🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Tetouan launches festivities as Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026
via Le Matin5 min read
Tetouan, chosen as the Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026 alongside Matera, Italy, has launched a series of cultural activities. These events, spanning three days, include art and craft exhibitions, musical evenings, and intellectual and cultural gatherings, all designed to highlight the city's rich tangible and intangible heritage. The program, supported by partners like the Municipality of Tetouan, the Union for the Mediterranean UpM, the Anna Lindh Foundation, and Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, will continue with various artistic, intellectual, and literary activities, showcasing the historical and cultural richness of the "white dove" of the Mediterranean. The Minister emphasized that this event is not merely a celebration but the culmination of a long civilizational journey and international recognition of Morocco's role as a land of tolerance, peace, and a bridge between Africa and Europe, and between East and West. The Minister noted that Tetouan's selection is due to its historical role as a meeting place for cultures and a safe haven for Andalusians, who left an exceptional architectural, musical, and intellectual legacy, making it the heir to Andalusian civilization. The Minister also highlighted that the streets of Tetouan's old medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, tell stories of peaceful coexistence among Muslims, Jews, and Christians for centuries, with its minarets, gates, and squares reflecting the plural and open nature of Moroccan culture. T
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Must ReadNegotiations aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East are reportedly compromised, with Iran accusing the United States of violating the fragile April 8 ceasefire. This accusation follows US strikes over the weekend and subsequent Iranian military retaliation. Iran has suspended dialogue and text exchanges via mediators, citing Israel's continued "crimes" in Lebanon and ceasefire violations "on all fronts." A UN Security Council emergency meeting on Lebanon is scheduled for Monday at France's request, as France stated that "nothing justified the major escalation underway in Lebanon." Israeli forces have advanced further into Lebanon than in 25 years, aiming to "eliminate" the pro-Iranian Hezbollah. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that a ceasefire in Lebanon is "an essential condition for any agreement." Indirect negotiations have stalled for weeks since the war began on February 28 with a joint Israeli-American attack on Iran. Tehran has maintained that its nuclear program is not currently part of discussions, contrary to Donald Trump's expectation that a memorandum of understanding should clearly state Iran will not possess nuclear weapons. The US military announced a new wave of "defensive" strikes on southern Iran on Saturday and Sunday, targeting radar and drone control systems in Goruk and Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed to have attacked a base used by the US military for strikes against its territory. Kuwait r
Must ReadThe project connecting Marrakech to the Safi seawater desalination plant is nearing completion, with approximately 98% progress. This strategic initiative aims to strengthen the potable water supply for Marrakech and its surrounding areas, addressing increasing pressure on water resources and climate change impacts. The "hydraulic corridor" will transfer 100 million cubic meters of desalinated water annually from the OCP Group's Safi plant to Marrakech via a nearly 185-kilometer network. This infrastructure aligns with the directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to ensure the Kingdom's water security and accelerate the use of non-conventional water resources, particularly seawater desalination. Marrakech has faced water stress due to drought, population growth, and tourism development. The project will provide a sustainable complementary resource, securing potable water for over 1.5 million inhabitants. Desalinated water will be transported from Safi through three pumping stations and steel pipelines to the main Ramram reservoir, north of Marrakech, with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters. Distribution to users will be managed by the Marrakech-Safi Regional Multiservice Company. The project, costing an estimated 4.3 billion dirhams funded by the State, highlights Morocco's investment in climate resilience. Adil Daoudi, Deputy General Manager of the Marrakech-Safi Regional Multiservice Company, stated that the primary objective is to guarantee Marrakech a sustainable and sec
Morocco's dam reserves have seen a slight decrease in recent days due to rising temperatures. The national filling rate dropped from 76% on May 18 to 75.7% on June 1. Concurrently, the stored water volumes decreased from 12.95 billion cubic meters to 12.8 billion cubic meters.
The traditional pyramid structure of consulting firms, where junior consultants performed foundational tasks and senior members provided oversight, is being challenged by agentic AI. This shift impacts how firms train professionals, price their services, and manage confidential information. Historically, the pyramid model served as a training ground, teaching young consultants to dissect complex problems and transform information into actionable insights, thereby supplying private companies with skilled managers. However, with AI automating entry-level tasks, the legal sector, a parallel field, shows a trend towards hiring more immediately operational profiles, as evidenced by US law firms recruiting fewer recent graduates in 2025 compared to previous years. The value proposition of consulting is also changing. While firms traditionally billed for qualified time, the speed of AI in research and synthesis makes this model harder to justify. Value is now measured by the quality of diagnosis, robustness of scenarios, and execution capabilities. BCG, for instance, now uses performance-based pricing for three-quarters of its large AI projects. Confidentiality is another critical aspect. Consulting deals with sensitive client data, necessitating secure, organized AI systems rather than relying solely on rented solutions. Kirkland & Ellis's planned $500 million investment in its own AI platform highlights this need. Furthermore, firms must transform their accumulated experience into