Wealthy Moroccan heirs detained for alleged rape of French lawyer  (Read more...)

Former US Senator Jim Inhofe, key Polisario Front supporter, passes away at 89

Former Republican US Senator Jim Inhofe has passed away at the age of 89 after suffering a stroke, according to US media reports. Inhofe was elected to a fifth term in the Senate in 2020 but stepped down in 2022. This marks a significant loss for the Polisario Front, as Inhofe had been one of its most prominent supporters in the United States. The late senator had visited the Tindouf camps in February 2019 and met with the separatist front's leader, Brahim Ghali. In February 2021, he

Moroccan Amazigh Band Meteor Airlines wins Mediterranean art prize

Meteor Airlines won the Prize for Best Artistic Practice in the Mediterranean Region at the CREACT4MED Best Practices Award ceremony in Barcelona, Spain. In the nomination and final selection process over the past 10 months, the band's innovative fusion of traditional Amazigh music with contemporary rock (Amazigh Rock) captivated audiences. According to the organizers, it has created a lasting impact on the cultural landscape both nationally and internationally. The ceremony was attended by

Spain : Pro-Polisario MEPs oppose expulsion of two Sahrawis to Morocco

The two young Sahrawis, who have applied for asylum in Spain, have received support from a dozen MEPs from Sumar, Bildu (Basque pro-independence), and the Galician National Bloc (BNG). In a letter addressed to the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the MEPs warned of the consequences for the physical integrity of the two individuals if they were deported to Morocco. «This is tantamount to a death sentence», wrote Antonio Maillo, MEP for the United Left, one of the

Moroccan Foreign minister receives the new Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union

Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita received the new Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), Tarek Ben Salem, today in Rabat. He stressed «the importance of strengthening the work of the AMU in order to realize the aspirations of the peoples of the region for more progress and prosperity», according to a Facebook post by the ministry. On May 27, Tunisian President Kais Saied appointed Tarek Ben Salem as the new secretary-general of the Maghreb Union. The appointment was

Historic 25 Muslims elected to UK House of Commons amidst Islamophobia

In the recent UK parliamentary elections, a record number of Muslims were elected to the House of Commons, despite a toxic political climate marked by a rise in racist and Islamophobic violence. According to Muslim Network TV, cited by Anadolu, 25 Muslim candidates secured seats, up from 19 in the 2019 elections. Of those elected, 18 are affiliated with the Labour Party, four ran as independents, two are from the Conservative Party, and one is a member of the Liberal Democrats. The support of

After Bachir Sayed, a Polisario official warns of Front's potential collapse

In the Tindouf camps, Bashir Mustapha Sayed's warning about the «disappearance of the Polisario Front» was echoed by another senior official, Oubi Bachir. Claiming to be the Front's representative in Switzerland, Oubi Bachir expressed his concern on X about the «problems observed» within the Polisario, which he described as «multiplying in a worrying way» and serving as «a precious gift for the propaganda of the Moroccan occupation». He

Euro 2024 : Moroccan Lamine Yamal leads Spain to victory over France

Spain defeated the French national team in the semifinals of the European Football Championship (Euro 2024), held in Germany, by a score of two goals to one (or 2-1). La Roja's first goal was scored by Spanish-Moroccan winger Lamine Yamal in the 21st minute. Just four minutes later, Dani Olmo followed up with a second goal, securing Spain's place in the final of this continental competition. According to Le Figaro, Lamine Yamal's goal against Les Bleus made him the youngest scorer in the

Morocco makes historic first legal cannabis export to Switzerland

For the first time, Morocco has legally exported cannabis. A shipment of resin, with less than 1% THC (the psychoactive molecule), was sold for between 1,400 and 1,800 euros per kilogram, destined for Switzerland in the second quarter of the year, reports French newspaper Le Monde. Since the 2021 law allowing cannabis for medical, pharmaceutical, and industrial purposes, the sector has experienced significant growth, with around 200 operators now active. This positions Morocco as a rising

«Sahara Escobar» : The Oriental Regional Council elects successor to Abdenbi Bioui

The Oriental Regional Council elected a new president on Tuesday, July 9. Mohamed Bouarourou, also from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), succeeded Abdenbi Bioui, who is being prosecuted for drug trafficking as part of the «Sahara Escobar» case. Bouarourou's bid to replace Bioui received 44 votes, while the opposition did not present any candidates at the voting session chaired by the governor of Berkane. In his new position, Bouarourou will be assisted by Omar Hjira of

