Morocco has called for adopting a global, holistic and integrated approach to implement the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols. The call was launched by Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, at an international colloquium held Tuesday in Rabat under the theme “Protecting Cultural Heritage During Humanitarian Crises and the Efficiency Issue”. “The international community will benefit from adopting such a global, holistic and integrated approach,” to better protect cultural heritage in times of humanitarian crises, Hilale said, calling for promoting intercultural dialogue, strengthening international cooperation, raising awareness among local populations on the importance of preserving cultural heritage, and planning training sessions for humanitarian stakeholders. In this regard, Hilale noted that Morocco is working tirelessly to preserve the world’s cultural heritage, recalling the Kingdom’s ratification of all UNESCO Conventions on the protection and preservation of cultural heritage. The colloquium is part of the international community’s commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the 1954 adoption of The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.

According to various reports, Boeing will make a $4.08-billion offer comprised largely of stock to acquire the aircraft structures manufacturer. Neither Boeing nor Spirit AeroSystems has commented on the reported details of the takeover plan. Spirit AeroSystems is a business spun off from Boeing in 2005, and the current organization consists of operations collected from subsequent acquisitions, in North America, Europe, and northern Africa. One complication in finalizing the takeover offer has been Spirit AeroSystems’ role as a supplier of aircraft structures to Boeing’s chief rival, Airbus SA. The slowdown at Boeing has had add-on effects at Spirit Aero and other major suppliers, which has resulted in supply-chain problems for Airbus too.

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Five North African LGBTQ+ Artists You Should KnowFrom Morocco to Sudan, LGBTQ+ artists and activists are teaching the region about meaningful solidarity and highlighting how tolerance for all improves life for all.

The distribution of Moroccan medical aid, dispatched to the Palestinians in the Gaza strip, on instructions of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, started on Tuesday. The aid was transported through the same unprecedented land route used during the food aid operation deployed last Ramadan. This aid is meant to strengthen the functioning of the few hospitals that are still operational in the Gaza Strip and to increase their performance so that they can continue to provide vital medical and health services. According to PRCS spokeswoman Nebal Farsakh, this aid will then be distributed to medical service providers and public hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including the Red Crescent hospital in Khan Younès and other health points set up throughout the Gaza Strip. Al Aawar added that the Palestinian people hope that other Arab countries will follow the example of Morocco in providing aid to the Palestinian population, particularly in Gaza.

The 40-ton medical aid included vital surgery supplies and other equipment and medicine to treat burns and fractures designed for children and adults. The particularity of the aid is that it was delivered via a land route and handed to the Palestinian red crescent at the Kerem Shelom crossing. The land route would ensure that aid reaches the targeted beneficiaries in war-devastated Gaza where Palestinians need concrete help not Algeria’s empty words. The medical aid is the second large-scale operation after that of Ramadan last March, when Morocco sent via the same unprecedented land route vital supplies to Palestinian civilians. Meanwhile, Algeria indulged in an official discourse that used the Palestinian issue for domestic political legitimization purposes.

“I still vividly recall the moment I won a spot in the Paris 2024 Mass Participation Marathon. Among the 40,048 international participants is JD.com courier Yushuai Luan, who is eager to showcase his running prowess on this global stage. In a heartfelt gesture of appreciation, he penned a thank-you letter to the Paris 2024 Mass Participation Marathon organizing team, which was sent using JD Logistics’ international express delivery service. Yushuai’s journey with JD Logistics began in 2015 in Beijing’s Haidian district, known for its exacting delivery standards. Yushuai Luan doesn’t just see the glass as half full; he sees it brimming over with opportunity—a mindset that carries him across every finish line with a smile.

Download logoSince Somalia’s private sector accounts for an estimated 95 percent of total jobs created, marshaling the private sector to support the country’s development is critical for reconstruction, transitioning from fragility, and generating more inclusive economic dividends for it’s people. The country also needs to focus on growth (to avoid falling back into debt), create jobs, and enhance economic opportunities for citizens. Furthermore, private sector activity is concentrated on commerce and other, mostly non-tradable, consumption-driven services. In this context, the CPSD highlights recommendations that could have the greatest impact on unleashing the Somali private sector, incentivizing short-term dividends, and enabling a private sector-led economic transformation in the medium to long-term. Fostering a vibrant and inclusive private sector in Somalia is crucial for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, job creation, and resilience against fragility, requiring concerted efforts to address policy and regulatory gaps, enhance infrastructure, and unlock investment opportunities across key sectors.

