Thousands of jubilant fans took to the streets of Rabat to welcome Morocco's World Cup football heroes back home on Tuesday.
People waved flags, set off fireworks, banged drums and chanted "ole, ole, ole, ole, Maghreb, Maghreb" - the Arabic name for Morocco - as manager Walid Regragui and his players travelled from the airport into the capital on an open-top bus.
The Atlas Lions became the first North African and first Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of the Fifa World Cup and attracted fans across the globe in support of their unexpected run.
Morocco players return to Rabat - in pictures
Despite going into the tournament as underdogs, they topped a group that included Belgium and Croatia, before beating 2010 World Cup winners Spain in the last 16 and 2016 European Champions Portugal in the quarter-finals.
They eventually went out to defending champions France in the semi-finals, in a close-fought game that did nothing to tarnish their reputation as a disciplined unit under manager Regragui.
A global inspiration
The heroics of Morocco players such as Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat and goalkeeper Yassine "Bono" Bounou won them fans across the world throughout their giant-killing campaign.
Thousands of Moroccan fans travelled to Qatar, creating a home-like atmosphere for their team, while others gathered in vast crowds at home and across the Middle East and Europe.
In Dubai, Moroccan fans spoke of their pride and gratitude to the team, who they said represented the Arab world.
The Atlas Lions also picked up plaudits from Arab leaders and celebrities across the region.
“Proud of the lions. Proud of the performance. Proud of the spirit. Proud of the achievement,” wrote Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur hailed the team as "an inspiration to us all."
"I will not be surprised that one day an African country will win the World Cup. I’ve always believed that. I just love the Moroccan spirit and hopefully other countries will follow that path, because honestly nothing is impossible,” she said.
The team were expected to meet Morocco's King Mohammed VI at the royal palace in Rabat later on Tuesday.
The World Cup was eventually won by Argentina, who beat France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw. Morocco ended fourth after losing to Croatia in the third-place play-off.
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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
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Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
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The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
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UNSC Elections 2022-23
Seats open:
- Two for Africa Group
- One for Asia-Pacific Group (traditionally Arab state or Tunisia)
- One for Latin America and Caribbean Group
- One for Eastern Europe Group
Countries so far running: