Morocco

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — It’s a reverse migrant crisis: Moroccan workers trapped in Spain are begging their own government to let them come back home.

Construction worker Mohammed Benali is among hundreds of Moroccans who headed to their jobs in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta one day in March thinking they’d be home for dinner — but instead they found themselves trapped for more than two months by Morocco’s abrupt and unusually strict border closures to keep out the virus.

22 May 2020; MEMO: An Emirati foundation announced on Thursday that it will suspend all its activities in Morocco, due to the increasing tension and discord between Abu Dhabi and Rabat during the past few weeks, which amounted to an attack on Morocco’s institutions.

RABAT, April 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Moroccans who venture outside their homes without wearing face masks risk prison sentences of up to three months and a fine of up to 1,300 dirhams, the government has said .

The new order takes effect on Tuesday for those allowed to go out during the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was announced on Monday after a government meeting on how to control the epidemic.

Morocco is under a month-long a public health state of emergency that started on March 19 and has so far reported 1,120 coronavirus cases and 80 deaths.

05 April 2020; MEMO: Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has pardoned 5,654 prisoners and ordered measures to protect inmates from the coronavirus outbreak, the justice ministry said on Sunday.

The inmates were selected on the basis of their age, frail health, time spent in prison and good conduct, the ministry said in a statement.

The north African country has confirmed as of Sunday morning 919 coronavirus cases, including 59 deaths.

29 March 2020; AFP: Armoured vehicles in the streets, hundreds arrested, smartphone surveillance -- sweeping measures to fight the coronavirus have raised concerns in the Middle East over the erosion of already threatened human rights.

As the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic, more than three billion people are now living under lockdown and, in some cases, strict surveillance.

17 Mar 2020; MEMO: Moroccan King Mohammed VI has issued instructions to set up a $1 billion fund to rehabilitate the health sector and support vulnerable economic sectors affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

RABAT, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tourists from a number of European countries were unable to leave after flights were suspended to many European countries and also to China and Algeria.

12 Mar 2020; MEMO: Moroccan media reported, on Wednesday, that Rabat has withdrawn its ambassador and consulates in the UAE, due to the Emirati authorities’ reluctance for a whole year to appoint an ambassador in Rabat to fill the vacancy.

Meanwhile, the Anadolu Agency was not able to obtain immediate comments from the Moroccan authorities on this matter, and Rabat did not issue any official announcement in this regard until 13:20 GMT.

09 Mar 2020; MEMO: Morocco has received a rocket launcher from China, Al Watan Voice reported yesterday.

Reporting Russia Today TV, the news website said that the rocket system is referred to as AR2 and is a 12 round 300mm Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS).

It consists of rockets, launchtube group, launch vehicles, command vehicles and transport vehicle components.

The system consists of six launchers and is able to launch 72 rockets in 30 seconds and can be reloaded in 30 minutes.

RABAT, Feb 22 (NNN-MAP) – Thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Morocco and Tunisia, to protest against a new US Middle East peace plan which the Palestinians say favours Israel.

Carrying Palestinian flags, demonstrators, including local politicians and trade unionists, marched in Rabat chanting, “Long live Palestine.”

They called for a boycott of American products, denounced the United States as “enemies of peace” and chanted, “Palestine is not for sale.”