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استقبل رئيس الحكومة المغربية عزيز أخنوش، اليوم الخميس بمقر رئاسة الحكومة بالرباط، الأمير فيصل بن فرحان بن عبد الله آل سعود، وزير خارجية المملكة العربية السعودية، الذي يقوم بزيارة عمل إلى المغرب. وشكل هذا اللقاء، وفق بلاغ صحافي توصلت به هسبريس، مناسبة لتجديد التأكيد على علاقات التعاون الجيدة التي تربط بين البلدين، والتي تحظى برعاية خاصة من طرف الملك محمد السادس وأخيه خادم الحرمين الشريفين الملك سلمان بن عبد العزيز اَل سعود. ونوه أخنوش بالموقف السعودي الداعم، وباستمرار، لوحدة المغرب الترابية، حيث تحدث الجانبان على أهمية عقد دورة جديدة للجنة العليا المشتركة المغربية السعودية، باعتبارها الآلية الرئيسية للتعاون بين البلدين. كما اعتبر البلاغ ذاته هذه الآلية خطوة مهمة نحو تنشيط مسارات التعاون الثنائي وإعطائه زخما جديدا، خاصة في ظل الرغبة الصادقة والمشتركة للبلدين والإمكانيات التي توفرها اقتصاداتهما. وناقش الطرفان، وفق البلاغ ذاته، آفاق التعاون الاقتصادي وتشجيع مبادرات الاستثمار، مؤكدين على أهمية تعزيز انخراط الفاعلين الاقتصاديين ورجال الأعمال في البلدين في هذه الدينامية، مما سيفتح آفاقا جديدة وواعدة أمام تقوية وتطوير وتوسيع إطار التعاون الثنائي بين المملكتين المغربية والسعودية. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

حط الدولي الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، نجم فريق باريس سان جيرمان لكرة القدم، الرحال بمراكش لقضاء عطلته الصيفية رفقة العديد من أصدقائه. ونزل مهاجم منتخب “الديكة” بفندق فاخر في طريق مدينة ورزازات، حيث نشر مبابي صورا توثق تواجده بمراكش عبر صفحته الشخصية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “إنستغرام”. وتضمنت الصور تواجد اللاعب ذاته في مسبح، وسط الجو الحار والجميل الذي تتمتع به مراكش في هذه الفترة. تجدر الإشارة إلى أن مراكش تعتبر مكانا فريدا بالنسبة للمشاهير العالميين في العديد من المجالات (رياضية، فنية، سياسية..). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

Una recessione "non è inevitabile". Lo afferma il presidente americano Joe Biden all'Associtaed Press, secondo quanto riportato dall'agenzia Bloomberg. La recessione "non è inevitabile" e "siamo nella posizione più forte di ogni altro Paese al mondo per superare l'inflazione", afferma Biden con l'Associated Press, sottolineando che il suo ottimismo è legato a un tasso di disoccupazione al 3,6% e alla forza dell'America nel mondo. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

The government’s aid to transportation professionals amounted to an approximate MAD 1 billion, which will increase as the executive plans yet the fourth round of aid. During a press conference subsequent to the government council this Thursday, Government Spokesperson Mustapha Baitas said the executive is “studying additional flexibility margins for the benefit of transportation professionals, to help them cope with soaring fuel prices.” After the prices of gasoline and diesel reached record levels in the Moroccan market this week, the official explained that “the reason for the rise in fuel prices is known, and it is linked to an international context marked by war, in which day after day there is increasing uncertainty about the prices that these materials can reach.” The government official recalled that “the government has taken a set of measures to enhance the purchasing power of citizens,” with regard to fuel or subsidized consumer goods such as sugar and flour, as the support for this substance through the national subsidies’ fund cost MAD 3.4 billion. Baitas explained that the cost of subsidizing butane gas to maintain its domestic price stability reached MAD 21 billion after the government expected the cost of subsidies to be in the range of MAD 9 billion to MAD 10 billion, noting that the government will have to pump more financial funds to subsidize butane gas in the event that its international price increases further. The global rise in prices in the international market has not only affected the purchasing power of citizens, but pushed the government to allocate additional unplanned funds to support some basic goods, and resulted in the postponement of feeding the Kingdom’s national strategic stock. “The government is working on supplying the strategic stock through a set of laws and public policies, but the natural thing is that the stock is supplied when prices are at average levels,” adding that “engaging in the purchase requires some time.” Commenting on the government’s decision to impose customs duties on Moroccans’ purchases from abroad of less than MAD 1,250, which had been exempt from duties, Baitas said that this decision came “after it became clear that the issue is no longer limited to individuals’ purchases, but has become commonly and illicitly deployed by fraudulent commerce practitioners who aim to avoid paying customs duties on commercial goods.” Such practices severely harm the national economy, as Baitas revealed that the fraudulent division of commercial goods to be under the value of MAD 1250 lost the Moroccan economy an approximate MAD 1 billion in 2021. The number was expected to reach MAD 2 billion this year if it wasn’t for the state’s intervention. The official added that the new measure will enter into force starting July 1 and that purchases made before this date will not be subject to any fees. Regarding Moroccan-Spanish relations, Baitas said that “all is proceeding according to the plan and the deadline jointly set for it, since the visit of the Spanish Prime Minister to Morocco,” without providing further details, adding: “When the Minister of the Interior makes a presentation on the subject, we will provide all the data related to it in this weekly gathering.” --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

