First Independent Mena Newspaper
Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit to Algeria risks being used by the authorities to whitewash an authoritarian system that persecutes Christians, closes churches and curtails religious freedom, diplomats and rights advocates say. The April 13–15 trip, the first by a pontiff to Algeria, has been presented by Algiers as a historic moment of dialogue and […]
Morocco and France are moving to consolidate a renewed strategic partnership, including preparations to activate a high‑level committee tasked with shaping the long‑term future of bilateral ties, even as a handful of far‑left pro-Algeria political and media circles in France step up unfounded criticism of the rapprochement. This comes as the two countries are finalizing […]
France’s national anti‑terrorism prosecutor has publicly identified Algeria as one of three foreign states under investigation for suspected acts of “state terrorism,” a move that casts renewed scrutiny on the North African country’s authoritarian political system and its treatment of opponents beyond its borders. Olivier Christen, head of the National Anti‑Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT), told […]
An agreement reached between Algeria and Belgium on migration returns and visa exemptions came to underscore Algeria’s growing regional and European isolation and its increasing reliance on transactional diplomacy amid strained ties with key partners such as France. The deal was concluded during a visit by Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf to Brussels end of […]
Doping scandals have rocked the world of sports for years, casting shadows over achievements and challenging the very ethos of fair play. Football, has not remained untouched. Following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final held in Morocco, 24 players of Senegal football team refused anti-doping tests, according to press reports, saying that the behaviour […]
Leaked internal documents detail how a Russian-linked network sought to expand Moscow’s political influence across Africa, particularly within the Sahel alliance- Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso- through coordinated propaganda, lobbying and pressure campaigns, according to a cross-border investigation led by the pan-African media outlet The Continent and the journalism network Forbidden Stories. Forbidden Stories is […]
The US Army is considering the creation of a network of regional drone training centers in Africa aimed at strengthening the capabilities of partner forces facing shared security challenges, with the first such facility to be established in Morocco, the defense-focused outlet Stars and Stripes reported. The initiative is expected to begin next month in […]
UN Security Council has decided to hold two meetings this month on the Sahara, dashing all hopes of the Algerian regime and its Polisario militias that the ongoing Middle East war would shift the Council’s focus and reset its priorities. The first Sahara meeting is planned for April 24, while the second is set for […]
The ongoing war targeting Iran’s missile infrastructure and nuclear facilities is expected to significantly weaken Tehran’s ability to project power through allied armed proxies across the Middle East and North Africa, potentially reshaping regional conflicts from the Sahara to the Red Sea. US and Israeli strikes over recent months have damaged key elements of Iran’s […]
Public appearances by representatives of the Algeria-based Polisario Front in activist and academic forums this month have underscored the group’s growing ideological alignment with Iran and the so‑called “axis of resistance,” reinforcing concerns in Washington and western capitals over its regional posture and external links. The Polisario took part in a series of events marked […]