News Flash

Faouzi Bensaïdi's Moroccan take on «The Cherry Orchard» to premiere

Director, screenwriter, and actor Faouzi Bensaïdi's fifth feature film, «Jours d'été» (Summer Days), is slated for nationwide release on September 25, 2024. A Moroccan adaptation of Anton Chekhov's renowned play «The Cherry Orchard», this cinematic masterpiece is a dramatic comedy that delves into themes of intrigue, manipulation, passion, thwarted love, generational clashes, and the revealing of long-held truths. The film follows Jalila (Mouna

Morocco and Gabon sign memorandum to strengthen judicial cooperation

Minister of Justice Abdellatif Ouahbi and his Gabonese counterpart, Paul Marie Gondjout, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday in Rabat to enhance cooperation in the field of justice between Morocco and Gabon. The MoU aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation and expand its scope to include technical aspects of judicial administration, the exchange of expertise, know-how, best practices, and the organization of scientific meetings to leverage the strengths of both countries'

Teenager fatally struck by lightning in Chefchaouen

A 17-year-old man tragically lost his life on Tuesday evening when he was struck by lightning in the Tamourt community of Chefchaouen province. According to media reports, the incident occurred as the young man was holding a sharp object in a tree near his family's home. A companion who was with him at the time survived the lightning strike.

Two shepherds killed in an attack near Algerian-Moroccan border

Two shepherds were killed in a terrorist attack near the Algerian-Moroccan border on Monday, 16 September, according to local authorities. The incident occurred in a forested area of Beni Snouss in western Algeria. The victims, identified as Abdelhamid Jorda, 40, and Abdelkader Ben Chert, 43, were working when they were attacked by an armed group. Following the assault, the attackers rigged the crime scene with explosives, injuring three soldiers who arrived to recover the bodies. While the

French visa applicants in Morocco required to complete video verification

Effective September 18, 2024, Schengen visa applicants seeking services from the French consular service in Morocco through TLScontact must now undergo video call identification at the Rabat visa center. This new procedure has been implemented to safeguard applicants against fraudulent and costly third-party booking agencies. The appointment scheduling subcontractor aims to ensure fair and equitable access to appointments for all legitimate visa applicants. The types of visas affected by this

Madrid judge halts deportation of Sahrawi activists

A duty judge in Madrid has blocked the deportation of two Sahrawi activists to Morocco after the Spanish Interior Ministry rejected their asylum applications. The case has been referred to the National Court, which will issue a ruling this week. The two individuals, who identify as human rights activists, Ali Hamou (30) and Abdelrahman Kamal (29), were being held in the inadmissible detainees hall at Barajas Airport. They were scheduled for deportation to Marrakech on the night of Sunday,

Morocco sends firefighting support to Portugal amid devastating wildfires

Devastating wildfires have ravaged central and northern Portugal, forcing emergency services to seek assistance from neighboring countries, including Morocco and Spain. According to Reuters, citing the Portuguese civil protection authority, reinforcements from Morocco are expected to arrive on Wednesday to help contain the blazes that have tragically claimed seven lives in the Aveiro and Viseu districts. These fires have also destroyed numerous homes and consumed tens of thousands of hectares

Spain arrests Moroccan hacker sought by Morocco

The Spanish National Police identified and arrested an individual in Segovia based on an international arrest and extradition warrant issued by Morocco. The suspect was involved, along with others, in purchasing products online from shopping centers in Morocco using stolen bank cards. Spanish authorities began their investigation on August 20 after reviewing documents submitted to the Foreigners Office in Segovia, located about 90 kilometers from Madrid. The individual had applied for

Zouj Beghal crossing opens to repatriate Moroccans convicted in Algeria

On Monday morning, September 16, Algerian authorities transferred a new group of missing and detained Moroccan migrants to Morocco through the Zouj Beghal border post, according to the Moroccan Association for the Assistance of Migrants in Difficult Situation in Oujda. The association added that «52 young people, including three women and five minors, who were detained and imprisoned after completing their sentences in Algerian prisons, especially from the central region of Algeria, were

