Algerian boxer Imane Khelifhas initiated legal action against Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), and author J.K. Rowling, accusing them of “acts of aggravated cyber harassment.”
Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, filed the complaint with French authorities, requesting an investigation into all responsible parties.
The lawsuit aims to address online hate speech and safeguard Khelif’s reputation, particularly in response to false transgender allegations made on social media that were intended to tarnish her public image.
“What we’re asking is that the prosecution investigates not only these people but whoever it feels necessary. If the case goes to court, they will stand trial, could target personalities overseas.
“The prosecutor’s office combating online hate speech has the possibility to make requests for mutual legal assistance with other countries,” Boudi told Variety, as shared by American influencer Collin Rugg on X on August 14, 2024.
Khelif, addressing the media about the transgender accusations, stated, “I have made statements to the media saying that I fully qualify to take part in this competition.
I am a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman and lived as such and I compete as a woman. There are enemies of success, that is what I call them. It just gives my gold medal an extra special taste because of their attacks.”
After years of political turmoil, Algeria inaugurated a colossal mosque on its Mediterranean shore, symbolizing a transformation from a symbol of state-sponsored strength to one of delays and overspending.
Constructed by a Chinese firm throughout the 2010s, the Great Mosque of Algiers boasts the world’s tallest minaret, standing at 869 feet (265 meters). Ranking as the third largest mosque globally and the largest outside Islam’s holiest cities, it can accommodate 120,000 worshippers in its prayer room.
Combining modernist design with Arab and North African influences, the mosque pays homage to Algerian tradition and culture.
Notable features include a helicopter landing pad and a library capable of housing 1 million books.
Ali Mohamed Salabi, the General Secretary of the World Union of Muslim Ulemas, expressed hope that the mosque would guide Muslims toward “goodness and moderation.”
Inaugurated by Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune, the ceremony marked the fulfillment of a promise made amidst much fanfare, although the mosque has been accessible to international tourists and state visitors for five years.
The timing coincides with the start of Ramadan, allowing the mosque to officially open to the public for nightly prayers.
Despite its grandeur, the mosque was plagued by delays and controversies, including seismic concerns about its location. While the state denied these allegations, delays and cost overruns fueled public discontent.
Originally envisioned by former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who intended it to be Africa’s largest mosque, the project faced setbacks following his resignation amidst nationwide protests in 2019.
Accusations of corruption also marred its construction, reflecting broader suspicions during Bouteflika’s tenure.
In the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Baghdad Bounedjah’s 95th-minute goal secured a second point for Algeria in a draw against Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso initially took the lead with Mohamed Konate’s header just before half-time.
Bounedjah equalized from close range six minutes into the second half, but Bertrand Traore’s penalty restored Burkina Faso’s lead 20 minutes later.
In added time, Bounedjah’s header salvaged a draw for Algeria. Burkina Faso leads Group D with four points, while Algeria, the 2019 champions, could face elimination without a win in their next game against Mauritania.
The result sets up an intriguing final group stage match, with Burkina Faso on the verge of reaching the knockout stage for the second consecutive tournament.
Algeria, on the other hand, needs a victory against Mauritania to advance or may have to rely on being one of the four best third-placed teams in the tournament.
The match saw Burkina Faso creating better chances, and Bertrand Traore’s penalty proved crucial. Bounedjah’s brace, including the late equalizer, demonstrated Algeria’s resilience.
Burkina Faso will face Angola in the final group match, and the outcome will determine their standing in the tournament.
A German woman is on trial for allegedly killing a woman who resembled her to fake her own death. The case is called the “doppelganger murder”.
Sharaban K, who is 24 years old, and a 25-year-old man are accused of choosing the victim because of her appearance and age.
The lawyers say she was going to hide and start a new life, but she got caught the next day.
She and the person she was with say they did not do what they are accused of.
The court papers say that a 23-year-old man named Sharaban K, who is German-Iraqi, looked for women who resembled him on Instagram and then tried to meet them by making different promises.
The lawyers say that a 23-year-old woman from Algeria named Khadidja O was told she could get free treatment at a beauty salon.
She was taken from Eppingen to Ingolstadt in Bavaria by the two accused. They picked her up in the town of Eppingen in southern Germany and drove her to Ingolstadt.