Morocco celebrates Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka

In tribute to Nigerian writer and 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Wole Soyinka, a round table was organized on Tuesday at the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco's headquarters in Rabat. Born on July 12, 1934, in Abeokuta, Nigeria, Soyinka attended Government College and University College Ibadan before earning a degree in English from the University of Leeds in England in 1958. Upon returning to Nigeria, he founded a theater company and wrote his first major play, The Swamp Dwellers

UK : Polisario leader courts new left-wing PM

Following the Labour Party's landslide victory in the July 4 UK general election, the Polisario leader congratulated Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In his message, Brahim Ghali emphasized that «the Polisario Front is a sister organization to the Labour Party, expressing his hope to continue and deepen the existing relations between the two organizations in their pursuit of a better world where international solidarity, justice, human rights, and the right of peoples to self-determination

Moroccan taekwondo star Oumaima El Bouchti secures spot in 2024 Olympics

Moroccan taekwondo athlete Oumaima El Bouchti (-49 kg) has secured her qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, scheduled from July 26 to August 11. El Bouchti earned her second ticket to the Olympics based on her latest world ranking (No. 8), following her withdrawal from the under-49kg category of the Oceania zone Olympic qualifiers. Driss El Hilali, President of the Royal Moroccan Taekwondo Federation, emphasized that Oumaima El Bouchti's qualification for the Olympics, alongside

Morocco education minister reports 12% drop in school dropout rates

Around 50,000 students who had dropped out of school were able to return to classes, Minister of National Education, Preschool, and Sports Chakib Benmoussa said on Monday. Responding to a question at the House of Representatives on «the fight against school dropouts», Benmoussa stated that the number of students dropping out of school had fallen by 12%, from 334,000 during the 2021-2022 season to 294,000 for the 2022-2023 school year, although this figure remains

PJD calls for early legislative elections in Morocco, inspired by France

The PJD is calling for early parliamentary elections, a stance expressed by Abdellah Bouanou, president of the party's deputies, on Monday, July 8. In his speech at the opening of the PJD's weekly deputies' meeting, Bouanou emphasized that this call is «not based on any partisan logic and is not meant to create confusion within the government, but rather as an exercise in democracy». Bouanou defended his proposal by citing examples from the UK and France, where a loss of public

Belgian-Moroccan kickboxer Jamal Ben Saddik arrested for kidnapping and assault

Belgian authorities have arrested 33-year-old former world kickboxing champion Jamal Ben Saddik as part of an investigation into a kidnapping and assault. Local media reports confirm that the Antwerp-born boxer is in jail after allegedly ordering the kidnapping and assault of a dock worker at the port of Antwerp. The worker reportedly accepted an advance payment to extract a shipment of cocaine but failed to do so. Consequently, the criminal gang kidnapped and beat him. Chris Loix, Ben

Reda Bennani, first Moroccan in 20 years to win at Wimbledon Juniors

Moroccan tennis player Reda Bennani, seeded No. 14, qualified for the Wimbledon Juniors round of 16 on Monday, beating Britain's Oliver Bonding in three sets (6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (10-6)). With this victory, Bennani becomes the first Moroccan boy to win a junior main draw match at Wimbledon in 20 years, according to the official X account of the International Tennis Federation (ITF). The last similar win was by Mehdi Ziadi in 2004. Additionally, Bennani is only the fifth Moroccan junior player

Morocco's Houcine Ammouta new coach of Emirati club Al Jazira

Houcine Ammouta has been named new coach of UAE side Al Jazira. He will take charge of the club on a contract that runs until 2026. Ammouta played in the UAE Pro League (formerly known as the UAE soccer league) as a player for Sharjah in the 2002-2003 season, before embarking on a successful spell in Qatar with Al Sadd as both player and coach. Before joining Al Jazira, Ammouta made rose to fame as coach of the Jordanian national football team, leading the «Nashama» (The Falcons)

Rotterdam : Arson suspected in fire at Dutch-Moroccan Deputy Mayor's home

A fire broke out on Saturday in the house of Faouzi Achbar, the Dutch-Moroccan Rotterdam Deputy Mayor for the center-left political party THINK (Dutch: DENK), according to a Monday report by the Netherlands' national broadcaster NOS. The fire, believed to be arson, started around 22:30. Fortunately, Achbar and his family were not home at the time. It is unknown who started the fire and why the alderman was targeted, NOS explained, adding that the police say they are currently investigating the