Panasonic shifts toward AI infrastructure with major new investment plan
Panasonic Holdings announced a three year investment program worth 500 billion yen aimed at accelerating its expansion into artificial intelligence infrastructure, even as the Japanese conglomerate reported a sharp decline in annual earnings driven by restructuring costs and weaker electric vehicle demand. The company said it intends to capitalize......
Morocco launches digital Hajj platform for 34,000 pilgrims
Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs has introduced a new mobile application designed to assist Moroccan pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj season, as authorities prepare for the departure of around 34,000 nationals to Saudi Arabia later this month. The platform, called “Rakb Al Hajj,” forms part of a broader effort to modernize......
Sami Yusuf to perform two spiritual concerts at Fès festival
Sami Yusuf will return to the Fès Festival of World Sacred Music for two performances scheduled on June 6 and 7, 2026, at the historic Bab Makina. The concerts will headline the 29th edition of the festival and mark the first time the artist performs twice during the same edition. Organizers expect strong attendance as the singer remains......
Moroccan banks expand across Africa to strengthen regional financial links
Bank of Africa signaled a broader transformation in Morocco’s banking sector when it rebranded from BMCE in 2020. The change reflected more than a new corporate identity. It illustrated the growing ambition of Moroccan financial institutions to position themselves as regional banking groups capable of connecting markets across Africa......
Morocco forecasts growth above 5.3% despite global energy pressures
Fouzi Lekjaa said Morocco’s economy continues to demonstrate resilience despite mounting international instability and rising energy prices, as the government projects economic growth above 5.3% in 2026. Speaking before the House of Councillors in Casablanca, the minister said the first four months of implementation of the 2026 Finance......
Altman tells court Musk sought control of OpenAI before departure
Sam Altman testified Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, rejecting accusations from Elon Musk that he abandoned OpenAI’s original nonprofit mission. Altman told jurors that Musk himself pushed for long term control over the artificial intelligence company and supported turning the organization into a commercial operation......
Kuwait accuses Iran of failed commando raid near Chinese funded port
Kuwait accused Iran on Tuesday of sending an armed unit linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to infiltrate Bubiyan Island, home to a major Chinese backed port project in the northern Gulf. The alleged operation marks a new escalation in regional tensions as US President Donald Trump departed Washington for a state visit to China. Kuwaiti......
NASA releases Perseverance’s westernmost Mars panorama and new rover selfie
NASA has unveiled a new collection of images captured by the Mars rover Perseverance, including a sweeping panorama of a region known as Arbot and the rover’s sixth selfie since landing on the Red Planet in 2021. The visuals were taken during the rover’s farthest westward journey beyond the rim of Jezero Crater and provide scientists......
Africa Forward summit positions Morocco at heart of economic alliances
The Africa Forward summit in Nairobi brought together heads of state, investors and senior officials on 11 and 12 May 2026 with a focus on accelerating concrete economic partnerships across the continent. The meeting, co-chaired by Kenya and France, placed emphasis on investment-driven cooperation in sectors ranging from energy and digital......
Trump announces talks with Cuba as Washington signals shift
The United States has announced the opening of discussions with Cuba after President Donald Trump stated that Havana had requested assistance from Washington. The announcement marks a potential shift in a relationship that has remained tense for decades, although no details have been provided on the scope or timing of the talks. The US president......
Africa secures record World Cup representation for the 2026 tournament
The FIFA World Cup has long been dominated by a group of national teams that consistently qualify across generations. Brazil remains the benchmark of global consistency, standing as the only country to have participated in every edition of the tournament since its creation. The South American side now holds a streak of 22 consecutive appearances,......
Africa seeks greater control over critical minerals value chains
African policymakers, researchers and mining experts are intensifying calls for local transformation of critical raw materials as global competition for strategic minerals accelerates. During a conference held in Rabat by the Policy Center for the New South and the Geology and Sustainable Mining Institute, participants examined the challenges......
Spanish meat exports decline as global demand shifts sharply
Spanish exports of meat and processed meat products fell by 13 percent during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting weaker international demand and major changes across key export markets. Data from Spain’s agricultural export monitoring system showed total overseas shipments reached 393,585 tonnes between January and March, while March......
Morocco and Ecuador deepen trade and investment ties in Rabat
Morocco and Ecuador moved to strengthen their diplomatic and economic cooperation during high-level talks held in Rabat between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Ecuadorian minister Luis Alberto Jaramillo, who oversees production, foreign trade, investments and fisheries. The meeting reflected a shared effort to expand bilateral......
Italian companies target Morocco’s expanding glass manufacturing sector
A delegation of Italian companies specializing in glass processing technologies visited Casablanca from May 4 to May 7 as part of an economic mission aimed at strengthening industrial cooperation between Morocco and Italy. The initiative was organized by ITA – ICE Agenzia in partnership with GIMAV to support the expansion of Italian......