During the journey, prosecutors say the person was stabbed 56 times and hit on the head before her body was left in a forest in Sharaban K’s black Mercedes car.
When they found her body, people thought that Sharaban K had died. However, she and a 25-year-old man named Sheqir K, were taken by the police as possible suspects the day after they were seen at a nearby pizzeria.
Sharaban K’s family comes from a Yazidi community in northern Iraq. It is said that her failed marriage might be the reason she tried to fake her own death, as reported by German media.
After looking at more evidence and talking to people who saw what happened and looking at their online conversations, the police decided to charge the two people with more crimes.
The couple is also believed to have paid someone to kill her ex-partner’s brother. The person who was supposed to do the killing did not do it even after getting €5,000.
Also, while in jail, the man tried to get another prisoner to kill people who saw what happened.
The trial on Tuesday was delayed for a long time. The lawyers defending the accused said they couldn’t have a fair trial because the prosecutors had given them more documents at the last minute. They needed more time to look at them, so they asked for the trial to be postponed.
The prosecution said they didn’t agree with the argument. They explained that it’s normal to submit more documents after being charged with a crime.
Next week, the court will decide if they should stop the trial for a while.
Algeria faced disappointment in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opener as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Angola in Bouake.
Despite taking the lead through Baghdad Bounedjah, Angola managed to secure a point with a second-half equalizer from Mabululu. The Angolan striker converted the rebound after his penalty struck the bar in the Group D clash.
Algeria, aiming to avoid a repeat of their 2022 performance when they exited in the group stages as defending champions, started positively with Bounedjah’s clinical finish after 18 minutes. Although Bounedjah scored a spectacular overhead kick shortly afterward, the goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review.
The Algerians struggled to create further chances, and Angola, coming into the match with four consecutive goalless draws, drew level in the 65th minute. Mabululu was brought down in the box by Nabil Bentaleb and scored on the rebound after his initial penalty hit the bar.
Despite a late surge of pressure from Algeria, including Riyad Mahrez’s threat from set-plays, Angola, ranked 117th, held on for a point. The result continued Algeria’s recent struggles in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Algeria’s football federation, in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people during the Israel-Gaza conflict, announced the suspension of all football competitions and matches.
They had previously agreed to host the Palestinian national team’s upcoming matches at the Palestinian FA’s request.
Algeria’s international footballer Riyad Mahrez, formerly with Manchester City and now playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, posted a photo on social media holding the Palestinian flag after a 5-1 friendly win against Cape Verde.
His teammates Said Benrahma and Ahmed Touba joined him in holding the flag with a caption: “We want peace.”
Meanwhile, Algeria and Egypt, captained by Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, drew 1-1 in Abu Dhabi, with Salah urging world leaders to prevent further harm to innocent lives.
Algerian authorities have implemented stricter health measures at their borders to mitigate the potential spread of bedbugs, a problem that has become prevalent in France.
The Ministry of Health in North Africa has outlined plans to introduce “health monitoring and disinfection procedures for aircraft, ships, and vehicles at entry points.”
This move comes amid concerns that these blood-sucking insects may infiltrate Algeria due to the significant number of people traveling from France.
The ministry, however, clarified that no bedbug infestations have been reported within the country while urging the public to remain vigilant.
Algeria’s neighbor, Morocco, has also taken preventive measures to reduce the risk of bedbugs entering its territory.
The recent bedbug infestation in cities like Paris has raised widespread concerns, particularly regarding health and safety in anticipation of next year’s Olympic Games.
The government of Algeria is taking stricter actions to prevent the spread of bedbugs, which have become a problem in France.
The health department in a country in North Africa said it will start checking and cleaning airplanes, ships, and vehicles at the places where they come into the country.
This is happening because lots of people from France travel to Algeria, and there is worry that the blood-sucking insects might also come along.
The government department said that there have been no reports of bedbugs infesting the country, but they advised people to stay alert.
Morocco, the country next to it, has already said that it will do things to prevent bedbugs from moving into its area.
There are more and more bedbugs in Paris and other cities in France, which is worrying because people are concerned about health and safety during the upcoming Olympic Games next year.
Niger has agreed to Algeria’s offer to mediate in its political crisis, with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune leading the mediation efforts, according to Algeria’s foreign ministry.
Algeria has consistently cautioned against a military response to the crisis in Niger, where the military took control in July. The West African regional bloc, Ecowas, had initially considered military intervention but is now focused on diplomatic solutions to address the crisis.
