Latest news with #CasablancaAirport
Morocco World
20-05-2025
- Morocco World
Court Delays Turbo's Trial in Murder of Rim Fikri's Husband
Rabat – The criminal chamber of the Casablanca Court of Appeal has postponed until June 9 the appeal trial of Reda Abakrim, known as 'Turbo,' a suspected drug baron accused of multiple kidnappings and murders, including that of the husband of Moroccan singer Rim Fikri. The delay comes as the court seeks to hear again from Rim Fikri, a civil party in the case, and due to the absence of a defense lawyer for the main defendant. Abakrim informed the court he has not yet appointed legal representation. This highly publicized case has taken many turns since Abakrim's arrest in connection with the alleged murder of Fikri's husband. Although initially acquitted in a lower court ruling on April 18, 2023, new evidence has prompted authorities to retry him, compelling his presence in court from his current detention. In addition to Abakrim, several other defendants, Saïd A., Mohammed J., Abbas M., Hassan M., and Zakaria D., are also being prosecuted for charges including kidnapping, unlawful detention, torture, and premeditated murder. Reda Abakrim is simultaneously facing another trial related to the 2007 murder of Brahim Hajaji in La Coudraie, Poissy (France). He had previously been convicted in absentia by a French court in June 2020 and sentenced to 21 years in prison for drug-related homicide. Despite being acquitted in Morocco on similar charges, his arrest in December 2020 at Casablanca Airport reopened the door for both Moroccan and French judicial actions. He was first apprehended for using a false passport, but authorities quickly discovered he was the subject of an international arrest warrant. According to civil party lawyer Mohamed Aghanaj, Abakrim narrowly escaped arrest in Dubai before being captured in Morocco. Aghanaj, who represents the family of the victim, expressed surprise at Abakrim's initial acquittal, noting that the accused holds Moroccan nationality, making him prosecutable under Moroccan law. Who Is 'Turbo'? Now 41, Reda Abakrim earned the nickname 'Turbo' for his role in organizing 'go fast' drug convoys, high-speed vehicles used to smuggle cannabis from Morocco to France. He is regarded by French and Moroccan authorities as one of the most prominent figures in the drug trafficking world. The trial's next session is expected to shed more light on both the circumstances surrounding the murder of Rim Fikri's husband and Abakrim's broader criminal network. Tags: drug baron turboRim fikriturbo
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Morocco begins tendering process to expand Casablanca airport
RABAT, May 7 (Reuters) - Morocco issued on Wednesday two expressions of interest to identify bidders for its plan to build a new terminal that will increase capacity at its largest airport in Casablanca by 20 million passengers. Casablanca airport's expansion is part of a push to double Morocco's overall airport capacity to 78 million to meet increasing traffic in the run-up to the soccer World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal. The terminal is expected to be ready in 2029 at a cost of $1.6 billion, airports authority ONDA said in a statement. The new terminal will serve as an international hub and will be served by a high-speed train network connecting the airport to the key cities of Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech. Morocco reported a record 17.4 million visitors last year, up 20% from 2023, and it expects to attract 26 million tourists in 2030.
Maroc
25-04-2025
- Business
- Maroc
New Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line, Project of Major Socio-Economic Significance
The Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line, launched on Thursday by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is a project of considerable economic and social importance that will further enhance the national transportation system. This new Line forms part of the ongoing expansion of the Kingdom's rail infrastructure under the impetus of HM the King. Building on the success of Al-Boraq, it confirms high-speed rail as the most efficient and sustainable mode of passenger transport over medium and long distances, with numerous positive impacts. With this new project, travel times will be significantly reduced: 1 hour between Tangier and Rabat, 1 hour 15 minutes between Casablanca and Marrakech, 1 hour 40 minutes between Tangier and Casablanca and between Rabat and Marrakech, and just 2 hours 40 minutes between Tangier and Marrakech, a time saving of over two hours. The project will also connect Rabat to Casablanca Airport in just 35 minutes and will serve the future Benslimane stadium. A high-speed service is also planned between Fez and Marrakech, with a travel time of 3 hours 40 minutes. The future High-Speed Rail Line will serve 59% of the national population and link economic regions accounting for more than 67% of the national GDP. It will also create thousands of direct and indirect jobs and stimulate various sectors, including industry, services, and tourism. Extending the High-Speed Rail Line to Marrakech will enhance the city's tourism appeal by improving access from the north. By directly connecting Tangier, Morocco's maritime gateway, to Marrakech, the Kingdom's premier tourist destination, this line will boost both domestic and international tourist flows while providing a faster, more comfortable, and modern travel experience. It will also support regional planning and development by strengthening connections between major economic hubs, while promoting environmental sustainability in line with national development goals, through a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The Kenitra-Marrakech High Speed Rail Line extension will free up capacity on the conventional network, enabling the development of a major local metropolitan train service to meet part of the public transport needs of the inhabitants of the Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech conurbations. This new service is a genuine response to the challenges of urban mobility in these three metropolitan areas, and offers a number of advantages in terms of punctuality, service quality and sustainability. As an innovative solution, the High-Speed Rail Line is a natural choice that reinforces the momentum of the national transport sector in supporting the Kingdom's economic and social development. MAP: 25 avril 2025
Ya Biladi
25-04-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Ex-Raja Casablanca president Mohamed Boudrika extradited to Morocco for bad checks
Morocco welcomed Mohamed Boudrika, who was extradited from Germany, as reported by several Moroccan media outlets on Thursday, April 24. The former president of Raja Casablanca arrived at Casablanca Airport from Hamburg, where he had been detained since July 2024 following an international arrest warrant issued by the Moroccan judiciary. Boudrika is being pursued primarily for issuing bad checks. In March 2024, the Ain Sebaa Criminal Court sentenced him in absentia to a one-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 232,500 dirhams. The charges stem from two complaints filed against him in his capacity as the legal representative of a real estate development company. Boudrika left Morocco in December 2023, reportedly to «undergo surgery in the United Kingdom». Upon his forced return, the former RNI deputy is now incarcerated at Ain Sebaa (Oukacha) prison in Casablanca.
