
Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Meryem represented His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the funeral of Mrs. Bernadette Chirac. Upon her arrival at the Sainte-Clotilde Basilica, Princess Lalla Meryem was greeted by Mrs. Claude Chirac, the daughter of the deceased. She then took her place inside the church alongside Mrs. Brigitte Macron and other high-ranking personalities attending the funeral ceremony. Also present at the funeral were Samira Sitail, His Majesty the King's Ambassador to Paris, former French Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Fran莽ois Hollande, French political figures, and friends and family of the Chirac family. King Mohammed VI had previously sent a message of condolences and compassion to Mrs. Claude Chirac following the passing of her mother, Mrs. Bernadette Chirac. In his message, the King expressed his deep sorrow upon learning of Mrs. Bernadette Chirac's death and extended his sincere condolences and compassion to Mrs. Claude Chirac, her family, and loved ones. The King stated that the Kingdom of Morocco would fondly remember Mrs. Bernadette Chirac as a distinguished personality who faithfully embodied a rich legacy of human, family, and patriotic values. He paid tribute to her as a woman who, alongside President Jacques Chirac, a sincere friend of Morocco and its people, consistently showed esteem for the Kingdom.
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Must ReadThe Atlas Lions will begin their 2026 World Cup campaign on Saturday with a highly anticipated match against Brazil at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Coached by Mohamed Ouahbi, the team aims to demonstrate that their historic performance in the 2022 World Cup was not an isolated achievement.

A high-level meeting held in Rabat on June 11, on the International Day of Family Remittances, focused on transforming remittances from Moroccans living abroad into economic development tools, particularly for rural areas. Remittances to Morocco reached over 122 billion dirhams in 2025, nearly 8% of the national GDP, demonstrating remarkable resilience amidst global economic and climatic uncertainties. Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD, emphasized shifting the perception of remittances from mere lifelines to pathways for savings, investment, entrepreneurship, and prosperity, especially in rural zones. Abderrahim Bouazza, Director General of Bank Al-Maghrib, highlighted the vulnerabilities of rural areas due to climate change, natural resource pressures, food security imperatives, and economic fragilities. He stressed the need to strengthen connections between remittances and formal financial tools like savings, credit, insurance, and digital financial services to channel these funds into productive capital. Redouane Arrach, Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, noted that remittances contribute to social cohesion and rural development, with their value comparable to Morocco's annual agricultural added value. Charles Th茅paut, Minister Counselor and Deputy Head of Mission at the French Embassy in Morocco, underscored the human and economic depth of these transfers, with France being the primary
Must ReadMorocco's Atlas Lions begin their 2026 World Cup campaign with a high-stakes match against Brazil. The team, semi-finalists in the last World Cup, aims to prove their previous success was not a fluke. National coach Mohamed Ouahbi has focused on strengthening the team's winning culture, emphasizing respect for Brazil without fear. However, Morocco faces significant injury challenges, with Nayef Aguerd out due to persistent pubalgia, forcing a new central defense pairing likely involving Issa Diop and Chadi Riad. Abde Ezzalzouli is also absent due to a moderate knee ligament sprain, impacting the team's attacking options and set-piece expertise. Captain Achraf Hakimi is tasked with containing Vinicius Junior and initiating quick transitions to Brahim Diaz and Azzedine Ounahi, who will supply Ismael Saibari. Morocco draws confidence from a 2-1 friendly victory against Brazil in 2023. Brazil, led by Carlo Ancelotti, enters as a favorite with a strong offensive lineup, featuring the speed of Vinicius Junior and Raphinha on the wings, and a solid midfield pivot of Casemiro and Bruno Guimar茫es. Brazil's potential weakness lies in the probable absence of Neymar due to a calf injury, which would reduce their creative options. Full-backs Douglas and Danilo have also shown vulnerabilities against deep defensive blocks, an area where Brahim Diaz could exploit. The key for Brazil will be maintaining composure against Morocco's compact and disciplined defense.