"Football is the most important of the less important things in the world." Those are the words of one of the most successful coaches in the history of football, Carlo Ancelotti. My fingernails, lack of sleep and heightened blood pressure are all evidence that Brazil’s current manager has a point. »»»

East Rutherford: Master will take on apprentice when Spain coach Luis de la Fuente lines up against his former student, Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni, in the World Cup final on Sunday. Nine years ago, Scaloni was just another former professional player pursuing a career in coaching, studying for his p»»»

France briefly explored acquiring the controversial Pegasus spyware in 2019, according to media investigations, even as Morocco was allegedly using the Israeli-made surveillance tool to target French ministers. The report claims President Emmanuel Macron ultimately rejected the purchase to avoid re»»»

France and Morocco moved on Thursday to strengthen a renewed partnership that has flourished over the past two years, with French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu hailing their "exceptionally positive" ties in Rabat. Lecornu praised the diplomatic advances Paris and Rabat have achieved since Presid»»»

The French Prime Minister along with a retinue of officials has arrived in Morocco. The choice for his first overseas trip is significant - as Paris looks to turn a diplomatic rapprochement into a broader strategic partnership with Rabat. If all goes well - Morocco's Mohammed VI could potentially v»»»

PARIS: France briefly considered acquiring the controversial Israeli-made Pegasus spyware from mid-2019 during a period when Morocco was trying to use it to spy on French ministers, a journalistic investigation said Thursday. An investigation by a consortium of media led by Forbidden Stories first »»»

RABAT: France ​and Morocco are seeking expressions of ‌interest ‌for ​an ‌electricity ⁠interconnection project ​between the ⁠two countries as part ⁠of ‌broader ‌efforts ​to strengthen energy ‌connections ‌between Europe and ‌North Africa, French Prime Minister ⁠Sébastien ⁠Lecornu said in Rabat.»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a phone call on Thursday from His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the sisterly Kingdom of Morocco, during which His Majesty expressed his sincere condolences on the passing of His Highness the late Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin »»»

Wizz Air is marking two decades of operations in Romania with an expanded fleet, a 50 percent market share, and plans to offer approximately 18 million seats on the local market in 2026. The airline is now prioritising higher frequencies and greater network resilience, while preparing additional ro»»»

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is set to visit Morocco on July 16 in an effort to strengthen ties between Paris and Rabat, whether it is for trade or defence. But as the visit starts, an investigation has revealed that Morocco has used Israeli spyware to spy on several French ministers, in»»»

PRESS REVIEW - Thursday, July 7: we look into new revelations on the Moroccan surveillance apparatus, five years after the first wave of the Pegasus spyware scandal. In other news, support for Israel is floundering on both sides of the political spectrum in Washington ahead of Israeli prime Ministe»»»

NEW YORK CITY: For one afternoon, the corridors of the UN traded the vocabulary of resolutions and official statements for the international language of football. The World Cup semifinal between Argentina and England was showing on two large screens in the delegates lounge on Wednesday, distracting»»»

DUBAI: Two Saudi feature film projects have been selected for the 44th Sud Ecriture International Workshop in partnership with the Red Sea Fund. The script development program supports emerging filmmakers from Africa and the Arab world as they develop their first or second feature films. Since its »»»

CAIRO: An Israeli airstrike killed a man, his wife and their six-year-old daughter in the Gaza ​Strip on Wednesday, Palestinian health officials said as talks to advance the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal faltered. The strike on an apartment building in Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza killed Omar Ab»»»

Madrid: Thousands of people who travel every day between the southern tip of Spain and the British territory of Gibraltar will no longer have to cross a physical border, beginning on Wednesday. The official opening at midnight on Tuesday — after a border fence was fully removed — allows a new freed»»»

Ashraf Siddiqui Doha The former ambassador of the Republic of The Gambia to the State of Qatar, Foday Malang, in a condolence message to Qatar Tribune, expressed profound sorrow over the passing of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Malang, who served until recently in »»»

DAKAR: Former Senegalese ‌President Macky Sall will travel to Senegal on Friday, his first public visit to the country since ​leaving office as he campaigns for the post of UN secretary-general. Sall remains a divisive figure in Senegal following his unsuccessful attempt to postpone the 2024 presid»»»

