Latest from Ya Biladi
Ya Biladi
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Ya Biladi
Morocco sweeps all 10 gold medals at African Military Boxing Championship
Morocco claimed all 10 gold medals at the sixth edition of the African Military Boxing Championship, which concluded with the finals held on Thursday and Friday at the Royal Armed Forces Sports Center in Salé. The Moroccan team proudly carried the national colors in this continental competition, with victories from Issam Bensayar (49 kg), Reda Essamai (56 kg), Zouhair Fadel (60 kg), Aziz Ben Dalli (81 kg), Mehdi Bourous (91 kg), Younes Bouhdid (+91 kg), Othman Chadghour (52 kg), Nadir Abdelhak (64 kg), Zine Elabidine Amroug (69 kg), and Yassine Elouarz (75 kg). Aziz Ben Dalli's final against Tanzanian boxer Yusuf Changarawe was one of the most hard-fought bouts of the championship. He credited his victory to rigorous training and praised the dedication of the technical staff, who ensured optimal preparation. Ben Dalli also expressed his ambition to shine in future continental and international competitions. National military boxing team coach Youssef Sorour emphasized that Morocco's performance was no coincidence. He highlighted the intense months-long preparation leading up to the event, noting that the championship served as excellent training ahead of the upcoming World Military Boxing Championship. At the end of the tournament, Morocco topped the medal table with 10 gold medals. Nigeria followed with 2 silver and 4 bronze, while Tanzania earned 2 silver and 3 bronze. Tunisia secured 2 silver and 2 bronze; Zambia 2 silver and 1 bronze; Burkina Faso 1 silver and 1 bronze. Cabo Verde and Guinea each won 3 bronze medals, while Mozambique and Libya each claimed 1 bronze. The Fair Play Award was jointly awarded to Tanzania and Cabo Verde. Over five days, around 70 boxers from 12 African countries competed across various weight categories. Participating nations included Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Libya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and host country Morocco.
Ya Biladi
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Ya Biladi
Morocco's first 100% electric refrigerated truck launched by Petit Forestier
In May 2025, Petit Forestier announced the launch of Morocco's first 100% electric refrigerated heavy-duty vehicle in Casablanca. The company operates over 1,800 refrigerated vehicles across 24 cities in Morocco. The vehicle features a fully electric motor and refrigeration unit, producing zero local emissions and reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 70%, depending on the energy source used for charging. It maintains refrigeration quality while also reducing urban noise pollution and mechanical waste from maintenance. Tested at Morocco's International Agriculture Show (SIAM), the truck is currently used by Centrale Danone Morocco for logistics operations. It is designed for short- to medium-distance routes in urban and suburban areas. Petit Forestier has been operating in Morocco since 2010 as the national leader in refrigerated vehicle rental, providing 24/7 service coverage. The company aims to reduce its carbon footprint per vehicle by 25% by 2030. This electric vehicle is integrated into Petit Forestier's Full Service offering, which includes fleet planning, turnkey rental with administrative management and insurance, proactive maintenance, and breakdown management with replacement vehicles. Anass Bouzidi, Director of Petit Forestier Morocco, described this as the first such launch in Morocco. Cédric Pinto, Sustainable Development Manager, emphasized that the initiative continues the company's European transition strategy.