In August, the Nigerien military junta put forward a six-month transition plan aimed at restoring civilian government.
Kenya ranks among the top 10 countries worldwide in terms of monthly active users of Truecaller, a caller identification service, according to a company announcement.
Truecaller, which aids users in identifying potential spam calls, boasts a presence in 175 countries and a global user base of 356 million active monthly users.
In Africa, other leading users of the platform include Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, and South Africa. Truecaller has offices located in seven different regions, spanning Sweden, India, Israel, Egypt, and Kenya.
“Truecaller’s 10 largest markets (are) India, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa, Malaysia, Iraq, Kenya, Colombia, and Jordan – based on monthly active users (MAU),” said the company.
Truecaller identifies a caller, detects and prevents spam calls and texts, allows call recording, allows users to search for the identification of a mobile number, and checks the availability of the person they are attempting to contact.
Local and international criminals, marketing firms, and digital credit providers (DCPs) are among the most prominent sources of spam calls and SMS in Kenya.
This announcement was made by the president of the Algeria Football Federation, Walid Sadi, on September 26, 2023.
This decision comes just before the anticipated announcement by the CAF Executive Committee, scheduled for September 27 in Cairo, Egypt, regarding the host countries for the 2025 and 2027 AFCON tournaments.
With Algeria out of the running, the bidders for the 2025 hosting rights include Morocco, Zambia, and a joint bid from Nigeria and Benin.
Among these, Morocco is reportedly the frontrunner. For the 2027 AFCON, Senegal, Botswana, and Egypt are competing to host the tournament.
In addition to these bids, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzaniahave also jointly submitted bids to host the 2027 edition of the tournament.
The government of Algeria has stated that a bunch of tourists who accidentally entered their waters from Morocco on jet skis were given a warning before they were fired upon.
Last week, two men died after a fight with the Algerian coastguard.
In its first statement about the incident, the Algerian defense ministry said on Sunday that the tourists didn’t obey an order to stop multiple times.
However, someone who lived through the event has disagreed with this statement – stating that they were never given a warning.
“My brother Bilal was killed by gunshots right in front of me,” Mohamed Kissim told the Reuters news agency.
The group started riding jet skis from the Moroccan resort of Saidia on Tuesday when they were hit by gunfire.
In a previous interview with French TV BFM, Mr. Kissi talked about how they got lost when it became dark. They realized they had accidentally entered Algerian territory when they saw coastguard boats coming towards them.
“They came towards us,” he said – mentioning that his brother, Bilal, gave a signal for them to go back before the coastguard began shooting at them.
Mr Kissi also said that they were able to escape from danger because they ran out of fuel.
Algeria’s defense ministry said that they gave a clear warning to the group, but the suspects didn’t listen and ran away.
It said that the reason for firing the warning shots was because there was a lot of illegal activity by drug smugglers and organized crime at its borders.
Morocco and Algeria have had a lot of problems with each other for a long time because of Morocco’s belief that they should control the disputed Western Sahara region.
The line separating them was shut in 1994, and Algiers cut off connections two years ago. Morocco was accused of doing unfriendly actions, but Rabat denied this allegation.
Algerian officials have also said that they found a dead man after an incident last week. They took his body to Tlemcen, a city near their shared border, to examine it.
It is believed that Abdelali Mechouar, who is related to the Kissi brothers, is the second person who died in the incident, according to Moroccan media. His family still hasn’t received his body.
The second man who passed away, Bilal Kissi, was buried on Thursday after his body was found on Saidia beach.
The Algerian authorities arrested a man named Smail Snabe. He has now been found guilty and given a prison sentence of 18 months, as reported by Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH).
The CNDH has asked for him to be set free and given to the Moroccan authorities.
The council also criticized the Algerian coastguard’s actions. They said that not helping people who were lost at sea was very wrong and went against international rules and laws that protect human rights. This is particularly bad because the people were in a situation where it was unclear who should help them.
The Moroccan authorities have said they won’t talk about the incident, as they see it as a legal matter. However, the office that investigates crimes is looking into the accident.
The families of Bilal Kissi and Smail Snabe, who have both French nationality, want to take legal action in France, according to the AFP news agency.
The foreign ministry of France said on Friday that it knew about the death of one of its citizens and the capture of another French person in Algeria.
