[MAP] Riyadh -- Moroccan contestant Younes Mustapha Gharbi won the first place in the category of recitation of the Holy Quran of the international Saudi competition "Otr Elkalam," (Scent of Speech) which targets talented people with beautiful voices in reciting the Quran and performing adhan, according to results announced Wednesday by the Saudi General Entertainment Authority.

[FrontPageAfrica] Monrovia -- The Lone Star got what appears to be the toughest pairings at the 2023 African Cup of Nations draw on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

[SPS] New York -- The New York Support Group for the Independence of Western Sahara called on the UN Security Council to find a way to enable the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to accomplish its main mission consisting in the organization of a referendum on self-determination in Africa's last colony.

[MAP] Rabat -- The government is committed to achieving all the sustainable development goals, said Thursday in Rabat, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch.

[SPS] New York -- The representative of the Polisario Front to the United Nations and Coordinator with MINURSO Sidi Mohamed Omar underlined that the only applicable option for the settlement of the conflict in Western Sahara is to enable the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination and independence.

[MAP] Rabat -- The judicial police of Oujda arrested, on Thursday, on the basis of accurate information provided by the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), eight individuals, aged between 20 and 43, for their alleged links with a criminal network active in the counterfeiting of official documents required to apply for visas for several foreign countries.

[DW] Tensions between the two north African neighbors have risen again after reports of a Moroccan air strike. Algeria has claimed that the attack was "targeted."

[Ghanaian Times] Ghana's senior national female team, the Black Queens have left Accra for Rabat ahead of tomorrow's international friendly match against Morocco.

[Egypt Online] International Cooperation Minister Rania el Mashat held on Friday 08/04/2022 a number of meetings with representatives of Jordan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco and the World Bank during her visit to Jeddah to attend the Annual High-Level meetings with Arab Financial Authorities and Institutions.

[DW] Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez and Moroccan King Mohammad VI met in Rabat after a year of tense relations. Spain said it backed the kingdom's plan of limited autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty for Western Sahara.

[MAP] Marrakech -- The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) has recently commissioned a major project to supply drinking water to the city of Marrakech and neighboring towns and localities from the Al Massira dam, for a total amount of 2.50 billion dirhams.

[MAP] Rabat -- The Faculty of Letters and Humanities (FLSH) of Rabat organized on Tuesday a symposium under the theme "monotheistic religions bearers of messages of peace".

[MAP] Rabat -- After a great performance along with his horse "All at Once" at the international dressage competition S'hertogenbosh in the Netherlands, Moroccan rider Yessin Rahmouni will officially represent Morocco at the 2022 Dressage World Cup final.

[The Point] The Gambia women national team coach, Mariama 'Bom' Sowe has said that this month's friendly encounter against 2022 African Women's Cup of Nations host, Morocco, will serve as a morale booster for her side that missed out in the final round of the competition to Cameroon.

[Tunis Afrique Presse] Tunis/Tunisia -- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation launched a call for small grants for associations from Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Morocco running projects to support biodiversity conservation.

[SPS] New York (United Nations) -- The United Nations Security Council will meet on 20 April to discuss the conflict in Western Sahara, indicated the United Kingdom, which chairs the UN executive body for the current month.

[CAF] Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic believes his side are capable of causing a major upset at the 2022 World Cup after they were handed one toughest groups of the competition.

[Dalsan Radio] Rabat - Chief diplomats from Morocco and Somalia have reviewed long-standing diplomatic relations between the two countries, calling for further cooperation in areas such as regional stability.

[Premium Times] Jay-Jay Okocha ,who represented Nigeria in three editions of the Mundial, was part of the football legends that conducted the 2022 World Cup draws

[The Herald] HE mentioned our name, of course he did, as the auditorium, packed with the leaders of world football, listened attentively.

[CAF] The five African countries at this year's World Cup have been handed tricky groups at the tournament with Tunisia drawn to face world champions France while Cameroon will play five-time winners Brazil

[MAP] Casablanca -- The Moroccan team qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after defeating DR Congo 4-1 in the second leg of the play-off, Tuesday at Casablanca's Mohammed V Stadium.

[MAP] Rabat -- His Majesty King Mohammed VI has sent a message of congratulations to the members of the national football team, following qualification for the 2022 World Cup, which will be hosted by the brotherly State of Qatar.

[MAP] Marrakech -- The Executive Director of the international NGO 'Free the Slaves', Bukeni Waruzi, praised Morocco's "exemplary" efforts in fighting against modern slavery, especially since the Kingdom is a pioneer country of the Alliance 8.7.

