First Independent Mena Newspaper
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, officially unveiled its joint Security force on December 20, 2025, marking a significant step in deepening regional military cooperation. At a ceremony in Bamako on Saturday, Mali’s President General Assimi Goïta handed over the force’s flag, weapons and equipment, including combat […]
In the early hours of Sunday, 21 December, a group of armed men attacked KwaNoxolo tavern in Bekkersdal, 46 km west of Johannesburg, killing nine people and injuring at least ten others. Around 12 gunmen in a white minibus and a silver sedan opened fire on patrons and continued shooting randomly as they fled. Some […]
Morocco’s central bank, Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM), has issued a MAD 250 silver commemorative coin and a MAD 100 commemorative banknote to celebrate the 35th Africa Cup of Nations – AFCON Morocco 2025. The silver coin features a portrait of King Mohammed VI, with the inscription “Kingdom of Morocco” and Mohammed VI” in Arabic, the Tifinagh […]
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have officially launched a joint military force aimed at tackling Islamist insurgencies and cross-border insecurity, deepening their security cooperation outside the framework of West Africa’s ECOWAS bloc. The new formation, called the United Force of the Alliance of Sahel States (FU-AES), was unveiled on Dec 20 at an airbase in […]
The Algerian regime has suffered another humiliating diplomatic setback after Moscow excluded again Polisario from the Russia-Africa cooperation forum held over the weekend in Cairo. By excluding the separatist group from such an international event, Russia confirms its unwavering position that participation in its forums is open only to sovereign States recognized by the United […]
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 […]
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 […]
On the eve of the opening match of AFCON 2025, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi received FIFA’s “The Best” trophy, “The Best Starting 11”, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex from Gianni Infantino and Fouzi Lekjaa. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa, and former Moroccan international Houssine Kharja presented FIFA’s The Best Starting XI to […]