It said that it is talking to their families and the authorities in both countries.
Torrential rain-triggered flooding in western Algeria has resulted in the tragic loss of eight lives, according to the country’s civil defense service. The incidents occurred in Tlemcen and El-Bayadh on Saturday.
The victims, comprising two women and two men aged between 22 and 73, were discovered on Sunday in Tlemcen, situated in the northwest region. They had been inside a vehicle swept away when the Oued Ed-Dali river overflowed its banks.
In El Bayadh, located in the southwest, three women and a man tragically lost their lives as their car was carried away by floodwaters from the Oued Chadli river.
Algeria’s meteorological office had issued a warning bulletin on Friday, predicting rainstorms in the northern part of the country starting on Saturday.
A Moroccan man has recounted a harrowing incident in which the Algerian coastguard fired upon him and three other tourists who had accidentally ventured into Algerian waters. Mohamed Kissi is the sole survivor of the incident, as his brother and a friend tragically lost their lives, while another friend remains in Algerian custody.
According to Mr. Kissi, they had departed from the Moroccan resort of Saidia on two jet skis when they became disoriented as night fell.
They realized they had unintentionally crossed into Algerian territory when they spotted Algerian coastguard boats approaching.
He described how the coastguard boats charged at them, and his brother signaled for them to turn back. However, the Algerian coastguard opened fire on them, leading to the tragic outcome.
Morocco has initiated an investigation into the incident, while Algeria has not yet commented on the matter. The incident has heightened tensions between the two nations, which have a long history of disputes, particularly related to Morocco’s claims over the disputed Western Sahara territory.
The border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994, and diplomatic ties were severed by Algiers two years ago, accusing Morocco of hostile acts, a claim denied by Rabat.
The shooting incident has sparked outrage in Morocco after a fisherman shared footage of a lifeless body, identified as Bilal Kissi, floating in the sea. Bilal Kissi, who resided in France, was laid to rest on Thursday. Another individual named Abdelali Mechouar was also killed, with his body still in Algeria.
Smail Snabe, who holds French nationality, reportedly appeared before an Algerian prosecutor on Wednesday, although specific details were not disclosed.
The border between Algeria and Morocco, spanning nearly 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), has been a source of tension since gaining independence from French colonial rule. It was closed in 1994 due to security concerns following a terrorist attack in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh.
Morocco-Algeria dispute: The basics
What is the cause of the dispute? Algeria and Morocco have long-standing border disputes that trace their origins back to the era of French colonization. They even engaged in a war in 1963.
What has happened since then? Relations between the two nations have never fully recovered. Algeria supports the Polisario Front, a group fighting for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco.
What are the consequences? The extensive border running through the Sahara Desert remains tightly sealed, and there is no direct legal trade between the two neighboring countries.
Algerian coastguards fatally shot two tourists who were on holiday in neighboring Morocco on Tuesday, reportedly because their jet skis crossed the maritime border between the two countries.
The victims were identified as Bilal Kissi, a resident of France, his older brother Mohamed, their Moroccan cousin Abdelali Mechouar, and their friend Smail Snabe. They had gone jet skiing from the popular beach resort of Saidia.
Mohamed Kissi, the only survivor, explained that they were not attempting to flee but were trying to communicate with the Algerian coastguards when the shooting began. Five bullets struck his brother and their friend, while another friend’s jet ski was hit by a bullet.
Moroccan media reported that Snabe, a French-Moroccan, was arrested by the Algerian coastguard and appeared before a prosecutor on Wednesday.
As of Friday, Mechouar’s body remained in Algeria, and the prosecutor’s office had initiated an investigation into the incident.
This incident has occurred amid increased tensions between Algeria and Morocco over the disputed Western Sahara territory. The border between the two neighboring countries has been closed since 1994, and diplomatic ties were severed by Algiers in 2021.
Algeria has officially prohibited the movie “Barbie,” which had been screened at certain cinemas in the country for some few weeks now.
Both an official source and the local news site 24H Algerie confirmed this on Monday August 15, 2023.
According to the official source, the film is deemed to “promote homosexuality and other Western values,” which contravenes Algeria’s religious and cultural principles.
Featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, the movie depicts Mattel Inc’s doll entering the real world on an adventure.
