
The White House announced an extended ceasefire with Iran following a request from Pakistan's Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The extension is due to a significant division within the Iranian government, with the ceasefire set to continue until Iran presents a unified proposal and discussions conclude. US President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that he has ordered American armed forces to maintain a naval blockade and remain ready. Earlier, Trump told CNBC that the US is in a strong position for negotiations with Iran, anticipating a "great deal" as a new round of talks is expected to begin in Pakistan. He previously affirmed that the blockade on Iranian ports would only be lifted upon reaching an agreement with Iran. Previous talks in Islamabad with a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance failed on April 12. Amid these developments, Iran announced on Saturday that it would resume "strict control" of the Strait of Hormuz, reversing an earlier decision to reopen the waterway, which typically handles one-fifth of global oil and gas trade.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.

The Moroccan-French Joint Agricultural Committee met on April 21 at the International Agricultural Show in Morocco SIAM in Meknes, confirming the revival of a strategic partnership between the two countries. Co-chaired by Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, Ahmed El Bouari, and his French counterpart, Annie Genevard, the meeting reviewed cooperation since 2024 and set new priorities. This follows a framework agreement signed in October 2024, which intensified exchanges through knowledge transfer, co-construction of projects, and networking of institutional and scientific actors. Both parties praised the results of the "2025 cross-agricultural year." Livestock farming is a central focus, with discussions on herd reconstitution, genetic improvement, and fodder resource development to adapt production systems to climate change and ensure food security. The partnership also emphasizes training, research, and health security, including mobility programs, double degrees, and collaborative research. Cooperation between ONSSA and the French Directorate General for Food DGAL has improved risk management and secured trade. Sustainable management of agricultural water and forest resources is another strategic area. New themes include the digitalization of agricultural services, youth integration in rural areas, and human capacity building. Rabat and Paris reaffirmed their goal to make this partnership an operational lever to address contemporary agricultural challenges, focusing on concre

At SIAM 2026, Maroc Telecom is highlighting digital solutions for the agricultural sector, leveraging IoT, artificial intelligence, and fintech. These Agritech solutions combine IoT, data analytics, and AI to collect and centralize data on secure platforms, aiming to improve decision-making through real-time monitoring of agricultural resources, optimized irrigation, and efficient energy management. The tools also include analytical systems to anticipate risks and provide recommendations. Maroc Telecom's stand featured a demonstration of advanced agricultural technologies using its 5G network for high-speed connectivity. This demonstration integrated smart drones, AI, and an "edge Data Center" to illustrate applications for improving productivity, optimizing operations, reducing costs, and real-time farm management. The company also launched the "Pack Fellah," an offer designed to enhance rural connectivity. This pack includes an Honor X5b+ smartphone for 990 dirhams and a mobile plan at 89 dirhams per month, offering 15 hours of communication and 15 GB of internet, to facilitate access to digital tools for farmers. Additionally, MT Cash, a Maroc Telecom subsidiary, introduced a payment solution called "Payeur" for small businesses and cooperatives, particularly in the agricultural and agri-food sectors. This solution enables digital salary distribution, aiming to simplify operations, improve traceability, and reduce cash-related constraints. Beneficiaries can withdraw funds

In 2025, Morocco's legal cannabis sector experienced substantial growth, with the National Agency for the Regulation of Cannabis Activities ANRAC issuing 4,147 new authorizations, bringing the total operational authorizations to 5,765. These include 5,492 authorizations for cultivation, benefiting 5,318 farmers, and 273 for processing, marketing, export, seed import, and transport, granted to 183 operators. Production authorizations for farmers are contingent on pre-existing purchase contracts with authorized operators, detailing pricing and payment terms. The harvested area for legal cannabis reached 3,141 hectares in 2025, involving 4,776 farmers, with 2,622 hectares dedicated to the local "Beldia" variety and 519 hectares to imported varieties. Industrially, five operators completed and equipped processing plants with a total capacity of 560 tons, while 11 more are under construction. Marketing efforts in 2025 led to the national cannabis product being available in over 600 authorized points of sale. For medical cannabis products, 110 new items were registered with the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products AMMPS, including 50 food supplements, 59 cosmetic products, and one medicine, increasing the total market availability to 141 products. Moroccan cannabis products expanded their international presence to over seven countries, including France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Portugal, Australia, and South Africa, through ANRAC-organized prospecti

The Mohammed VI Tower, standing at 250 meters, has become a new landmark in Rabat, Morocco. Inaugurated on April 13, 2026, by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, the tower recently opened its doors to the media, offering an in-depth look at this significant architectural, urban, and economic development.