The Polisario Front's quest to establish a state in Western Sahara is gradually diminishing, according to a South African think tank, which added that South African officials believe the separatist front has failed to garner international support for its demands, while Morocco continues to rally support for its 2007 autonomy proposal.
Italian authorities have fined Air Arabia Maroc 85,000 euros (915,249 dirhams) for failing to transmit passenger reservation data (PNR) to border police. According to Italian newspaper Il Corriere, border officials in the northwestern province of Cuneo detected irregularities during checks on a flight from Morocco at Levaldigi airport. Le360 reports that Air Arabia Maroc is the sole airline operating direct flights from Casablanca to this destination, which is popular among low-cost
«The overwhelming public support for our case strongly refutes all slander and false, morally abusive allegations», the Hirak Rif detainees stated, referring to the widespread expectation that they would be pardoned on the anniversary of the King and the People's Revolution. In a letter conveyed by Nasser Zefzafi's father, Nasser Zefzafi, Samir Aghir, Mohamed Haki, Zakaria Adhehchour, and Nabil Ahmajik added that this public support «is a spontaneous referendum without any
Manuel Ángel López has assumed command of the patrol boat «Isla Pinto», based in the port of Melilla. The military officer, who took office on August 1, 2024, has issued warnings to Morocco. «We must remind Morocco that Spain maintains sovereignty over the two cities of Ceuta and Melilla and has territorial waters with associated rights that must be respected», he emphasized in press statements on Monday. «Moroccan boats cannot fish in Spanish
The option of «self-determination for the Saharawi people», championed by the Polisario leadership and Algeria, is losing support even among Saharawis most opposed to Morocco. This shift is evident in the reaction of Said Zarwal, who has been living in Sweden for years following threats from a Polisario «minister», to the communiqué issued by the Front's General Secretariat after its August 20 meeting. Zarwal stated, «Anyone who bets on the UN-sponsored
The Canary Coalition, a governing party in the Canary Islands, has expressed concern over the Royal Moroccan Navy's naval exercises in Saharan waters. Cristina Valido, the coalition's sole deputy in the Spanish parliament, warned on Wednesday about the potential ecological risks of Morocco's military maneuvers near Fuerteventura, a region known for its cetacean populations. Valido urged the Spanish government, particularly the Foreign Minister, to disclose information about the
Passengers returning from Morocco to Manchester earlier in August are still waiting for their luggage after being informed that the aircraft that flew them to the UK had one of its luggage holds infested with cockroaches. According to The Independent, the flight in question was Royal Air Maroc flight AT818, which flew from Casablanca to Manchester on Thursday, August 15. One of the travelers on the flight told the newspaper that after arriving in Manchester, passengers couldn't retrieve their
The Mauritanian town of Aoujeft, located in the Adrar region, hosted a festival dedicated to Hassanie culture from August 17 to 19. The event was organized by the World Union of Hassani Poets, founded in February 2022 in Nouakchott, which invited a Polisario delegation to participate in the festival. This invitation led to the festival losing its sponsorship from the Mauritanian government, according to a media outlet in Nouakchott. The Agence Mauritanienne de Presse (AMI) did not report the
The Royal Mansour in Marrakech has been named winner of the No.3 Gin Art of Hospitality Award, taking the top spot ahead of the upcoming International 50 Best Hotels in the World Awards in September 2024. The 600 voters of The World's 50 Best Hotels Academy chose the Royal Mansour as the establishment where they had the «best experience during the 18-month voting period». The award recognizes an establishment and its staff for «exceptional service and unrivalled attention to
In 1966, British singer and song-writer Graham Nash visited Morocco. He took the train from Casablanca to Marrakesh and ended up writing a song about it. His track became a WoodStuck hit in the 70s.