Despite the ban by Lebanon and Kuwait h, the film has however achieved a global box office revenue of over $1 billion since its premiere on July 21, 2023
As wildfires blaze throughout Algeria, at least 25 people have perished, including 10 troops.
Since many days ago, there have been fires burning all throughout the nation, some of which have been fueled by strong winds and have expanded to woods and agricultural areas in 16 different regions.
In a well-known vacation spot close to the nation’s capital of Algiers, the 10 troops perished while attempting to put out fires. There were 25 additional wounded soldiers.
Algeria’s interior ministry announced 15 civilians have died and 24 have been injured so far – though it’s not yet clear when the deaths happened.
The firefighting effort is taking place at the same time as strong winds and heatwaves have triggered vicious wildfires in Greece.
Attempts to tamp down the fires included 7,500 firefighters and 350 fire engines on the ground, as well as air support.
At least 1,500 people have been evacuated, but the government didn’t provide any details about where they were moved from.
The largest and deadliest fires ravaged parts of Bejaia and Jijel – in the Kabyle region east of Algiers – and Bouira, about 60 miles south-east of Algiers.
Fires have been burning for several days (Picture: FETHI BELAID/AFP)At least 25 people have died (Picture: FETHI BELAID/AFP)
Last August at least 37 people were killed when wildfires burned near Algeria’s border with Tunisia.
And in 2021 dozens were killed in fires – including soldiers who were called in to help tackle the wildfires in the country’s mountainous Kabyle region.
The Algerian Interior Ministry, has said that wildfires have broken out across the country, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 15 lives, while thousands have been evacuated to safety. On Monday, 97 outbreaks of wildfires were recorded in 16 provinces, causing significant damage to forests, crops, and farmland.
In response to the devastating situation, approximately 7,500 firefighters are diligently working to contain the fires.
However, the fires have proved to be highly challenging, particularly in the mountainous Kabylie region to the east of Algiers. The flames have spread to residential areas in the coastal towns of Bejaia and Jijel, fueled by strong winds.
Adding to the severity of the situation, northern Algeria has been gripped by an unprecedented heatwave, with temperatures reaching a scorching 48°C. This record-breaking heat has led to a surge in electricity consumption in the country, marking the highest level in its history.
Meanwhile, southern Europe is also grappling with an intense heatwave, causing devastating wildfires in Greece. The World Meteorological Organization has issued a warning that this heatwave in Europe may persist into August, and the extreme temperatures worldwide are becoming the “new normal” due to the effects of climate change.
July saw the three hottest days ever recorded, with an average global temperature of 17.04°C, according to the EU climate and weather service, Copernicus. These extreme weather patterns emphasize the urgent need for substantial climate action, as climate change increases the risk of hot, dry conditions that fuel wildfires. Without significant efforts to reduce emissions, global temperatures will continue to rise, exacerbating the frequency and intensity of such extreme events.
Tragedy struck in Algeria’s Tamanrasset province as a collision between a utility vehicle and a passenger bus claimed the lives of at least 34 people, with 12 others sustaining injuries.
The accident occurred on National Road 01 in the village of Outoul, located approximately 1,900km (1,180 miles) south of the capital city, Algiers.
Authorities swiftly responded to the incident after being alerted around 4:15 am (03:15 GMT) on Wednesday.
The civil defence team confirmed the number of fatalities and ensured that the injured were promptly transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
Videos circulated by local news outlets, including Info Trafic Algerie, depicted the aftermath of the collision, revealing the vehicles engulfed in flames.
The civil defence also shared photographs of the accident, showcasing the devastating extent of the destruction with both vehicles completely burned-out.
Ihsane el-Kadi, a well-known independent journalist in Algeria, has had his prison term dramatically increased by an appeals court in Algiers.
Earlier this year, el-Kadi was handed a three-year jail term, with two years suspended, on charges related to allegedly receiving foreign financing for his media group.
However, the appeal court has now revised the sentence to a staggering seven years, with five years to be served behind bars.
The journalist’s arrest took place on Christmas Eve last year, accompanied by an order to shut down his media company. Throughout the legal proceedings, el-Kadi’s legal team vehemently refuted the charges leveled against him, asserting that the sole foreign money transfer originated from his daughter, who is both a partner in the company and resides in the United Kingdom.
