RISE, the world’s largest sky lantern competition, is popping 10 this yr, and with that milestone comes a seismic shift each religious and structural.
Nestled within the hauntingly huge Jean Dry Lake Mattress exterior Las Vegas, RISE has lengthy transcended the standard competition system with its signature sky lantern ceremony. However in 2025, the glow of firelight will share the stage with one thing way more engineered: The Horizon, which RISE is looking “one of the largest music festival stages in the US.”
Spanning over 200 toes huge with 18 video screens and anchored by a dozen stadium towers, The Horizon is a manufacturing marvel that RISE says “is built to rival the most celebrated stages in the world.” The stage represents a daring leap into the competition’s second decade, promising not solely breathtaking visuals and sound, but additionally a platform large enough to carry the swelling ambitions of one among America’s most unusual desert gatherings.
Headliners RÜFÜS DU SOL, Calvin Harris and John Mayer are set to christen the brand new stage throughout the competition’s three nights from October 3-5.
“We have created something that doesn’t just house performances—it amplifies them and elevates them,” RISE Competition CEO David Oehm stated of The Horizon. “It’s bold, breathtaking and built for celebration.”
Tickets to RISE Competition’s tenth anniversary are on sale now.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu banked greater than $184,000 final 12 months, almost all of which got here from her $207,000 mayoral wage, based on the 2024 tax return she launched this week by way of her marketing campaign.
Wu made $184,241 in federal adjusted gross revenue final 12 months, benefitting from various tax breaks that got here from submitting collectively along with her husband, receiving tax credit for 2 of her younger youngsters, and holding almost half one million {dollars} in funding accounts as a part of a married couple, per her tax type and a monetary breakdown supplied by her marketing campaign.
The mayor stated she was releasing her tax type within the spirit of democratic transparency. Her monetary kinds had been launched to the Herald on the situation that they not be printed.
“I’ve provided a full and complete accounting of my family’s financial interests, and I expect my fellow candidates will honor our democratic process and be just as transparent,” Wu stated in an announcement to the Herald.
Wu is paid a $207,000 annual wage as mayor. She reported $6,558 in extra revenue final 12 months, per her tax type, which was beforehand reported by the Boston Globe. Her marketing campaign stated that extra revenue got here from Wu reselling her Boston Celtics season tickets to numerous video games in 2024.
The mayor obtained $4,000 in little one tax credit for her two younger sons, who had been claimed as dependents on her 2024 tax type, and benefited from an $8,800 private exemption for submitting collectively along with her husband, Conor Pewarski. The couple’s third little one was born this previous January.
These submitting as married, however individually from their partner, obtain a private exemption of $4,400, the identical exemption as a single filer, per the state web site.
Pewarski is unemployed, and thus, the one revenue reported of their joint submitting was from the mayor. Wu’s husband is a former banker who has been a stay-at-home father since she turned mayor within the fall of 2021.
Wu additionally supplied her monetary disclosure type for 2024, filed with Metropolis Corridor previously week, which lists investments and debt held by the mayor and her husband.
Their investments are held in a person retirement account, generally referred to by the IRA initialism, and 529 faculty financial savings accounts. The mixture worth of these accounts is roughly $450,000, per the Wu marketing campaign.
A majority of the mayor’s retirement account is invested in both S&P 500 or Nasdaq 100 index funds, whereas 529 funds are managed by Constancy.
The mayor owes roughly $17,000 in scholar loans to the Division of Schooling.
Wu and her husband owe $447,000 of a $552,000 mortgage from Rockland Belief on their two-family Roslindale dwelling. The mortgage is totally amortizing at a 3.125% rate of interest and matures in 2046, per her monetary disclosure.
The couple owns no different actual property in addition to their private dwelling in Boston, nor are they trustees or beneficiaries of any trusts of any nature, Wu’s marketing campaign stated.
Wu and her husband lease a 2025 Honda Prologue from Parkway Honda in West Roxbury. The lease expires in 2027, her marketing campaign stated.
Although the assertion she launched alongside her tax type didn’t point out him by title, Wu has criticized Josh Kraft, seen as her principal opponent, for what she sees as his rich household’s try to purchase him the mayoral election.
Kraft, a son of the billionaire New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft and longtime philanthropist, has so far declined to supply his tax kinds.
Eileen O’Connor, a spokesperson for the Kraft marketing campaign, stated the marketing campaign wouldn’t be releasing his tax paperwork this week.
“Josh Kraft intends to release information related to his tax returns in the near future,” O’Connor stated in an announcement to the Herald.
Kraft just lately dipped into his private checking account to put $2 million into his marketing campaign, telling reporters after final Wednesday’s mayoral discussion board that he wanted to take action, given that he’s “going against the power of incumbency.” He stated he has had simply 4 months to fundraise, whereas Wu “has had four years to raise money.”
Earlier than departing his position as head of the Boys and Women Golf equipment of Boston, Kraft drew a roughly $350,000 wage in fiscal 12 months 2020. He was not paid a wage lately as head of the New England Patriots Charitable Basis, his household’s philanthropic arm, based on publicly accessible 990 kinds.
NEW YORK (AP) — Loretta Swit, who received two Emmy Awards enjoying Maj. Margaret Houlihan, the demanding head nurse of a behind-the-lines surgical unit in the course of the Korean Battle on the pioneering hit TV sequence “M.A.S.H.,” has died. She was 87.
Publicist Harlan Boll says Swit died Friday at her house in New York Metropolis, possible from pure causes.
Swit and Alan Alda have been the longest-serving solid members on “M.A.S.H.,” which was primarily based on Robert Altman’s 1970 movie, which was itself primarily based on a novel by Richard Hooker, the pseudonym of H. Richard Hornberger.
