First Independent Mena Newspaper
African students pursuing education abroad are facing heightened scrutiny as the United States and United Kingdom ramp up enforcement of immigration compliance, raising concerns about travel equity and academic opportunity. In the U.K., the Home Office has launched a campaign warning tens of thousands of international students — many from Africa — about overstaying visas. […]
After having organized summer camps for dozens of Maqdessi children in Morocco, Bayt Mal Al-Quds Acharif Agency has donated school backpacks to Palestinian students bringing back smile to them on the occasion of the start of the new school year. The operation of distribution of school backpacks was launched Sunday in the village of Nabi […]
Morocco has emerged as a significant cultural force internationally, deploying strategic soft power initiatives through music, cinema, and artistic expression. The North African kingdom’s carefully orchestrated approach combines institutional support with grassroots creative energy to project a distinctive cultural identity across African, European, and Middle Eastern markets. The Gnaoua World Music Festival in Essaouira, recognized […]
A renewed wave of pan-Africanism is sweeping the Caribbean, manifesting through increased tourism, cultural exchanges, and ambitious economic partnerships as island nations seek to reconnect with their ancestral continent, centuries after the transatlantic slave trade. The movement extends beyond symbolic gestures, with Caribbean governments pursuing concrete initiatives including proposed shared currencies and enhanced trade links […]
Participants in the 5th World Sufism Congress, held this week in Fez, called for the creation of a world alliance of Sufism adepts, in order to convey the word of truth, promote Islam’s authentic values, and counter fallacious discourse. This congress, which gathered scholars from around the globe, underlined the need to promote world peace […]
The 16th Harat Al-Maghariba summer camps, organized for children from Al-Quds by Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif (BMAQ) Agency under the high patronage of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Qods Committee, was inaugurated this Tuesday in Tangier. The camp, held august 12 through 26, is hosting 50 girls and boys aged 11 to 14 […]
In a landmark move, the French government has unveiled a new bill aimed at simplifying the return of cultural artifacts taken during the colonial period. Introduced by Culture Minister Rachida Dati, the legislation would allow items looted between 1815 and 1972 to be returned by government decree, bypassing the need for time-consuming parliamentary votes. The […]
Morocco has uncovered 20 historic shipwrecks beneath its Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, marking a significant milestone in understanding the kingdom’s maritime heritage and prompting new legislative protections for underwater cultural assets. The National Center for Studies and Research in Underwater Cultural Heritage announced the discoveries across several coastal regions, including El Jadida and northern Morocco. […]
Africa’s cultural and natural heritage gained significant recognition at UNESCO’s 47th World Heritage Committee session in Paris, with five new sites inscribed and three historically threatened locations successfully removed from the danger list after decades of conservation efforts. The rescued sites demonstrate remarkable resilience through targeted interventions. Madagascar’s Atsinanana Rainforests, endangered since 2010, achieved restoration […]
Morocco continues to shine on the global tourism stage as Marrakech and Fez have been ranked in the top 10 best cities in Africa and the Middle East in the prestigious World’s Best Awards 2025, published by Travel + Leisure magazine. The annual ranking, based on votes from international readers, highlights cities that offer exceptional […]