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

Royal Air Maroc to resume direct Casablanca-Beijing flights in January 2025

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced on Monday the re-establishment of the direct Casablanca-Beijing air route as part of the reinforcement of its international network. Launched in January 2020, this direct route was suspended a few weeks later due to the health crisis. Starting January 20, 2025, flights will operate three times a week, according to a press release from the airline. Flights departing from Casablanca will take place on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 3:15 p.m. (local time),

Olympics : French mayor closes Moroccan stand over Sahara comments

The mayor of Ile-Saint-Denis, Mohamed Gnabaly, ordered the closure of the Moroccan stand at Station Afrique, a fan zone within the Olympic Village. The decision followed comments made by Moroccan singer Saida Charaf, of Saharan origin, expressing support for Morocco's position on Western Sahara. In a press release, the ecologist mayor justified terminating the agreement with the Moroccan embassy due to a breach of neutrality commitments. He stated, «International politics have no place

Morocco and Algeria compete for AU Vice-Presidency in 2025

The next ordinary summit of the African Union, scheduled for February 2025, will see a race between Morocco and Algeria to win the first vice-presidency of the AU Commission, a position that is designated for the northern region of the continent. On August 3 and July 31, respectively, the two neighboring countries submitted their candidacies to the SADR's representative, Lamine Baali, who acts as dean of the regional grouping. He will forward them to the AU organs, according to Polisario media

Despite its recognition of the «SADR», a Nigerian government delegation visited Dakhla

A government delegation from Nigeria, led by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation/Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola, paid a working visit to Dakhla on Thursday to learn about Morocco's experience in the fields of maritime fishing and ports, according to MAP. The mission visited the construction site of the Dakhla Atlantique port project, an industrial unit for the enhancement of small pelagics, the aquaculture laboratory of the Institut National de

Anti-Muslim violence erupts in UK amid murderer identity rumors

Violent riots erupted in multiple British cities on Saturday following the murder of three young girls in northern England. The unrest involved hundreds of anti-immigration protesters who took to the streets after false rumors circulated on social media. These rumors falsely claimed that the suspect in Monday's fatal stabbing at a children's dance class in Southport was a radicalized Muslim immigrant, reports Reuters. Police have identified the suspect as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, a

2024 Olympics - Boxing/75 kg : Morocco's Khadija El Mardi eliminated in the quarterfinals

Moroccan boxer Khadija El Mardi was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the women's 75 kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Sunday, August 4. She lost to Australia's Caitlin Parker by a 4-1 judges' decision. Widad Bertal, another Moroccan boxer, was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the women's 54 kg category on Thursday, August 1, following a 4-0 loss to North Korea's Pang Chol-mi. Yasmine Mouttaki, Morocco's third boxing representative, was defeated by the Philippines' Aira

Polisario leader departs Mauritania without meeting President El Ghazouani

After forty-eight hours of waiting, the Polisario leader left Nouakchott on Saturday afternoon without having been received by President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani. Brahim Ghali was the last guest at the investiture ceremony, held on Thursday, August 1, to leave Mauritania. He had tried to secure an audience with the Mauritanian president, according to a local media report, but to no avail. Ghali arrived in Nouakchott on Wednesday, July 31, aboard an Algerian presidential plane made

Three tons of chira seized in massive El Jadida drug bust

In a joint operation on Friday, August 2, the Judicial Police and the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance arrested two brothers in El Jadida for attempting to smuggle three tons and 18 kilograms of chira. The DGSN announced the arrests on social media platform X on Saturday, August 3. One of the brothers, aged 38, has a criminal record and is suspected of being involved in a drug smuggling network operating international maritime routes. The operation took place in the village of

Chefchaouen ranked 8th most beautiful city in the world by AD

Chefchaouen has just been featured in a list of the «20 Most Beautiful Cities in the World» by Architectural Digest (AD), an American monthly magazine founded in 1920 and specializing in interior design and landscaping. The list was compiled by AD based on a city’s architecture, cultural treasures, historical relevance, and natural appeal. «The best cities offer something that can’t be found anywhere else», wrote AD in July. And Chefchaouen checked all the