The CBS present aired for 11 years from 1972 to 1983, revolving round life on the 4077th Cell Military Surgical Hospital, which gave the present its identify. The 2-and-a-half-hour finale on Feb. 28, 1983, lured over 100 million viewers, the most-watched episode of any scripted sequence ever.
Rolling Stone journal put “M.A.S.H.” at No. 25 of the perfect TV exhibits of all time, whereas Time Out put it at No. 34. It received the Influence Award on the 2009 TV Land annual awards. It received a Peabody Award in 1975 “for the depth of its humor and the manner in which comedy is used to lift the spirit and, as well, to offer a profound statement on the nature of war.”
Loretta Swit, in costume as Main Margaret Houlihan, in a scene from the tv sequence “M.A.S.H.”
CBS Photograph Archive by way of Getty Photos
Swit transforms the character of Houlihan
In Altman’s 1970 movie, Houlihan was a one-dimensional character — a prickly, rules-bound head nurse who was often laid low with male colleagues, who gave her the nickname “Hot Lips.” Her intimate moments have been broadcast to the complete camp after any individual planted a microphone beneath her mattress.
Sally Kellerman performed Houlihan within the film model and Swit took it over for TV, finally deepening and creating her right into a a lot fuller character. Her sexuality was performed down and she or he wasn’t even known as “Hot Lips” within the later years.
The rising consciousness of feminism within the ’70s spurred Houlihan’s transformation from caricature to actual individual, however numerous the change was resulting from Swit’s affect on the scriptwriters.
“Around the second or third year I decided to try to play her as a real person, in an intelligent fashion, even if it meant hurting the jokes,” Swit instructed Suzy Kalter, creator of “The Complete Book of ‘M.A.S.H.’”
“To oversimplify it, I took each traumatic change that happened in her life and kept it. I didn’t go into the next episode as if it were a different character in a different play. She was a character in constant flux; she never stopped developing.”
Alda praised Swit as a “supremely talented actor” in a publish on X. “She worked hard In showing the writing staff how they could turn the character from a one joke sexist stereotype into a real person — with real feelings and ambitions. We celebrated the day the script came out listing her character not as Hot Lips, but as Margaret. Loretta made the most of her time here.”
“M.A.S.H.” wasn’t an on the spot hit. It completed its first season in forty sixth place, out of 75 community TV sequence, however it nabbed 9 Emmy nominations. It was rewarded with a greater time slot for its sophomore season, paired on Saturday nights with “All in the Family,” then TV’s highest-rated present. On the 1974 Emmys, it was topped finest comedy, with Alda successful as finest comedy actor.
The sequence additionally survived regardless of solid churn. Along with Swit and Alda, the primary season featured Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Larry Linville and Gary Burghoff. Harry Morgan, Mike Farrell and David Ogden Stiers would later be added, whereas Jamie Farr and William Christopher had expanded roles.
“Loretta Swit’s portrayal of Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan was groundbreaking — bringing heart, humor, and strength to one of television comedy’s most enduring roles. Her talent extended well beyond that iconic character, with acclaimed work on both stage and screen that showcased her intelligence, versatility, and passion,” Nationwide Comedy Heart Government Director Journey Gunderson mentioned in a press release.
Loretta Swit in the course of the 2006 TV Land Awards purple carpet at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.
Jeff Kravitz by way of Getty Photos
‘More of a real person’
Swit appeared in all however 11 episodes of the sequence, almost 4 instances longer than the Korean Battle itself, exploring points like PTSD, sexism and racism. Swit pushed for a greater illustration for girls.
“One of the things I liked, with Loretta’s prodding, was every time I had a chance to write for her character, we’d get away from the Hot Lips angle and find out more about who Margaret was. She became more of a real person,” Alda instructed The Hollywood Reporter in 2018.
The sequence ended on a cheerful notice for Houlihan, who spends a lot of the finale debating whether or not she desires to move to Tokyo or Belgium for her subsequent abroad publish. In the end she opts to return to America and work at a hospital, citing her father — a profession Military man.
Swit didn’t personally agree that was the right choice for a military-minded official: “I didn’t think that was correct for my Margaret,” she instructed Yahoo Entertainment in 2023. “I think her next move was Vietnam. So I didn’t agree with that, but that’s what they wanted her to do.”
However the actor did get to write down the speech that Houlihan delivers to her fellow nurses on their remaining evening collectively, by which she says: “It’s been an honor and privilege to have worked with you. And I’m very, very proud to have known you.”
“I was consumed with writing that. And I still get letters from women all over the world who became nurses because of Margaret Houlihan. To have contributed to someone’s life like that is remarkable,” she instructed Yahoo Entertainment.
Throughout her run, Houlihan had an affair with Hawkeye’s foil, the bumbling Frank Burns, performed by Linville within the TV model, and in Season 5, Houlihan returns from a keep in Tokyo engaged to a good-looking lieutenant colonel, a storyline that Swit says she advocated for with the writers.
“I told them: ‘Can you imagine what fun you’re going to have with Larry when I come back to town and I tell him I’m engaged? He’ll rip the doors off of the mess tent!’ And that’s exactly what they had him do. So we were all of the same mind.”
Towards the top, Swit was tempted to depart the present. She performed the function of Chris Cagney in a 1981 tv film, “Cagney & Lacey,” and was supplied the half when it was picked up as a midseason sequence for the spring of 1982. However producers insisted she stick with “M.A.S.H.” for its final two seasons.
Swit instructed The Florida Occasions-Union in 2010 she might need stayed with “M.A.S.H.” anyway. “You can’t help but get better as an actor working with scripts like that,” she mentioned. “If you’re in something that literate, well, we got spoiled.”
In 2022, James Poniewozik, The New York Occasions’s chief tv critic, seemed again on the present and mentioned it held up nicely: “Its blend of madcap comedy and pitch-dark drama — the laughs amplifying the serious stakes, and vice versa — is recognizable in today’s dramedies, from ‘Better Things’ to ‘Barry,’ that work in the DMZ between laughter and sadness.”
