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

The Spanish army denies having fortified Tierra and Mar islands

The Spanish army categorically denied having undertaken fortifications on Tierra and Mar islands. The denial was announced by the General Command of Melilla, indicates Europa Press news agency. On Thursday, 21 September, the Spanish official news agency EFE reported that Spain is constructing fundemental services on the two rocks to contain the repeated assaults of migrants, pointing out that a helicopter makes rotations to unload equipment. The army said in its statement that the helicopter

Central African Republic : A Moroccan soldier from MINUSCA severely wounded

«A soldier in the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) contingent of the UN Multi-Dimensional Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) in the Central African Republic was seriously wounded on Friday during an exchange of fire with an anti-Balaka armed group», MAP news agency reports quoting a military source. «The anti-Balaka armed group attacked a FAR contingent patrol at 15:16 on an escort mission to a UN logistics convoy,» the source said. The attack took place 100 km west of Bangassou,

UNICEF and Morocco Advocate for Early Childhood Development at the UN

On the sidelines of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Kingdom of Morocco and UNICEF organized a panel at the UN headquarters to promote South-South cooperation in the field of child development. Early childhood development is essential for achieving the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as several of its objectives, particularly those related to the eradication of poverty, hunger and improved nutrition, lifelong learning, achieving gender

Morocco: FIDH condemns detention of journalists Hamid El Mahdaoui and Rabie Al-Albak

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders reacted to the condemnation of Mr. Hamid El Mahdaoui, director of the Moroccan news website Badil.info, and the detention of Mr. Rabie Al-Albak, correspondent of Badil.info in Al Hoceima, as well as the degradation of his health, on the website of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH). As a reminder, on 12 September 2017, the Al Hoceima Court of Appeal sentenced Mr. Hamid El Mahdaoui to one year in prison and

A Moroccan national arrested over links to the Catalonia attacks

The Civil Guard arrested a Moroccan national suspected of helping the perpetrators of the murderous attacks that took place last August in Catalonia, to prepare explosives, the Spanish Interior Ministry said on Friday, AFP reported. The 24-year-old Moroccan, living in Spain, had close ties with several members of the cell that committed the attacks, especially Imam Abdelbaki Es Satty, who is considered the leaderof the group, the ministry said in a statement. The suspect lent them his

Horst Kohler to visit Morocco on the second week of October

«The personal envoy of the Un Secretary-General for Western Sahara is expected to visit Morocco on the second week of October», a source close to the case told Yabiladi. The visit is part of the Kohler’s first court in the region after his appointment on September the 8th. The timing of his visit should coincide with the presence of Mohammed VI in Morocco. The sovereign is scheduled to preside over the opening of the parliamentary year on the second Friday in October, as

Migration : The Spanish Army to construct fundamental facilities in «Alhucemas Islands»

The Spanish army is currently working on the construction of fundamental facilities in the islets of Tierra and Mar, located 300 meters (984 feet) off the Moroccan town of Al Hoceima, 146 km (91 miles) east of Ceuta and 84 km (52 miles) west of Melilla, reports EFE. As the Spanish news agency noted, the circulation of building materials has been constant between Alhucemas rock island and the two islands, which form the «Alhucemas Islands». This morning

Miloud Guiderk awarded by the Norwegian Cultural Council

The Norwegian Cultural Council awarded on Wednesday, 20th of September, Miloud Guiderk. The Moroccan national received the 2017 Honor Prize for contributing to the promotion of the cultural and artistic life in the European country. «Miloud Guiderk was granted the Honor award for his commitment and authentic work in the field as a concert organizer operating for more than 40 years», said a statement of the Norwegian Ministry of Culture published on the Council’s official

Thirteen Moroccan associations to benefit from financial assistance granted by the USA

Thirteen Moroccan associations with innovative projects received financial assistance estimated at almost 15 million dirhams granted by the USA-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) program of local grants to groups and individuals wishing to contribute change in society. «MEPI's local grants program is an annual activity. We have received more than 100 project proposals from several Moroccan associations and organizations, but thirteen have been selected according to criteria of

Terrorism : El Khiame shows disagreement regarding the expulsion of 150 Moroccans by Italy

