Morocco's exports surge 5.3% to 331 billion dirhams  (Read more...)

Sahara : King Mohammed VI underlines principles set in his November 2017 speech

The Sahara question was briefly mentioned by King Mohammed VI in his August the 20th speech. «Morocco has been confidently and responsibly engaged in the dynamic action launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in cooperation with his Personal Envoy», said the sovereign. He also welcomed the fact that «the recent resolutions of the UN Security Council and the African Union Summit confirm, without a shadow of a doubt, that the United Nations Organization has

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to visit Rabat in September

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to visit the Kingdom of Morocco in September, reveals Spanish newspaper El Confidencial. The visit will take place during the «first half of September», well-informed sources told El Confidencial. Sanchez will be heading to Rabat at the heart of a migration crisis that pushed him alongside German chancellor Angela Merkel to help Morocco receive more aids. For the record, the newly appointed president had broken up with the tradition

Morocco’s midfielder Youssef Ait Bennasser rejoins AS Monaco

French-Moroccan midfielder Youssef Ait Bennasser is rejoining French club AS Monaco, reports sports TV channel Eurosport. Très heureux et fier de débuter mon aventure avec l'@AS_Monaco ?⚪ #DagheMunegu pic.twitter.com/Yhnbl3FBlg — Y. Ait Bennasser (@YAitbennasser) 20 août 2018 Although he joined the club on June the 25th, 2016, Ait Bennasser has never played for Monaco because he was loaned to AS Nancy-Lorraine and SM Caen. The 22-year-old footballer said he

Moroccan-Dutch retired footballer Abdellah Nouri wakes up from coma

In a coma for more than a year, Moroccan-Dutch midfielder Abdelhak Nouri woke on August the 5th and is able to communicate through sign language, reported his family. Named as one of the best 40 youth players by the Guardian in 2014, Abdelhak Nouri collapsed during a friendly match against Werder Bremen, due to cardiac arrhythmia on July the 8th, 2017. He was transferred to the hospital and his family was told by doctors that he had suffered severe and permanent brain damage as a

The Council of Ministers approves the bill on compulsory military service

The Council of Ministers, held Monday 20th of August, approved bill 44.18 on compulsory military service, indicates the government in a communiqué sent Monday to Yabiladi. The meeting, attended by the Prime Minister’s cabinet discussed a series of decisions, including the appointment of several Walis and governors. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 14 new ambassadors were appointed. Youssef Lamrani, currently in charge of the royal cabinet, is expected to be

Banque Populaire’s CEO Mohamed Benchaaboun to serve as Morocco’s Finance Minister

King Mohammed VI received on Monday, 20th of August, at the Royal Palace in Rabat, Mohamed Benchaaboun and appointed him as the Kingdom’s Minister of Finance and Economy. «According to Article 47 from the Constitution, and following the suggestion of the Prime Minister, King Mohammed VI received Mohamed Benchaaboun», said a communiqué issued by the royal communiqué on the same day. For the record, Benchaaboun studied at the National School of Telecommunications

An armed man shot dead near a police station in Spain

An armed man attacked a police station in the municipality of Cornella de Llobregat (Catalonia), earlier this morning, 20th of August. The 29-year-old who was carrying a knife was shot dead by one of the policemen, reports BFMTV. The attack is being treated as a terror attack, explains Spanish newspaper El Mundo. The assailant is an Algerian national who shouted «Allah Akbar», when trying to force his way into the facility. According to local media, the man lives in the town and

Military leaders slammed in the Polisario for their multiple travels

Military leaders in the Polisario are slammed for their multiple travels. In an article published Saturday, 19th of August, Futuro Sahara criticized the Front’s officials for leaving the camps and staying most of the time in Spain, Algeria and Cuba. The media which is close to Brahim Ghali’s main opponent Lamine Ould El Bouhali, questioned the efficiency of the military plan set by the Front’s leadership to counter any military offences. «Their absence impacts the

Cyril Ramaphosa urges the Southern African Development Community to pressure Morocco

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to pressure Morocco, referring to the Western Sahara conflict. His call was made public during the 38th summit of the inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana, concluded on Saturday 18th of August, says Namibian online newspaper. Speaking during the meeting, Ramaphosa called the body, which includes several countries known for backing the Polisario’s

