The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) presented its latest artificial intelligence readiness assessment report for Morocco at a national conference on AI development in the Kingdom held in Rabat on Friday. According to the report, the Kingdom is ranked 35th in the Open Data Watch 2022 (among 195 countries) and 50th in the Global Cybersecurity Index 2022 (among 194 countries). Morocco is the first African and Arab country to implement UNESCO’s Recommendations on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics, she said. She praised Morocco’s “very dynamic role” in the digital sector, notably through a very important engineering, entrepreneurship, connectivity, and talent base. She said AI offers Morocco significant opportunities to improve productivity in all sectors, but also presents several challenges.

Open Extended ReactionsNORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. -- The NASCAR All-Star Race is staying in North Wilkesboro. North Wilkesboro Speedway officials announced Friday that the short track will host the annual $1 million exhibition race for the third straight year on May 18, 2025. The announcement comes as the track prepares to host this year's All-Star Race on Sunday night under the lights. Kyle Larson won his third All-Star Race last year in dominating fashion and is considered a favorite if he's able to make the race despite his conflicts with qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. The NASCAR truck series will also return to North Wilkesboro in 2025 as part of the All-Star race weekend.

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NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (AP) — The NASCAR All-Star Race is staying in North Wilkesboro. North Wilkesboro Speedway officials announced Friday that the short track will host the annual $1 million exhibition race for the third straight year on May 18, 2025. The announcement comes as the track prepares to host this year’s All-Star Race on Sunday night under the lights. The fan turnout was great last year and I hope that continues.”Kyle Larson won his third All-Star race last year in dominating fashion and is considered a favorite if he’s able to make the race due to his conflicts with qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. The NASCAR truck series will also return to North Wilkesboro in 2025 as part of the All-Star race weekend.

WILLIAMSBURG – Mr. Paul V. Mann Sr., 80, passed away Friday, Jan. 31, 2003. Mr. Mann joined the newly formed, 82nd Airborne Division shortly after the start of WWII and continued to serve the entire war from North Africa to Berlin. A native of Tazewell, Va., he later settled in Williamsburg after the war and retired from Cheatham Annex. He is survived by his son, Paul V. Mann Jr. and his wife, Vaneta; one brother, Morris Mann; grandchildren, Carrie Rodgers, Cody Mann and Casey Mann; and two great-grandchildren, Helena and Rebecca. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

El Obeid — Community leaders of El Obeid, capital of North Kordofan, earlier this week reached an agreement with commanders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the area to reopen the road linking El Obeid with Tandalti in White Nile state. The North Kordofan capital, besieged by the RSF since the war began in April last year, is witnessing relative calm these days. "We now pay SDG3,000 and sometimes even SDG4,000 a barrel of drinking water. The levies imposed by the RSF on traffic to El Obeid and in most parts of North Kordofan, increase the suffering of the people. "The only safe zone in the south of North Kordofan, about six square kilometres, is Sheikan, which is under control of the SAF.

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• Residents say bulldozers demolishing homes, markets• Israeli tanks, warplanes bombard parts of RafahCAIRO: Israeli forces launched a fresh assault on northern Gaza on Friday in some of the fiercest engagements since they returned to the area a week ago, while in the south Hamas fighters attacked tanks massing around Rafah. It is all happening before the one-eyed world,” Ayman Rajab, a resident of western Jabalia, said via a chat app. At the southern end of Gaza, thick smoke rose over Rafah, bordering Egypt, where an escalating Israeli assault has sent hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from what was one of the only places of refuge left. Israel said on Friday that its forces had rescued the bodies of three prisoners from Gaza, without saying where they were found. Many have crowded into Deir al-Balah, a city up the coast that is the only other one in Gaza yet to be assaulted by Israeli forces.

Late afternoon rain at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina postponed qualifying for Sunday’s All-Star Race and set the field by points for the All-Star Open, the preliminary race before the 200-lap headline event. Instead, the Pit Crew Challenge used to qualify the All-Star participants for Saturday’s heat races will take place in the morning.

Here are 10 underrated European and North African festivals worth checking out this summer. Returning after a five-year hiatus, North Africa's biggest music festival returns with a bumper line-up of regional and international stars. exitfest.orgThe North Sea Jazz Festival: July 12 to 14Where: Rotterdam, NetherlandsHeadliners: Andre 3000, Jessie Ware, Vincent Amigo and Cecile McLorin SalvantWhy go? Spread across 15 stages featuring over 1,000 musicians, the North Sea Jazz Festival is a bucket list item for serious jazz aficionados. In addition to being an epic music festival with 19 stages, this event is also home to film screenings, theatre performances and art workshops.

La Cantina and Pyramid staff from left, Rashid Zomnati, Moraya Gutierrez and Kasey Bradford on the job Thursday in Central Park Square. Photo by Andy McBride/ladailypost.comBy Andy McBrideStudent ReportLos Alamos Daily PostLa Cantina and Pyramid restaurants in Central Park Square are both owned by Mohamed “Zig” Rzig, but based on two totally different cultures. La Cantina is more of an American-style restaurant and has a bar with its own specialty drinks. Rasheid Zomnati, a bartender at La Cantina, is very happy to work with the team that is there, it is very familiar coming from India. They sing happy birthday to the customers, bring out the food, and generally make the customers very happy.

ShareMusic streaming giant Spotify has revealed that it paid over N25 billion in streaming royalties to Nigerian artists in 2023. Remarkably, royalties to Nigerian artists on Spotify have surged by a staggering 2,500% since 2017, underscoring the rapid growth of music streaming and its revenue potential for the Nigerian music industry. However, it’s important to note that artists also earn royalties from other major streaming services like YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. A previous global report indicated that Spotify paid a total of $9 billion in royalties to artists worldwide in the past year. This growth is part of a broader surge in the African music market, driven by the rise of paid streaming services.

Benin and Niger finally appear to have resolved their trade dispute following the mediation by the Chinese government, which has led Benin to lift the blockade preventing Niger’s oil export through its territory to China. Tensions between the two West African neighbors began last year after Niger’s ruling junta ousted the country’s democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum. Benin retaliated by blocking a newly Chinese-built oil pipeline leading from Niger to the port of Seme Kpodji, in southern Benin. Now, following a mediation of the Chinese government and Chinese companies operating the newly inaugurated pipeline, Benin has finally given a green light for the export crude oil from Niger to China. The oil pipeline, which was supposed to go into operation these days, runs through Beninese territory.”

Global non-profit Accion has launched the US$152.5 million Accion Digital Transformation Fund (ADTx), which seeks to enable financial institutions to better meet the needs of small businesses currently excluded from the financial system by providing growth capital and strategic support for digital transformation. The ADTx fund, managed by Accion Impact Management, will build on Accion’s experience supporting banks and finance companies around the world to connect millions of small businesses and individuals to the digital economy. Investments will focus on companies serving micro, small, and medium enterprises across Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Latin America. It expects to make up to 12 investments, while limited partners include British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor; the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO; IDB Invest; International Finance Corporation (IFC); Mastercard; OeEB, the development bank of Austria; and Swedfund, Sweden’s development finance institution. Leveraging third-party capital is a critical part of our strategy,” said Michael Schlein, president and CEO of Accion.

According to information from the Meteorology Department, the dusty weather will start to be effective from 3:00 PM today and will continue until May 24. Residents with dust sensitivities are advised to take precautions as the dust particles are expected to create air pollution in the area.