After the TV sequence, Swit grew to become a vocal animal welfare activist, promoting SwitHeart fragrance and her memoir by her official web site, with proceeds benefiting numerous animal-related nonprofit teams.
In 1983, she married actor Dennis Holahan, whom she’d met when he was a visitor star on “M.A.S.H.” They divorced in 1995.
Swit was born in New Jersey
Born in Passaic, New Jersey, the daughter of Polish immigrants, Swit enrolled within the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, then paid her dues for years in touring productions.
In 1969, she arrived in Hollywood and was quickly seen in sequence reminiscent of “Gunsmoke,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Mission Impossible” and “Bonanza.” Then in 1972, she obtained her massive break when she was requested to audition for the function of “Hot Lips.”
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She would often return to theater, starring on Broadway in 1975 in “Same Time, Next Year” and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” in 1986. She was in “Amorous Crossing,” a romantic comedy, at Alhambra Theatre & Eating in 2010 and in North Carolina Theatre’s manufacturing of “Mame” in 2003.
Wanda Jackson tore up the rulebook. She tried to signal to Capitol Information however they didn’t need to know. Ladies didn’t sing rockabilly – and anyway, they instructed her, data made by women didn’t promote. Why, she wasn’t even a cowgirl. Despite the fact that Jackson was from Okie, she didn’t sing nation. Her pappy was a struggling musician, not a man who flogged his guts out on a ranch. When she did lastly persuade Capitol to present her a contract, in 1956, she rejected any concept that she was gonna sing ballads. Wanda demanded that her data sound like a labelmate’s – and he or she didn’t imply Keely Smith or The Andrews Sisters. She meant Gene Vincent, the rawest rocker of the period. There was a girl with cojones. She already had her sights on the Queen Of Rockabilly title, and would grasp it together with her second album, There’s A Occasion Goin’ On.
Although rockabilly was meant to be over by 1961, misplaced in a slush of highschool and syrup, no one instructed Wanda. Not that she’d have taken any discover. There’s A Occasion Goin’ On rocks like a hammock in a Pressure 10 gale. Right here she is on the title monitor, growlin’ up a storm, whereas Roy Clark’s gutsy guitar, which is beautiful all through, could be greater than sufficient to discourage the fainthearted. No drawback, then. What might deter Wanda, who appears set to show herself, as her model of a Claude DeMetrius traditional says, a “Hard Headed Woman”?
Whereas Wanda’s considered a raucous belter, all the time startin’ that get together, she might promote a track with admirable subtlety. Her model of Charlie Wealthy’s traditional “Lonely Weekends” reveals her capacity; you completely consider that she’s able to distracting herself all week however loses it on the weekend over her absent fella. She’s in the identical state for “Lost Weekend,” however this time the romantic wreckage is her fault. In between, we discover out why on Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City”: if that looks as if a clichéd track to cowl, again then it was fairly radical for a lady to be delivering an R&B hit (and clearly loving it), shifting from the calm refrain to the gritty verses.
If Wanda’s missing something right here, it’s nice authentic tunes. Not that it issues a lot when her uneven, chunky lower of “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” comes alongside. You’re not evaluating it to Buddy Holly’s model; she imposes her personal type on it. A contact extra nation than the unique, it’s one other showcase for Clark’s selecting; he’s often called a rustic participant despite the fact that he rocked in Wanda’s street band The Occasion Timers. Even higher, she takes Neil Sedaka’s slapback-drenched mockabilly “Fallin’” and makes it hotabilly. One in every of two Don Covay tunes she tackles right here (alongside the title monitor), her rendering of “Tongue Tied” is convincingly stammering, whereas the band doesn’t a lot as stutter. The cha-cha-cha beat on “Tweedle Dee” is Wanda’s solely false step: it holds her again just a little, although she provides all of it she has. Whereas the album’s not fairly an idea LP, she returns to the get together theme, debriefing down the occasion on the finish as Clark makes use of his whammy bar prefer it’s going to fade when midnight comes and the bash is over.
Loads of time has handed since There’s A Occasion Goin’ On appeared in these distant pre-Beatles days. A few of Wanda’s growls could seem overcooked to fashionable tastes however that’s the best way it was again then; you possibly can say the identical about having a celebration as a wild idea. Nevertheless it’s straight down the road good-time rockin’, as trustworthy as her life is lengthy. And the blows she struck for feminine rock’n’roll emancipation nonetheless have an impact at this time – everybody from Connie Francis to Lulu to Paloma Religion owes her a debt, and he or she rocks means tougher than any of them. There’s nonetheless a celebration goin’ on. Wanda began it.
Scorching off the success of Hulu’s “Mid-Century Modern,” Nathan Lee Graham will kick off LGBTQ+ Pleasure Month subsequent week with a quick return to the New York stage.
The actor will likely be a visitor of honor on the thirteenth annual “Night of a Thousand Judys,” set to happen at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater in New York on Monday, June 2. He’s receiving the second annual Judy Icon Award, which celebrates contributions to queer rights and visibility and is called after Hollywood legend Judy Garland.
Equally, tv and movie producer Jeremy Katz will settle for the Good Judy Award in recognition of his dedication to “uplifting the LGBTQ+ community.”
“They say one is judged by the company they keep,” Graham, whose credit additionally embrace the Reese Witherspoon comedy “Sweet Home Alabama” and Broadway’s “The Wild Party,” instructed HuffPost. “If this is true, then being associated with the incomparable Judy Garland and [2024 Judy Icon Award recipient] Justin Vivian Bond [means] I’m doing something right!”
