TOTAC Launches New Club to Encourage Writing, Reading in Morocco

 A woman looks at a book in the "El Ateneo Grand Splendid" bookstore. AFP
A woman looks at a book in the "El Ateneo Grand Splendid" bookstore. AFP
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TOTAC Launches New Club to Encourage Writing, Reading in Morocco

 A woman looks at a book in the "El Ateneo Grand Splendid" bookstore. AFP
A woman looks at a book in the "El Ateneo Grand Splendid" bookstore. AFP

The Moroccan Academy TOTAC has announced the establishment of a book club named "TOTAC Book" that will allow its members to read, write, and train on public speech.

The club will focus on the bestselling books in personal development and professionalism, and the biographies of eminent personalities, as well as literature. The goal behind establishing the club is not only reading but rather engaging in the process of learning and training for success.

"TOTAC Book" plans to dedicate a special time for literature by hosting writers, novelists, and poets to talk about their works during each of its meetings scheduled every two months.

The club has also set two other goals: the first is to accompany its members and encourage them to write a collective book centered on what was learned through their readings every year, and the second is to encourage them to speak in front of the audience within a space allocated for this purpose in each meeting.

The official launch of the Casablanca-based club was marked by three keynotes: the first was on the state of reading in Morocco, provided by Fatma Kachkach, member of the club, master coach and teacher in communication; the second, on the club charter, goals, and how it works, addressed by Dr. Nazha Hefti, a founding member of the club; the third on the experience of writing a book and how writing can serve as a tool for personal and professional success by journalist Mohamed Charrouk.

The ceremony was concluded by the election of the club's committee.

TOTAC is an academy of training that graduates trainers, consultants, lecturers. It includes a laboratory for pedagogical creativity (educational), a modern and innovative training method developed based on the latest studies and research in the field of pedagogy and cognitive neuroscience.

The TOTAC graduates form the largest network of experts, trainers, and consultants in various fields.



Gaza's Surfers Seek Solace in the Sea

Surfers still ride the waves off Gaza City, despite the devastation wreaked on the Palestinian territory during the recent conflict. Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP
Surfers still ride the waves off Gaza City, despite the devastation wreaked on the Palestinian territory during the recent conflict. Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP
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Gaza's Surfers Seek Solace in the Sea

Surfers still ride the waves off Gaza City, despite the devastation wreaked on the Palestinian territory during the recent conflict. Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP
Surfers still ride the waves off Gaza City, despite the devastation wreaked on the Palestinian territory during the recent conflict. Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP

Carrying their boards past tents and bombed-out buildings, a group of Gazan surfers headed for the sea, seeking solace in the waves despite the risk of Israeli attacks.

On the beach in Gaza City, the trio laid out their boards on the sand while they warmed up their limbs and readied their gear.

A few children splashed in the shallows as the surfers paddled out to sea, fighting the crashing waves.

"This sport is indescribable. When you catch a wave, ride it, glide along it, that feeling can't be put into words," said 23-year-old Tahseen Abu Assi, who learned how to surf from his father.

"I used to see him practicing it at the beach with his father, and I watched and learned from them," he told AFP.

"We learned little by little, and even with the war, the shelling, and the destruction, we're still continuing with this sport, because it lets us breathe and makes us feel safe."

A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas came into effect in Gaza in October after two years of devastating war.

But the tiny coastal territory remains gripped by bloodshed, with each side accusing the other of near-daily violations.

Even out at sea, the violence persists.

In mid-May, Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reported receiving two fishermen who had been injured by Israeli naval gunfire near the beach in the southern Gaza Strip.

A few days later, a Gazan security source reported that three fishermen were wounded by Israeli fire near the coast off Gaza City.

"The situation is still unstable," Abu Assi explained.

"At any moment, shells or explosives could land near you."

- Candle wax -

Out at sea, the surfers glide effortlessly across the crests of waves, momentarily free from the hardships of daily life in Gaza.

But the severe shortages caused by the war and ongoing Israeli import restrictions have posed obstacles for the sport.

"One of the biggest challenges and difficulties we face as surfers in the Gaza Strip is the lack of tools and equipment specific to this sport," Abdel Rahim Al-Ustadh, 19, told AFP.

"Surf wax, which we put on the boards, is not available at all in Gaza, so we resort to candle wax so we can keep this sport going," he added.

Ustadh said preserving old equipment was also essential, clutching a battered red and blue surfboard that was nearly two decades old.

"As surfers, we treat these boards like great treasures to us, because losing any board or having it confiscated threatens our ability to continue in this sport," he said.

The war in Gaza flattened swathes of the territory, displaced most of the population at least once, and left hundreds of thousands of people living in tents and temporary shelters.

Khalil Abu Jiyab, 18, said that before the war there had been a team of 17 surfers in Gaza.

Now, he said, there were just the three of them, pointing to shortages and a lack of boards.

"I've been surfing for 13 years now, and my hopes have almost been shattered," Abu Jiyab told AFP, but said he still dreamed of one day being able to surf in competitions outside the Gaza Strip.

"There's nothing in Gaza you can really look forward to except the sea," he added.

"The only outlet in Gaza is the sea; without it, life would have vanished long ago."


European Countries Close Schools, Cancel Trains as Heatwave Set to Intensify

In France, temperatures have already reached into the 40s. ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP
In France, temperatures have already reached into the 40s. ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP
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European Countries Close Schools, Cancel Trains as Heatwave Set to Intensify

In France, temperatures have already reached into the 40s. ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP
In France, temperatures have already reached into the 40s. ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP

Much of Europe was preparing Monday for an already fierce heatwave to intensify even further in the coming days, with some countries taking special measures to mitigate its effects.

