Pakistani man's irregular Europe crossing via Morocco thwarted  (Read more...)

Air Arabia launches three new direct routes from Morocco to Europe in October 2024

Air Arabia strengthens its international presence by inaugurating three new direct routes between Morocco and Europe. Starting on October 28, the airline will launch a route linking Tangier to Girona. The following day, a direct service will link Tetouan to Lyon. Finally, on October 30, a new connection will be established between Tangier and Bordeaux. All flights will be operated by Airbus A320s. The Tangier-Girona route will operate on Mondays and Thursdays. Flights will leave Tangier at

Stellantis acquires Moroccan auto firm Sopriam from Al Mada Group

Stellantis announced a two-stage acquisition of Sopriam, a subsidiary of the Al Mada group. They will take immediate majority control, followed by a full purchase of shares in early 2025. The company said this will allow them to handle import and distribution of Peugeot, Citroën, and DS Automobiles brands in Morocco, similar to their existing network for Fiat, Abarth, Jeep®, and Alfa Romeo. This acquisition marks a new chapter for Stellantis in Morocco, building on their strategic

CAF : No issue with Morocco map on RS Berkane jersey

The African Confederation of Football (CAF) has declared it won't take further action regarding the map of Morocco, including the Sahara, printed on the RS Berkane jersey until the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rules on its use, according to BBC Africa. «The Caf club committee believed, according to Caf regulations, there was no issue for this map», Mosengo-Omba said. «The Cas decision [will] guide us how to improve our regulations», he added. The issue arose in

Golf Throne Cup returns : 300 players from 18 clubs compete in 19th edition

The 19th edition of the Coupe du Trône de Golf, held from July 22 to 27, 2024, at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, will see 300 players representing 18 Moroccan clubs compete in three categories: seniors, juniors, and classic. The Seniors' competition will be played on the blue course, with teams of 10 players and a captain. The red course will host the classic Coupe du Trône, featuring Morocco's elite golfers in teams of 10 with a captain. The juniors' competition, in its

Dutch-Moroccan rapper Ali Bouali vacations in Morocco despite two-year rape sentence

Ali Bouali, former coach of the show The Voice, was seen by several Dutch people at Weeze Airport in Germany, traveling to Morocco for vacation with his wife Breghje Kommers and children. Despite his recent conviction for rape and attempted rape, Bouali appeared calm according to fan reports to journalist Evert Santegoeds on the Strikt Privé podcast of De Telegraaf. He has appealed the verdict through his lawyer. The prosecution will decide on an appeal by Friday. Although the star's

Moroccan footballer Fatima Tagnaout signs two-year deal with FC Seville

Moroccan left winger Fatima Tagnaout has joined the FC Seville women's team for two seasons, following her transfer from AS FAR during the summer transfer window. The Casablanca native played a pivotal role for AS FAR, winning eight league titles and seven Moroccan Cups. She also helped Morocco win the UNAF tournament in 2020. Fatima Tagnaout played 48 matches for the national team, reaching the finals of the Aisha Buhari Cup (2021) and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2022). This World Cup

Affordable breakthrough : Generic HIV treatment now 1000x cheaper

The 25th International AIDS Conference presented promising results regarding a revolutionary antiretroviral treatment developed by Gilead, based on the lenacapavir molecule. This treatment could transform HIV management. Currently priced at around $40,000 (approximately 400,000 Moroccan dirhams) per person per year, estimates disclosed in Munich suggest the generic version could cost as little as $40. Unlike current daily medications, this treatment requires only two injections per year.

AI's role in Africa's sustainable development discussed in Morocco-US conference

The Group of Friends on Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development, co-chaired by Morocco and the United States, organized a high-level event on the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence (AI) to support sustainable development in Africa. The event took place at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, July 22, 2024. Titled «Artificial Intelligence: An Exponential Opportunity for Sustainable Development in Africa», this event reflects Morocco's commitment to

Tragic incident in El Jadida : Father fatally attacked by pitbull

A 62-year-old father of three died on Saturday, July 20, at the CNSS clinic in El Jadida, as a result of a violent pitbull attack. The tragedy occurred in the Saada neighborhood where the dog's owner, a reported delinquent, was known to keep several pit bulls on the roof of his house, causing fear in the community. The victim, critically injured from the bites, was rushed to the hospital. The doctors' efforts to stop the bleeding were unsuccessful due to the depth of the wounds. According to

