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

Al Hoceima : The CPJ demands the release of Hamid Mahdaoui

The US-based NGO Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged on Friday the Moroccan authorities to release Hamid Mahdaoui, director and editor-in-chief of the Badil.info news website, arrested on Thursday in Al Hoceima. «Moroccan authorities should release Hamid Mahdaoui and drop all charges against the journalist», said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program coordinator Sherif Mansour. «Journalists in Morocco should be free to report on matters of public importance

20th of July march : Reporters Without Borders criticizes attacks on press freedom

«Since the start of the Rif Hirak movement in October 2016, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has documented numerous violations of freedom of information.» Thus states a new press release published on Saturday, signed by the NGO and sent as an open letter to the Moroccan authorities and the international public opinion regarding the protest movement of the province of Al Hoceima. In particular, RSF denounced «the attitude of the Moroccan authorities which deliberately hinder

20th of July march : 6 people arrested according to the local authorities, 35 arrests local NGO says

«Identity checks carried out by the national security services on Thursday in Al Hoceima led to the arrest of six people among the participants to a demonstration which was not registered with the public authorities and consequently banned». The local authorities of the city of Al Hoceima, quoted by the news agency MAP, said on Friday.«It has been found that the arrested persons had search warrants issued against them for cases of ordinary offenses», said the same

20th of July March : A judicial investigation following the serious injury of Imad El Attabi is opened

Al Hoceima's Court of First instance prosecutor ordered on Friday an investigation to clarify the circumstances under which a person currently at the Mohammed V Hospital in the same city has suffered a serious head injury. In a press release reported by the MAP news agency, the prosecutor said that the opening of this judicial investigation was ordered after the local jurisdiction's prosecutor's office was informed on Thursday evening that a demonstrator known as Imad El Attabi, and currently

World Para Athletics: Mohamed Amguoun breaks 400m world record

Moroccan athlete Mohamed Amguoun set a new world record in the 400m competition in the T13 category for the visually impaired during the «World Para Athletics» championships held in London from the 14th to the 23rd of July. Amguoun, who gained a fifth gold medal for his country in the IPC Athletics World Championships, covered the distance in 46s and 92/100 ahead of Namibian athlete Johannes Nambala (48s 40/100) and Algerian Fouad Hamoumou (48s 65/100). Morocco is participating to

A Moroccan Youtuber makes Donald Trump sing «Despacito»

A Puerto Rican song, a Moroccan Youtuber and an American president, the three of these made it to the Internet thanks to Maestro Ziikos. After the success he achieved by making Barack Obama, USA's former president sing «I am in love with the shape of you» by Edd Sheeran, Zakaria Chaoui is back with another auto-tune hit. This time it is «Despacito», the streamed song with the highest audience at currently 4,6 billion views, Zakaria's version has been watched more than

20th July March : Activist Imad El Attabi severely injured

The Riffian activist, Imad El Attabi, was taken to the military hospital in Rabat on Friday morning in a critical condition. Speaking to Alyaoum 24, a source from the hospital has announced today that «he has a very low heart rate» and that «he is breathing with the help of a breathing apparatus». «He is in the resuscitation room and is in a coma. His condition is critical», concludes the source. The 25-year-old Imad El Attabi, was transported on Thursday

Al Hoceima : At least 83 protesters and police injured in clashes

83 people, including police officers and protesters were injured yesterday in clashes at Al Hoceima during a march that was banned by the local authorities beforehand, Al Hoceima’s prefecture said in a statement sent to Yabiladi. It also states that hundreds of people «attempted to organize a march despite its ban». «In accordance with the decision taken by Al Hoceima’s prefecture on the 17th of July 2017 regarding the prohibition of a protest march scheduled for

Said Chaou granted provisional release and forced to wear an ankle bracelet

The hearing of the infamous Said Chaou, a Riffian-Dutch former MP who was accused of drug trafficking, is scheduled for the 26th of September 2017. The date was revealed on Wednesday in a statement issued by the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice, Le Desk reports. As mentioned before, the accused is arrested for «drug trafficking, corruption an organized crime». According to the same source, the Zeeland-West-Brabant court decided to suspend Chaou’s

A British company to construct a wastewater facility in Laayoune

Biwater, a large-scale water and water waste company headquartered in Surry, England kicked off the establishment of a wastewater treatment plant in the city of Laayoune, Water and Water International website reports. The goal of this project is to ensure the treatment of 40 percent of the population's waterwaste. According to the same source «the new facility will provide pre-treatment, biological treatment and advanced tertiary treatment, including closed low pressure ultraviolet (UV).