The head of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) is unhappy about the expulsions of 150 Moroccan nationals by the Italian authorities for alleged links with the organization «Islamic State». «There is no tangible evidence that confirms their implications and the fact that they are not prosecuted by Moroccan justice is a proof of their innocence», Abdelhak El Khiame said in an interview published Monday by the Italian newspaper La Stampa. El Khiame

The expulsion of Moulay Hicham : Jeune Afrique evokes Saudi and Emirati pressure

Why was Prince Moulay Hicham expelled from Tunisia on the 8th of September before attending a conference on democracy? This is the question raised on Wednesday by Jeune Afrique. The Paris-based weekly examined the possible reasons of this expulsion, immediately dismissing the possibility of a Moroccan intervention. «At no time did the Moroccan authorities made such a request or took any steps in this direction» with their Tunisian counterparts, indicated to Jeune Afrique

Morocco : Sand kittens filmed for the first time

Sand kittens were filmed by the Sand Sahara Team during an expedition on April 27th in the Moroccan Sahara. The video was shared on Facebook on September 18th by the researchers. They write that to their knowledge, it is «the first-ever video of young wild sand cat kittens». «Cuteness alert,» they assure. The video shows three wild kittens hiding behind the grass and gazing at the camera. Researchers estimate they are 6 to 8 weeks old. The wild kittens belonging to

CAR : Morocco calls for increasing the capacity of MINUSCA

On behalf of the Central African Republic (CAR) configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission (CCP), of which he is president, Morocco deplored the recent rise in violence in the CAR in New York on Tuesday of peacekeeping capacity (UNMISCA). «Armed groups cannot take care of the whole political process», Foreign and International Cooperation Minister, Nasser Bourita said during a high-level meeting organized to discuss the situation in the Central African Republic at the UN 72nd

Fouzia Assouli awarded by the Mediterranean Foundation for Peace

The Mediterranean Foundation for Peace (FMP), based in Naples, has just awarded Fouzia Assouli, President of the Euro-Mediterranean Women's Foundation (FEMF) and Honorary President of the Democratic Federation of Women's Rights (FLDDF) the 2017 Mediterranean Prize for Women. According to a press release, the founding president of the FMP, Michele Capasso, affirmed at the award ceremony at the headquarters of the foundation that this distinction is a tribute to Mrs Assouli's action in favor of

One of the largest cacti farms in Africa is in Marrakech

Twenty minutes from the old medina of Marrakech, not far from the Guéliz district built in the 1920s, lays a vast desert land. On a fence that does not seem to protect anything, a handwritten sign pointing down a rocky path indicates «Cactus». «Cactus Thiemann» is a cactus crib of 6.88 hectares. More than 150 varieties stand in perfect rows, says the New York Times Travel. The garden was founded in the 1960s by Hans Thiemann, a German agricultural engineer whose

London : Hassania School of Public Works to take part in the Enactus World Cup

The Enactus EHTP team will take part in the world’s biggest social entrepreneurship competition, the Enactus World Cup, which will be held from the 26th to the 28th of September in London. The team has been named national champion for the 2nd consecutive year, during the national competition which took place on June 20th, said a statement of Enactus Morocco on Tuesday. Supported by the OCP Group, the OCP Entrepreneurship Network program and the OCP foundation, Enactus Morocco is bringing

The war against the Sahara’s sands at the center of the European parliament

Importing sand from Western Sahara has been at the center of the European parliament. An MP from Izquierda Unida, (United Left) a political coalition that was organized in 1986, and which is very involved with the Front, raised questions on the same theme addressed to the European Commission. The coalition considers the import of tons of sand from Western Sahara «a serious violation of the European and international laws» and of the CJEU's verdict pronounced on the 21st of December

Spain : A Moroccan national sentenced to two years in prison for wanting to join ISIS

The Spanish Audiencia Nacional will convict a Moroccan national residing in Padilla de Arriba, a town located in northern Spain, to two years and two months in prison for visiting Turkey in 2016 with the intention of joining Syria to fight for ISIS, states the Spanish news agency EFE. The Moroccan man will also be deported after serving the sentence. At the hearing, Yesterday, Ali Afarkhane,  agreed with the public prosecutor’s office to acknowledge all the allegations and pledged