All posts tagged: Morocco

Britain to be hotter than Morocco as weather maps show exact date of sizzling 27C spell

Britain to be hotter than Morocco as weather maps show exact date of sizzling 27C spell

Published by Sam

A striking weather map has revealed that parts of the UK are set to enjoy temperatures as high as 27C, with the mercury even surpassing the warmth of holiday hotspot Morocco. As high pressure sweeps in from the south, the UK is gearing up for a significant temperature hike. Weather experts predict that Wednesday afternoon will see the mercury hit 27C, with dry conditions expected across the country, with the Met Office’s website stating: “Very warm with sunny spells in the southeast on Wednesday.” They also forecast that the warm weather will persist into the weekend and humidity levels will soar by Monday. The forecast suggests “Drier and brighter through the period as higher pressure builds into the weekend. Lighter winds than of late with temperatures near or just above average for the time of year,” reports the Mirror. Areas set to experience the peak warmth include east London, Essex, and Kent, while the East of England can anticipate 26C and the East Midlands is looking forward to 23C sunshine. However that doesn’t mean that …

Morocco to become rare military drone manufacturer, thanks to cooperation with Israel

Morocco to become rare military drone manufacturer, thanks to cooperation with Israel

Published by skeptic

A WanderB-VTOL drone from Israeli company BlueBird Aero Systems at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, Seine-Saint-Denis, June 2023. GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP Joining South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria, Morocco is soon to become a member of the group of African countries that build military drones. The announcement was made by Ronen Nadir, founder and president of the Israeli company BlueBird Aero Systems, which belongs in part to the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries corporation. In a statement published on April 13 by the Spanish magazine Zona Militar, the former Israeli air force commander said that a production plant for unmanned aircraft (ASPs) had been created in Morocco and would start operating in the near future. Read more Subscribers only Moroccan political and business leaders caught up in international drug trafficking case No details have been released on the location of this installation, nor on its start-up date. BlueBird Aero Systems declined a request by Le Monde for comment. Nadir’s remarks did not elicit any official comment from the Moroccan side either, but …

The best places to stay in Marrakech 2024: From riads to royal palaces

The best places to stay in Marrakech 2024: From riads to royal palaces

Published by skeptic

The palatial La Mamounia is one of those jaw-dropping hotels you think can’t be real — until you get there. The forged metal doorway opens to a mosaiced paradise, decorating the Andalusian architecture with enamelled tiles in geometric patterns. Marrakech may be famed for its earth tones, but La Mamounia is an expanse of colour, from the rich red tones of the lobby to the horticulture. The 20-acre gardens are punctuated by bright Bougainvillea, orange trees and cacti, giving the nearby Jardin Majorelle a run for its money. Its location is a huge draw. If you can pull yourself away, it’s a mere 10-minute walk to the Koutoubia Mosque. A short distance but the serenity of the space feels worlds away. There are four restaurants, aptly named for the cuisine that they serve. Le Morroccain is illuminated by lanterns and candles, giving a soft, warm glow to the proceedings. The three-course menu of signature local dishes and herbs from the hotel’s gardens is enjoyed in cosy private booths. L’Asiatique and L’Italien draw in crowds, while …

Inside Carrie Johnson’s lavish trip to Morocco with all three children

Inside Carrie Johnson’s lavish trip to Morocco with all three children

Published by skeptic

Carrie Johnson enjoyed an idyllic family holiday in Morocco last week. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the 36-year-old – who shares three children with husband Boris – gave fans a glimpse of her travels with Wilfred, three, Romy, two, and nine-month-old Frank.  © InstagramCarrie Johnson revealed that she’d taken her kids on a getaway to Marrakech “Last week – before I became a duck mum (!) – @annaelerihart and I took the kids to Morocco for a few days,” she captioned a carousel of photos.  “We stayed in a little guesthouse I’ve been going to for over 10 years so it was v cool to go back with my gang, although poor Frank spent most of the time in teething hell. He seemed so poorly one night I nearly took him to hospital in Marrakech, I was so worried. It’s so hard seeing the little ones in pain and still no sign of any pesky teeth!” © InstagramThe family enjoyed a trip to the desert Among the comments, fans noted how quickly Carrie’s kids are …

Crop Trust Seeks More Funding to Protect Global Seed Diversity

Crop Trust Seeks More Funding to Protect Global Seed Diversity

Published by skeptic

RABAT (Reuters) – Crop Trust, which works to preserve crop bio-diversity, needs to more than double its $300 million endowment fund to be able to support seed banks across the world, Executive Director Stefan Schmitz said. The non-profit organisation jointly operates the Svalbard Global Seed Vault with Norwegian authorities and offers financial and technical support to smaller seed banks, also known as gene banks, in collecting, preserving and breeding crop varieties. War in Israel and Gaza Amid a surge in conflicts and adverse impacts of climate change “there is an absolutely great sense of urgency to make sure that the entire gene pool of crops is conserved,” Schmitz told Reuters. Speaking on the sidelines of an International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) conference, in Rabat, Morocco, he said increased funding would enable Crop Trust to fully fund ICARDA’s gene banks. The centre made the first seed withdrawal from the Svalbard vault in 2015, after the Syrian war disrupted the operation of a gene bank in Aleppo. Photos You Should See – April …

From Doctor Botox to Facebook’s top lobbyist, meet the folks who left politics to cash in – POLITICO