King Mohammed VI pardons 450 inmates, including 22 convicted for terror-related cases

On the occasion of the Revolution of the King and the People, King Mohammed VI granted his pardon to 428 inmates sentenced by the different Moroccan courts, as well as to 22 individuals convicted in extremism and terrorism cases, said a statement by the Justice ministry. The detained beneficiaries of the pardon are 329 and are divided into: - 325 prisoners who had their prison terms reduced. - 04 inmates who had their prison sentences commuted from life imprisonment to fixed prison

Cycling : Morocco qualifies for world championships in Austria

Morocco has qualified for the world cycling championships, to be held on September 22-30 in Innsbruck, Austria. Morocco will participate in this competition alongside 64 other countries including 8 African nations, namely South Africa, Eritrea, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Tunisia, said president of the Royal Moroccan Cycling Federation (FRMC), Mohamed Belmahi. Eight Moroccan athletes will take part in the competition, which is the annual world championship

Genoa bridge collapse : Consul general in Turin represents Morocco at the state funerals

The Moroccan consul general in Turin Mohamed Khalil represented, Saturday, the Kingdom of Morocco at the State funerals for the victims of Tuesday's bridge collapse in Genoa. King Mohammed VI had sent a message of condolence and compassion to president of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, in which the Sovereign expressed to him, the grieving families and to the friendly Italian people, his deep condolences and sincere feelings of compassion, imploring God to grant them patience and

Police arrests two Spanish nationals in Marrakech over drug trafficking

The Marrakech criminal police arrested, on Friday, two nationals who were subjected to an international arrest warrant issued by the Spanish judicial authorities for their involvement in international drug trafficking cases. A statement by the national police (DGSN) said that the suspects, who were illegally residing in Morocco, were arrested on the basis of a warrant from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking case aboard

Madonna puts fun in sexagenarian in Marrakech

To celebrate her 60th birthday in Marrakech, the pop queen, Madonna, mobilized the country’s most talented fashion designers. The diva posted on her Instagram account photos taken by Moroccan contemporary artist Hassan Hajjaj, says French-Language newspaper Le 360. Madonna photographed by Hassan Hajjaj in Marrakech during her 60th birthday party./Ph. Instagram The sexagenarian changed her look to become a modern, chic and edgy Berber woman with a Louis Vuitton head cover. The Moroccan

A Muslim couple denied citizenship for refusing a handshake

A committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, refused to grant citizenship to a Muslim couple after they rejected a handshake and refused to answer questions asked from people of the opposite sex, says Agence France-Press. «We found out that they were not integrated in the Swiss society», said Gregory Junod, mayor of the city located near the Geneva Lake. «When we require to be citizens of a certain country, we must comply with its laws and gender equality», he added. The

Football : Morocco's Munir El Haddadi to stay at Barça for another season

Spanish-Moroccan striker Munir El Haddadi has decided to stay at FC Barcelona for another season rather than be loaned to another club, reports MAP press agency quoting El Mundo Deportivo. The managers of the blaugrana club reaffirmed to the young player their desire to continue the adventure together. According to the technical director of FC Barcelona, Eric Abidal, El Haddadi represents the future of the Catalan club. In May, the Court of Arbitration for Sport has rejected an

Morocco’s Hamza Mendyl joins Schakle 04 on a five-year contract

Moroccan defender Hamza Mendyl signed on Friday, 17th of August, a deal with the German club Schalke 04, reports Reuters. The 20-year-old football player left French club OSC Lille for a five-year contract, one year before the start of the Bundesliga season. Mendyl was part of Hervé Renard’s World Cup squad. He flew to Russia with the Atlas Lions but did not have a chance to play with them, says the same source. He will be joining Moroccan midfielder Amine Harit who has

Saudi Arabia : Several mobile apps to make hajj easier

While two million people are expected to perform Hajj in Mecca, starting from Sunday the 19th, several mobile apps in different languages have been created to facilitate their arrival, says France 24. Dubbed «Smart hajj», this initiative will allow pilgrims to find their way or get emergency medical care from the Saudi Red Crescent, after sharing their location. The Ministry of Pilgrimage has created the «Manasikana» app, which operates as a translator for non-Arabic