The axe has fallen. Faced with the collapse of fish stocks, Rabat has decided to suspend the exports of frozen sardines as of February 1st. A shock measure aimed at protecting the purchasing power of Moroccan households, but which threatens to cause a shortage and a surge in prices in French supermarkets.
Maximum tension on the roads. Since October, international transport professionals have been facing a wave of visa refusals from the French consulate. A sudden tightening that is paralyzing activity and threatening trade with Europe.
The holidays have turned into an absolute nightmare. Yousri Khachroub, a 15-year-old football hopeful playing for FC Mougins (France), lost his life on New Year’s Eve in Marrakech . While going for a jog, the teenager suffered a fatal fall into an unsecured well while trying to escape from dogs.
The Taza court looked into a dark case of immigration fraud that has victimized many in the region on Monday. An Algerian national, presumed to be the mastermind of the operation, appeared for having, with the help of an accomplice, extracted astronomical sums from candidates for departure by promising them fake work contracts in Europe .
Europe is toughening its stance, but the reality on the ground is catching up with it. In the third quarter of this year, the European Union countries ordered nearly 6,700 Moroccans to leave the territory. An impressive figure on paper, but which hides a bitter failure in implementation: the vast majority of these expulsions are never carried out.
A page of history resurfaces from the depths of the Atlantic. Researchers have located the wreck of the French submarine Méduse, sunk off the Moroccan coast in November 1942. A major discovery that sheds new light on the remains of World War II in the waters of the Kingdom.
The Moroccan diaspora no longer hesitates to bring legal action in their country of origin. The latest report from the Public Prosecutor’s Office for the year 2024 reveals intense activity: more than 2,000 complaints have been filed by Moroccans residing abroad (MREs) , marking a renewed confidence but also a strong expectation towards the judicial system.
It is an intensifying judicial back-and-forth. In 2024, the prisoner exchanges between Morocco and its foreign partners have reached new heights. While the Kingdom is present to extradite the offenders demanded by Europe, mainly France, the reverse is not always true, particularly with Spain.
Foreign judges, particularly French ones, have never been as numerous in requesting Morocco to track down criminals or dirty money. The 2024 report from the Public Prosecutor’s Office reveals an explosion in requests for judicial assistance: 322 letters rogatory received , an increase of nearly 23% in one year.
Vigilance pays off at the strait. The customs services of the port of Tanger Med intercepted, this Saturday, an attempt to traffic precious metals. A lot of 43 gold coins , hidden in the luggage of a traveler coming from France, was seized during a routine check.
The rapprochement between Europe and Africa is a measurable scientific reality. A recent study reveals that the Iberian Peninsula is slowly pivoting towards Morocco, a geological movement that could, in the very long term, close the Strait of Gibraltar.
End of the run for a dangerous fugitive. The Moroccan police intercepted, at the port of Tangier, a 26-year-old Dutch national. The man was the subject of an Interpol red notice issued by France for very serious acts involving drug trafficking and homicide.