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France foiled 3 attack plots targeting the Paris Olympics, prosecutor says
Read full article: France foiled 3 attack plots targeting the Paris Olympics, prosecutor saysFrance's counterterrorism prosecutor says authorities foiled three plots to attack the Olympic Games in Paris and other cities that hosted events this summer.
U.S. men routed 4-0 by Morocco and eliminated from Olympic soccer tournament in quarterfinals
Read full article: U.S. men routed 4-0 by Morocco and eliminated from Olympic soccer tournament in quarterfinalsThe United States was eliminated from the Olympic men’s soccer tournament after a 4-0 loss to Morocco in the quarterfinals.
Argentina coach slams chaotic 'scandal' at Olympic soccer match vs Morocco
Read full article: Argentina coach slams chaotic 'scandal' at Olympic soccer match vs MoroccoThe head of Argentina’s soccer federation says the chaotic ending to its Olympic soccer match against Morocco “makes no sense,” and Argentina’s coach called the scene “a scandal.”.
France beats US 3-0 and Morocco gets a win against Argentina in a wild start to Olympic soccer
Read full article: France beats US 3-0 and Morocco gets a win against Argentina in a wild start to Olympic soccerStunning goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Michael Olise helped France to a 3-0 victory over the United States in the Olympic men’s soccer tournament.
Olympic soccer gets off to violent and chaotic start as Morocco fans rush the field vs Argentina
Read full article: Olympic soccer gets off to violent and chaotic start as Morocco fans rush the field vs ArgentinaMorocco fans crashed the pitch to protest a late goal by Argentina at the opening match of the Paris Olympics men’s soccer tournament.
Spain's top court says the government broke the law when it sent child migrants back to Morocco
Read full article: Spain's top court says the government broke the law when it sent child migrants back to MoroccoSpain’s Supreme Court has ruled that Spanish authorities acted illegally when they sent unaccompanied child migrants back to Morocco in 2021.
Moroccan archaeologists unearth new ruins at Chellah, a tourism-friendly ancient port near Rabat
Read full article: Moroccan archaeologists unearth new ruins at Chellah, a tourism-friendly ancient port near RabatArchaeologists have unearthed more ancient ruins of what they believe was once a bustling port city near the capital of modern-day Morocco.
IMF sees economic growth in the Mideast improving next year. But the Israel-Hamas war poses risks
Read full article: IMF sees economic growth in the Mideast improving next year. But the Israel-Hamas war poses risksThe International Monetary Fund says Middle East economies are gradually recovering as external shocks from the war in Ukraine and global inflation fade.
IMF outlook worsens for a 'limping' world economy. Mideast war poses new uncertainty
Read full article: IMF outlook worsens for a 'limping' world economy. Mideast war poses new uncertaintyThe International Monetary Fund warns that the world economy has lost momentum from the impact of higher interest rates, the invasion in Ukraine and widening geopolitical rifts.
Morocco welcomes the annual meeting of the IMF and World Bank a month after its deadly earthquake
Read full article: Morocco welcomes the annual meeting of the IMF and World Bank a month after its deadly earthquakeThe International Monetary Fund and World Bank are holding their annual meeting in Morocco, one month after an earthquake killed nearly 3,000 people in the North African country.
UNGA Briefing: There's one more day to go after a break — but first, here's what you missed
Read full article: UNGA Briefing: There's one more day to go after a break — but first, here's what you missedIt’s Day 6 of the U.N. General Assembly high-level meeting that brings world leaders together at U.N. headquarters in New York.
City of Houston and community partners hold donation drive to help Morocco following deadly earthquake
Read full article: City of Houston and community partners hold donation drive to help Morocco following deadly earthquakeFollowing a deadly earthquake that struck the north African country of Morocco, the City of Houston is partnering with several organizations to hold a donation drive.
Morocco quake: This is how Houstonians can help
Read full article: Morocco quake: This is how Houstonians can helpMorocco earthquake survivors are struggling in the aftermath of a magnitude-6.8 tremor hit Friday night in the region south of Marrakech, and now, aid groups are working to help those affected.
Morocco earthquake: A look at the world's deadliest temblors over the past 25 years
Read full article: Morocco earthquake: A look at the world's deadliest temblors over the past 25 yearsThe earthquake that struck Morocco late Friday has killed more than 2,100 people and the toll is expected to increase as rescuers reach hard-hit remote mountain areas.
