![Spanish Representatives Oppose Morocco’s Joint Bid with Spain and Portugal Spain’ Prime Minister proposed a trio bid with Morocco and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup; but the idea does not appear to be popular with Spanish politicians. The representatives of two Spanish political parties, the People’s Party and the Citizens-Party, have said they do not want Spain to submit a joint candidacy with Portugal and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup. In a meeting organized by the National Federation of Sports Facilities Entrepreneurs (FNEID) in Madrid, the People’s party representative, Vicente Azpitarte dismissively spoke about Spain joining a trio with Morocco and Portugal to organize the World Cup. Azpitarte specifically wondered whether Spain would get any advantages from teaming up with the two countries, t Spanish news outlet Iusport reported on Wednesday. The Citizens-Party representative, Roberto Nunez, agreed with Azpitarte. “We do not intend to organize a World Cup with other countries. Spain has more than enough capacity [to organize the World Cup], it is a country that has already organized a World Cup, and we do not understand that proposal,” Nunez said. The adviser of United Podemos, Oscar Penas, stated that he does not clearly see why “the priority is to organize a World Cup or an Olympiad at this time.” Morocco and Spain cooperate on a number of issues, ranging from security and migration to trade and education. On November 18, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, arrived in Morocco for a first visit since his election to premiership. During his visit, Sanchez proposed to both Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani and King Mohammed VI a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup. “We are launching a joint message, which is that this will be a bid between two continents. The King of Morocco is receptive and we’re going to work on it with Portugal. We are very excited about it,” Sanchez said.](https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ABL-Launches-in-Casablanca-Becoming-Africa’s-First-Aircraft-Leaser-180x135.jpeg "ABL Launches in Casablanca, Becoming Africa’s First Aircraft Leaser")
By Gosuke Kawan
By Gosuke Kawan
Rabat – The US government removed the laptop restriction on flights from Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, after Etihad Airways implemented additional airport security measure swhich made it “unnecessary.”
Etihad (which runs 45 direct flights each week from Abu Dhabi to the U.S.) said a facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which enables passengers to “clear US immigration before they land in the United States for superior security advantages that had allowed it to satisfy US requirements,” was to thank for the lifting of the ban.
Before the ban was lifted, officials of the US Transportation Security Administration inspected the new measures.
According to a statement provided to Reuters, Department of Homeland Security spokesman David Lapan said that the implementation of the extra security measures by Etihad Airlines were “ a model for foreign and domestic airlines.”
“We look forward to working with other airlines to ensure implementation of these critical measures as quickly as possible,” Lapan added.
While the UAE has received exemption from the U.S. laptop ban, the restriction placed upon airports in other Muslim-majority countries (Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey) is still in place.
The ban requires passengers to pack away any type of electronic devices larger than 16cm by 9.3cm by 1.5cm (6.3 in by 3.7 in by 0.6 in).
Smartphones and medical devices are not under same restrictions of the US ban.
The U.K. also currently has a laptop ban, but the UAE is not included in the list of countries affected. Instead, the British laptop ban applies to flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.”
In spite of this change, other airlines departing from the Middle East are to conform with the US ban.
