First Independent Mena Newspaper
Morocco’s central bank detailed in a recent report its efforts to reduce reliance on cash- which has been dominating the economy- and promoting mobile payments to boost financial inclusion. In its 2024 annual report on financial market infrastructure and payment systems, Bank Al-Maghrib outlined regulatory and operational measures aimed to address entrenched habits relying on […]
Lucía Jiménez, a Spanish journalist and human rights activist who spent decades campaigning for recognition of Canary Islands victims of terrorist attacks by the Polisario Front, died suddenly at the age of 60 from a heart attack in Málaga. Jiménez’s name became synonymous with efforts to give voice to civilians targeted during terrorist attacks against […]
Egypt’s Armed Forces have dismissed social media claims alleging that military officers were granted unlawful privileges, describing the reports as a coordinated misinformation, drive by hostile actors abroad. In a statement issued on Sunday, 21 December, the military said the circulating documents were falsely attributed to the institution and deliberately included names of retired or […]
More than 107,000 Sudanese civilians have been displaced from El-Fasher and surrounding villages in North Darfur amid worsening insecurity, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday, December 21. According to the UN agency, an estimated 107,294 people, representing about 24,221 families, fled the area between Oct. 26 and Dec. 8, after the paramilitary […]
Libya’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of National Unity, Taher Al-Baour participated, over the week-end, in the Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum in Cairo, a meeting aimed at shaping a common vision ahead of the third Russia–Africa Summit scheduled for 2026. Addressing the Conference, Al-Baour described the gathering as a […]
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan says the Pharaohs are fully prepared for their opening Africa Cup of Nations fixture against Zimbabwe on this December 22, describing the match as a strategic gateway that will shape the team’s momentum throughout the tournament. Speaking ahead of the game, Hassan stressed that the players are acutely aware of […]
Nigeria has introduced a comprehensive ban on the export of wood and allied products as part of a renewed strategy to curb illegal logging and deforestation, local media reported on Thursday, December 18, 2025. The policy, anchored in a presidential executive order, will see all previously issued export licences and permits revoked. The announcement was […]
The Atlas Lions defeated the Coelacanths of the Comoro Islands 2–0 in a completely packed Moulay Abdellah Complex, in Rabat, extending their winning streak to 19 consecutive victories and setting thus a new record. Walid Regragui’s men began this Africa Cup of Nations in the best possible way. The national football team defeated their Comorian […]
Crown Prince Moulay Hassan presided over the opening ceremony on the evening of Dec 21 at Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, marking the formal kickoff of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The event combined authentic traditions and colorful choreography with cutting-edge technology in a spectacle that successfully blended authenticity and modernity. The ceremony, designed […]
The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a $4 million grant from the Livable Planet Fund (LPF) to Morocco to provide additional funding for the Transforming Agri-food Systems Program. The program aims to strengthen Morocco’s agri-food system against climate change while improving food safety and quality, the international financial institution said in a press […]