A UN envoy has made his first visit to Western Sahara. He pledged to advance the political process
Read full article: A UN envoy has made his first visit to Western Sahara. He pledged to advance the political processThe United Nations has doubled down on its pledge to revive stalled negotiations over the disputed Western Sahara in a visit to the region this week in which its top negotiator met with officials on all sides.
Germany, Brazil & Canada are out. Here's why this is the most open Women's World Cup ever
Read full article: Germany, Brazil & Canada are out. Here's why this is the most open Women's World Cup everChange is happening fast in women’s soccer and a leveling of the playing field is being showcased across the globe in the biggest Women's World Cup to date.
Morocco goes advances and Germany exits in wild finale to the group stage at the Women's World Cup
Read full article: Morocco goes advances and Germany exits in wild finale to the group stage at the Women's World CupTwo-time champion Germany was eliminated in a wild finale to the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, while low-ranked Morocco advanced to the knockout stage.
UK grocers limit sales of some vegetables amid shortages
Read full article: UK grocers limit sales of some vegetables amid shortagesSeveral British supermarket chains have limited the amount of some fresh fruits and vegetables that customers can buy amid shortages blamed on bad weather in Spain and Morocco.
Scandal-hit EU political group starts damage limitation work
Read full article: Scandal-hit EU political group starts damage limitation workThe major political group embroiled in a massive European Union corruption scandal will seek this week to insulate itself from further fallout in the cash-for-influence affair linked to Qatar and Morocco.
US announces new $625M security package for Ukraine
Read full article: US announces new $625M security package for UkraineThe U.S. announced its providing an additional $625 million in military aid to Ukraine, a package that includes additional advanced rocket systems credited with helping the country’s military gain momentum in its war with Russia.
Pulisic critical of level of US support at win over Morocco
Read full article: Pulisic critical of level of US support at win over MoroccoU.S. captain Christian Pulisic was critical of the level of American support from the crowd of 19,512 at TQL Stadium during a 3-0 win over Morocco on in the first of four World Cup warmup matches in June.
Africa looks to renewables to curb warming, boost economies
Read full article: Africa looks to renewables to curb warming, boost economiesRenewable energy's potential across the African continent remains largely untapped, according to a new report by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
WHO warns that new virus variant poses 'very high' risk
Read full article: WHO warns that new virus variant poses 'very high' riskThe World Health Organization says the global risk from the omicron variant of the coronavirus is “very high” based on early evidence, and it could lead to surges with “severe consequences.”.
Spain presses Algeria to guarantee natural gas supply
Read full article: Spain presses Algeria to guarantee natural gas supplySpain has sent another member of its government to Algeria to seek guarantees that its supply of natural gas won't be impacted when Algeria closes its pipeline through Morocco on Sunday.
August proves deadliest month for migrants braving Atlantic
Read full article: August proves deadliest month for migrants braving AtlanticThe International Organization for Migration says migrant deaths along the Atlantic route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands reached a record high last month with 379 lives lost at sea.
UN: Migrant deaths on sea routes to Europe more than double
Read full article: UN: Migrant deaths on sea routes to Europe more than doubleThe U.N. migration agency says the number of migrants and refugees who died while attempting to reach Europe on dangerous sea routes more than doubled so far this year compared to the first six months of 2020.
Morocco says rift with Spain about 'broken' trust, respect
Read full article: Morocco says rift with Spain about 'broken' trust, respectIn a deepening diplomatic rift with Spain, Morocco’s Foreign Ministry says the crisis between the two countries was “about trust and mutual respect that has been broken.”.
Uncertainty greets weary migrants in Spain's African enclave
Read full article: Uncertainty greets weary migrants in Spain's African enclaveSpain’s north African enclave of Ceuta has awakened to a humanitarian crisis after thousands of migrants who crossed over from Morocco spent the night sleeping where they could find shelter.
Morocco moves toward legalizing medical marijuana
Read full article: Morocco moves toward legalizing medical marijuanaFILE - In this Sept. 14, 2014 file photo swaths of cannabis are pictured n the village of Bni Hmed in the Ketama Abdelghaya valley, northern Morocco. Morocco's government on Thursday approved a landmark bill that would legalize non-recreational uses of marijuana. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar, File)RABAT – Morocco’s government on Thursday approved a landmark bill that would legalize nonrecreational uses of marijuana. If it passes, Morocco would be one of the few countries in the region or in the Arab world to legalize the drug for nonrecreational use. Morocco is seeking to establish a regulatory framework for the entire chain of cultivation, production, processing and marketing of cannabis for medical, cosmetic and industrial uses such as textiles or paper.
