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Morocco's Aerodrive launches ATLAS ISTAR drone after successful test flight

The Moroccan company Aerodrive Engineering Services (AES) has announced the successful maiden flight of its ATLAS ISTAR drone. «This milestone marks a significant achievement in our journey to develop a state-of-the-art unmanned aerial system designed for military surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations», the company stated in a post shared on its LinkedIn earlier in October. «After months of rigorous testing, our team’s dedication and expertise have

Torrential rains lead to death of two women in Taza

A thunderstorm that hit Taza and its environs on Saturday evening killed two women after they were swept away by torrential rains in the Taifa commune. The first woman was found in Saaida village, while the second woman was found in Oulad Said. Both were taken to the mortuary of Ibn Baja Regional Hospital in Taza. The strong torrents caused material losses, damaging several houses and resulting in the death of a number of livestock.

Heavy rains and hail expected Monday in Morocco

Locally heavy thundery showers, accompanied by hail and gusty winds, are expected on Monday in several Moroccan provinces, announced the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM). Thundershowers (30-60 mm) are expected to affect the provinces of Midelt, Tinghir, and Errachidia between 8:30 AM and 8:00 PM on Monday, the DGM said in an orange alert bulletin. The same phenomenon is expected from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM in the provinces of Taounate, Taza, Tetouan, Beni Mellal, Ifrane, Khenifra,

Marrakech streets submerged in floodwaters

Heavy rains in Marrakech on Sunday, October 13, led to severe flooding around the city. Videos shared online showed submerged cars, flooded streets, and traffic tunnels completely inundated due to the heavy rainfall. The torrential rains even affected facilities in the city, including Menara Airport. A video shared by Le360 shows that the airport's corridors and boarding areas were flooded. Other streets disappeared following the showers, with cars submerged. ?مراكشأمطار

Morocco : Budget deficit narrows to 26.6 MMDH at end-September

The Treasury's statement of charges and resources showed a budget deficit of 26.6 billion dirhams (MMDH) at the end of September 2024, compared with a deficit of 35.2 MMDH for the same period a year earlier, according to the Kingdom's General Treasury (TGR). This deficit takes into account a positive balance of 17.3 MMDH generated by the Treasury's special accounts (CST) and the State's autonomously managed services (SEGMA), says the TGR in its recent Bulletin Mensuel de Statistiques des

British companies to explore partnership opportunities in Morocco for 2030 World Cup

A British delegation of 12 companies will visit Morocco from October 15 to 17, announced John Humphrey, King Charles III's Trade Commissioner for Africa. The visit aims to explore partnership opportunities as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. In his message to Morocco, Humphrey praised British expertise in delivering major sports infrastructure projects, notably highlighting the role UK companies played in organizing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. British interest in

South Africa ANC sanctions Obed Bapela over Morocco visit

After issuing a statement on October 9 condemning MP Obed Bapela’s visit to Morocco, South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) has now taken disciplinary action. The party announced that Bapela, a former minister in the Presidency, has been removed from his position as deputy chair of its international relations sub-committee. During his trip to Rabat, Bapela met with Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita. This meeting sparked outrage within the ANC,

Moroccan police arrest Jonathan Harroch, CEO of City Club gym franchise

Arabic-language media report the arrest of businessman Jonathan Harroch, owner of the «City Club» sports club chain, by Moroccan police on Saturday evening at a large hotel in Casablanca. The arrest followed the execution of a national arrest warrant, though the Public Prosecutor's Office has yet to officially announce the reasons for the detention. Harroch is reportedly accused of issuing bad checks, human trafficking, and drug trafficking. He is expected to appear

Morocco's new stadium could rival Barcelona's for the 2030 World Cup final hosting

Will Morocco benefit from the legendary rivalry between Madrid and Barcelona to secure the hosting of the 2030 World Cup Final? «At the moment, Madrid is not a competitor for Barcelona to host the World Cup Final», said the head of Sports at Barcelona City Council in statements to the Catalan press. «Today, with the objective data in hand, the Bernabéu (Real Madrid's stadium) does not meet FIFA's requirements, unlike the new Spotify Camp Nou (Barcelona's stadium),