Royal Air Maroc launches new Casablanca-Toronto route

Morocco’s national carrier Royal Air Maroc will launch a new direct route connecting Casablanca to Toronto, Canada, starting December 8, 2024, as part of its strategy to expand its international network. The airline will operate three weekly flights on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays using Boeing 787 Dreamliners. This marks Royal Air Maroc's second direct route to Canada, complementing its existing Casablanca-Montreal service. The new route aims to cater to the growing Moroccan

Moroccan U23 team qualifies for Olympic semi-finals with 4-0 victory against USA

In a match full of twists and turns, the Moroccan U23 soccer team qualified for the semi-finals of the men's tournament for the 2024 Olympic Games (JO 2024) by defeating the USA 4-0 on Friday at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris. This qualification is the first of its kind in the team’s history. The Atlas Cubs' opening goal came from Soufiane Rahimi in the 28th minute, who converted a penalty he had won himself. Ilias Akhomach doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, before Achraf

Entrepreneur sues Morocco over canceled cultural center opening in Amsterdam

Moroccan entrepreneur in the Netherlands is suing the Moroccan government over the canceled opening of a cultural center in Amsterdam. Organizational consultant Khalid Boutachekourt claims he has not been paid for his services despite multiple attempts to recover the debt after he was hired by Morocco to plan a grand opening for the center in 2015. The Moroccan government has long-held plans to establish a cultural center in Amsterdam, to be housed in a building it owns near the Artis

Spanish Interior Minister highlights Moroccan community's role in Spain's development

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska highlighted the role of Moroccan migration in Spain's development, noting that «it is an example and a model of success in the field of integration and cooperation». «The Moroccan community, numbering more than one million people, is a model of success in Spain in terms of integration and cooperation, and plays a fundamental role in the development of our country and the strengthening of relations between our two

Morocco and Australia unite with new business network to enhance trade

Morocco and Australia have created their first organization dedicated to promoting bilateral trade between the two countries. Named the Australia Morocco Business Network (AMBN), the organization was launched in Adelaide, South Australia, according to a press release sent Friday to Yabiladi. The newly established platform is led by Moroccan Soufiane Rboub, who previously served as President of the Arab Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and as a board member of an advisory committee

Morocco's ex-PM Benkirane attends Hamas leader Haniyeh's funeral in Doha

The Secretary General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdelilah Benkirane, attended the funeral ceremony of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of Hamas, on Friday. Haniyeh was assassinated by Israel last Wednesday in Tehran, Iran. The ceremony took place in Doha, Qatar. In addition to Benkirane, Mohamed Réda Benkhaldoun, head of the party's International Relations Committee, also attended the funeral. Tens of thousands performed funeral prayers for Haniyeh at the

Morocco-Argentina parliamentary friendship group officially established in Buenos Aires

The Morocco-Argentina Parliamentary Friendship Group was officially established on Thursday in the Congress of Argentina. The ceremony was attended by Morocco's ambassador in Buenos Aires, Fares Yassir, and the group's president, MP Maria Emilia Orozco. The Morocco-Argentina Friendship Group consists of 12 deputies representing the entire political spectrum of the Argentine Congress. On this occasion, the group's president highlighted the Congress of Argentina's commitment to strengthening

Moroccan skateboarder Aya Asaqas makes Olympic debut with stylish twist

Moroccan skateboarder Aya Asaqas is making history at the Paris 2024 Olympics, becoming the first African and Arab woman to qualify for the event. To celebrate this milestone, the Royal Moroccan Federation of Urban Sports has partnered with fashion designer Samira Haddouchi to create unique skateboards adorned with traditional Moroccan motifs. Adorned with traditional Moroccan motifs such as zellij and caftan, this collaboration is exhibited from July 27 to August 12 at La Villette, as part of

National march in Rabat to commemorate Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh

The National Action Group for Palestine has announced a national march to commemorate Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed by an Israeli raid in Iran. The march will be held on Saturday, August 3, starting from Bab al-Ahd Square in Rabat at 11 am. The group stated that this march is being organized «as a continuation of the overwhelming popular mobilization that the Moroccan people have engaged in across the country in support of the Palestinian resistance and against