First Independent Mena Newspaper
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 […]
Mali’s transitional president, Colonel Assimi Goita, could remain in power until at least 2030 — without facing an election after a controversial bill approved by Mali’s Council of Ministers on 11 June has proposed granting Goita a renewable five-year term starting in 2025. The bill, now awaiting ratification by the National Transitional Council, cements a […]
Burundi’s ruling party, CNDD-FDD, has claimed all 100 contested seats in the 5 June parliamentary election, prompting outcry from opposition groups and rights organizations who allege systematic electoral fraud and political repression. According to official results, CNDD-FDD secured 96.5% of the vote, with no other party surpassing the 2% threshold required for parliamentary representation. Opposition […]
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 United States is urging African nations to take greater responsibility for their own security as it scales back its military footprint on the continent — a move that analysts warn could shift the regional power balance and fuel militant resurgence. General Michael Langley, head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), emphasized “burden-sharing” as Washington pivots […]
Angola’s capital city Luanda will become the epicenter of global business diplomacy as it hosts, June 22 – 25, the 17th US-Africa Business Summit. Organized by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) in partnership with the Angolan government, the summit is set to welcome over 1,500 participants, including African heads of state, U.S. government officials, […]
On Tuesday, European Union announced the removal of the United Arab Emirates from its “high-risk” list for money laundering. In addition to the UAE, the EU also delisted Barbados, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Panama, the Philippines, Senegal, and Uganda. At the same time, Monaco was added to the list along with nine other countries. According to the […]
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 […]
The United States has outlined strict conditions for brokering a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), centering on the full withdrawal of Rwandan forces from eastern Congo. A draft agreement, verified by multiple diplomatic sources, requires Rwanda to remove its troops, weapons, and equipment before any deal can be finalized. […]
Human rights groups and Sudanese activists are calling on the United Kingdom to investigate Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for genocide and war crimes, after the recent submission of a 142-page legal dossier to Scotland Yard. The document, described as “compelling” by Sir Howard Morrison, a former judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC), details […]