Morocco's Arrabet and Skaleet partner for a new neo-bank offering in Africa  (Read more...)

Football : Young Mohamed Ezzerfani joins FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona has formalized the recruitment of Mohamed Ezzerfani, a 19-year-old young Moroccan midfielder, who is joining the Futbol Club Barcelona from the Spanish team of Badalona, says the Atlas Lions website. The player signed a two-year contract, with an extension option for three seasons. His transfer cost FC Barcelona the sum of EUR 100,000. However, his departure clause was immediately set at EUR 12 million.

Hirak : The 20th of July demonstration prohibited

The local authorities of Al Hoceima city announced on Monday the prohibition of a march scheduled for the 20th of July. In a communiqué sent to Yabiladi, Al Hoceima's prefecture announced that calling people to participate to a march on Thursday in the Rif capital did not respect the set procedures. «The local administrative authorities have not received a declaration regarding this subject, in accordance with Dahir No. 1. 58. 377 published on the 15th of November 1958 concerning

Royal Air Maroc to open a new agency in Dakhla

Rayal Air Maroc, Morocco’s leading Airline Company inaugurated on Monday 17th of July a new agency in Dakhla, RAM said in a statement. The 105 meter squared new agency is open to meet the needs of the company and passengers, according to the same source. It also has a «dynamic» information system. «The renovation of the Dakhla sales office is part of our customer-centric strategy. It aims to offer a space of reception and sharing in order to allow us to deploy a

Italy : 2,380 Moroccans have applied for political asylum between 2016 and 2017

Recently, Italy has recorded a remarkable uplift in the number of young Moroccans applying  for political asylum, Italian Ministry of Interior said as reported by Al Quds Al Arabi on Monday. Last year, the number of Moroccans seeking asylum in Italy exceeded 1,500, a trend that decreased in 2017 with more than 800 applications up to this summer. «While nearly 1400 Moroccans have arrived this year in Spain (...) this figure remains low compared to Italy. Since the beginning of this

«World Para Athletics» in London : Benibrahim sets a new world record

The Moroccan athlete Youssef Benibrahim set a new world record for the 5,000m (T13) on Sunday at the World Para Athletics World Championships organized in London from the 14th to the 23rd of July. Benibrahim, who offered Morocco his second gold medal at the World Para Athletics Championships, finished the race in 14min 20 sec.69 ahead of his Tunisian rival Aloui Bilel (14: 21.69) and Canadian competitor Ouellet Guillaume (14: 23.24). Morocco is taking part of the world championships in London

Quebec : There will be no Muslim Cemetery in Saint-Apollinaire

In Saint-Apollinaire, the local referendum of July the 16th has failed the hopes of the Muslim community in Quebec, Canada. Among 49 citizens entitled to vote, 19 opposed the project of the funeral complex Harmonia and the Center culturel Islamique de Québec (CCIQ), while 16 supported it, says Le Journal de Québec. The participation rate was 75%. «They have given the chance to speak to a minority and that is what is unfortunate ... We have just said to several thousand

ONCF : The company’s net profit reached 223 million Dirhams in 2016

ONCF, Morocco’s leading national railway operator has uplifted its net profit to 223 million Dirhams in 2016, 31% up compared to 2015, the company said in a statement reported by the North Africa Post. According to the same source, the amount of money taken by the state-owned company during the period between 2015 and 2016 has amounted 3.7 billion Dirhams with a 2.5 billion Dirhams profit and 273 million Dirhams of self-sustainability that reached 5.8% succeeding last year’s

Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat : Soufiane El Bekkali wins  a 3000 m race

The Moroccan athlete Soufiane El Bakkali won on Sunday the 3000 meters steeplechase at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athlétisme organized in the prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat. El Bakkali crossed in 8. 05. 12/ 100th edging his Kenyan rivals Jairus Kipchoge Birech and Amos Kirui. While Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto did not finish the race. At the end of the race, El Bakkali said he was «satisfied with the way he managed the race,» noting

Morocco hands over to Italy the stolen masterpiece painted by Guercino

Morocco handed over to Italy the 17th century masterpiece painted by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri known as Il Guerchin (1591-1666), stolen in 2014 from the San Vincenzo church in Modena, Italy, and found in Casablanca by the kingdom's authorities. This canvas (293 x 184.5 cm) estimated at 6 million euros was given back on Saturday to the police headquarters in Casablanca, in the presence of the ambassador of Italy in Morocco, Roberto Natali and an Italian delegation, in addition to Moroccan

A reception center for Moroccans living abroad inaugurated in Beni Mellal

Following-up the implementation of a partnership agreement signed last February between the Ministry of Moroccans residing abroad and migration affairs and the Council of the Béni Méllal-Khénifra region for the creation of a Reception Center for Moroccans living abroad (MLA) was at the center of a communication meeting held recently at the region's council. According to the Council of the region, this project is part of a national strategy set for the Moroccan diaspora.