[MAP] Rabat -- The U.S. position on the Moroccan autonomy initiative in the Sahara has been constant for several U.S. administrations, said Tuesday the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita.

[MAP] Rabat -- At the end of the match between the national football team and its counterpart from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, His Majesty King Mohammed VI congratulated the national team's members following qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

[Vanguard] Cameroon scored deep in stoppage time of extra time to break Algerian hearts and complete the line-up of Africa's representatives for the World Cup in November.

[MAP] Paris -- The Moroccan-French Permanent Joint Migration Group (GMMP), meeting on Monday in Paris, welcomed the "progress" achieved in the cooperation between the two countries in the area of migration.

[MAP] Abidjan -- A framework agreement relating to the development of a strategic partnership between the Ivorian government and the Office chérifien des Phosphates (OCP) was signed on Monday in Abidjan, in order to boost Ivorian agricultural competitiveness and strengthen the impact of local development policies on rural populations.

[CAF] Chancel Mbemba and his Democratic Republic of Congo mates welcome their Moroccan counterpart this Friday at the Stade de Martyrs in Kinshasa in the first leg of the winner take all 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff game promising fireworks.

[Capital FM] Kisumu -- Kisumu County Government has signed a Bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Morocco's Regional Council of Rabat-Sale-Kenitra that will enhance bilateral collaboration between the two governments.

[DW] Karima Benyaich, recalled by Rabat last year, is back in Madrid after Spain changed its policy on Western Sahara. But Algeria, which opposes Spain's backing of Morocco's plans for the region, has now recalled its envoy.

[MAP] Rabat -- The House of Representatives (lower house) has been participating, since Monday in Accra, Ghana, in the Reflection Forum on Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa, organized by the African Union.

[MAP] Tokyo -- Morocco's ambassador to Japan, Rachad Bouhlal, highlighted, Wednesday in Tokyo, Morocco's experience in promoting gender equality, noting that the Kingdom has made this issue a proactive strategy.

[MAP] New York (United Nations) -- Under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, Morocco has made the promotion and protection of women's rights a "national priority", said Tuesday in New York minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family, Aawatif Hayar.

[Africa Renewal] In Morocco, climate change is now at the heart of political concerns, both at national and local levels, but its management requires a collective response.

[State Department] The following is the text of a joint statement by the Governments of Morocco and the United States of America.

[State Department] Washington, DC -- The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

[Ghanaian Times] The Kingdom of Morocco has said it is worried about the escalation of tension between Russia and Ukraine, which has rippling effect not only on the two warring factions but the world at large.

[MAP] Rabat -- The Nador judicial police brigade arrested, on Saturday, on the basis of accurate information provided by the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) and as part of the efforts made in the fight against drug trafficking, two individuals for their alleged links to an international drug trafficking network.

[MAP] Essaouira -- The Essaouira Appeal, which will endorse the work of the great international conference on the fight against AIDS, will be that of "hope, lucidity and spirit of responsibility", said Friday, Advisor to HM the King and president-founder of the Essaouira-Mogador Association, Andre Azoulay.

[MAP] Rabat -- Policemen dismantled Saturday morning, on the basis of precise information provided by the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), an international drug trafficking network and seized 4,345 kg of cannabis resin.

[MAP] Tarfaya -- Two people were killed and 14 others were injured, three of them seriously, in a collision between a truck and a bus that took place Saturday morning on the national road N° 1 in the town of Daoura (province of Tarfaya), according to local authorities.

[MAP] Rabat -- Morocco's flag carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) on Saturday announced new special flights for Moroccans established in Ukraine.

[Egypt Online] Senate President Abdel Wahab Abdel Razeq met on Thursday with Moroccan Parliament Speaker Rachid Talbi Alami.

[MAP] Casablanca -- Morocco's flag carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced on Sunday the establishment of special flights for Moroccans living in Ukraine.

[MAP] Rabat -- The number of Moroccans who have left Ukraine, via the border posts, amounted Monday at 16:00, to 1,534 people, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad.

[MAP] Rabat -- The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, chaired, Thursday in Rabat, the signing ceremony of an agreement between the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and all the trade unions representing the sector.

[MAP] Khouribga -- The 12th edition of the Khouribga International Documentary Film Festival (FIFDOK), scheduled from February 24 to 27, has been cancelled, announced the festival's management in a statement.

[MAP] Rabat -- The Government Council, convened Thursday, decided to extend the state of health emergency throughout the country until March 31, as part of efforts to stem the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.