Anti-normalization group sues Moroccans for pro-Israel visit

A Moroccan anti-normalization group has filed a legal complaint against a group of Moroccan citizens who visited Israel and expressed support for its war on Gaza. The Observatory against Normalization alleges that the visit was sponsored by the Israeli government and constituted a serious crime. The complaint, filed with the Rabat Court of Appeal, seeks legal action against the Moroccan citizens involved. The Observatory has condemned the visit as a «dangerous act» that undermines

German tourist dies after shark attack off the coast of Dakhla

A 30-year-old German tourist, who was sailing on a British-flagged yacht off the coast of Dakhla, Morocco, was attacked by a shark. The woman, who had jumped into the water for a swim, was attacked by a shark that bit off her leg, according to German and Spanish media reports. The fatal attack occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday, September 16. The tourist was aboard the Dalliance Chichester, sailing approximately 180 kilometers west of Dakhla, when the incident took place. Reportedly, the

Morocco thwarts attempts by more than 4,000 people to enter Ceuta in recent days

Moroccan authorities arrested nearly 4,500 people who attempted to cross the border into Ceuta following a social media call to action. The operation, centered in Fnideq, resulted in the arrest of thousands of Moroccan adults and minors, as well as hundreds of migrants from other countries. Six separate attempts were made to enter Ceuta through the Tarajal border crossing, leading to the arrest of dozens of sub-Saharan and Algerian nationals. In Nador, Moroccan forces intercepted hundreds of

Polisario excluded from a Lebanon meeting of left-wing Arab parties

At the invitation of the Lebanese Communist Party, 17 left-wing Arab organizations from 10 countries in the region met last weekend in Beirut, Lebanon. Morocco was represented by the Unified Socialist Party (PSU). However, the organizers did not invite the Polisario to the congress, despite pressure from certain political groups, such as the Syrian Social Nationalist Party. «The exclusion of the Polisario was the condition we demanded to take part in this meeting. It was accepted by the

38 kg of cocaine seized at El Guergarat border crossing

The regional customs office of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab foiled an attempt to smuggle 38 kg of cocaine into Morocco at the El Guergarat border crossing (south of Dakhla) on Tuesday. This operation, carried out jointly with police officers at the import terminal, followed the scanning of a vehicle coming from abroad, according to a press release from the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab regional customs office. The drugs were concealed in a hidden compartment inside the vehicle's cab, the same source added.

Italian city of Gioia Tauro to host Moroccan Consulate for Calabria region

The city of Gioia Tauro in Calabria, Italy, has allocated space in the prestigious Palazzo Sant'Ippolito to serve as the headquarters for the Honorary Consulate of the Kingdom of Morocco for the Calabria region, according to Italian media The municipal administration, led by Mayor Simona Scarcella, made this decision to support the approximately 15,000 Moroccans living in Calabria, who will now have a point of reference in Gioia Tauro. In addition to being home to a strategically important

Viral photos of topless migrants : Investigation launched

Following the spread of photos on social media showing a group of men sitting on the ground and others in front of a concrete wall, the King's Attorney General at the Tetouan Court of Appeal announced that the Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered a judicial investigation into the matter to verify the authenticity of these images and the circumstances surrounding their dissemination. In a press release, the King's Public Prosecutor at the Tetouan Court of Appeal stated that the legal

Moroccan propolis shown to improve memory and protect brain function under chronic stress

Propolis, derived from the resin of a cactus-like plant native to Morocco, has been found to improve cognitive functions in cases of chronic mild stress. According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra, propolis produced by Euphorbia resinifera, a species of spurge native to the slopes of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, helped male rats overcome cognitive problems related to stress. Published in September by the peer-reviewed journal SpringerLink, the

Egypt's Picalbatros Group expands in Morocco with acquisition of four hotels

Egypt's Pickalbatros Group has acquired four hotels in Morocco this year, according to Al Sharq Business. The group's hotel capacity in Morocco now exceeds 2,600 rooms, as stated by Kamal Abu Ali, the group's president. The new additions include club Sangho with 349 rooms and Palmeraie Palace and Golf Hotel with a total of 640 rooms, both located in Marrakech. Additionally, the 410-room Palais des Roses in Agadir is part of the acquisition. Some of these hotels are expected to undergo