News Flash

Sanofi and Eurapharma team up to boost Maphar's operations

Europharma, a subsidiary of CFAO group, a multinational company engaged in the sale of manufactured pharmaceutical products in Africa, has just signed a partnership agreement with Sanofi which will start operating in June 2017. The objective is to boost and promote the development of Maphar, the Moroccan subsidiary of Sanori in the African market, Le Figaro reports. Eurapharma will be granted 51% of Maphar’s stake, a promotion plan for the Moroccan and African markets, and cooperation

Quebec : Former MNA Fatima Houda-Pepin loses defamation lawsuit

The court of Quebec ordered on Wednesday 31st of May, the former member of the National Assembly of Quebec to pay $ 24 000 to Paul Leduc the mayor of Brossard, a municipality in the Montérégie region of Quebec, La Presse Comedienne reports. Most precisely, Judge Chantale Sirois pronounced his ruling, indicating that Fatima Houda-Pepin is guilty that she should pay a fine of $20 000 in moral damages and $4 000 in punitive damages.«Attacking honesty is the most

Morocco elected vice president of the UN fourth committee

Morocco was elected this morning to the vice-presidency of the 4th UN Committee on Special Political and Decolonization, MAP announces. A victory for Moroccan diplomacy, especially since Algeria was looking forward to gain the same status. Neighboring country presented its candidate, added the same source. Following the operation of the members of the UN General Assembly, the Moroccan diplomat Yasser El Halfaoui won 88 votes against only 58 for the Algerian counterpart. Morocco thus occupies

Mixed swimming lessons: Turkish-Swiss parents’ request rejected

The Turkish-Swiss parents who refused to allow their daughters to take mixed swimming classes have lost their lawsuit in Strasbourg court, says La Tribune de Geneve. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is not going to re-examine the ruling it delivered on the 10th of January which indicates that Muslim girls in Switzerland are not to be exempt from mixed swimming lessons. The court threw an appeal that was brought by the Muslim parents on the 30th of May. They requested that their case

Football : Renard is surprised by Hakim Ziyech’ decision

Herve Renard, the football manager of the Moroccan national team is surprised by the decision taken by the Dutch-born Moroccan footballer Hakim Ziyech, the BBC reports. Speaking to the British media, the French coach still does not understand why Ziyech rejected joining the Moroccan team to participate to the two upcoming games. «He deserved a call-up from Morocco based on his Europa League performances. But he's not here and I can't tell you why», stated Renard who sent a call

Rabat : The trainee teachers suspend hunger strike

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights in Rabat (AMDH-Rabat) reported on Tuesday 30th of May that the mass hunger staged by 22 trainee teachers was suspended. «Due to the serious health conditions of trainee teachers who went on a hunger strike, the recklessness of the Ministry of Education [and] the pressure exerted by the teachers' support (including the AMDH), they agreed to suspend The hunger strike», tweeted AMDH Rabat. aux pressions exercées par les soutiens des

The father of Nasser Zefzafi calls for peaceful protests

In a sit-in held yesterday in Sidi Abid neighborhood in Al Hoceima, the father of Nasser zefzafi seized the moment to speak to the protesters. «I would like to say that this is our fate. I thank all of you for being here tonight and I thank other citizens who did the same in other Moroccan cities», he said. He then apologized, saying that he did not prepare a speech. The father of Nasser Zefzafi said afterwards that people should carry on «to ensure the continuity of the

34 migrants coming from Morocco saved at the Spanish coast

The Spanish and Portuguese rescue services have managed to save the life of 34 migrants who fled their inflatable boat that «caught fire» when sailing from Morocco to Europe on Sunday 28th of May, Abc news reports. According to the same source, a video shot by the Portuguese Air Force plane shows that migrants were jumping off the inflamed dinghy.«The fire quickly spread and left burning debris on the water. Some migrants clung to what was left of the rubber craft», the

Casablanca : the sit-in organized to support the Rif was dispersed by the authorities

The sit-in scheduled to be held in front of the Police headquarters building in Casablanca tonight to support the manifestations that have been lately shaking the Rif region has been dispersed by the local authorities. Around 10 pm, the building was surrounded by police officers who were not wearing their uniforms, preventing people from gathering in front of the Casablanca police headquarters. Journalists, photographers and citizens were called to leave the area. The ones who refused to go