DAKAR: Senegal’s ‌team doctor lacked the specialist background needed to support the squad during the World Cup in North America, the president of the country’s football federation said on Monday, as the governing body took stock of a disappointing campaign. The team doctor was “trained as a gynaec»»»

FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s suggestion that the World Cup could eventually expand to 64 teams has reignited one of football’s biggest debates. Critics argue that another expansion would dilute the competition, weaken the qualifying process and create major logistical challenges for host natio»»»

Doha, Qatar: While nations battle for World Cup glory, Europe’s biggest clubs have quietly staged a contest of their own in North America. From goals that have decided knockout ties to assists that have unlocked stubborn defences, players from a handful of elite clubs have left the biggest mark on »»»

Doha, Qatar: France’s bid for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup final faces its toughest challenge today when the two-time champions meet reigning European champions Spain in a blockbuster semi-final in Dallas, with Argentina or England awaiting the winners in Sunday’s final. France have lived up »»»

Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali arrived in Doha on Monday to offer condolences on the passing of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The Ethiopian prime minister and the accompanying delegation were received upon arrival at Hamad In»»»

Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali arrived in Doha on Monday to offer condolences on the passing of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The Ethiopian prime minister and the accompanying delegation were received upon arrival at Hamad In»»»

First, the European Parliament calls on EU member states to officially designate Sudan's Rapid Support Forces as a terrorist organisation. Then, Kenya's Rastafarian community awaits a High Court ruling on the legalisation of marijuana. And finally, Morocco is still reeling from its 2–0 defeat to Fr»»»

RABAT: A prominent Moroccan journalist and critic of the kingdom’s government was set to appear before a prosecutor on Monday for “spreading false information” after his arrest upon return to the country from Spain, his wife told AFP. Ali Lmrabet, 66, is a leading figure in Morocco’s independent pr»»»

DOHA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met on Monday evening at Lusail Palace with Head of Government of the Kingdom of Morocco HE Aziz Akhannouch, who offered condolences on the passing of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Also present»»»

Atlanta: Lionel Messi's brilliance has helped carry Argentina into a blockbuster World Cup semi-final with England in Atlanta on Wednesday. But the defending champions' journey to the last four has been engulfed by online conspiracy theories claiming -- without evidence -- that the playing field ha»»»

DUBAI: FIFA, the governing body of world football, is exploring the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 event that will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, the association’s president, Gianni Infantino, has confirmed. The ongoing 2026 finals were the first to featu»»»

​The Saudi national team’s elimination at the group stage of the 2026 World Cup — and their failure to defeat Cape Verde — was not surprising at all. Argentina struggled against them, and Spain and Uruguay were unable to defeat them. Perhaps the problem lies with the team or elsewhere, but I rule o»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani met on Monday evening at Lusail Palace with HE Head of Government of the Kingdom of Morocco Aziz Akhannouch, who offered condolences on the passing of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Also present were HH the Deputy Amir »»»

RIYADH: Middle East and North Africa venture funding showed signs of deeper stress in the first half of 2026, with startup investment falling 22 percent year on year to $1.35 billion while deal count dropped 41 percent to 214 transactions, the lowest half-year total since at least 2022, according t»»»

RIYADH: The journey may have ended for all eight Arab nations at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the tournament will remain ingrained in the memories of Arab fans who supported each nation as one of their own. The JAX District Coca-Cola Fan Zone has been one of the prime spots to watch the World Cup i»»»

China has further consolidated its position at the pinnacle of global banking, with seven Chinese lenders occupying the world’s top 10 positions by Tier 1 capital, including the world’s four largest banks, according to The Banker’s Top 1000 World Banks 2026. Compiled annually by The Banker, a Finan»»»

Egypt's Giza Plateau- Pyramids Orascom Pyramids Entertainment, owned by billionaire Naguib Sawiris, is increasing its investment in ancient Egyptian archaeological sites by a third, betting on sporting events and pop concerts by stars like Shakira to help propel tourism to new heights. The new inve»»»