Italy has reportedly declined to assist Spain in its negotiations with Algeria over gas supply disagreements, according to El Espanol newspaper. The newspaper claims, citing government sources, that “before flying to India on Tuesday night, Albares had spent days contacting his Italian counterpart Luigi di Maio, to ask him for a joint action with the government of Abdelmajid Tebboune.” But according to the same source, the Spanish FM received a refusal from Italy, which conveyed before “in a diplomatic manner” that Spain’s disagreements with Algeria were “a bilateral matter of each State’s relations with Algeria, and not of the Union as a whole.” Last Wednesday, June 8, Algeria declared that the Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighborliness with Spain had been broken, which solicited ample outrage from both Spain and the European Union. The following Thursday, the North African country raised tensions, suspending commercial activities. Although Alberes softened the blow with the help of the European Commission, “he has failed in his attempt at joint action with Italy,” says El Espagnol, citing government sources. Algeria’s unilateral decisions against Spain have all occurred following the latter’s recent public and formal support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. Despite assuring on multiple occasions that the Sahara dispute is a bilateral issue between Morocco and the Polisario seperatist group, Algeria has resorted to an arsenal of pressure tactics to push Spain to retrieve its support. Last month, Tebboune went to Rome on May 26 and 27 for a state visit, and assured his government’s commitment to supplying Italy with much-needed natural gas, to substitute Russian imports. As of this time, 40% of Italy’s gas imports, or about 30 billion cubic meters, come from Russia. The diversification of foreign purchases has become an imperative for Rome since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. Diplomatic relations between both countries have since taken a new relevance, prompting Spain to attempt a reconciliation through its union partner, to counter the possible cancellation of the Spanish-Algeria gas deal, as was the case with the Algerian-Moroccan pipeline late last year. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

Le Raja Casablanca a remporté le derby de la capitale économique face au Wydad (2-0), ce jeudi 16 juin au Complexe Mohammed V pour le compte de la 25e journée de la Botola. Les Rajaouis reviennent à un point de leur adversaire du jour en tête du classement du championnat. En tête à la fin de la première partie (1-0), le Raja a augmenté son avance en seconde mi-temps, faisant évoluer le score à 2-0. La première réalisation a été inscrite à la 45e minute par Mohcine Metouali en faveur des Verts. Les Aingles verts ont ensuite enfoncé le clou avec un autre but de Metouali (86e). Suite à ce match, le Raja de Casablanca se maintient à la deuxième place du classement avec 52 points, tandis que le Wydad, 53 points, se maintient à la première place. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

The era of Internet Explorer finally came to an end on June 15, 2022, after 26 years of service as Microsoft announced last year. Microsoft said that Internet Explorer would longer be supported on their platform. Instead, Microsoft is focusing on Microsoft Edge which is described as “a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer… able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications”. Sean Lyndersay, a general manager at the company, wrote in a Windows blog post: “Over the next few months, opening Internet Explorer will progressively redirect users to our new modern browser, Microsoft Edge with IE mode.” adding: “Users will still see the Internet Explorer icon on their devices (such as on the taskbar or in the Start menu) but if they click to open Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge will open instead with easy access to IE mode. Eventually, Internet Explorer will be disabled permanently as part of a future Windows Update, at which point the Internet Explorer icons on their devices will be removed.” Internet Explorer (IE) started in 1995 as a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included in the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. IE was once the most widely used web browser, attaining a peak of about 95% usage share by 2003. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

Le Maroc a enregistré durant les 24 heures allant de lundi 16H à mardi 16H, 1.677 nouveaux cas confirmés de coronavirus, pour un total national depuis le début de l’épidémie de 1.177.842 contaminations avérées. Côté vaccination, 24.844.104 personnes ont été vaccinées depuis le lancement de la campagne, dont 23.327.071 ayant reçu la 2è dose, et 6.489.371 la 3è dose, a indiqué le ministère de la santé et de la Protection sociale. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