Trump gives award to Morocco's king in private ceremony
Read full article: Trump gives award to Morocco's king in private ceremonyWorkers cart boxes into the West Wing of the White House, as offices in the White House complex are being packed up and moved out, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has awarded a top U.S. honor to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, citing his decision to begin normalization of relations with Israel. Morocco’s ambassador to the U.S., Princess Lalla Joumala, accepted it on his behalf in a private ceremony, according to a White House statement. Earlier this week, Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, one of his fiercest GOP allies, in a private ceremony at the White House. The White House also announced this week that Trump would be awarding New England coach Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl winner, the Medal of Freedom.
20 migrants dead off Tunisia after boat sinks, more missing
Read full article: 20 migrants dead off Tunisia after boat sinks, more missingTunisian authorities say 20 African migrants have been found dead after their boat, which was trying to reach Europe, sank in the Mediterranean Sea. Five survivors were rescued Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 and authorities are searching for up to 20 others believed missing. (AP Photo/Santi Palacios, File)TUNIS – About 20 African migrants were found dead Thursday after their smuggling boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to reach Europe, Tunisian authorities said. Five survivors were rescued and the Tunisian navy is searching for up to 20 others still believed missing. According to survivors, the migrant smuggling boat was carrying about 40 or 50 people heading toward Italy, Ben Zekri said.
Worried Morocco bans parties to stem holiday virus spread
Read full article: Worried Morocco bans parties to stem holiday virus spread(AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy, File)RABAT – Morocco has imposed a curfew, closed restaurants in major cities and banned public and private gatherings for three weeks — including the usually festive New Year's Eve — to curb the spread of the virus. The curfew between 9 p.m and 6 a.m went into effect Wednesday night and is set to last until Jan. 13. All restaurants in the cities of Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier must close for that period, according to government orders this week. The new restrictions come as Morocco prepares to launch a massive COVID-19 vaccination campaign using two different vaccines, one developed by China’s Sinopharm and the other by Britain’s Oxford University and AstraZeneca. The government had promised to start the vaccinations this month but the launch date for the campaign remains unknown.
Bahrain approves Chinese COVID-19 vaccine for use
Read full article: Bahrain approves Chinese COVID-19 vaccine for useDUBAI – Bahrain said Sunday it approved the use of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine, following its earlier approval of a vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. Bahrain's state-run news agency said the Sinopharm vaccine would be available in the island kingdom off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. Bahrain said over 7,700 signed up to take part in a trial of the Sinopharm vaccine in the kingdom. Morocco is gearing up for an ambitious COVID-19 vaccination program, aiming to vaccinate 80% of its adults in an operation starting this month that’s relying initially on the Sinopharm vaccine. On Sunday, Kuwait's state-run KUNA news agency announced the oil-rich country's Health Ministry had granted emergency use for the Pfizer vaccine.
Israel's Netanyahu: Vaccination campaign to begin Dec. 27
Read full article: Israel's Netanyahu: Vaccination campaign to begin Dec. 27Earlier Wednesday, Netanyahu welcomed the first shipment of doses of the Pfizer vaccine, calling it a “big day of celebration” for the country. In an evening news conference, Netanyahu said a public vaccination campaign would begin on Dec. 27, with the capacity to innoculate 60,000 people a day. While questions remain about the Sinopharm shot, already at least one country outside China plans to roll it out in a mass-vaccination campaign. The Sinopharm vaccine has been approved for emergency use in a few countries and the company is still conducting late-stage clinical trials in 10 countries. Morocco is gearing up for an ambitious COVID-19 vaccination program, aiming to vaccinate 80% of its adults in an operation starting this month that’s relying initially on the Sinopharm vaccine.