To mark the event, Graham and the “Night of a Thousand Judys” artistic group have launched a video of his chilling efficiency eventually yr’s occasion. In it, he performs the traditional torch track “Stormy Weather,” which Garland famously crooned at her Carnegie Corridor live performance in 1961 and on her CBS selection sequence two years later.
Watch Nathan Lee Graham’s efficiency of “Stormy Weather” beneath.
Describing “Stormy Weather” as “powerful, daring and scary,” Graham stated the track is “about allowing yourself to feel all of the feels. To purge oneself so that you come out on the other side… maybe? And to do it in front of others takes a certain kind of courage.”
Since its inception in 2012, “Night of a Thousand Judys” has featured a number of Broadway, movie and TV stars. Collectively, they convey a contemporary shine to Garland’s many classics, together with “The Man That Got Away” from 1954’s “A Star Is Born” and, after all, “Over the Rainbow” from 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz,” in a one-night-only live performance.
As in earlier years, this yr’s occasion is hosted by writer-performer Justin Elizabeth Sayre, whose TV credit embrace “2 Broke Girls,” with proceeds benefiting the Ali Forney Middle, a New York-based advocacy group for homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Those that can’t attend the present however nonetheless want to donate to the Ali Forney Middle can accomplish that right here.
“She’s a spiritual guide for me,” writer-performer Justin Elizabeth Sayre stated of Judy Garland, seen right here in 1942.
Eric Carpenter through Getty Pictures
The 2025 lineup consists of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” veteran Alexis Michelle and Grammy-winning actor and singer NaTasha Yvette Williams, a 2023 Tony Award nominee for the stage adaptation of “Some Like It Hot.”
Talking to HuffPost, Sayre clarified that “Night of a Thousand Judys” was meant as an “inspiration show,” noting: “We’re yet again expanding the boundaries of what Judy means to people and how far and wide her talents continue to reach.”
“She’s a spiritual guide for me,” Sayre stated of Garland, who died in 1969 at age 47. “She demands that I be brave. She grabs me by the hands and tells me to get out there and ‘sing ’em all and stay all night.’”
Sayre, who makes use of they/them pronouns, went on to notice: “How do we reach the hearts of those around us? Not by concentrating on what divides us, but imagining a world in brilliant Technicolor where we all get over the rainbow and find a place like home.”
“Mid-Century Modern” actor Nathan Lee Graham, proper, will obtain the second inaugural Judy Icon Award at New York’s “Night of a Thousand Judys” on June 2.
This yr’s “Night of a Thousand Judys” will likely be significantly significant for Sayre, who’s getting married to their associate 5 days after the present. They’re additionally acutely aware of the many rights rollbacks the LGBTQ+ neighborhood at present faces on the federal degree below President Donald Trump.
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“We’re all on the chopping block, whether we realize it or not,” Sayre stated. “But in a moment like that, what are we supposed to do? Hide? Acquiesce to these charlatans and fear-mongers? Hand over the rights we’ve fought so hard for and hide? Not on your life.”
They went on to notice: “I want to be bigger, braver, gayer, more gender-queer, more non-binary, more woke than ever, because the alternative is a world of cruelty and stupidity, and I, for one, refuse to be intimidated by so much stupidity any longer.”
While you lastly land at Casablanca Mohammed V Worldwide Airport, most likely drained and able to begin your journey, one query rushes to thoughts: How a lot is a taxi from Casablanca Airport to metropolis middle?
It’d look like a small element, however truthfully, realizing what to anticipate can prevent from these awkward moments—like fumbling with unfamiliar foreign money or worse, paying far more than you must.
Taxis are often the simplest alternative, particularly after a lengthy flight if you’re juggling baggage or arriving late at evening.
Questioning How A lot A Taxi from Casablanca Airport to metropolis middle?
So, in case you’re questioning how a lot a taxi from Casablanca Airport to the town middle actually prices in 2025—and what sort of experience you’re in for—you’re in the fitting place.
Let’s break it down, step-by-step.
2. Understanding the Distance and Route
The space between Casablanca Mohammed V Airport and the town middle? Roughly 30 kilometers (give or take). It doesn’t sound far… however in Casablanca, visitors has its personal moods.
Most taxis will take the A7 freeway — it’s essentially the most direct route. However in case you land throughout peak hours (morning rush or late afternoon), what might be a easy 30-minute experience would possibly stretch out nearer to 45–60 minutes. Off-peak? You’re golden.
When you’re heading towards central spots just like the Previous Medina or Casa Voyageurs Prepare Station, that additional time could make a distinction. Planning helps, even when it’s simply mentally.
Grand Taxis: These are huge, older automobiles — typically white — that function as shared long-distance rides.
Consider them as Morocco’s reply to intercity carpooling. Not the only option for airport-to-city except you’re adventurous or actually watching your finances. However when you have sufficient finances, you would possibly wish to e book for personal airport switch.
Petit Taxis: Small pink vehicles, often for as much as 3 passengers. They’re meant for city journey. They’re metered (principally), and you’ll often discover them across the airport or close by stations.
Experience-Hailing Apps: Apps like Uber and Bolt have had a rocky street in Morocco, however options like Heetch or native companies pop out and in. Availability may be spotty.
Some vacationers swear by personal transfers for peace of thoughts — no haggling, no surprises. Simply… costlier.
🚖 Professional Tip: When you’re searching for a easy and direct Taxi from Casablanca Airport to Metropolis lodge, go for a Petit Taxi through the day for solo or duo journey. For bigger teams or extra baggage, a Grand Taxi is good—simply ensure to agree on the fare upfront to keep away from surprises from the taxi firms.
4. Fare Constructions and Pricing
Let’s speak cash.
Flat Charges: From the airport, official charges are likely to hover round 250–300 MAD through the day. Night time rides (usually after 8 or 9 p.m.) would possibly push nearer to 350 MAD. At all times verify earlier than you hop in.
Metered Fares: Petit taxis technically use meters. However from the airport? Drivers typically don’t hassle, preferring to cite flat charges. When you insist on the meter, be well mannered — some drivers could resist.
Extras: Acquired huge items of bags or baggage? Count on 10–20 MAD per bag. Late-night surcharge? Round 50 MAD. Oh, and in case you’re touring on a vacation… the fare would possibly quietly creep up.
Let’s put all of it collectively:
Taxi Sort
Day Fare (MAD)
Night time Fare (MAD)
Notes
Petit Taxi
250–300
300–350
Could cost additional for baggage
Grand Taxi
200–250
250–300
Shared experience except negotiated
Personal Switch
350–500
400–550
Fastened fare, on-line reserving
5. Reserving Choices and Processes
You’ve obtained decisions.
Simply Stroll Out and Hail One: Proper exterior the terminal, you’ll see taxis queued up. These are sometimes official airport taxis, however once more… keep alert.
Guide in Advance: Providers like Taxi2Airport or native suppliers provide reserving kinds on-line. Not the most cost effective, however you’ll be able to safe an acceptable automobile and even request an English-speaking driver.
Resorts: Many inns provide airport pickups. Some totally free, others for a set charge. Value checking upfront.
6. Cost Strategies
Money continues to be king. Moroccan Dirhams (MAD), particularly.
Some newer taxis or personal companies would possibly take bank cards — however don’t rely on it. Have money prepared.
Tipping? It’s not necessary, however rounding as much as the closest 10 or 20 MAD is a pleasant gesture. Particularly if the driving force was pleasant or helped together with your baggage.
7. Language and Communication Ideas
Let’s be trustworthy… language obstacles could make even a brief taxi experience really feel like a mini journey. Most Casablanca taxi drivers communicate Arabic, and an excellent quantity additionally perceive primary French. However English?
That’s hit and miss. You would possibly get fortunate and discover a driver who is aware of just a few phrases, particularly these used to coping with vacationers close to Mohammed V Worldwide Airport, however don’t rely on full conversations.
Nonetheless, you don’t want to talk fluently to get from Casablanca Airport to metropolis middle. Only a few key phrases can actually easy the experience:
“La ville” = Town
“Combien?” = How a lot?
“Trop cher” = Too costly
“Aéroport” = Airport
“Centre-ville” = Metropolis middle
Professional Tip: Hold your lodge title, vacation spot deal with, and even the reserving voucher open in your telephone. Simply present it to the driving force — works wonders. Some vacationers even screenshot the title of the lodge or Prepare Station (like Casa Voyageurs) in Arabic to keep away from pronunciation points.
After which there’s Google Maps. Actually, it’s a lifesaver. It helps you observe your route in actual time and may double as a journey planner, particularly if you’re uncertain if the taxi is taking essentially the most direct street distance or wandering off the favored transport routes.
Even higher, use it to identify in case you’re close to well-known landmarks just like the Hassan II Mosque or the Previous Medina, simply in case you wish to cease early or reroute.
Some airport taxi companies or personal transfers even include English-speaking drivers, so if that’s essential to you (say, in case you’re touring alone or with younger children), it could be value paying a bit extra for peace of thoughts.
Additionally, don’t hesitate to make use of translation apps if issues get muddled. Even pointing to one thing in your display screen — a map, a ticket workplace, or simply the phrase “Private Airport Transfer” — can assist lower by the confusion.
8. Security and Rip-off Prevention
Getting a taxi from Casablanca Mohammed V Worldwide Airport to the town middle often goes easily, however a little bit of warning can prevent from frequent complications.
Most taxi drivers are trustworthy, however there are occasional scams or misunderstandings—particularly in case you’re unfamiliar with native customs or routes.
Listed below are some helpful tricks to maintain your experience secure and hassle-free:
Use Official Airport Taxi Stands: At all times get your taxi from the designated ranks exterior the terminal. Official taxis have seen license plates, taxi indicators, and often observe the official flat charges or use meters.
Agree on the Fare Beforehand: Whether or not it’s a grand taxi, petit taxi, or a personal switch, make clear the value upfront, particularly if the taxi isn’t metered. Ask about additional charges for baggage or late-night journeys.
Examine the Route: Use your telephone’s GPS or a map app like Google Maps to observe the standard route. This helps you keep away from pointless detours and retains the fare truthful.
Keep away from Unofficial Drivers: If somebody approaches you contained in the airport or appears pushy, politely decline. Keep on with taxis ready in official areas on your peace of thoughts.
Verify Car and Driver Particulars: When reserving a Casablanca taxi from airport on-line or by your lodge, double-check the corporate’s fame and driver’s credentials. Skilled drivers often communicate some English and provide higher service.
Hold Emergency Contacts Useful: Save native vacationer helplines, airport police numbers, or your lodge’s contact in case you need assistance throughout your experience.
Belief Your Intestine: If one thing feels off—like overly aggressive drivers or complicated fare explanations—don’t hesitate to say no and discover one other taxi.
When you do expertise any issues, the airport police and taxi authorities are approachable and may help with disputes or complaints. Bear in mind, most journeys are secure and easy—the following tips simply show you how to keep away from the uncommon bumps.
Public Bus: Not ultimate with baggage, however very inexpensive.
Prepare: There’s a direct practice from the airport station to Casa Voyageurs. Prices 50 MAD (2nd class) or 80 MAD (1st class). Runs roughly each hour.
Automobile Leases: For extra independence. Simply watch out for Casablanca visitors.
10. Price Comparability with Different Transport Choices
So… which choice makes essentially the most sense?
Taxi: Quick, direct, however pricier.
Bus: Most cost-effective, however sluggish and restricted routes.
Prepare: Dependable and good worth, particularly in case your lodge is close to Casa Voyageurs.
Personal Switch: Finest for consolation or if touring in a gaggle.
When you’re touring solo or with one bag, the practice could be ultimate. However in case you’re in a gaggle or simply drained? A taxi might be value the additional value.
11. Taxi Experience Expertise
Inside a Moroccan taxi… it’s a blended bag.
Count on:
Practical AC (hopefully)
Worn however clear seats
No-frills setup
Some drivers play music. Others drive quick — Moroccan visitors tradition is a factor. However general, it’s secure.
Cultural tip? Greet your driver. A fast “Salam” can shift the entire temper.
Weekends can go both approach — fewer commuters, however extra household outings.
13. Taxi Fare Estimations by Vacation spot
Right here’s a tough concept primarily based on 2025 charges:
Vacation spot
Daytime Fare (MAD)
Notes
Casablanca Metropolis Heart
250–300
Hottest drop-off level
Previous Medina
270–320
Barely deeper into the town
Casa Port
260–310
Close to the port space
Ibis Casa Voyageurs
240–290
Handy for practice vacationers
14. Ideas for First-Time Guests
Arriving at Casablanca Mohammed V Worldwide Airport could be a bit… nicely, full-on if it’s your first time. Past simply grabbing a taxi from the airport to the town middle, there are just a few little issues that may make the entire expertise rather a lot smoother—particularly in case you’re not accustomed to the world or native customs.
Listed below are some additional pointers that may not pop up all over the place, however truthfully, they might prevent a headache or two:
Examine Your Taxi’s Official Standing Earlier than Getting In: Search for the official airport taxis with the fitting markings or badges. Typically drivers exterior the terminal would possibly provide cheaper rides however they aren’t all the time legit. It’s higher to play secure and keep away from any confusion or scams.
Ask Concerning the Route Earlier than You Begin: Only a fast, informal query like “Is this the usual way to city center?” can clue you in if the driving force would possibly take an extended route. {Most professional} drivers know the quickest paths, however it doesn’t harm to verify.
Be Able to Present Your Reserving Affirmation: When you’ve booked an inexpensive airport switch or shuttle, having your reserving reference or voucher helpful in your telephone helps pace issues up and reveals the driving force you’re organized, which they’ll recognize.
Hold Small Payments Prepared for Cost: Drivers typically don’t have change for big notes, so it’s helpful to hold some smaller MAD notes or cash. It additionally helps if you wish to tip—one thing many vacationers discover themselves scrambling to do final minute.
Keep Affected person if Visitors Delays Occur: Casablanca’s visitors, particularly close to the town middle or Hassan II Mosque, may be unpredictable. Typically the journey takes 45-60 minutes, different occasions longer. Deliver a little bit of endurance, perhaps benefit from the view—or mentally put together to atone for some podcasts.
Know Your Driver’s Identify: It’d sound odd, however remembering or noting down your taxi driver’s title may be helpful. If something goes incorrect, otherwise you simply wish to advocate an excellent driver to fellow vacationers, it’s a helpful little element.
Don’t Hesitate to Converse Up: When you really feel uncomfortable or if the taxi isn’t what you anticipated (say, too cramped on your additional baggage or no air-con), it’s okay to politely ask to cease or request a special automobile. You deserve an acceptable experience after an extended flight.
Contemplate Journey Insurance coverage that Covers Transport Points: In case your journey entails a number of transfers or tight schedules, having insurance coverage that covers missed rides or delays can convey some peace of thoughts.
The following pointers aren’t essentially the primary you’ll discover in a information, however they will positively show you how to really feel a bit extra in management as you step out of Casablanca Airport and into the bustling metropolis past.
15. Easy methods to Lodge a Criticism or Report an Difficulty
Had a foul experience?
Be aware the driving force’s ID.
Contact the airport’s customer support or police workplace.
Vacationer hotlines can assist too. They’re used to dealing with this.
16. Seasonal Value Variations
Excessive season (summer time, main holidays)? Fares creep up.
Drivers know demand rises in July, August, and December. Whereas it’s not “official,” it’s… frequent.
17. Touring with Particular Wants
Not all taxis are outfitted for wheelchairs. When you want a appropriate automobile, e book a personal taxi service upfront. Identical in case you’re bringing a stroller, baby seat, or touring with a pet.
18. Group and Shared Rides
Touring with 3–5 folks? Sharing a experience means higher worth.
A Grand Taxi or personal minivan (1–7 passengers) with air-con and further baggage house may value 400–500 MAD — break up between associates, not unhealthy.
19. Actual Traveler Experiences and Evaluations
Some vacationers say the taxis have been handy, even charming. Others point out pushy drivers or unclear fares.
One couple I met at Hassan II Mosque stated their driver gave them a spontaneous tour… free. One other solo traveler needed to swap cabs midway as a result of an argument over value.
It varies.
20. Environmental Impression
Taxis, particularly older fashions, aren’t precisely eco-friendly. When you’re aware about that, take into account public transport or newer shuttle companies. Some firms are testing hybrid choices — progress is sluggish, however it’s coming.
Remaining Ideas
So, to wrap issues up… in case you’re questioning how a lot a taxi from Casablanca Airport to the town middle prices, you’re most likely one thing round 250 to 350 MAD. It form of depends upon if you journey and, nicely, how a lot you are feeling like negotiating (which, truthfully, could be a little hit and miss).
If you wish to skip the guessing recreation and simply loosen up after your flight, a personal switch is certainly your greatest wager—extra consolation, much less trouble. However in case you don’t thoughts figuring issues out on the go, the practice or the airport shuttle can prevent some money, even when it takes a bit longer or means juggling your baggage.
On the finish of the day, no matter route you decide, simply take a breath. Casablanca is a metropolis that throws you proper into its vibrant, typically chaotic power… and that often begins the minute you step out of Mohammed V Worldwide Airport. It’s all a part of the expertise, actually.