Les prix des carburants au Maroc se dirigent vers une hausse sans précédent. Ils devraient atteindre cette semaine, voire dépasser, les 18 dirhams le litre, selon les données disponibles. Cette hausse s’inscrit dans un contexte d’augmentations inquiétantes des prix de tous les produits, biens et services au Maroc. Alors que les opérateurs du secteur de distribution d’hydrocarbures mettent à jour leurs prix en début et au milieu de de chaque mois, il est attendu que la journée du mercredi connaisse une forte hausse des prix surtout pour l’essence. Il est prévu, selon les données disponibles, que le prix de l’essence atteigne les 18 dirhams le litre, tandis que le prix du gasoil serait de 15,5 dirhams/l. Cette augmentation constante est entretenue par la crise entre la Russie et l’Ukraine. Malgré la libéralisation du secteur des hydrocarbures au Maroc depuis 2015, les sociétés de distribution de carburant ont maintenu la coutume de changer les prix tous les 15 jours. Le gouvernement a refusé à plusieurs reprises d’intervenir pour contrôler les prix et protéger le pouvoir d’achat des Marocains déjà mis à rude épreuve par cette vague d’inflation. L’exécutif a estimé ne pas avoir le budget pour soutenir une telle mesure, et a refusé de détaxer les distributeurs. A noter que les carburants sont soumis à de multiples taxes, notamment la taxe intérieure à la consommation et la taxe sur la valeur ajoutée. La suppression de ces taxes pourrait faire baisser le prix final des prix et réduirait ainsi la charge pesant sur le consommateur. Le gouvernement pourrait en outre se diriger vers les acteurs du secteur pour leur demander de réduire leur marges bénéficiaires pendant cette période, mais encore une fois cette option est rejetée. Dans ce même contexte, plusieurs voix partisanes et syndicales se sont élevées pour réclamer une reprise des activités de la raffinerie La Samir, la seule dont dispose le Maroc, et qui, selon ces mêmes voix, réduirait les dépenses liées aux prix internationaux du pétrole raffiné. En ce sens, et au moment où les prix des carburants sont à leur paroxysme, si l’on peut dire ainsi, sur fonds du renchérissement du pétrole sur le marché mondial, l’option de redémarrage de cette raffinerie revient de plus en plus dans les bouches. Cette mesure, est-il souligné, serait à même de réduire les dépenses et même générer des profits grâce aux processus de raffinage du pétrole qui ont considérablement augmenté, passant de 5 dollars le baril à environ 20 dollars, dans un contexte marqué par le conflit ukrainien et ses répercussions sur l’économie mondiale. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message

Morocco’s Health Minister Khaled Ait Taleb said Morocco accounts so far for a single Monkeypox case, and another suspected that later on turned out negative. He spoke during the oral questions session of the House of Councilors, today, Tuesday. The minister stressed that the situation is under control, noting that “the ministry has experiences in managing the Ebola and Covid-19 crises, which enabled it to develop a plan to anticipate these diseases.” Ait Taleb stated that “the units affiliated with the Ministry are located at the border crossings to easily diagnose suspected cases of monkeypox.” He pointed out that “the procedures consist in isolating the infected inside their homes, and treating them according to their symptoms.” Ait Taleb highlighted that the detection of monkeypox in Morocco is carried out through clinical and laboratory diagnosis, noting that there are four laboratories capable of carrying out PCR analysis in Rabat, Marrakech, and Casablanca. The Minister of Health and Social Protection pointed out that the ministry is not obligated to increase the number of laboratories testing for monkeypox, because the disease is not widespread and the situation is controlled in the border areas and at the level of training professionals. Morocco is currently following the UK’s protocol for dealing with positive monkeypox cases, as it is the country with the highest number of confirmed cases so far. The British system separates contact cases into three “risk levels,” depending on the type of contact they’ve had with an infected patient. If a person’s infection is confirmed, the optimal method is home quarantine for a period of three weeks while on prescribed medication. Hospitalization is exclusive to critical cases, in case the virus develops into a disease, potentially harming parts of the body and vital organs such as the brain, lungs, or eye. The Minister highlighted that although the transmission rate of the virus is low, as it can’t be transmitted through air such as COVID-19, monkeypox does not have a specific cure. Rather, the virus gradually clears from the body after a three week-infection period. However, the official maintained that vigilance is required. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aziz-mustaphi/message