Doha, Qatar: Spain head into FIFA World Cup semi-final against France with growing confidence after their dramatic victory over Belgium, convinced they have what it takes to stop the tournament favourites. Luis de la Fuente’s side booked their place in the last four with a 2-1 win over Belgium on F»»»

JERUSALEM: In spite of the ongoing risk of renewed fighting in Gaza, stakeholders have spent months preparing for the post-war phase. Plans for governance, security and humanitarian relief have begun to take shape, but remain largely theoretical in the absence of a political agreement, credible sec»»»

RIYADH: Investment momentum in the Middle East and North Africa region continued its steady trend in June, with 41 startups collectively raising $148.2 million, representing an annual rise of 190 percent. According to Wamda data, startup investments over the month declined by 76 percent compared to»»»

LONDON: The main focus of the two-day NATO summit in Ankara this week was, overwhelmingly, the alliance’s renewed pledge of “unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” backed by additional military equipment and training. There was also a renew»»»

JOHANNESBURG: When four-time World Cup winners Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament, then head coach Gennaro Gattuso lamented that Africa had so many places at the global showcase. “Africa deserves fewer World Cup slots,” he said, referring to the number of automatic qualifying places al»»»

DUBAI: Morocco’s 2-0 quarterfinal defeat by France ended another memorable FIFA World Cup campaign, but perhaps the biggest takeaway from the Atlas Lions’ exit was not the result — it was what followed. Four years after becoming the first Arab and African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal, Moro»»»

CHICAGO, IL: As the last of eight Arab teams was eliminated from the final rounds of the World Cup, American Arab community leaders and sports enthusiasts said that they were concerned by what they saw as a bias by FIFA referees and officials during several games. The World Cup competition returned»»»

LILLE, France: A 17-year-old girl fell off a truck and died while celebrating France’s World Cup quarter final win over Morocco, emergency services said Friday. Celebrations erupted across France after the 2-0 win in the United States with hundreds dancing in the streets of Paris, watched by thousa»»»

LOS ANGELES: European champions Spain are on a World Cup collision course with Kylian Mbappe’s France if they can beat Belgium in a quarter-final on Friday. At the spectacular SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the Belgians face the daunting task of breaking through a Spanish defense that has yet to conc»»»

Moroccan football fans clashed with police in London on Thursday night after their team’s 2-0 loss to France in the World Cup quarterfinals. Officers with shields and batons were deployed to Edgware Road to control the unruly crowd as fans taunted police and threw bottles and other projectiles. Acc»»»

LONDON: The Arab challenge at the 2026 World Cup ended this week but what a moment it was. At this tournament, Morocco and Egypt have done the region proud. Just 48 hours after the Pharaohs came within minutes of eliminating defending champions Argentina in a hugely exciting and controversial game,»»»

Lille, France: A 17-year-old girl fell off a truck and died while celebrating France's World Cup quarter final win over Morocco, emergency services said Friday. Celebrations erupted across France after the 2-0 win in the United States with hundreds dancing in the streets of Paris, watched by thousa»»»

BOSTON: When Morocco left Qatar in 2022, they did so as heroes, having become the first African and Arab side to reach a World Cup semifinal. Four years later in the US, this time in the quarterfinals, they have lost to France 2-0 once again. Same opponent, same result. Yet it is testament to Moroc»»»

FOXBOROUGH: Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi promised that his team will bounce back from their World Cup quarter-final exit against France on Thursday and keep building as they prepare to co-host the next tournament in 2030. The Atlas Lions were hoping to at least match their historic run to the semif»»»

Foxborough: Kylian Mbappe recovered from having a first-half penalty saved to score a magnificent opener that set France on their way to a 2-0 win over Morocco in their World Cup quarter-final showdown on Thursday. Mbappe's weak spot-kick was easily saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, but »»»

CALIFORNIA: Mikel Merino is relishing Spain’s opportunity to advance to the semifinals of the ‌World Cup, although first up is a quarterfinal matchup against Belgium in Inglewood, California, on Friday. Merino played a major role as Spain stayed alive with his stoppage-time goal in a 1-0 win agains»»»