Al Hoceima : The Minister of State in Charge of Human Rights remains prudent

Interviewed by Al3omk, an online newspaper close to the PJD, the Minister of State in Charge of Human Rights, Mustapha Ramid preferred to remain prudent when asked about the situation in the Rif region explaining that : «he can not approach the subject until he gets sufficient pieces of information on the matter». The Minister promised to give his opinion once he fully gets the nature of the events that are currently taking place in Al Hociema city. Very careful, Ramid

Figuig's refugees : The UN urges The Moroccan and Algerian government

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) urges Morocco and Algeria to insure a «safe» passage for the Syrian refugees trapped in the Moroccan-Algerian borders in a report published on the agency's official website. The humanitarian organization expressed its worries regarding the group of refugees stranded since the 17th of April, asking «the two countries to urgently address humanitarian needs, facilitate access to these refugees and allow them admission to

Jewish couple killed in Casablanca : The murderer sentenced to death

Sam Toledano and Vicy Benchertit, two Moroccan Jewish were murdered last year in Casablanca, can now rest in peace. The murderer was sentenced on Monday to death by the Criminal Chamber of Casablanca court of Appeal, Alyaoum 24 reports. A decision that confirms the first ruling pronounced by the court against Mustapha R. (51), who used to work as a gardener at the Toledos house. The wife of the murderer was also sentenced to two years of imprisonment, the same source indicates. The Criminal

Article 8-bis finally deleted from the 2017 Financial Law

The controversial article 8-bis of the 2017 draft finance law was finally deleted at a meeting held on the 29th of May by the Finance Committee of the House of Councilors, Media 24 reports. Members of the committee voted unanimously against the implementation of the article. People have reacted negatively to this article which states that the funds and property of the State and local authorities could in no case be subject of seizure. In other words, people to whom the State is indebted

Madrid : A Moroccan teenager’s legs amputated after being hit by a subway train

A 13-year-old Moroccan has lost his two legs on the 28th of May in the Sierra de Guadalupe subway station located in Madrid. It was 8 in the morning when the teenager climbed the subway train standing between the rails separating the train’s vehicles, El Pais reports. The teenager fell at some point a few meters away from the tunnel. The subway train driver did not know that the boy had fallen, so he did not stop which led to the loss of his legs. Despite his wounds, the young

World Cup 2026 : FiFa refuses Morocco’s joint bid with Spain

FIFA refused the joint bid suggested by Morocco and Spain to organize the 2026 World Cup, the idea that both countries were working on, and in which they also wanted to integrate Portugal, Mexico.as reports. The organization did not accept Morocco’s bid because the two countries do not belong to the same continent giving the fact that the two next World Cups will be held in Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022) and in America or Africa eventually in 2026. The same source insists that the

Rif : Authorities arrest Nasser Zefzafi

The Moroccan activist and leader of the protest wave that is taking place in Al Hoceima lately, has been arrested, officials told the French news agency AFP. The fugitive man that was on the run since Friday was detained on Monday 29th May by the authorities. Al Hoceima’s public prosecutor ordered the arrest of Zefzafi who interrupted a preacher on Friday 26th during the weekly prayer. Clashes occurred on the same day as the police was trying to arrest him at his place in the

Gad Elmaleh speaks about his early childhood memories in camp Tzivot Hashem in Morocco

The Moroccan-French Comedian, whose fame spread to North America lately appearing on late-night shows in the US, has started his career from a Chabad camp in Morocco 30 years ago. Speaking to a crowd during a stand-up show in Montreal, Gad recalled his memories in Camp Tzivot Hashem in Settat Morocco where he used to attend frequently to study Torah play and socialize with the Moroccan Jewish community. According to Chabad.org, Gad Elmaleh cracked his first jokes in 1982 at the

Rabat : Two trainee teachers sent to the hospital after going on a hunger strike

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights has blown the whistle yesterday night reporting that two trainee teachers who are on a hunger strike were sent to the hospital. «Their demands are well-founded, and their lives are in danger», tweeted the Rbati department of the organisation. The same source urged the teachers to stop the strike. The association also called the Minister of National Education to «hold talks immediately with them». The NGO indicates that 22