French President Emmanuel Macron began a three-day state visit to Morocco on Monday, in an attempt to reset ties after years of diplomatic tension.
The trip comes after an invitation from Morocco’s King Mohammed VI in September and is part of “a new ambition for the next 30 years of Franco-Moroccan relations”, an adviser to Mr Macron said on Thursday.
Mr Macron was met by the king, his son Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and other members of the royal family on the tarmac at Rabat–Salé Airport, accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, and Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu.
A number of MPs as well as representatives of French companies and other pertinent cultural and sports figures are expected to be present.
Mr Macron is expected to head to the Royal Palace for a one-on-one meeting between the two heads of state. This will be followed by a signing ceremony of several agreements in sectors such as energy, water, education and national security, the Elysee Palace told journalists in a press briefing.
On Tuesday morning, Mr Macron is scheduled to meet several Moroccan officials, including Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and Speakers of the Parliament’s two chambers, Rachid Talbi of the House of Representatives and Mohamed Ould Errachid of the House of Advisers. Mr Macron will also give a speech in front of both houses at 11am local time.
More meetings regarding the development of other vital sectors such as food security and sustainable agriculture in Africa, will also take place. Mr Macron will be attending a reception ceremony held with the French community in Morocco.
Relations between Paris and Rabat have deteriorated in recent years, largely over France's stance on the status of the Sahara region, which was considered to be ambiguous. The vast and sparsely populated territory in north-western Africa is controlled by Morocco. For decades, a group known as the Polisario Front has been engaged in an armed struggle with Moroccan troops in a push for independence.
In July, Mr Macron ended doubts over France's position on the territory by saying he was willing to support Morocco’s plan for regional autonomy under the sovereign rule of Rabat. “For France, autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the framework within which this issue must be resolved,” he said in a letter to the king.
In the past two years, Moroccan media outlets have accused France of attempting to sabotage the kingdom’s relations with other EU countries and tarnish its reputation. The accusation stems from a push by former French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne for the adoption by the European Parliament of two anti-Morocco resolutions when he was an MEP. One condemned alleged breaches of freedom of expression and the second concerned allegations that Morocco has sought influence in the legislature through corrupt means.
Both Morocco and Qatar have been accused of infiltrating the European Parliament through the installation of a lobbying network and alleged bribery of MEPs.
Tightened Schengen visa restrictions, hindering travel for many people from the Maghreb to France, have also been perceived as a reason for the deterioration in ties. In September 2021, France lowered the quota for visas granted to Moroccans by 50 per cent. The decision was revoked the following year, but travel to France and other EU countries remains difficult for many Moroccans.
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
Company%20Profile
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AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Kill%20Bill%20Volume%201
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
DUNE%3A%20PART%20TWO
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if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Results
2pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: Mouheeb, Tom Marquand (jockey), Nicholas Bachalard (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Honourable Justice, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dark Silver, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Dark Of Night. Antonio Fresu, Al Muhairi.
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Habah, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Company%20Profile
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