News Flash

Moroccan fan fined for Palestinian flag pitch invasion

On Thursday, July 4, the Berkane Court of First Instance sentenced a Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) fan, Youssef Chater, to a fine of DH1,000 and a two-month ban from entering the stadium. Chater was prosecuted for taking to the pitch of his town's municipal stadium, carrying a Palestinian flag, during the first leg of the African Football Confederation Cup final on May 12, which pitted RSB against Zamalek of Egypt. The verdict is based on Article 308-11 of the Penal Code, which

Taxi, military truck collide, leaving 6 dead

Six people were killed in a head-on collision on National Road 6 between Salé and Sidi Allal Bahraoui on Thursday. Local media report that the tragic accident involved a taxi traveling from Sidi Allal Bahraoui to Kamouni and a truck belonging to the Royal Armed Forces. All the passengers in the taxi died instantly, while the truck driver was injured. The deceased were transported to the mortuary, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.

Emmerson reports positive Khemisset potash trials, secures supply deals

Moroccan-focused potash development company Emmerson PLC announced on Friday that the first crop trial results at its Khemisset potash (KMP) project have been positive, demonstrating their effectiveness as a source of phosphate, according to Proactive. These would be followed by trials on effectiveness for other micronutrients, explained Graham Clarke, the company's chief executive. «We have also signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for the offtake of a significant quantity of the

Polisario responds to Omar Hilale's Committee of 24 remarks on Sahara

The Polisario finally responded to the intervention of Morocco's permanent representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, at the last meeting of the Committee of 24, held on June 10 and 11 in New York. In a letter addressed to the current President of the Security Council, Russia's Vassily Nebenzia, the Front stresses that «Morocco was not the first to include, in 1963, the question of Western Sahara on the agenda of the 4th UN Commission» responsible for examining non-autonomous regions,

Rabat : RNI deputy loses mandate over bad checks

Abderrahim Ouaslam of the RNI has been stripped of his mandate as deputy of the Rabat-Océan constituency due to writing bad checks. This decision was made by the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, July 2. It follows the former parliamentarian's conviction to eight months of suspended prison, along with a fine of 100,000 dirhams, pronounced by the Criminal Chamber near the Court of Appeal of Rabat. Following this decision, the Ministry of the Interior will have to organize a

Moroccan man tortured, kidnapped for €1.4 million ransom on Costa del Sol

A Moroccan man was kidnapped by two Frenchmen for eleven days in April 2023 on a farm in Torrox, a village on the Costa del Sol in the province of Malaga. The victim was subjected to food and water deprivation, raped, and had his ear cut off in an attempt to extort a ransom of 1.4 million euros from his family. Spanish police announced on Thursday that the two suspects, aged 39 and 43, were arrested in Spain and France following a coordinated investigation. They have been charged with

World Cup 2030 : Unveiling the design of Casablanca's Grand Stade

In preparation for Morocco's bid to host the 2030 World Cup, Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit chaired a meeting on Wednesday, July 3rd, at the headquarters of the Casablanca-Settat region's Wilaya. This follows similar meetings held in Rabat and Fez to review the progress of infrastructure projects necessary for the tournament. The meeting, attended by Royal Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa, regional Wali Mohamed Mhidia, and various stakeholders, focused on development

Afcon 2025 : Morocco targets smooth qualification in Group B

The draw for the qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2025), held today in Johannesburg, South Africa, has placed the Moroccan national team in Group B alongside Gabon, the Central African Republic and Lesotho. The 48 teams competing in the qualifiers have been divided into 12 groups of four teams each. The first and second places in each group will qualify for the final phase, with the exception of Morocco's group, which automatically qualifies as hosts. Qualifying begins in

Moroccan man denied asylum in Spain faces deportation

Held for 11 days at Bilbao Airport, a young Moroccan man will be deported back to his country after the Spanish High Court refused to grant temporary asylum while his formal asylum claim is processed. He will be sent back on a flight to Tangier on Friday, July 5th. Reports indicate he presented himself as a Sahrawi activist in Spain, Spanish media say. After his asylum application was rejected, his lawyers appealed to the High Court for provisional permission to enter Spain. However, the court

Yalla Morocco : New discount card for train travel in Morocco

The Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) has announced the launch of a vast multimedia communication campaign, in partnership with the National Railways Office (ONCF). The ONCF will be marketing up to 350,000 tickets at attractive prices, starting at 89 DH for the Al Boraq high-speed lines (LGV) and 49 DH for the Atlas trains. Additionally, the two partners have launched a discount card called Yalla Morocco, offering a 30% discount on all travel on Atlas and Al Boraq trains, to encourage

Morocco to boost hotel infrastructure for Afcon 2025 and 2030 FIFA World Cup

The Moroccan government recently launched a two-pronged approach to modernize the country's hotel stock. As part of this initiative, an innovative program entitled «Cap Hospitality» has been set up to improve the quality of the kingdom's classified tourist accommodation establishments (EHTC), according to a press release. The program aims to support Morocco's bid to host major international sporting events, namely the African Cup of Nations 2025 and the World Cup 2030. An agreement

Spanish national wanted by Interpol arrested in Tangier

A citizen of Andorra, Spain, was arrested on Wednesday, July 3 at Tangier Ibn Battuta airport for his alleged involvement in international trafficking of hashish, cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamines. Having already been convicted in absentia by his home country, he is the subject of an arrest warrant to serve his sentence. #التعاون_الأمني_الدولي مطار ابن بطوطة بطنجة.. توقيف مواطن إسباني يشكل موضوع أمر دولي بإلقاء

Morocco : A key partner for the United States in Africa

Morocco's advantages as an attractive investment destination and a springboard for strengthening trade between the United States and Africa were the focus of a panel discussion held on Tuesday, July 2 in Washington by the American research center Atlantic Council. Organized on the sidelines of the 8th session of the Joint Committee in charge of monitoring the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the meeting featured the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, the Kingdom's Ambassador

Moroccan man fakes bomb threat to avoid missing flight

A Moroccan national residing in Belgium is accused of disrupting a flight by falsely reporting the presence of a bomb, the public prosecution in Fez announced on Monday, setting the first session of his trial for next Monday. The Moroccan national was scheduled to fly last Saturday from Fez Sais Airport to Belgium. Fearing he might miss his flight, he is suspected of calling and reporting the presence of a bomb on the plane. The prosecutor decided to prosecute the 50-year-old man, who is

Fez Court reduces sentences for rappers behind controversial «Kobi Atay» song

The Fez Appeal Court reduced the initial sentences handed to two rappers known for their song «Kobi Atay». They were sentenced to four months' imprisonment each, after the Fez Court of First Instance had initially sentenced them to two years in prison each, in addition to a fine. The defendants were charged with «inciting minors to prostitution and to commit a felony or misdemeanor by electronic means» and participation in such acts. In its verdict, the court also

Morocco FM Nasser Bourita meets outgoing Arab Maghreb Union Secretary General

On Tuesday, July 2, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita received the outgoing Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union in Rabat, Moroccan diplomacy announced on X. This meeting comes a day after Tunisian Taïeb Baccouche's mission at the head of the AMU came to an end. At an official ceremony held in Rabat on Monday, July 1, Baccouche handed over the leadership of the AMU to his compatriot Tarek Ben Salem. Ben Salem was appointed the new Secretary General of the Maghreb Arab Union by

EBRD reaffirms support for Morocco's energy transition with MAD 150 million loan

On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) reaffirmed its support for Morocco's energy transition by granting a MAD 150 million loan to PROCANEQ, a Moroccan-based company that provides mining subcontracting services to the OCP Group. To accelerate the sector's green transition, the EBRD funding will be used to purchase new equipment for extracting and transporting phosphate to processing facilities from several mines, the London-based institution said

Russia did not schedule a meeting on the Sahara at the Security Council

Russia holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for the month of July. The program circulated by Moscow's embassy to the United Nations in New York did not include any meetings on the Western Sahara issue. For his part, Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia did not address the Sahara issue or MINURSO at a press briefing held yesterday in New York to present his country's agenda for the month. The diplomat announced the organization of three debates on: multilateral cooperation for a