CJEU ruling : Algeria summons EU ambassadors over support for Morocco

In contrast to its «observer status» in Western Sahara, Algeria is once again expressing its anger. On Saturday, October 12, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned ambassadors from European states to explain their countries' support for the partnership with Morocco, following the European Union Court of Justice (CJEU) ruling in favor of the Polisario on October 4. This announcement was made by a «well-informed source» in the Attaf department, in confidence to

Tunisia and countries recognizing «SADR» to attend handball tournament in Laayoune

From October 10 to 19, Laayoune will host the 45th edition of the African Championship of Champions Clubs in Handball (men and women). The tournament is organized by the Royal Moroccan Handball Federation (FRMH), under the aegis of the African Handball Confederation (CAHB). Although Algeria has banned its clubs from taking part in a competition organized in «occupied Western Sahara», 27 teams from 11 African countries have accepted the invitation from the FRMH and CAHB. The list of

Afcon qualifiers 2025 : Morocco crushes Central Africa 5-0

The Moroccan national football team dominated its Central African counterpart by 5 goals to 0 on Saturday evening at the Stade d'Honneur in Oujda, in the African qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations (CAN 2025). Morocco, already qualified for the final phase of the next CAN as hosts, fielded a slightly reshuffled lineup, with newcomers Youssef Belammari and Jamal Harkas starting. Solid leaders of their group after two wins in as many games against Gabon (4-1) and Lesotho (1-0), the Atlas

Casablanca to replace palm trees with trees after environmental advocacy

The Morocco Environment Movement 2050 held a long-awaited meeting with Casablanca Governor Mohamed Mehidia on Thursday, following two years of persistent advocacy and awareness efforts regarding the city's palm tree planting policies. According to Salima Belemkaddem, the association's president, the governor responded positively to the latest appeal aimed at protecting Zerktouni Street, a major artery in Casablanca. Governor Mehidia agreed to prevent the planting of Washingtonia palms in

Severe thunderstorms and gusty winds to expected Saturday and Sunday in Morocco

Locally heavy thundery showers with gusty winds are expected in several Moroccan provinces on Saturday and Sunday, the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) has announced. The stormy showers (20-40 mm) are expected to affect the provinces of Essaouira, Safi, Sidi Bennour, and El Jadida from 2 PM to 9 PM on Saturday, the DGM said in an orange alert bulletin. The same phenomenon is expected on Sunday from 00:00 to 12:00 in the provinces of Tangier-Assilah, Tetouan, Mdiq-Fnideq, Fahs-Anjra,

Morocco airports surpass 21 million passengers by August

Morocco's airports have achieved a new milestone, handling a record 21,410,804 passengers by the end of August 2024, a significant 18.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This growth is attributed to a surge in traffic at numerous airports across the country, according to the National Airports Authority (ONDA). Several airports experienced substantial increases, including Rabat-Salé (+42.04%), Dakhla (35.37%), Marrakech (+30.62%), Agadir (+35.3%), Tangier (+20.71%), and

Morocco inaugurates new wind farm near Essaouira

The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) recently inaugurated the 270 MW Jbel Lahdid wind farm in the province of Essaouira. This addition brings Morocco's total renewable energy capacity to 5,440 MW, of which 2,400 MW is wind-generated, representing 45% of the country's total production capacity. The project aligns with Morocco's ambitious goal of accelerating renewable energy development and achieving energy sovereignty. Tarik Hamane, Managing Director of ONEE, emphasized

Morocco Futsal team slips to 7th in FIFA World Ranking

Morocco Futsal team has experienced a slight decline in the latest FIFA world ranking, dropping to the 7th position. With a total of 1,476.25 points, Morocco, a quarter-finalist at the 2024 World Cup in Uzbekistan, remains at the top of African and Arab teams. The current top ten teams are as follows: Brazil - 1,650.75 points, Portugal - 1,546.33 points, Argentina - 1,520.59 points, Spain - 1,517 points, Kazakhstan - 1,500.09 points, Iran - 1,495.74 points, Morocco - 1,476.25 points,

Italy celebrates language and culture in Rabat

Artistic evenings, exhibitions, screenings, and literary encounters will be on the menu of the 24th Week of the Italian Language in the World, to be held from October 14 to 20, 2024 in Rabat, on the initiative of the Italian Cultural Institute in Rabat, in partnership with the Italian Embassy in Morocco. Organized under the theme «The Italian and books: the world between the lines», this cultural event promises to be «an event rich in discoveries and cultural exchanges,