The increased sentence is met with deep concern and criticism from human rights advocates and press freedom organizations, who view it as a severe blow to independent journalism in Algeria. Many fear that such a harsh penalty will have a chilling effect on journalists and further restrict freedom of the press within the country.
The case of Ihsane el-Kadi underscores the challenges faced by journalists operating independently in Algeria and the broader implications for freedom of expression. International entities are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the need to protect journalists’ rights and ensure a conducive environment for independent media to thrive.
As news of the heightened sentence spreads, supporters and activists are rallying behind el-Kadi, calling for justice and advocating for the preservation of media freedom.
An appeal court in Algiers has significantly increased the prison sentence of Ihsane el-Kadi, a prominent independent journalist in Algeria.
Earlier this year, el-Kadi was handed a three-year jail term, with two years suspended, on charges related to allegedly receiving foreign financing for his media group.
However, the appeal court has now revised the sentence to a staggering seven years, with five years to be served behind bars.
The journalist’s arrest took place on Christmas Eve last year, accompanied by an order to shut down his media company. Throughout the legal proceedings, el-Kadi’s legal team vehemently refuted the charges leveled against him, asserting that the sole foreign money transfer originated from his daughter, who is both a partner in the company and resides in the United Kingdom.
The increased sentence is met with deep concern and criticism from human rights advocates and press freedom organizations, who view it as a severe blow to independent journalism in Algeria. Many fear that such a harsh penalty will have a chilling effect on journalists and further restrict freedom of the press within the country.
The case of Ihsane el-Kadi underscores the challenges faced by journalists operating independently in Algeria and the broader implications for freedom of expression. International entities are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the need to protect journalists’ rights and ensure a conducive environment for independent media to thrive.
As news of the heightened sentence spreads, supporters and activists are rallying behind el-Kadi, calling for justice and advocating for the preservation of media freedom.
An appeal court in Algiers has significantly increased the prison sentence of Ihsane el-Kadi, a prominent independent journalist in Algeria.
Earlier this year, el-Kadi was handed a three-year jail term, with two years suspended, on charges related to allegedly receiving foreign financing for his media group.
However, the appeal court has now revised the sentence to a staggering seven years, with five years to be served behind bars.
The journalist’s arrest took place on Christmas Eve last year, accompanied by an order to shut down his media company. Throughout the legal proceedings, el-Kadi’s legal team vehemently refuted the charges leveled against him, asserting that the sole foreign money transfer originated from his daughter, who is both a partner in the company and resides in the United Kingdom.
The increased sentence is met with deep concern and criticism from human rights advocates and press freedom organizations, who view it as a severe blow to independent journalism in Algeria. Many fear that such a harsh penalty will have a chilling effect on journalists and further restrict freedom of the press within the country.
The case of Ihsane el-Kadi underscores the challenges faced by journalists operating independently in Algeria and the broader implications for freedom of expression. International entities are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the need to protect journalists’ rights and ensure a conducive environment for independent media to thrive.
As news of the heightened sentence spreads, supporters and activists are rallying behind el-Kadi, calling for justice and advocating for the preservation of media freedom.
Africa will be represented by Sierra Leone and Algeria as newly elected non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio hailed this achievement as a significant milestone for the nation, describing it as a testament to Sierra Leone’s successful transition from war to peace and its status as a resilient democratic country.
In addition to Sierra Leone and Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea, and Slovenia were also elected as non-permanent members following a vote by the General Assembly.
These five countries will join Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland as non-permanent members of the Council.
The newly elected members will assume their seats on January 1 and serve until December 31, 2025.
The UN Security Council consists of 15 countries, with five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US—who hold veto power over resolutions.
The former CEO of Cevital Group, Rebrab, who announced his resignation from the management of Cevital Group in June 2022 and who handed over the torch to his son, Malik, will not be able to manage a business until further notice.
Rebrab was kept under judicial control by the public prosecutor on May 18 at the Sidi M’Hamed court.
However, the businessman’s troubles do not end there.
According to an official document from Algeria’s judiciary dated May 23, 2023, Rebrab is banned from any commercial or management activity within his company, Cevital.
This document, widely shared on social networks, is signed by the investigating judge of the economic and financial center at the Sidi M’hamed court.
It is addressed to the presidents of the regional chambers of notaries.
It stipulates that Rebrab “is prohibited from exercising any commercial activity or any other mission in his capacity as a director or member of the Board of Directors or from any management activity within the company.”
