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

Moroccan international Ilias Akhomach suffers serious knee injury

Villarreal CF confirmed on Sunday that Moroccan striker Ilias Akhomach has suffered a serious knee injury. The 20-year-old sustained a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during Saturday's La Liga match against Alavés. Akhomach, who was forced off the field on a stretcher, is expected to be sidelined for an extended period. The young forward has taken to social media to express his determination to recover

Russia-Africa : Putin did not invite the Polisario to the Sochi meeting

President Vladimir Putin invited African states to a ministerial meeting in Sochi on November 9th and 10th. Morocco was represented by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. Similar to the July 2023 Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, the Polisario was excluded from this meeting. Algeria, though present through Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, did not publicly react to the Polisario's absence. This is in contrast to his previous stance at the African Union's Executive Council meeting in Accra,

Former Moroccan international Abdelkader Lachheb passes away

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has announced the passing of former Moroccan international Abdelkader Lachheb at the age of 70. In a press release, the FRMF expressed its condolences to Lachheb's family, loved ones, and the entire football community. Lachheb, who served as Morocco's ambassador to Canada, Japan, and Russia, represented the national team on several occasions. He also played for prominent Moroccan clubs, including Wydad Casablanca, US Musulmane d'Oujda, and

Former Moroccan football star Hassan Akesbi passes away

Hassan Akesbi, a legendary Moroccan footballer, passed away on Saturday after a long illness. He was 89 years old. Born in Tangier in 1935, Akesbi began his career with Sevillana Tangiers before joining FUS Rabat. He later moved to France, where he played for Nîmes Olympique, scoring 119 goals in 204 games, making him the club's all-time top scorer. Akesbi also had successful stints with Stade de Reims, where he was the second-highest scorer in the French league in 1961-1962 and the

Polisario attacks civilians with projectiles in Al Mahbes

Armed elements of the Polisario fired rockets on Saturday at the city of Al Mahbes, located in the Sahara. «The four projectiles fell not far from tents hosting Sahrawi civilians who were commemorating the 49th anniversary of the Green March, but without causing any casualties», said a Moroccan source close to the matter in statements to Yabiladi. «This operation was carried out by members of the Polisario who were aboard four all-terrain vehicles. A drone of the Royal Armed

Two ships banned in Spain dock in Tangier en route to Israel

After the Spanish government refused docking access, two ships from the Maersk shipping company, en route to Israel, made a stopover in Tangier. «The two cargo ships docked at the port of Tanger-Med», stated Jamal El Asri, former national coordinator of the Moroccan Front for the Support of Palestine and Against Normalization, in a statement to Yabiladi. «But we are unsure if the ships are carrying weapons for the Zionist entity, especially after Maersk’s denial»,

Moroccan Navy rescues 52 migrants bound for Canary Islands

A Royal Navy unit on patrol intercepted a rubber boat carrying 52 irregular migrants, including 51 from sub-Saharan Africa and one from Bangladesh, 77 kilometers northwest of Tantan on Friday. The migrants were attempting to reach the Canary Islands. The rescued individuals received initial medical attention before being transported to the port of Tantan and handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for further processing. This information was confirmed in a communiqué issued by the General

Moroccan group urges authorities to halt extradition of Egyptian-Turkish dissident

The Moroccan Organization for the Support of Political Detainees has called on Moroccan authorities to release Egyptian-Turkish citizen Abdelbaset al-Imam and to annul his extradition to Egypt. In a statement, the organization expressed «great concern over the case of Egyptian-Turkish citizen Abdelbaset al-Imam, who was detained at Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca on Sunday, November 3, 2024, under an extradition warrant issued by the Egyptian authorities». «According to our

Moroccan medical students end 11-month strike following agreement with government

After an 11-month strike, the National Committee of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Dental Students announced that it has signed a settlement agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, under the supervision of the Kingdom’s Mediator. The committee noted that the decision followed «a democratic day in the faculties of medicine and pharmacy, with large gatherings and strong student turnout to participate in

Moroccan director of pro-Israel group questioned for calling Prophet Muhammad a «zionist»