Journey secure, and benefit from the experience.
Steadily Requested Questions (FAQs)
1. Is it secure to take a taxi from Casablanca Airport?
Typically, sure. Simply ensure it’s an official taxi and agree on a value earlier than the experience.
2. How do I do know if a taxi is licensed?
Search for a clearly marked automobile with a visual meter, ID card, and airport taxi label.
3. Can I negotiate the fare with the driving force?
Sure — particularly in the event that they don’t use the meter. Be well mannered however agency.
4. Is tipping required or elective?
Optionally available, however rounding up is appreciated.
5. What’s the most cost effective technique to get to the town middle?
The practice — 50 MAD and drops you close to Casa Voyageurs.
6. Do taxis take bank cards?
Most don’t. At all times have some MAD available.
7. How lengthy is the experience from the airport to the middle?
Anyplace from 30 to 60 minutes, relying on visitors.
8. Can I e book a taxi forward of time?
Sure. On-line platforms and a few inns provide that.
9. What if I’ve a variety of baggage?
Count on a small surcharge — round 10–20 MAD per massive bag.
10. Are there child seats or baby choices obtainable?
Not in common taxis. For that, e book a personal switch and request forward.
Lower than half of Massachusetts residents approve of Gov. Maura Healey’s efficiency as governor, and much fewer say she “deserves to be reelected” in 2026, in keeping with a survey launched by the College of New Hampshire this week.
The 2 Republicans hoping to problem Healey in the course of the statewide basic election subsequent 12 months instantly latched onto the outcomes of the ballot as proof that the Democrat’s reputation is slipping greater than midway by means of her first time period in workplace.
However Massachusetts Democratic Celebration Chair Steve Kerrigan mentioned Healey shall be reelected as a result of she is “focused on the issues that matter to most voters” within the state, like reducing the price of dwelling, constructing extra housing, enhancing transportation and schooling, and standing as much as Donald Trump
“What is undeniable is that Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly reject Donald Trump and his disastrous agenda. Try as they might, Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve cannot hide from their support for Trump’s policies. Voters will reject their brand of failed MAGA Republican politics,” Kerrigan mentioned in a press release to the Herald.
The ballot of 907 Massachusetts residents, performed by means of a web based survey, discovered 49% authorised of Healey’s job efficiency, 45% disapproved, and 6% had been impartial or uncertain. Her approval score was three share factors decrease than a UMass Amherst ballot from February.
An awesome 78% of Democrats suppose Healey is doing a very good job whereas solely 39% of independents — the most important group of voters in Massachusetts — and 5% of Republicans gave the governor a thumbs up, in keeping with the ballot.
Brian Shortsleeve, a enterprise capitalist and former MBTA official operating for governor as a Republican, mentioned the survey is “devastating” for Healey as a result of it exhibits voters have “clearly lost confidence in her.”
“I don’t blame them,” he mentioned in a press release. “She’s driven up spending, driven out jobs, and made life more expensive for everyone except illegal immigrants. I’ve led turnarounds in business and in state government, and I’m the Marine who can take Beacon Hill and fix Healey’s mess.”
A spokesperson for Mike Kennealy, one other Republican operating for governor who beforehand served in Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, mentioned the College of New Hampshire survey validated their personal inside polling from February that discovered Healey had a forty five% approval score.
“Maura Healey is vulnerable and Mike Kennealy is the only Republican candidate that can defeat her,” the spokesperson, Logan Trupiano, mentioned in a press release.
A spokesperson for Healey didn’t reply to a Herald inquiry Friday.
Healey introduced earlier this 12 months that she plans to hunt a second time period as governor. However solely 37% of Massachusetts residents suppose she “deserves to be reelected while 40% say she does not “deserve” a second time period, and 23% don’t know or haven’t any opinion, the UNH survey discovered.
Massachusetts Republican Celebration Government Director John Milligan mentioned the ballot outcomes present Healey is “beatable” subsequent 12 months.
“The problems that she has that are dragging her approval ratings down are not going away anytime soon,” he instructed the Herald Friday afternoon. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them dip further, which, again, is good news for us. An incumbent underwater this far out from the general election, there’s blood in the water.”
A majority of Democrats, 60%, suppose voters ought to ship Healey again to Beacon Hill’s nook workplace, however solely 32% of independents and 4% of Republicans agree, in keeping with the ballot.
Healey had robust reputation marks in different polls launched this 12 months.
A Morning Seek the advice of survey from April confirmed Healey had a 58% approval score, whereas a Fiscal Alliance Basis ballot from March discovered 66% of doubtless voters both had a “strong” or “somewhat” favorable opinion of the governor.
An inside ballot performed by the Democratic Governors’ Affiliation discovered Healey had a 59% job approval score, in keeping with a abstract of the survey offered to the Herald.
Massachusetts residents listed acquainted matters within the College of New Hampshire survey as the highest points dealing with the Bay State.
Twenty-one p.c of survey respondents cited housing as the highest difficulty dealing with the state, with immigration and price of dwelling coming in second and third, respectively, in keeping with the ballot.
The survey additionally discovered that 9% of these surveyed listed “left/leftish politicians” as a significant difficulty, whereas 7% listed “corrupt/incompetent government” as a high downside.
Respondents additionally expressed concern about U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, who can be up for reelection in 2026. Greater than half of the Massachusetts residents surveyed, 55%, mentioned they’re very or considerably involved concerning the 78-year-old’s age.
Solely 33% suppose he deserves to be reelected, whereas 43% don’t, and 25% don’t know or haven’t any opinion. A majority of Democrats surveyed, 54%, suppose voters ought to ship Markey again to Washington, however solely 26% of independents and a pair of% of Republicans agree, in keeping with the ballot.
John Deaton, who ran final 12 months as a Republican in opposition to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, has mentioned he’s contemplating difficult Markey subsequent 12 months.
