First Independent Mena Newspaper
A growing convergence of conflict, climate shocks, and waning international support has driven displacement in West and Central Africa to record levels, with nearly 13 million people uprooted, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Commemorating the World Refugee Day on June 20, the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies highlighted in an analysis that “displaced […]
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has confirmed that six migrants died and 60 others went missing in early June 2025, while attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Europe. According to the Agency’s weekly update, 635 migrants—including 19 children, 557 men, and 32 women—were intercepted and forcibly returned to Libya after departing from […]
The United Nations has issued a dire warning that five countries — Sudan, South Sudan, Palestine (Gaza), Mali, and Haiti — are facing an imminent risk of famine, driven largely by conflict, climate shocks, and economic decline. In its latest Hunger Hotspots report released Monday (16 June), the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and Food […]
Morocco has opened a new Consulate General in Miami, Florida, that will serve the Moroccan community established in nearly twenty states across the southern part of the United States. The consular representation is destined to meet the expectations of Moroccans living abroad through a proximity and efficiency approach. Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Moroccan ambassador […]
Russia’s war in Ukraine has taken on a disturbing new dimension, as media reports confirm that hundreds of young African men are being lured, coerced, or tricked into fighting on the front lines for the Kremlin. Marketed with promises of stable employment, education, or fast-track Russian citizenship, many are instead funneled into combat roles with […]
As the world marked the 2025 World Day Against Child Labour, the International Labour Organization (ILO) renewed its call for urgent, collective action to eliminate child labour — particularly in sectors like agriculture and artisanal mining, where millions of African children continue to work under hazardous conditions. Despite a global drop from 160 million child […]
Nairobi descended into chaos Thursday (12 June) as angry protests erupted over the death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody under suspicious circumstances. Riot police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators demanding justice and the resignation of Deputy Police Chief Eliud Lagat, whom Ojwang had accused of corruption. The 31-year-old […]
The relief teams of the Ertiqaa Association for Community Development in Gaza completed on Wednesday the distribution of 500 food baskets for the benefit of the most vulnerable families in various regions of the Gaza Strip. This initiative was launched by the Rabat-based Bayt Mal Al-Qods Acharif Agency, the financial branch of Al-Qods Committee chaired […]
The United States has imposed sanctions on Algerian NGO Al Baraka over its ties with Hamas and financial support provided to its terrorist activities. Hamas has been designated by the U.S. foreign terrorist organization. “El Baraka, based in Algeria, diverted funds intended for humanitarian causes to fund Hamas. As President of El Baraka, Ahmed Brahimi […]
Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, has emerged as the most powerful militant force in West Africa, now commanding up to 6,000 fighters and staging coordinated, high-impact attacks across the Sahel, experts warn. According new analysis titled ‘JNIM Expanding Geographic Reach and Staging Coordinated Attacks in the Sahel’, JNIM’s recent assaults in Timbuktu […]