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Morocco rakes in $9.5bn in tourism in October

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Despite a devastating earthquake that struck parts of the country in September, the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism said the country had ranked in $9.5 billion by the month of October.

In a published statement on Saturday, the ministry said the flow of remittances from Moroccans abroad had continued to break records every year, reaching MAD 96.4 billion ($9.5 billion) in the first 10 months of 2023, a 6.1% year-on-year increase, according to data from Morocco’s Exchange Office (OE).

The statement noted that data compiled by the OE indicated that the flow of remittances maintained an upward trajectory for the past five years, going from $5.4 billion in the first months of 2019 to $8.9 billion in 2022.

The report also noted that an earlier report from the OE revealed that France, Spain, and Italy were the largest sources of remittances flowing to Morocco.

“The three European countries accounted for a staggering 57% of the overall volume of remittances sent to Morocco in 2022,” the report said.

“At the end of 2022, the volume of remittances reached record-high levels, settling at MAD 110.7 billion ($11.1 billion), a 16% increase from last year’s MAD 95.5 billion ($9.5 billion). The average annual growth rate for remittances between 2019 and 2022 is now at 19.4%.

“In terms of the share of each country, France remains the top source country with 32% of remittances, followed by Spain with 13%, Italy with 11.5%, and Saudi Arabia with 7.6%. Over the past five years, remittances from Canada to Morocco recorded the highest growth rate at 28%, followed by Spain with 27.6% and Italy with 20%.

“Remittances are of strategic importance to Morocco, as they provide a stable source of foreign exchange”, it said.

Along with tourism, remittances are the North African country’s main source of foreign exchange and a source of income for thousands of families.

“Remittances are of vital importance as they provide a source of the livelihood of many families,” Morocco’s central bank governor, Abdellatif Jouahri said in January 2023.

He added that in Morocco, the 37% historic increase in the volume of remittances in 2021 catalyzed the country’s post-pandemic economic rebound.

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Tyla set to drop new single ‘Tears’ on November 20

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South African “Ampiona” crooner, Tyla, is set to thrill her fans to her new single titled, “Tears’, which is set to drop on November 20.

According to a statement by her management team, Tyla’s fans should expect something different from the “Water” singer as she is set to release a brand-new single in collaboration with Coke Studio.

“This exciting partnership follows her announcement as part of the Coke Studio 2024 line-up alongside R&B star Usher Raymond in September,” the statement said.

Tyla who is fondly called the “Pretty girl from Joburg,” also took to her Instagram page to share the news with her fans.

Posting a snippet of the video on her Instagram story with the caption, “‘Tears’ coming November 20th! A song in partnership with @CocaCola”, confirming the November release date, she urged her fans to look forward to something different from what they are used to.

The brand has also shared on its social media platforms that Tyla will be performing this highly-anticipated single when she returns to Johannesburg, South Africa, at a special Coke Studio live event.

In an interview with Coke Studio, the 22-year-old singer shared how she breaks away from her original sound with “Tears”.

“I feel like in a lot of my songs, I’m dancing a lot. I really wanted a song where I could just sing, be more raw with people, and showcase my voice this time,” she said.

Snippets from the new single has showcases Tyla’s enchanting vocals, revealing a more vulnerable side that is different from her previous work.

“Breaking away from the amapiano and pop sound she’s best known for, Tyla embarks on an exciting new journey with this project,” one of the reviews said.

“Through “Tears”, she wants to connect with listeners in a raw, captivating way as she partners with Coke Studio to bring this new sound to life.’

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Moroccan court jails journalist 18 months over remarks about politician

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A Moroccan court on Monday sentenced a journalist, Hamid Mahdaoui, to 18 months in prison after he was found guilty of accusing a prominent politician of fraud, a verdict that has sparked international condemnation from press freedom advocates.

Mahdaoui’s case has garnered international criticism because he is being prosecuted under Morocco’s penal code rather than the press code governing journalistic conduct.

His attorney Mohamed Hedach, told journalists after the judgement that Mahdaoui who is the editor in chief of Badil.info, will serve a 1.5-year sentence and be fined an equivalent of $150,000 after being found guilty of defamation.

Mahdaoui was prosecuted after a complaint from Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi following a video posted on his website accusing Ouahbi of corruption and fraud, both of which the justice minister denied.

The accusations, according to media reports, came after the royalist Party of Authenticity and Modernity, which Ouahbi headed, became enmeshed in controversy last year when an imprisoned Malian drug dealer implicated party members in a sprawling drug trafficking case that shook the North African kingdom.

Reporters Without Borders’ North Africa representative Khaled Drareni had in October, called the prosection of the journalist a “misuse of the justice system to intimidate and silence the press.”

Mahdaoui was imprisoned in 2017 after publicly throwing his support behind activists who led protests over social and economic inequities. He was also sentenced to three years for not reporting to authorities that a Dutch Moroccan man had told him arms were being sent to the protesters. He later said he didn’t report it because he didn’t take the information seriously.

Morocco has in recent years been criticized for imprisoning journalists and activists known for criticizing the government. King Mohammed VI pardoned and released the country’s three most prominent imprisoned journalists — Omar Radi, Taoufik Bouachrine and Soulaimane Raissouni — in July.

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