However his resolution comes with caveats, together with that he doesn’t need to face a candidate backed by President Donald Trump in a main election.
Ivana Kovačević, the spouse of EXIT Pageant founder Dušan Kovačević, has tragically handed away on the age of 45.
A mom of three, Ivana was hospitalized in important situation earlier within the month of Could earlier than succumbing to an unspecified sickness. Her household confirmed her demise in an announcement on social media.
“With immeasurable sorrow and pain, we inform you that this morning at 5AM, the soul of our beloved Ivana went to join the angels. She was, and remains, one of them,” the assertion reads. “Ivana was and remains a synonym for love. One of her final words in this world was: ‘No one knows how much I love everybody.'”
Ivana’s presence was deeply felt by the tight-knit neighborhood of the Serbian music competition, which she helped develop from a protest-rooted scholar motion in 2000 right into a globally acknowledged EDM powerhouse. Her demise comes simply weeks earlier than EXIT’s 2025 version, scheduled for July 10-13.
Dušan took to social media to share a heart-wrenching publish mourning his spouse.
“I vow to you that with every breath, every thought, and every action, I will care for our little dragons and guide them through life to become the kind of people we always dreamed they would be,” he wrote. “They will be surrounded by those who love you, who know you well, and who will tell them about you. Who will, each in their own way, carry forward in this world a piece of the boundless love you hold for them.”
We at EDM.com lengthen our heartfelt assist to the household, pals and family members of Ivana Kovačević throughout this tough time.
President Donald Trump responded Friday to a query about probably pardoning Sean “Diddy” Combs, who stands indicted on federal prices together with intercourse trafficking.
“But I’d read some … nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden,” he continued.
Combs as soon as ran in the identical rich social circles as Trump, however was federally indicted in September on one depend of racketeering conspiracy, one depend of intercourse trafficking by power, fraud or coercion and one depend of transportation to have interaction in prostitution.
He has pleaded not responsible to all prices and faces 15 years to life in jail if convicted.
“You know, it’s different,” Trump mentioned Friday. “You become a much different person when you run for politics and you do what’s right. I could do other things and I’m sure he’d like me, and I’m sure other people would like me, but it wouldn’t be as good for our country.”
Trump and Combs had been beforehand seen as symbols of monetary success and social standing. Trump was reportedly the primary main celeb to reach at Combs’ birthday celebration in 1998, with their mutual respect even spawning a VIBE journal article.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, Donald Trump and Melania Trump at a New York Metropolis gala in 2008.
“It’s not a popularity contest, so I don’t know,” he mentioned. “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”
Meta just lately launched a brand new video enhancing app for creators known as Edits. The brand new app is designed to rival ByteDance’s CapCut, a well-liked short-form video-editing app utilized by many creators.
Meta first shared that it was engaged on Edits again in January after ByteDance-owned CapCut was faraway from U.S. app shops when the TikTok ban momentarily went into impact. Though the app has since come again on-line and is accessible to obtain, TikTok’s future within the U.S. stays unsure, so Meta is able to capitalize on CapCut’s doable absence sooner or later with its new Edits app.
We’ve created this information to stroll you thru the app and the completely different options it affords, and we offer an summary of the way it compares to CapCut.
Learn how to get began with the app
Picture Credit:Meta
Edits is accessible to obtain on each iOS and Android. When you obtain the app and open it, you’ll be requested to log in along with your Instagram account.
From there you will note 5 essential tabs: Concepts, Inspiration, Initiatives, Report, and Insights. The Concepts tab affords creators an area to jot down concepts for brand spanking new movies and save reels to a set, and the Inspiration tab includes a hub for locating trending audios and different well-liked reels.
The Initiatives tab is the place creators can retailer and revisit the movies they at present have in progress. This tab can be the place creators can add movies from their telephone’s digicam roll. The Report tab lets creators begin filming video content material proper inside Edits. Lastly, the Insights tab provides creators an summary of how their content material is performing by surfacing metrics like views, attain, and follower counts.
Picture Credit:Meta
Inexperienced display: Substitute and edit the background of your movies with one faucet.
Timeline: Exactly prepare and modify clips.
Captions: Add automated captions to your movies in a number of languages.
Audio library: Add music from Instagram’s library to your movies.
Cutouts: Isolate particular objects with precision monitoring.
Animate: Flip static photographs into movies utilizing AI.
Apply all: Apply filters, results, transitions, and changes to your entire clips directly.
Timeline body price selector: Convert your video to the body price you need as a way to improve playback smoothness.
Alignment guides: Guarantee viewers can see the essential elements of your video when posted and precisely place textual content, emoji, or different parts.
Beat markers: Add auto-detected beat markers that can assist you align clips, textual content, and overlays with audio when enhancing.
Filters: Select from 30 completely different filter choices so as to add a singular look to your movies.
Transitions: Select from 30 completely different transitions to attach completely different video clips in a seamless manner.
How does Edits differ from CapCut?
Whereas each Edits and CapCut are nice choices for enhancing short-form movies, there are some variations between the 2 providers.
CapCut affords extra strong enhancing choices, together with AI options, than Edits does. After all, this may be anticipated since Edits is lots newer than CapCut. Meta will probably proceed to construct out Edits over the following months and years, so we are able to anticipate to see extra superior performance sooner or later. It’s additionally value noting that CapCut has a extra intensive music library in comparison with Edits.
One other distinction is the truth that Edits at present doesn’t have a subscription providing (for now), however CapCut does. Whereas CapCut affords a free model, a few of its superior instruments are locked behind a paid subscription. Edits is free to make use of, however this can probably change sooner or later, as Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said that later variations of Edits could embrace paid options.
As well as, whereas CapCut is accessible on the internet, Edits is mobile-only. Nevertheless, this might change sooner or later.
