Oil prices surge amid Israel-Iran exchanges, global markets decline
via Le Matin1 min read
Oil prices rose significantly, with Brent crude for August delivery increasing by 4.90% to $97.65 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate for July delivery gaining 4.88% to $94.96. This surge is attributed to renewed tensions in the Middle East following exchanges between Israel and Iran. Global stock markets experienced declines, with Paris down 0.86% and Frankfurt down 1.13% in early trading. London showed more resilience, falling 0.25%, supported by oil companies like BP, which rose 1.74%, and Shell, up 1.47%. Asian markets saw sharper drops, with Tokyo losing 3.85%, Seoul 8.29%, and Taiwan 3.46%, particularly affected by a downturn in the semiconductor sector. An analyst from CMC Markets, Andreas Lipkow, noted that events in the Middle East underscore the region's fragile and unpredictable situation.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Morocco has launched its first national program to combat gender-based stereotypes, initiated with the support of the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA. The program aims to promote equality and fight all forms of discrimination against women by mobilizing institutional actors, civil society, and the media, and strengthening collective commitment. It is structured around five strategic areas: family, education, media and digital space, work and economic participation, and public space and citizenship. It also includes priority measures and mechanisms for governance, monitoring, and evaluation. Na茂ma Ben Yahia, Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion and Family, stated that the program is a significant milestone in the societal project championed by King Mohammed VI to advance justice, equality, and equal opportunities. She added that it seeks to raise awareness and embed a culture of equality between women and men, while strengthening Moroccan women's rights and ensuring their rightful place in society. Abdeljabbar Rachidi, Secretary of State for Social Inclusion, emphasized that building an equitable society requires not only laws and public policies, but also an evolution of thought patterns, mental representations, and cultural transformation to counter stereotypes and deconstruct prejudices. He noted Morocco's progress in promoting equality due to Royal Directives, constitutional provisions, and international commitments, calling for continued mobilization and accelera
Tanger Med Port Authority TMPA has achieved a significant milestone by obtaining its first financial ratings from Moody's Ratings and Standard & Poor's Global Ratings. Moody's Ratings assigned TMPA a Baa3 rating with a stable outlook, also providing a Scorecard-Indicated Outcome of Baa1 by the end of 2025, which is three notches above the sovereign rating. Standard & Poor's Global Ratings gave TMPA a BBB- rating, also with a stable outlook, and a stand-alone credit profile of "bbb". Both agencies highlighted several structural strengths of the port operator, including its geostrategic location at the center of major intercontinental maritime routes, its leadership in transshipment in the Western Mediterranean, and the quality of its client portfolio. This portfolio includes major global shipping companies such as A.P. Moller-Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd, all bound by long-term concession contracts. The agencies also noted TMPA's pricing flexibility, commercial resilience, and its strategic role in integrating Morocco into global markets. Tanger Med Port Authority stated that these ratings, which follow a four-year process with international agencies, aim to enhance financial transparency and governance, and strengthen its credibility with international investors for funding its development program.
Airports of Morocco has announced the widespread implementation of a 100% mobile boarding pass system, named "Pax Check," to enhance the digital transformation of passenger journeys in Moroccan airports. This innovation allows travelers to complete their entire airport process using only their smartphone, eliminating the need for printed boarding passes. After online check-in via their airline's application, passengers receive a secure QR code boarding pass on their mobile device. Document checks are performed in advance by airlines, facilitating smoother passage through control points and automated gates without paper documents. Airports of Morocco states that this initiative aims to simplify passenger steps, reduce document handling, and ease movement within terminals, while maintaining high safety and security standards. The deployment will be gradual, involving airlines that meet the necessary technical, operational, and regulatory requirements. This is presented as a first step towards a more digital airport experience, adapting to evolving traveler habits and increasing air traffic.