First Independent Mena Newspaper
Chocolate prices jumped nearly 18% across the European Union in 2025, marking the steepest increase of any food product, following a historic spike in cocoa costs driven by West African drought and plant disease. West Africa, notably Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire, are the world’s main cocoa‑growing region, which pushed supplies to their lowest levels in […]
China has indicated its willingness to support the post-war reconstruction of Sudan, according to Xu Jian, Beijing’s acting Chargé d’affaires in Sudan. Speaking at a press briefing in Port Sudan, Xu said China has incorporated proposals to assist Sudan’s rebuilding efforts into its official foreign policy agenda and is ready to help restore infrastructure destroyed […]
Morocco ranks among the must-visit destinations for summer 2026, alongside Spain, Portugal and Italy, according to an analysis published by HolidayCheck, one of the largest travel portals in the German-speaking world. The analysis, based on millions of searches and bookings with more than 60 tour operators, highlights the growing interest of travelers in the Kingdom, […]
Heightened geopolitical tensions in the Gulf and domestic market dynamics have contributed to a sharp pullback on the MASI at the Casablanca Stock Exchange, following a strong rally that marked the end of 2025 and early 2026, a recent report by Attijari Global Research (AGR) showed Despite solid corporate earnings, the Moroccan equity market experienced […]
Morocco’s industrial sector closed 2025 on a solid footing, with the manufacturing production index — excluding petroleum refining — growing 4% in the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2024, according to figures released by the High Commission for Planning (HCP). The expansion was driven by strong performances across several branches. Pharmaceutical manufacturing […]
Danish tug owning group Svitzer has announced supporting container ships at the Tanger Med II terminal with five ASD tugs with 90 tons of bollard pull — Svitzer Al Hoceima, Svitzer Chefchaouen, Svitzer Tanger, Svitzer Tetouan and 2025-built Svitzer Ouezzane. The leading harbor and terminal towage provider also owns three pilot boats at Tanger Med […]
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have introduced the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act of 2026. The move comes as the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bipartisan bill tabled last June by Republican Joe Wilson (South-Carolina) and Democrat Jimmy Panetta (CA) for branding the Algeria-backed Polisario militia […]
The Association of Victims of Terrorism of the Canary Islands (ACAVITE) has organized lately a ceremony in honor of 300 Canary Islanders (miners & fishermen) killed by the Polisario terrorist group. The ceremony, held on the occasion of the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, was marked by wreath-laying and moments of silence […]
Moroccan researchers have unearthed the fossilised remains of a previously unknown dinosaur species in the eastern region of Tendrara, a discovery described as unprecedented for the area and scientifically significant, according to the Faculty of Sciences at Mohammed I University in Oujda. The discovery was made by a team of Moroccan scientists working in collaboration […]
Morocco has been elected by acclamation in The Hague to the Presidency of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on behalf of the African Group, for a one-year term starting on 12 May. This election, in the person of Mohamed Basri, Morocco’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent […]