111 Bound

Deadly flash floods in Safi and the collapse of residential buildings in Fes have killed dozens of people in recent days, intensifying scrutiny of urban safety, infrastructure resilience, and the state’s ability to prevent foreseeable disasters across Morocco.

Tunisia’s largest trade union, the UGTT, has called a nationwide general strike for January 21, 2025, to protest growing pressure on critics and the suspension of traditional wage talks with the government. The move marks a sharp escalation in a country where the union once brokered democratic compromise but now warns that political centralization, economic hardship, and stalled social dialogue are pushing Tunisia toward a new period of instability.

Morocco is seeing a steady rise in court cases against social media influencers, as prosecutors apply existing penal‑code provisions to online speech that once drew little official reaction. Recent prosecutions targeting YouTubers and TikTok personalities for alleged false information, insult, privacy violations, and offenses against public morals highlight how visible digital creators have become a frontline test of the country’s approach to free expression.

Mauritania is confronting a concentrated desert locust outbreak, while FAO warns that shifting winds and favorable conditions could bring adult groups into neighboring countries.