The Latest: Hong Kong re-imposes restaurant dining bans
Read full article: The Latest: Hong Kong re-imposes restaurant dining bansHong Kong on Wednesday reported an additional 100 cases, bringing its two-week total to 1,274. Hong Kong has reported a total of 7,075 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic, with 112 deaths. The Texas Department of State Health Services also said 9,028 people were hospitalized across the state. Since late November, the new daily cases have soared past 10,000 on several days, with 15,103 new cases reported Tuesday, according to state health officials. ___BOISE, Idaho — Idaho public health officials abruptly ended a meeting Tuesday evening after the Boise mayor and chief of police said intense anti-mask protests outside the health department building — as well as outside some health officials’ homes — were threatening public safety.
Spain in diplomatic push over migrant flow to Canary Islands
Read full article: Spain in diplomatic push over migrant flow to Canary Islands(AP Photo/Javier Bauluz)MADRID – The Spanish government is ratcheting up its response to the steady build-up of migrant arrivals to the Canary Islands from Africa, including a fresh diplomatic offensive. Moroccans have been the most numerous among recent migrant arrivals to the Spanish archipelago, whose nearest islands lie around 70 miles (110 kms) west of the north African nation. Around half of those arrivals —and most of the deaths— have been in the past 30 days, a spike that has strained resources on the Canary Islands. Spanish Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, also on the island, pledged more resources to the stretched maritime rescue services. The IOM's Spain envoy, María Jesús Herrera, who was on a field visit in the islands this week, described the situation as “critical."
Spain opens 2nd migrant camp on overrun Gran Canaria island
Read full article: Spain opens 2nd migrant camp on overrun Gran Canaria islandThe establishment of a second temporary migrant processing center on the island of Gran Canaria comes amid increasing criticism from local authorities and human rights groups. A pier on the quiet southwest coast of Gran Canaria has become the center of Spain’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. The new camp opening Wednesday will be able to hold 800 people in tents, according to the Interior Ministry. “The Canary Islands are a powder keg. With at least 493 deaths recorded so far this year, the route to the Canary Islands has seen proportionally more deaths per every arrival than the Central Mediterranean journey from Libya to Italy or Malta.
Spanish islands struggle with migration surge amid pandemic
Read full article: Spanish islands struggle with migration surge amid pandemicWhile Mediterranean crossings are down this year, arrivals on the Canary islands across a treacherous part of the Atlantic Ocean are up nearly 700% on the year. But the government has blocked nearly all transfers to the Spanish mainland arguing that many international borders are closed for them to be deported or continue on to other European countries. Beefed-up security in the Mediterranean has reduced migration from Africa to the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands in 2020, with 30% fewer arrivals between January and mid-October compared to a year earlier. But the surge in traffic to the Canary Islands comes at a high cost in human lives. Arguing that they lack enough resources, local and regional officials in the Canary Islands have asked the Spanish government for more help, including the use of two military facilities to process the migrants.
Morocco reopens some mosques, even as infections grow
Read full article: Morocco reopens some mosques, even as infections growMoroccans wear face masks and pray respecting social distancing at the great Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco, Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. In Morocco today, around 10,000 mosques have opened their doors for the faithful to perform the Friday. For the first time since the outbreak of coronavirus in March, Morocco has allowed mosques to reopen for Friday prayers. Morocco announced the suspension of prayers in mosques back in March to limit the spread of the coronavirus, including the five daily prayers and the important Friday prayers. The restrictions were lifted for 10,000 mosques across the country Friday, but another 40,000 remain closed because of growing new infections.
That time when an Olympic marathoner won a gold medal running barefoot. Yes, barefoot.
Read full article: That time when an Olympic marathoner won a gold medal running barefoot. Yes, barefoot.Abebe Bikila was the only marathoner in history to win an Olympic gold medal running barefoot, but that fact hides the more significant question: Someone actually won an Olympic gold medal in the marathon running BAREFOOT?
EU finalizing virus 'safe list,' US unlikely to make the cut
Read full article: EU finalizing virus 'safe list,' US unlikely to make the cutEuropean Union envoys are close to finalizing a list of countries whose citizens will be allowed back into Europe once it begins lifting coronavirus-linked restrictions. The United States appears almost certain not to make the list, as new infections surge and given that President Donald Trump has imposed a ban on European travelers. Importantly, the countries are also expected to drop any travel restrictions they have imposed on European citizens. Infection rates in Brazil, Russia and India are high, too, and their nationals are also unlikely to make the cut. Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzlez Laya said the EU is considering whether to accept travelers from China if Beijing lifts restrictions on European citizens.