Olympic flame visits Moroccan stand at Paris fan zone

Before the opening of the Games on July 26, the Olympic flame made a stop at the Moroccan stand of the fan zone «Africa Station» on July 22nd. Located a stone's throw from the Olympic village on Île-Saint-Denis in the Paris region, the stand was filled with a festive atmosphere as it welcomed the flame. The organizers and several fans, along with the mayor of Île-Saint-Denis, Mohamed Gnabaly, were present. The «Maison Maroc» was inaugurated last Saturday at

Morocco consumer price index sees 1.8% rise in June

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 1.8% in June 2024 compared to the same month last year, according to the High Commission for Planning (HCP). In a briefing note regarding the CPI of June 2024, the HCP explains that this variation is the result of a 1.7% increase in the food products index and a 1.9% increase in the non-food products index. Non-food product variations ranged from a decrease of 1.2% for health to an increase of 3.7% for housing, water, gas, electricity, and other

PJD leader Abdelilah Benkirane condemns young Moroccans' visit to Israel

The Secretary General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdelilah Benkirane, recently condemned a visit by a group of young Moroccans to Israel. During his opening speech at the party's general secretariat meeting on Saturday, July 20, 2024, in Rabat, he emphasized that the initiative by those involved «is not permitted by law, even from a political standpoint, regardless of the calculations; it does not align with the national interest». He added, «What is happening

Weakened by 2023 earthquake, house collapses in Marrakech's Mellah

Marrakech's Mellah district witnessed another troubling incident on Friday, July 19th, when a house weakened by the September 2023 earthquake collapsed. Thankfully, there were no casualties. The house owner, Mohammed Bessoul, spoke to Le360: «We were just recovering from the tremors when we heard our home had collapsed. Luckily, no one was inside». Bessoul, who tragically lost his son in the previous earthquake, had already vacated the house due to the bad memories and fear of

15 million strong : Morocco's airports see passenger surge in first half of 2024

Morocco's airports welcomed a record 15,104,579 passengers in the first six months of 2024, a 19% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the National Office of Airports (ONDA). This growth spanned most airports, with Rabat-Salé (+40%), Agadir (+34%), Marrakech (+29%), Tetouan (+23%), Tangier (+21%), and Fez (+12%) experiencing significant increases, ONDA said in a statement. Domestic traffic also rose 22% year-over-year to 1,531,191 passengers in the first half of

Manchester United pulls back on €20m Sofyan Amrabat purchase

Manchester United has decided not to activate the €20 million purchase option for on-loan midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano on his Twitter account. Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag remains interested in the Moroccan and wants him to stay, but the club prefers to renegotiate the transfer fee with Fiorentina instead of paying the pre-agreed amount. ?? Manchester United have informed Fiorentina that they will not trigger €20m buy option clause

Morocco's health sector unions announce five-day strike

Morocco's Health Sector Unions Announce Five-Day Strike The Coordination of Health Sector Unions has called a five-day national strike, starting today, Monday, July 22nd, and lasting until next Friday. The strike will affect hospitals, administrative offices, and training centers, with emergency and resuscitation services remaining operational. This action follows what the unions see as a delayed response from the government regarding the implementation of a sectoral agreement. The union

Morocco's math team misses International Mathematical Olympiad due to visa delays

Qualified for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held July 11-22, 2024, in Bath, England, Morocco was unable to participate due to delays in obtaining visas for the team. Math&Maroc, a Moroccan mathematics advocacy group, called the situation «deplorable» and blamed «laxity on the part of officials in submitting visa applications». On social media, the non-profit lamented that «this deprives the six Moroccan participants», rigorously selected

Former Moroccan PM Benkirane awaits El Othmani's «explanation on Israel normalization deal»

The Secretary General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdelilah Benkirane, rebuked his predecessor for having signed the normalization agreement between the Moroccan government and Israel in December 2020. In a meeting of the General Secretariat this weekend, he declared that the Hebrew state was a country with which «no one can deal» and which cannot be trusted by any party. «Unfortunately, it was our former Secretary General who signed the normalization