France recorded heat-related deaths over the weekend. A leading researcher reiterated that human-driven climate change had contributed to the recent record-breaking heatwave, said AFP.

In France, 49 of the country's 96 mainland departments were on a red alert weather warning, up from 35 over the weekend.

Officials announced the closure of 845 schools Monday with another 1,800 set to let students leave earlier than normal.

On Sunday, several towns had cancelled the annual music festival and the government banned alcohol consumption in public places on health and public order grounds in departments already under the weather red alert.

Some parts of France recorded temperatures past 40 degrees -- extreme for June. In the southwest Gironde region, local officials said the deaths of three people, aged between 80 and 95, were in part due to the intense heat.

French forecasters say the current heatwave could end up being as serious as the one in August 2003 that claimed the lives of nearly 15,000 in France.

- 'Intense and early' -

Both France and Belgium announced cuts to their rail services: in France, mainly commuter lines in and around Paris.

Belgium's national rail company SNCB announced that some rush hour trains had been cancelled for Monday and Tuesday to reduce the risk of breakdowns blocking the tracks.

Temperatures in Belgium are expected to be "the hottest ever recorded" there in the coming week, warned David Dehenauw, head of forecasting at the IRM meteorological institute.

France's junior minister for ecology Mathieu Lefevre said this heatwave was "particularly intense and particularly early". In May, several European countries reported record temperatures for that time of year.

Akshay Deoras, a senior researcher at the University of Reading's National Center for Atmospheric Science, in England, said it was clear what was behind the rash of heat records.

"Human-driven climate change has provided the springboard for this event, loading the atmosphere with extra heat and making extreme temperatures far more intense than they would have been in the past," he said.

Spain's weather service Aemet on Sunday warned of "extremely high" temperatures for the season, day and night, until Wednesday. Temperatures are forecast to reach 44C in some areas.

"Temperatures will drop Thursday, but the heat will remain intense," it added.

On Sunday, officials in Madrid cancelled a public screening on a giant screen of Spain's victory over Saudi Arabia at the World Cup because of the extreme heat.

- UK records 'annihilated' -

In Britain, Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, predicted that existing UK heat records for June would be "annihilated" -- as had already happened in May.

"The coming week will bring an unprecedented heatwave with temperatures likely to reach 38-39 degrees Celsius," she predicted. "The current June record is 35.6 degrees Celsius.

"This will lead to two consecutive months, May and June, in which the UK temperature records have been annihilated by well over 2C," she added.


Europe Braces for Prolonged Heatwave as Temperatures Approach 40C

 People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
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Europe Braces for Prolonged Heatwave as Temperatures Approach 40C

 People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)

A severe heatwave gripped much of Europe on Sunday, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), prompting nationwide warnings, transport disruption and signs of strain on wildlife and at tourist hotspots.

The heat surge on June 21, the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and typically the start of the three hottest months of the year, raised concerns of an early and persistent onset of extreme conditions.

After several days of temperatures above 35C, Italian authorities issued a red alert for June 21 in eight cities, including Bologna, Florence, Milan, and Turin.

In Rome, pilgrims in St Peter's Square used parasols and umbrellas to shield themselves from the blazing sun as the ‌Pope led a traditional ‌Sunday prayer from a window of the Apostolic Palace.

The spike in ‌temperatures ⁠is being driven ⁠by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, fueled by a strong high-pressure system known as the "African anticyclone."

Meteorologists say the system is creating a so-called "heat dome," trapping hot air over western and central Europe and allowing temperatures to build day after day. Madrid residents and tourists used fans and drank plenty of cold drinks as they browsed the city's famous El Rastro flea market.

“I'm dressed all in white because it's so hot, and I'm carrying my little electric fan everywhere ⁠I go,” said Haily San Cesario, a 22-year-old engineer from Miami.

Spain's ‌AEMET weather agency issued red and orange alerts across several ‌regions, warning of temperatures exceeding 39 to 40 C across large parts of the Iberian Peninsula and ‌Mallorca, and said the heatwave would last at least until midweek.

TRAINS CANCELLED IN FRANCE

The extreme ‌heat has begun to disrupt infrastructure.

Speaking from Paris’ Gare Montparnasse station, SNCF chief Jean Castex said the rail network was “strongly impacted” by high temperatures that risk damaging overhead power lines and expanding tracks.

He said 3,500 staff had been mobilized to monitor the network and 2,000 more would conduct emergency repairs. He urged vulnerable ‌passengers to delay travel. The operator has cancelled 71 intercity trains until Monday on key routes.

In Germany, where temperatures have already reached ⁠as high as 38C, ⁠the DWD weather service warned of severe thunderstorms in eastern regions including Berlin, where heavy rain disrupted the open-air Fete de la Musique festival.

Organizers had to evacuate the grounds of the Berlin Open as heavy rain and strong winds set in, and as fans awaited the tennis tournament's singles final between Jessica Pegula of the US and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic.

HEAT STRESS ON NESTLINGS

Wildlife rescuers are also reporting mounting pressure.

A center near the Belgian city of Namur said it had taken in around 150 heat-stressed animals in recent days, with young birds particularly at risk.

“Nestlings prefer to jump rather than let themselves die and literally cook in their nests,” said CREAVES founder Romain De Jaegere, adding that centers across Belgium were overwhelmed.

Experts say the situation reflects a broader trend, with heatwaves in Europe becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.