Paris : Nadia Skali receives the medal of the Academic Society Arts-sciences-letters

Moroccan painter Nadia Skali recently received in Paris the medal of the Academic Society Arts-sciences-letters, in recognition of her distinguished artistic career. «It is a dream that came true for me, knowing that since its creation in 1915 this Academy has devoted eminent creators in the fields of arts, science and literature», declared the artist Nadia Skali during this occasion, adding that she is very proud of being recognized by such a prestigious institution. Through her

Moroccan Sanaa Benhama wins a gold medal at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships

The Moroccan athlete, Sanaa Benhama won on Friday in London the 1500 m (T13) gold medal at the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships held from the 14th to 23rd of July at London's Olympic stadium. In 4 min 40 sec 40 / 100th, the Moroccan champion succeeded the Tunisian athlete Soumaya Boussaid who finished the race in 4: 40.89 before her compatriot Najah Chouaya (4: 46.16). Morocco is participating in the World Handicapped Athletics Championships in London with a team of 14 athletes. It

African Development Bank to grant Morocco a USD200 million loan

African Development Bank (AFDB), an multinational development financial institution headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Cost, granted Morocco a USD200 million loan on Friday to reinforce the country's industrialization plan, states the Chinese news agency Xinhua quoting local Moroccan media. The loan is destined to provide for the first stage of an industrial acceleration plan set to create «by 2020 to create 500,000 new sustainable jobs and significantly increase the share of industry in

No reception centers for migrants on the Moroccan soil, says Bourita

«There will be no reception centers in Morocco for migrants,» the Foreign Minister said in an interview with Russia Today. «These kinds of centers undermine human dignity. Morocco rejects that. The kingdom has always opposed these proposals,»he said. For the record, former Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri had declined a similar offer once again suggested by Germany, arguing that Rabat receives only its expelled citizens from Europe. The Minister has spoken out about

Terror threats : Minurso receives an alert similar to the one of June 2

The Minurso (United Nations Mission for the Organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara) remains a potential target for terrorist groups. «The UN mission yesterday renewed the alert launched on June 2nd to its civilian and military members operating in the zone», says a source in the Sahara. «The message calls the elements of the Minurso mission to remain cautious while on duty, whether in the territory controlled by Morocco or in the other side of the security

11 people sentenced to 20 years for terrorism plot

The criminal court of first instance in charge of terrorism-related cases pronounced, on Thursday evening, sentences ranging from 5 to 20 years in prison, against 11 defendants. The convicts were linked to terrorism cases. The chamber thus sentenced the main accused to 20 years in prison, and 18 years in prison for two other defendants, 10 years to 5 and five years in prison for the rest. The accused are charged for «organizing a gang and preparing for terrorist acts as part of a

Air Arabia launches a line linking Marrakech to London

Air Arabia is launching a new line linking Marrakesh and London Gatwick airports. The air line will be operational starting from November  the 1st and aims to promote the city, indicates Zone Bourse. The airline is thus expanding its offer to Britain, «one of the main basins issuing tourists in Europe,» said the same source. Two flights a week will be offered each week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Adel Ali, the chairman of the Air Arabia group, said: «The opening of a

Balance Agri-Nutrients : «OCP will be the loser» regarding the phosphate cargo

Following the ruling of the South African court regarding the phosphate cargo shipped from Morocco to New Zealand, OCP, the leading state-owned company, has accused the court of «political piracy» for detaining the 54,000 ton shipment for more than 73 days, Stuff.co reports. Speaking to the same source, Mark Wynne, chief executive of Balance Agri-Nutrients, the fertilizer company that was awaiting the phosphate shipment sent by OCP, said that Morocco’s decision was