Ya Biladi
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Ya Biladi
Morocco : 8 fires contained in 24 hours, 20 hectares burned (ANEF)
Over the past 24 hours on June 19, Morocco reported eight fires, including six in forested areas and two outside. According to the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF), «rapid and coordinated interventions» by emergency services allowed full control of all incidents, with the total affected area estimated at 20 hectares. By province, ANEF states that 15 hectares were affected in Tetouan. The agency also confirmed that efforts to extinguish remaining smoldering spots are ongoing. In Khénifra, 3.5 hectares were impacted, while flames destroyed 1.1 hectares in Chefchaouen, 0.095 hectares in Khémisset, and 0.02 hectares in Casablanca. In Midelt, a fire covering 10 square meters was determined to be of natural origin, caused by a lightning strike. Additionally, fires controlled in Taza and Sidi Slimane occurred outside forested areas. In this context, ANEF recalled the alert issued on June 15, 2025. Based on scientific predictive models, the agency identified «a high to extreme risk level of forest fires breaking out between June 16 and 20 in several provinces, including Azilal, Béni Mellal, Chefchaouen, Kénitra, Khémisset, Larache, Tanger-Assilah, Tétouan, M'diq-Fnideq, Taounate, Taza, Nador, Al Hoceïma, and Ouezzane». Given this, ANEF called for increased vigilance, especially in high-risk forest areas. «It is imperative not to light fires in natural environments, not to discard cigarette butts or flammable waste, and to immediately report any smoke or suspicious behavior to local authorities, water and forest agents, or civil protection», the agency emphasized. In the same statement, ANEF noted that from January 1 to June 20, 2025, Morocco recorded 111 forest fires, a decrease compared to the ten-year average of 130. Over the same period, the total burned area amounted to 130 hectares, «which is four times less than the average over the past ten years».
Ya Biladi
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Moroccans among top 10 asylum seekers in EU+, nearly 25,000 mainly in Italy and Spain
Asylum trends across the European Union and associated countries (EU+) hit their highest level since 2017, with 795,000 first-instance decisions issued in 2024, a surge driven by rising applications and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Among those seeking asylum were nearly 25,000 Moroccan nationals, according to the European Union Agency for Asylum's 2025 report. Moroccan nationals ranked tenth among the most common nationalities applying for asylum in EU+ countries last year, with 25,347 applications, an 18% drop from 2023, when 30,924 Moroccans applied for protection. The majority of these applications were submitted in Italy (41%), followed by Spain (17%) and Slovenia (14%). In terms of volume, Moroccan asylum seekers in 2024 were far outnumbered by applicants from Syria, Venezuela, and Afghanistan, the top three nationalities, as well as Colombia, Türkiye, Bangladesh, Peru, Ukraine, and Egypt. Still, Moroccans remained highly concentrated in some national systems. In Slovenia, they made up a striking 63% of all asylum applicants, while in Bulgaria and Slovakia they remained among the top five nationalities seeking asylum. Low recognition rates and high withdrawals Despite their strong presence in several countries, Moroccan applicants saw low protection rates. Italy, which issued 85,000 first-instance decisions, the largest increase across the EU+, registered a high number of rejections for nationals of Morocco, alongside applicants from Egypt, Pakistan, and Tunisia. In Bulgaria and Slovenia, Moroccans accounted for 10% and 33%, respectively, of all first-instance decisions, though few resulted in refugee status. Slovakia stood out as an exception, where 10% of all granted refugee statuses went to Moroccan nationals. Equally striking is the sharp rise in withdrawn applications. Moroccan nationals ranked third in this category, with 5,304 withdrawals recorded in 2024, a 34% drop from the previous year. Slovenia had the highest rate of withdrawals by Moroccans, representing 71% of all withdrawn applications, followed by Switzerland (12%) and Spain (9.2%). By the end of 2024, Moroccan nationals also accounted for 43% of all pending asylum cases in Slovenia.
Ya Biladi
15 hours ago
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Morocco Telecom secures €370 million IFC loan to expand 4G in Chad and Mali
Morocco Telecom has secured a €370 million loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to fund the rollout of 4G services in Chad and Mali, the company announced Friday. The financing aims to improve access to high-speed internet, help bridge the digital divide, and support economic development, in line with the African Union's goal of creating a unified digital market by 2030. Morocco Telecom, in which Emirati group e& holds a 53% stake, serves around 79 million customers, more than 57 million of whom are in ten African countries. It is the second-largest company on the Casablanca Stock Exchange by market capitalization. «Morocco Telecom Group has been operating in sub-Saharan Africa for over 20 years. Our strategy focuses on enhancing telecom services and related products to meet the needs of a fast-growing young population», Mohamed Benchaaboun, General Manager of Morocco Telecom, said. «In all our markets, mobile data is key to internet access, and 4G plays a crucial role in bridging the digital divide. This long-term financial partnership with the IFC in Chad and Mali will expand network coverage, improve service quality, support the broader adoption of 4G technology, and contribute to development in both countries», he added.
