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Morocco’s conundrum: deepening alliance with Israel’s ultra-nationalist government vs. supporting the Palestinian cause,
By Philippe Agret: Morocco is struggling to balance its alliance with Israel with support for the domestically popular Palestinian cause, an increasingly complex challenge with Israel ruled by its most right-wing government ever. The North African country normalised...
10 dead after Moroccan fishing boat sinks off Western Sahara
At least 10 fishermen drowned Tuesday when a Moroccan trawler sank in the Atlantic off the coast of disputed Western Sahara, authorities said, adding that two crew members remained missing. "Five sailors were rescued while the bodies of 10 others were recovered," an...
Moroccan police announce arrest of three suspected militants
Moroccan police on Wednesday arrested three suspected members of the Islamic State group over the killing of an officer whose charred body was found this month, the authorities said. The two main suspects were detained following "security operations" in Casablanca and...
European Union to enact new lobbying measures in the aftermath of Qatargate
The European Parliament is pushing to stop former members from lobbying legislators for six months after leaving office, in response to a bribery scandal that has rocked the EU. Parliamentary sources said the plan was agreed by senior MEPs on Monday as part of the...
European elites are learning that they are not beyond the law: Head of ITUC fired in Qatargate case
The general secretary of the international union ITUC has been dismissed from his post over his links to a European parliament graft scandal implicating Qatar, the confederation said. Luca Visentini was arrested in December as part of the investigation into suspected...
Morocco’s stance on Israel-Palestinian conflict creates rift between monarchy and opposition party
Photo: Ex Prime Minister and current head of the PJD party, Abdelilah Benkirane: Morocco's royal court on Monday criticised comments by a leading Islamist opposition party that accused the authorities of bias towards Israel. The North African country and Israel...
Rome and Rabat in talks to extradite thousands of Moroccans jailed in Italy
Italy is asking Morocco to repatriate some 3,500 Moroccan inmates imprisoned in Italian prisons. Among the inmates targeting for deportation, are nearly 2,400 who have already been received court sentences. A meeting between Italian Minister of Justice Carlo Nordi...
Morocco applies for $5 bil IMF loan, likely to get the loan
On 6 March 2023, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board met in an informal session to consider a request from Morocco for a two-year loan arrangement under the IMF’s Flexible Credit Line (FCL). The amount under consideration is US$ 5 billion. The...
Maghreb competition: The ridiculous debate over who should claim ownership of the Haiek veil
Opinion by Arezki Daoud: Competition between the regimes of Algeria and Morocco has gone mainstream. Now Algerians and Moroccans are battling each other over the silliest things, from who presumably owns specific foods to who should claim ownership of specific arts...
Morocco: Appeals court reduces sentence of rights activist Rida Benotmane but he is still in prison
A Moroccan appeals court halved the sentence of rights activist Rida Benotmane, jailed for social media posts calling for rallies against "abuses by security forces", his lawyer said Tuesday. "The sentence has been reduced to a year and a half in prison," said lawyer...
How Morocco’s image is taking a beating at the European Parliament ($)
Morocco’s image in the European Parliament has taken a hit these days with its members (MEPs) investigating allegations of bribes paid by Morocco to influence the parliament’s positions on issues important to the North Africa nation. Furthermore, MEPs have also been active investigating Morocco’s alleged use of Pegasus spyware and how it is still detaining independent journalists in its prisons. These allegations are making Morocco’s standing in the European parliament difficult to hold. There is even the risk of the country’s representatives being banned from entering the EU parliament’s facilities.
Morocco: Inflation exceeds 8%, unions protest economic hardship, defy government’s ban on marches
Moroccan trade union activists protested Sunday in the capital Rabat and other cities to denounce surging costs of food and fuel, defying a government ban against marches. Protesters from the Democratic Labour Confederation (CDT) staged rallies outside their offices...
Belgian police detain Member of European Parliament in alleged Morocco/Qatar bribery scandal
Police on Friday detained a Belgian European Parliament member for questioning after searching a bank safe belonging to him as part of a probe into a bribery scandal that has rocked the EU. Belgium's federal prosecutors said "several raids" were carried out Friday...
Construction of a Morocco-Spain tunnel under consideration but challenges abound
By Valentin Bontemps: In limbo for years, plans for a tunnel linking Spain and Morocco have been officially revived by Madrid and Rabat although the dream of an underwater rail link faces multiple obstacles. What is the project? The idea was first raised in 1979 by...
Morocco: European Parliament to launch hearing on Morocco’s alleged use of Pegasus spyware, Morocco denies claim
The Moroccan parliament decried Wednesday an "unjust campaign" against it at the European Parliament ahead of a hearing in Brussels over the North African country's alleged use of Pegasus spyware. The European Parliament is set to hear from experts, human rights...
Morocco: Man sets himself ablaze outside Morocco consulate in Madrid, motives unknown
A Moroccan man sustained serious injuries after setting himself on fire outside the Moroccan consulate in Madrid on Tuesday, police and diplomatic sources told AFP. He was badly burnt and emergency services took him to hospital. It took place in a northeastern...
Morocco/Qatar: Probe on corruption scandal and bribery in EU parliament set to intensify
By Matthieu Demeestere: Under the terms of a plea deal struck with Belgian investigators, former Italian lawmaker Pier Antonio Panzeri has begun to spill the beans in the graft scandal rocking the European Parliament. Panzeri is the central figure in a suspected...
Morocco: Criticized by EU Parliament, Rabat hits back in what could become a diplomatic row
Moroccan lawmakers on Monday voted unanimously to review ties with the European Parliament, accusing it of meddling after a resolution that urged the kingdom to respect press freedom. Members of both houses of Morocco's parliament met in the capital Rabat for a joint...
Western Sahara: Brahim Ghali reelected head of Polisario Front
The Polisario Front, which seeks independence for Western Sahara, re-elected its leader Friday in its first vote since the breakdown of a UN-supervised truce with Morocco, which controls most of the disputed territory. Brahim Ghali, 73, was elected to a new three-year...
Morocco: Euro Parliament concerned about press freedom in Morocco as kingdom denies corruption allegations
The European Parliament on Thursday condemned what it described as a decline in press freedom in Morocco, saying it was "concerned" by corruption allegations against Rabat. A corruption scandal involving European Parliament members that erupted last month sent...
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