Both of these latest projects involve the development of poultry breeding facilities, and aim to enhance food security in Oman by raising self-sufficiency in resources for the poultry supply chain, and reducing reliance on imports. The first of the deals was agreed upon in Muscat this week by Oman-based Osool Poultry Company with genetics company Aviagen (Ross), reports Times of Oman. In late 2020, Osool Poultry Company announced production would soon commence at its new poultry facility, which was the first hatchery in Oman. Poultry breeder investment in northwest OmanThe Sultanate’s most recent poultry project is a breeder farm in Buraimi. According to Muscat Daily, this involves Royal Poultry Farms, the agriculture ministry, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning.

And so the first of the T20 World Cup semifinals in Trinidad will be a contest between the overachievers and underachievers of international cricket. Rashid is one of the leading bowlers in the T20 format, a regular star in the franchise leagues around the world. He’s well aware of South Africa’s history at cricket’s world tournaments, and made a point of saying it’s “uncharted territory” for Afghanistan. South Africa’s leading wicket takers in the tournament have been fast bowlers Anrich Nortje at No. South Africa’s strong batting lineup hasn’t really fired as a unit so far in the tournament with only Quinton de Kock — at No.

Canon has announced its entry into the recycling system market with the launch of its new plastic sorting equipment with innovative material identification technology. Plastic sorting equipment “TR-S1510”Source: Canon Central and North AfricaAccording to Plastic Products, Plastic Waste and Resource Recovery, published by the Plastic Waste Management Institute, roughly 20% of plastic waste generated in our daily lives is recycled as material for new products (material recycling), while the remainder is used as fuel or incinerated. Additionally, in order to accelerate plastic recycling, higher accuracy and productivity are required for sorting operations. Canon attributes the machine's high-precision, high-speed sorting of plastic (including black pieces) to its combination of Raman spectroscopy with a tracking mechanism. Therefore, the practical application of Raman spectroscopy to sorting black plastic has so far proven difficult.

North Korea might have launched a hypersonic missile, South Korea has said, as intelligence agencies investigated a ballistic missile test that failed early on Wednesday. The United States and South Korea have responded by expanding their combined training and trilateral drills involving Japan, and sharpening their deterrence strategies. North Korea, earlier this week, criticised the deployment of the Theodore Roosevelt and warned of an “overwhelming, new demonstration of deterrence”. It has also been reinforcing its defences along the border with South Korea after suspending a 2018 military agreement with South Korea which was supposed to reduce tension. It has also sent more than 1,000 rubbish-filled balloons south in retaliation for balloons carrying leaflets criticising Kim’s rule that were floated to North Korea by activists.

AfDB Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth Kevin Kariuki said energy access in Africa faces the energy trilemma of addressing security, affordability and sustainability, complicated by the variable of socio-economic challenges. Attending the Africa Energy Forum (aef) though was a way for the African Development Bank to hear not just about the challenges but also possible solutions. The energy trilemma concept provides a framework for understanding the multidimensional nature of energy policy and planning. It captures the three most fundamental challenges that highlight the interrelationship between energy security, equity and sustainability. Themed Energy Systems of the Future – Balancing Africa’s Needs with Global Goals, the opening of aef saw speaker after speaker emphasise collaboration and inter-regional connection as key to solving the continent’s energy deficit.

Egyptian Fintech Connect Money Raises USD 8 M Seed RoundConnect Money, an Egyptian banking-as-a-service fintech company, focusing on embedded finance services, has successfully closed its seed funding round of USD 8 M led by venture capital firms Disruptech Ventures and Algebra Ventures. The round will enable Connect Money to launch five new business verticals that will be announced separately in North African markets. Founded in 2024 by Ayman Essawy, Marwan Kenawy and Momtaz Moussa, Connect Money offers a comprehensive white-label card issuing platform that enables businesses to provide their customers with debit and credit cards without the need to develop fintech infrastructure or obtain regulatory licensing. Their solutions encompass digital payments, instant financing, and access to a network of over 20,000 marketplace partners. The company provides end-to-end support, including white-labeled card issuance, distribution, KYC, customer support, and mobile banking app development, simplifying the payments experience for their clients and their customers all through a unique SaaS offering.

Ghana had reached a deal with bondholders that will forgo nearly $5 billion in a sovereign debt restructuring deal that would help the country avoid default. The deal marks a key step in the country’s quest to restructure its $13 billion debt that left the country on the brink of financial collapse. The deal is the latest sovereign debt restructuring launched under a G20-approved “common framework”. Bondholders also finally voted to approve a restructuring by Zambia last month under the framework, almost four years after the southern African nation defaulted. Double-digit inflation and disruptions in the country’s gold and oil exports left the economy in uncharted territory on the verge of collapse.