From Doctor Botox to Facebook’s top lobbyist, meet the folks who left politics to cash in – POLITICO

Published by skeptic

Doctor Botox Olivier Véran, a former French government spokesperson and ex-minister of health, recently announced his next career venture at the Clinique des Champs-Élysées in Paris. For Véran, who was a neurologist before turning to politics, going back to medicine is not all that surprising. What was shocking — and caused some uproar in the medical community — was his decision to join a high-end clinic specializing in cosmetic medicine and surgery. Véran was quick to defend his choice, saying he won’t perform cosmetic surgery procedures, focusing instead on aesthetic medicine. “I won’t touch penises or buttocks, and I’ll be very far from breast implants,” he promised. That didn’t stop Le Point from christening him “Doctor Botox.” Facebook flack Former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has found a niche — and the big bucks — in Silicon Valley. As president of global affairs at Meta, he handles the company’s relationships with governments, a thankless task in an era when Facebook has become synonymous with political disinformation. In 2021, the Guardian dubbed him the “fall …

Morocco Cancels Venice Biennale Pavilion—And More

Morocco Cancels Venice Biennale Pavilion—And More

Published by skeptic

To receive Morning Links in your inbox every weekday, sign up for our Breakfast with ARTnews newsletter. THE HEADLINES MOROCCO PAVILION CANCELED. After the surprise, last-minute replacement of Morocco’s exhibitors at what would have been the country’s first Venice Biennale pavilion, Morocco has now fully canceled their participation in the exhibition set to open in April, and it’s unclear why, according to The Art Newspaper . In January, the artists Safaa Erruas, Majida Khattari, and Fatiha Zemmouri, as well as curator Mahi Binebine, learned in what they called a “nightmare” situation, that the artworks they had spent months completing for Venice would no longer be exhibited, and that a new program would replace theirs, helmed by Paris-based Moroccan curator Mouna Mekouar. Erruas has reportedly said the Moroccan government promised to reimburse them for their production costs, and that their works would be exhibited some time in the future. Related Articles LAVA TREASURE CONVICTION. A French court in Marseille has convicted two men of smuggling sunken gold treasure found off the west coast of Corsica, from the Golf de Lava. The so-called “Lava treasure saga” began in 1985, …

Fears desperate migrants are putting lives at risk by swimming from Morocco to Spain | World | News

Fears desperate migrants are putting lives at risk by swimming from Morocco to Spain | World | News

Published by skeptic

Dozens of migrants were caught swimming through a storm to reach a Spanish territory on the African continent. Around 30 migrants, all of Moroccan origin, swam into Ceuta in the early hours of March 26. The group, including 16 and 17-year-olds as well as adults aged between 20 and 40, reached the Spanish enclave as rain and wind battered the area. The migrants reached Ceuta through Benzu’s northern breakwater, which borders the narrow stretch that separates the coasts of Spain and Morocco. The Spanish Guardia Civil sent out land and maritime units to intervene in the wake of the arrivals. The Red Cross also sprung to action to support the group reaching the Spanish shores. Some of the migrants were bruised and hit the rocks, local publication El Faro wrote. This isn’t the first time Moroccan nationals have tried to reach the Spanish territory in Africa by swimming. In recent days, the Guardia Civil has tried to locate a 17-year-old boy called Yusef who, according to his friend Abdulà, was lost at sea in the …

Bournemouth-based Efret launches road freight service from UK to Morocco

Bournemouth-based Efret launches road freight service from UK to Morocco

Published by skeptic

Efret, the Bournemouth-based logistics firm, revealed it has launched this month a new road freight service direct from the UK to Morocco. The company said the service operates from any UK collection point, except Northern Ireland, and delivers to all regions, including, Rabat, Tangier, Agadir, Fes, Marrakesh and Casablanca. UK exports to the North African country, which is looking for new markets, were worth £1.4 billion at the end of last year, while internal investments are expected to top £50 billion over the next few years as it gears up for the joint hosting of the World Cup in 2030 with Portugal and Spain. READ MORE: Bournemouth Airport on track for 1m passengers as Ryanair expands “We have decades of international road transport expertise and we recognised an opportunity to support the growth of British business with by launching a new service from the UK to Morocco,” said Alain Jestin, Efret CEO and co-founder. “This will complement our existing services to destinations across Europe. Exporting goods to North Africa can be a daunting proposition for …

EU leaders flock to Egypt to ink €7.4B economic aid, migration deal – POLITICO

EU leaders flock to Egypt to ink €7.4B economic aid, migration deal – POLITICO

Published by skeptic

The EU-Egypt deal coincides with an uptick in irregular migration to the bloc of wealthy countries. Following a lull in 2022, the EU faced a surge in migrants arriving via the Mediterranean Sea during 2023 and numbers are climbing again in 2024, according to the EU official. A deal inked with Tunisia last July and the one due to be signed Sunday are aimed, in part, to limit access to Libya, where many migrants fall prey to human traffickers, the official added. Growing controversy The €7.4 billion for Egypt marks the latest payout for countries in Europe’s periphery following similar deals also with Turkey, Mauritania and, likely in coming months, Morocco. In addition, the EU has increased resources for border agency Frontex, which now counts more than 10,000 agents under its flag. the EU faced a surge in migrants arriving via the Mediterranean Sea during 2023 and numbers are climbing again in 2024 | Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Even so, right-wing and conservative EU parties want to go further. In its election manifesto, the conservative European …