First Independent Mena Newspaper
The advent of the coronavirus did not prevent Algerian authorities from continuing their clampdown on the free press and human rights activists. After banning Hirak movement marches, the newly recycled civilian leadership whose strings are pulled by the same old military junta arrested well-known Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni who has widely reported on Algeria’s protest […]
For the first time since the outbreak of coronavirus in Morocco on March 2, the number of remissions has exceed that of contaminations. Between Sunday afternoon and this Monday morning, the number of remissions, established by the Ministry of Health stands at 76, bringing the total number of covid-19 patients who were discharged from hospital […]
The recent announcement by an association militating for the decriminalization of homosexuality in Tunisia claiming that the North African country has validated a same sex marriage has triggered controversy. According to Shams, a Tunisian LGBT rights association, a marriage settlement between a French and a Tunisian, signed in France, has been recognized in Tunisia, making […]
This year, Moroccans have to give up many traditions and practices associated with the fasting month of Ramadan to help contain the coronavirus outbreak. The busy streets and markets as well as collective prayers at mosques and family visits had to be given up this year in order to limit contagion. Authorities have extended the […]
Winds of change are blowing on the Tindouf camps with the emergence of a new opposition movement calling for a political and mutually acceptable solution to the Sahara issue. The movement which calls itself Sahraouis for Peace breaks away with the ideological rhetoric of the Polisario and its mentor Algeria, reluctant to engage in negotiations […]
The Moroccan health ministry announced on Sunday 168 new positive cases of coronavirus in 24 hours, bringing the total of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 4,065. The Ministry of Health reported 02 deaths and 56 healings in 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 161 deaths, while 593 patients have recovered, since the start of […]
Since every cloud has a silver lining, the coronavirus pandemic at least has had a positive environmental impact since restrictive public health measures to stave off a worsening pandemic were put in place. The stay-at-home orders, the closing of schools, offices non-essential trades and some factories, the increase of tele-working, the induced limited road traffic […]
Morocco’s ports authority ANP reported a 5.5% rise to 28 million tons in commercial traffic through Morocco’s ports compared to the same period last year, despite the restrictions that disrupted much of the global trade due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ANP ascribed the performance to a 34% surge in cereals imports, which amounted to […]
Moroccan penitentiary administration decided to ban inmates from attending hearing sessions for a month as the number of infections among them has surged recently. At least 1736 have been tested including 961 prisoners and 775 employees. The tests showed that 53 prisons were coronavirus free. However, cases rose in the prison of Ouarzazate to 270 […]
The assistance operation conducted every Ramadan to support needy families in Morocco was launched at the instruction of King Mohammed VI this Saturday, which marks the first day of Ramadan in the country. King Mohammed VI gave his instructions for the launch of the Ramadan 1441 food distribution operation, for 600,000 needy families, including 459,504 […]