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

Morocco to be first African guest of honor at Denkmal Trade Fair in Germany

Morocco will be the first African country to be invited as the guest of honor at the Denkmal trade fair, taking place from November 7 to 9, 2024, in Leipzig, Germany. This European trade fair, focused on monument conservation, restoration, and the rehabilitation of old buildings, will emphasize the theme of climate change and sustainability for this edition, according to German media. Zouhair Bennani, Deputy Secretary General of ICOMOS Morocco, stated, «The idea was born to present at

Beach volleyball : Morocco Women's national team qualifies for World Cup-2024 in China

The women's national beach volleyball team (U19) has qualified for the World Cup, scheduled for August 27 to September 1, 2024 in China’s Shangluo. The national team, made up of Aida Lamzouk and Imane Fakhr, qualified for the Chinese World Cup after winning the silver medal at the African Beach Volleyball Championship, which took place in the Moroccan town of Martil, said the Royal Moroccan Volleyball Federation (FRMVB) in a statement. The men's national U20 volleyball team booked its

Palestinian PM thanks King Mohammed VI for support on Palestinian cause

On Monday in Ramallah, the Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, Mohammad Mustafa, expressed his thanks and gratitude to Morocco and King Mohammed VI for their «sustained efforts on behalf of the Palestinian cause». During a meeting in the Holy City with Ismail Ramli, coordinator of programs and projects at the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Acharif Agency, the Palestinian official emphasized the «importance of the Agency's presence» and offered «full support for its

PJD MPs demand inquiry into Morocco's Olympic performance

A group of PJD MPs is calling for an urgent meeting of the Culture, Education, and Communication Commission to investigate what they deem a disappointing performance by Moroccan athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In a letter addressed to the commission's chairman on Monday, August 12, the MPs demanded the attendance of Chakib Benmoussa, Minister of National Education, Preschool, and Sports, and Faïçal Laraichi, President of the Moroccan Olympic Committee since June 14, 2017. The

Calls for the release of lawyer Mohamed Ziane

A number of political figures and associations have launched an appeal for the release of lawyer Mohamed Ziane «before it's too late». Journalists Omar Radi, Taoufik Bouachrine, and Souleimane Raissouni, who were recently released from prison following a royal pardon on Throne Day, are among the signatories of the petition in favor of the 81-year-old former President of the Bar. This initiative was launched following a solidarity visit to Ziane's home on August 10 by a group of

Sahara : Sahrawi faction calls for ceasefire

Following in the footsteps of the UN Secretary-General, the Sahrawi Peace Movement (MSP) has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire by the Polisario, according to the daily La Razon on Monday, August 12. The breakaway organization from the separatist movement led by Brahim Ghali affirmed, in a press release, its commitment to reaching a «political agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco» through the roadmap outlined at the Dakar Conference (Senegal) in late October

Over 300 migrants thwarted in swim from Morocco to Ceuta

More than 300 people attempted to swim from Morocco to Ceuta early Monday morning. Spanish Civil Guard forces, in cooperation with Moroccan security personnel, intervened to prevent the crossings, according to Spanish media. Medical assistance was provided to the migrants, with around 80 percent of those treated being minors, according to the same source. In a similar incident the previous morning, another 150 people were intercepted in the same area. Most suffered from mild hypothermia and

Morocco PM Aziz Akhannouch criticized for using Darija in message to Atlas Cubs

Aziz Akhannouch is facing criticism from defenders of the Arabic language. They are upset over the congratulations written in Darija, Moroccan Arabic, that the head of government posted on social media to celebrate the Atlas Cubs' bronze medal win at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Fouad Abou Ali, president of the National Coalition for the Arabic Language in Morocco, argued that the prime minister's use of dialect in his message «contravenes the provisions of the Moroccan

Water stress : Morocco closes hammams in Casablanca and Marrakech for three days

Authorities in Marrakech and Casablanca have decided to close traditional Moroccan public baths, or hammams, for three days a week in response to the effects of drought and water stress. In the metropolis, hammam owners have been informed of the obligation to shut down from Monday to Wednesday of each week. In the ochre city, the wilaya of the region held a meeting on Saturday August 10 to uphold the decisions concerning both public baths and car washes. At the same time, local actions will

