. According to the same source, the kid was placed in foster care in 2016. Speaking to Volkskrant, the woman’s lawyer indicated that the mother thought that she was healing her son. «Abuse means you are hurting someone on purpose, and that

The African Men's Handball Championship : Morocco qualified for semi-final after beating Gabon

Morocco's handball team is qualified for the semi-finals of the 23rd edition of the African Men's Handball Championship beating Gabon by 26 goals to 23 on Wednesday at the Sports Palace of Libreville, reports MAP news agency. The game's prescribed duration ended while the two teams had scored of 20-20. Morocco led the score in the first half of the game scoring (11-9). Through this victory the Moroccan team joins Tunisia, Angola and Egypt. The first three teams in this competition,

Hirak : 13 activists’ sentences increased by Al Hoceima appeal court

The Al Hoceima appeal court has increased the prison sentences of 13 activists for up to two years for participating in protests in the Rif, judicial sources told EFE on Tuesday. They explained that the majority of these activists had been sentenced in the first instance to imprisonment ranging from 6 to 18 months in prison. The appeal court accuses them of «insulting a public officer, resort to violence, inciting people to commit crimes and participating to an unauthorized

A German far-right politician resigns after converting to Islam

As surprising as it may seem, Arthur Wagner, a politician in the eastern state of Brandenburg, has converted to Islam, reports DW, Germany's public international broadcaster. The far-right anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) party confirmed on Tuesday Wagners’s conversion. While the local branch of the AfD states on its website that «Islam has nothing to do in Germany», the official refrained from commenting on his conversion, saying he was driven by «personal

A US citizen arrested in Rabat for being involved in a physical assault

A 24-year-old US citizen was arrested earlier this Wednesday, 24th of January, in Rabat for being allegedly involved in a physical assault, reports the Arabic-language version of MAP news agency, quoting a police statement. The suspect, who is not legally entitled to stay in the Kingdom, has attacked an individual in the street in Rabat using a knife without an apparent or logical reason, said the police indicating that after the assault he shouted repeating words in Arabic. According to

Sahara : The UN does not know where the Berlin’s talks will be held

After three days of silence, the United Nations confirmed on Monday night that Morocco and the Polisario front are holding talks in Berlin. Algeria and Mauritania are also taking part in the discussions.  Discussions should be held in two phases, spread through January and February, said the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at a press briefing in New York, without giving further details. Stéphane Dujarric is not aware of the place where Horst

Morocco reveals its 2026 World Cup campaign and logo

Morocco’s bid committee launched on Tuesday Morocco’s 2026 World Cup campaign and logo in a press conference held in Casablanca. Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economy and chairman of the committee attended the event alongside Rachid Talbi Alami, Minister of Sports and Fouzi Lekjaa, head of Morocco’s Football Federation. Talking numbers, it was stated in the conference that between 120 and 130 million dirhams will be invested to

London : Finsbury park attack’s assailant heard in court

Darren Osborne, the 47-year-old man who drove a van on the 19th of June 2017 in front of a mosque in Finsbury Park, killing one and injuring 11 others has been heard in court, reports the BBC. A native of Cardiff, a port city on the south coast of Wales, Darren Osborne, is charged of «terrorism-related murder and attempted murder». The attack occurred just a few weeks after three others in London and Manchester. In total, 35 people lost their lives According to his partner, quoted

Rotterdam : Geert Wilders attacks Moroccans again

In a right-wing demonstration that took place in Rotterdam’s central station on Saturday, Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician, made discriminating remarks about Morocco, reports AFP. «We live here, not in Morocco, we don't live in Turkey or in Saudi Arabia, but in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands», said the founder and the current leader of the Party for Freedom while protesting alongside 700 people denouncing «discrimination against ordinary Dutch citizens in favor of

CHAN 2018 : Morocco to face Namibia after being qualified to the quarter-finals

After it finished top of Group A at the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN), despite a goalless draw against Sudan Sunday at Casablanca’s Mohammed V Stadium, Morocco is qualified for the quarter-finals and is to face Namibia on Saturday, reports BBC Africa. Namibia and Zambia, qualified for the 2018 CHAN quarter-finals, ended their match with a 1-1 draw on Monday. In the other match, Guinea beat Mauritania (1-0). Following these results, Morocco finished ahead of Sudan on goal

SDX Energy makes another gas discovery at the Sebou project

SDX Energy, a British oil company operating in both Egypt and Morocco, announced on Tuesday, 23rd of January, that it has made a new discovery onshore Morocco, most precisely in the ONZ-7 well at the Sebou project, reports Proactive Investors.  ONZ-7 well, which is expected to be complete, tested and connected to other infrastructure to start producing, was drilled down to 1,167 meters and contained up to 5 meters of net conventional gas pay. According to the same source, the well is