🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Morocco embraces smart city development with initiatives in Casablanca, Rabat, and Benguérir
via Le Matin1 min read
Morocco is adopting the smart city model, a global urban development trend, to address growing urbanization. Cities such as Casablanca, Rabat, and Benguérir are implementing initiatives to integrate new technologies into urban management. This transformation aims to enhance citizens' quality of life and improve the efficiency of public services through smart transport, digital administrative services, optimized energy and water management, and air quality monitoring. The country is actively working on projects to build the cities of tomorrow.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation FRMF confirmed the withdrawals of Abdessamad Ezzalzouli and Nayef Aguerd from the 2026 World Cup squad ahead of Morocco's match against Brazil. Ezzalzouli will miss the tournament due to a right knee sprain with a high-grade lesion of the medial collateral ligament. He expressed disappointment on social media but also determination to return stronger, wishing his team success. Aguerd's medical recovery is progressing, but he will not be fit enough to participate in the group stage. He clarified on social media that his absence is not due to a relapse, but a joint decision with the staff, as his current performance level is not 100% for the competition. He stated he would be the team's biggest supporter. To replace them, the FRMF announced that Amine Sbaï and Marwane Saâdane, who were previously reserves, have been added to the final 26-player roster by national coach Mohammed Ouahbi.
Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Julián Quiñones scored the first goal in the 9th minute. South Africa's Yaya Sithole was sent off in the 49th minute, reducing the Bafana Bafana to ten players. Raúl Jiménez extended Mexico's lead in the 67th minute. Later in the game, South Africa's Themba Zwane received a red card in the 84th minute, and Mexico's captain Cesar Montes was also sent off. This win gives the host nation its first three points of the tournament. In another Group A match, South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1.
Flynas will introduce a weekly direct flight between Rabat and Jeddah, commencing July 4. This new service complements the existing direct route between Casablanca and Jeddah, which began in 2023 with three flights per week. The expansion aims to provide travelers with greater flexibility and address the increasing demand for travel between the two countries. This initiative aligns with Flynas's strategy to connect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the rest of the world and further its growth in the African market. These new connections contribute to the National Civil Aviation Strategy's goals of reaching 330 million passengers and linking the Kingdom to 250 international destinations by 2030. They also support the Pilgrim Experience Program by facilitating the arrival of Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Holy Sites via King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Passengers can book tickets through Flynas's booking channels, including its website, mobile application, call center, or travel agencies.