Italy : A Moroccan national deported for terrorism allegations

A 22-year-old Moroccan national suspected of being a foreign fighter for the terrorist organization «Islamic State» was deported from Italy because he represented a potential threat to society. The young man had used many nick names in the few recent years, indicates the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 ore. On the 9th of January 2017, he was identified at the Milan Malpensa Airport amid giving misleading information about him. The procedure for identifying the nationality of the

Gdim Izik trial : Sentences are ranging from 2 years to life imprisonment

The court of criminal appeal in Sale has sentenced on Wednesday 19th of July, 23 defendants to prison terms ranging from two years to life imprisonment for killing 11 members of security forces during the Gdim Izik riots in November 2010. The court’s verdict sentenced all of Al machdoufi Ettaki and Zayyou Sidi Abderrahman to two years in prison, 4 and a half years for El Bakkay Laarbi, 6 and a half years for Dich Eddafi, 20 years to Toubali Abdellah Tahlil Mohamed and Khadda Lbachir, 25

A Moroccan national killed in the USA by stray bullet

A young Moroccan national named Yassine El Hamzaoui was killed in Kissimmee, a city in central Florida's Osceola County, just south of Orlando, USA. The deceased was shot by stray bullet on Saturday evening when he had just left his place, his mother told MAP news agency. The mother stated that the police are looking for the assailant and promised a USD 10,000 reward to anyone who could help find the him. The 23-year-old victim was buried on Tuesday right after al-Asr prayer in the

Morocco signed a visa-free travel agreement with Malaysia

The Moroccan and Malaysian governments have signed an agreement granting citizens from both countries the ability to travel freely without visa requirements, the Sundaily reports. According to the same source, the Foreign Affairs secretary-general, Datuk Ramlan Ibrahim and Morocco’s Ambassador to Malaysia Mohammed Reda Benkhaldoun signed a visa abolition agreement that will soon allow official and social visits to each other’s countries without visa for 90 days. «The

Morocco to establish an embassy in Zambia

Morocco is to open an embassy in Zambia by September 2017, according to Mounia Boucetta, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Zambia Dailymail online newspaper reported. Received on Monday by the Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs Harry Kalaba, Boucetta stated that the embassy will be run by a chargé d’affaires as an interim and will help boost the diplomatic ties between the two African countries. The Zambian Foreign Minister indicated that the opening of this new embassy

Errachidia : 5 killed and 21 injured in a road accident

5 people were killed and 11 severely injured out of 21 others 21 in a road accident on Tuesday around Ek Khenq commune on the national road number 13 linking Errachidia to Meknes. As soon as they were informed of the accident, the local authorities and the Emergency forces mobilized all the logistical means to transport the wounded to Moulay Ali Chrif provincial hospital and provide them with the necessary care. The bodies of the victims were transported to the morgue.

Marhaba operation 2017 : over 900 000 expats to enter Morocco via various crossing points

A total of 968,096 Moroccan expatriates returned to Morocco via a number of crossing points since the beginning of the 2017 Marhaba Operation, Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity said in a statement. During the same year, the number of arrivals increased by 5.36% compared to 2016, MAP news agency reported on Monday, noting that 452,559 people have joined Morocco by air and 515,537 by sea. Tangier’s port remains the most used access point with 30% share arrivals. A heavy influx will be

A Moroccan delegation visits Ireland to discuss potential agri-food cooperation

A Moroccan delegation presided by Hammou Ouhelli, Secretary of State for Rural Development, is on a business trip to Ireland in order to visit a number of state bodies, the Independent Ireland reports. According to the same source, the Seceretary of State is accompanied with senior officials from the ONSSA (office national de securité sanitaire et des produits alimentaires) and ADA (Agence pour le developpement agricole). The Moroccan delegation had the chance during this visit to hold