Morocco Royal Navy rescues 68 migrants off Dakhla, two found deceased

Two Royal Navy units intercepted a pirogue carrying 68 sub-Saharan migrants, including two deceased individuals, 16 km southwest of Dakhla on Sunday. The rescued migrants, who had set sail on August 5 for the Canary Islands, were brought to the port of Dakhla, where they received necessary care before being handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the usual administrative procedures, according to a press release from the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces. The two bodies were transported

UFC fighter Youssef Zalal to transform family's life in Morocco with bonus

Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Youssef Zalal recently earned his first $50,000 bonus in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The Casablanca native, who has lived in the United States for the past fifteen years, announced plans to use the prize money to improve the lives of his family in Morocco. In a press conference, Zalal expressed his excitement about fulfilling a long-held dream. «This was a goal of mine while fighting in the UFC: to go back to Morocco, where money can make a

Morocco shakes up boxing technical staff after Olympic disappointment

The Royal Moroccan Boxing Federation (FMRB) has dismissed its technical management following the disappointing performance of the Moroccan boxing team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The decision was made during an emergency meeting held last Friday in Rabat. The federation aims to implement reforms in preparation for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. In a press release issued on Saturday, the FMRB announced the dismissal of National Technical Director Othmane Fadli and the entire coaching

Algeria and Polisario gear up for key UN Sahara talks

Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, received his Polisario «counterpart», Mohamed Sidati, in Algiers on Sunday, August 11. «The meeting was devoted to examining and discussing developments on the issue of decolonization in Western Sahara, in light of the report recently presented by the UN Secretary-General, as well as the prospects for future diplomatic efforts in this regard, whether at the level of the Security Council or the UN General Assembly», the

High-tech balloons in Morocco-US military drill spark concerns in Spain

Morocco and the United States are jointly organizing «Arcane Thunder 24» in Agadir, a military exercise focused on electronic warfare that incorporates high-tech balloons and cutting-edge drones. The use of balloons has sparked panic in the Canary Islands, prompting local air traffic controllers to issue alerts. A Spanish news outlet reported «Balloons from Morocco detected spying on Spain», claiming the objects were flying at higher altitudes than commercial

Paris-bound flight from Agadir diverted over security concerns

A Transavia flight from Agadir was temporarily grounded at Orly airport this Sunday morning following a security alert. According to information from Atcu Paris, a crew member was alerted by the name of a Bluetooth device used by a passenger. French authorities were immediately notified. Upon landing, law enforcement officials isolated the aircraft on a runway. Airport authorities subsequently confirmed that no incidents occurred on board. Transavia explained that during flight TO3121 from

Moroccan international Yahia Attiat-Allah joins Al Ahly

On Friday, FK Sochi officially announced the loan transfer of Moroccan international Yahia Attiat-Allah to Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly for the 2024-2025 season. Al Ahly, who recently clinched their 44th Egyptian league title, secured the services of the 29-year-old defender. Notably, before departing on loan, Attiat-Allah extended his contract with the Russian club until the end of the 2026-2027 season. Following a challenging season that resulted in relegation to the Russian second division,

Thunderstorms and hail expected in northern Morocco this Sunday

Heavy thundery showers accompanied by hail and gusty winds are expected in several provinces of the Kingdom this Sunday, according to the Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM). Thundershowers, with rainfall amounts of 15 to 35 millimeters, are forecast from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. this Sunday in the provinces of Ifrane, Khénifra, Boulemane, and Midelt, the DGM stated in an orange alert bulletin.

Flight from Netherlands to Morocco disrupted after passengers' dispute

A flight from the Netherlands to Morocco was disrupted following an argument between two passengers on board. Dutch media reports say that a Transavia plane bound for Marrakech from Amsterdam-Schiphol had to turn back to its point of departure on Thursday, August 8. Once landed, the two men were removed from the aircraft by the staff. The plane departed again two and a half hours later. The Koninklijke Marechaussee, a police force that is part of the Dutch army and responsible for border