The Morocco director of Sharaka, an Israeli-Arab organization that promotes Arab normalization with Israel has been questioned by the National Judicial Police Squad in Casablanca following a complaint filed last month by anti-normalization activists. The complaint was directed against members of a Moroccan youth delegation that visited Israel in July. Youssef Azhari, who led the delegation during its July visit, was summoned by police on Monday as part of an investigation stemming from this

Edna Imade : A Nigerian football Star, born in Morocco to a migrant mother

Edna Imade, a rising star in Spanish women's football, could be the next big thing for Nigeria's national team, the Super Falcons. The 22-year-old forward's remarkable journey began in 2000 when her pregnant mother left Nigeria, crossing the Sahara Desert to reach Morocco, where Edna and her twin brother Paul were born. According to Soccernet, the Imad family spent three months in Morocco before emigrating to Spain, where they faced many challenges upon arrival, eventually settled in Seville.

Sahara : Algeria denies trade freeze with France

The Algerian government, through its official media channels, has denied reports that it suspended trade with France following Paris's recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. The Algérie Presse Service (APS) attributed these «false allegations», as described by the Prime Minister, to «the former French ambassador to Algeria, whose hostility toward Algeria is well known». «The Prime Minister’s media department categorically denies

Morocco grants citizenship to UFC fighters Ismail and Islam Naurdiev

In an exceptional move, Morocco has granted citizenship to brothers Ismail and Islam Naurdiev, renowned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters. Born in Grozny, Russia, the two athletes were awarded Moroccan citizenship through royal decrees published in the Official Bulletin on November 3, 2024. This decision lifts certain restrictions outlined in Article 17 of the Moroccan Nationality Code, which typically apply to newly naturalized citizens during their first five years. These

Five Moroccans confirmed dead in Spain floods, Valencia consulate reports

The number of Moroccan victims from the deadly Valencia floods has risen to five, with ten others still missing, the Moroccan consulate in Valencia confirmed to Yabiladi on Friday. According to Consul General Said Idrissi Bouzidi, the bodies of three additional victims, including a 59-year-old man and two individuals born in 2000, were recovered on Thursday. The consulate is awaiting the completion of legal procedures before transferring the bodies of all five victims to Morocco for

175 migrants and 8 organizers of irregular migration arrested in Tan Tan and Sidi Ifni

On November 6 and 7, 2024, units of the Royal Armed Forces (RAF), in close cooperation with local authorities and security forces, conducted operations to apprehend irregular migration candidates in the cities of Tan-Tan and Sidi Ifni, as well as off the coast of Tan-Tan. These operations resulted in the arrest of eight Moroccan organizers and 175 irregular migrants of various nationalities, along with the seizure of five Jeeps, according to a statement from the General Command of the Royal

EFE alters caption on Green March photo after pressure from Polisario supporters in Spain

The caption on a photo accompanying a news article from the Spanish state-owned news agency EFE about the royal speech on November 6 put Polisario supporters in Spain on high alert on Thursday. «EFE considers that the Green March liberated the ‘Moroccan Sahara’ from ‘Spanish colonialism'», reported an Iberian media outlet. After some hesitation, EFE eventually yielded to the pressure, altering the caption—a change welcomed by the same media outlet in a

Polisario reacts to King Mohammed VI's speech

In his speech on Wednesday, November 6, marking the 49th anniversary of the Green March, King Mohammed VI directed messages to Algeria, omitting any mention of the Polisario. In a statement released on Thursday, the Polisario repeated its usual accusations against Morocco, claiming the kingdom has «blocked all stages of implementing the United Nations-African settlement plan by consistently rejecting the referendum on self-determination». This process, however, is no longer

Government to implement royal directives on Moroccans living abroad, PM says

Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch announced on Thursday that the government will work diligently to implement the royal vision outlined in King Mohammed VI’s speech marking the 49th anniversary of the Green March. Akhannouch emphasized the importance of the Moroccan community abroad in defending the national cause of territorial integrity and the sacred symbols of the nation. He highlighted the King’s call to restructure the institutional framework for managing the affairs of