The decision comes a little over a week after the placement of the former CEO of Cevital under judicial control. Rebrab is under trial for engaging in “questionable financial transactions” with foreign-based entities. He was charged on May 18.
As a result, Rebrab, who had announced his retirement from Cevital Group, is again caught up in a court case.
Remember that the richest man in Algeria was sentenced by the Sidi M’Hamed court on Dec. 31, 2019, to 18 months in prison, including six months and a $9.5-million fine.
The Algerian Justice Department has accused the former CEO of overcharging for water purification equipment imported by its subsidiary, EvCon.
Ibrahim Tanko, the head coach of the Ghana U23 squad, has defended Daniel Afriyie Barnieh after he missed multiple opportunities in Tuesday’s match against the Algeria U23 team.
The captain of the Black Meteors, who began for the team on Tuesday, missed numerous opportunities to score multiple goals and complete the game with a hat trick.
After defeating Algeria 1-0, coach Ibrahim Tanko acknowledged to the media that Daniel Afriyie Barnieh was a wasteful player.
He was quick to add, though, that the attacker’s overall play was solid and benefited the squad.
“I think Barnieh did well though. He spoiled a lot of chances but his general play was good. You can’t just use one game to kill a player, he just moved to Europe. I’m sure he will settle well at his club before the tournament,” Ibrahim Tanko shared.
Courtesy of the 1-0 win over Algeria, Ghana has secured qualification for the 2023 U23 Africa Cup of Nations tournament to be hosted in Morocco.
At the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, the home-based Teranga Lions defeated Algeria 5-4 on penalties, ending Algeria’s ambitions of serving as the tournament’s host and winning the match.
Pape Thiaw’s team will look back on their performance on the night they completed the treble for the West African nation and be pleased with their performance in a year in which they had won the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as well as the Beach Soccer AFCON.
Both teams were nervous in the first few minutes of the final, which would crown a new champion for the continental competition set up for players who compete in their domestic leagues.
In the opening 30 minutes, the tension rose as Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho handed four yellow cards, but they both soon cooled down and focused on taking the lead.
After the first 45 minutes of play, neither team scored a goal to put them ahead of the other.
When Senegal nearly scored in the 56th minute, the Senegal bench was on edge as Diallo’s long-range shot from beyond the box went over the crossbar.
No goals were scored in the second half, therefore the game went into extra time before moving to penalties.
Despite Cheikhou Ndiaye and Aimen Mahious both missing their turns from the spot, Senegal went on to win the trophy. Ahmed Kendouci and Aimen Mahious both missed their turns from the spot.
Algeria, meanwhile, set a new tournament record by going six games in a row without conceding.
The CHAN final between Senegal and Algeria is scheduled to take place on Saturday in Algiers, where at least 40,000 spectators are anticipated.
Algeria go into the final not having conceded in five matches with goalkeeper Farid Chaal, standing in for the suspended Alexis Guendouz, troubled only during a brief spell of second-half Nigerien pressure.
“We faced the Senegalese national team in Annaba (a friendly match in December 2022).Fantastic team. They play good football. They have a (youth) academy. But we also have a good team, individually and collectively. We aim to implement our manager’s instructions on the pitch, and I hope that we can be a better team. The more focused team will win,” said Soufiane Bayazid, an Algeria player.
Algeria reached the final after thrashing Niger 5-0 for the biggest win in the tournament in 15 years.
For the first time in its history, Senegal will participate in the CHAN final on Saturday against Algeria.
Senegal defeated Madagascar 1-0 to book their place in the final.
To this stage, Algeria have kept three clean sheets while the Lions of Teranga have experienced conceded in all four clashes by eight goals.
Rachid Nekkaz, an activist and businessman from Algeria who had been imprisoned for calling for a boycott of hiscountry’s 2019 presidential election, was released on Wednesday, according to a rights organisation, following his announcement earlier this month that he would leave politics.
Nekkaz was released on “humanitarian grounds,” according to a Facebook post from the National Committee for the Liberation of Detainees.
The Algerian newspaper Le Soir d’Algerie claims that the 51-year-old has been granted a presidential pardon. In the 2019 election, Nekkaz made an unsuccessful attempt to run for office.
Nekkaz stated that he had written to President Abdelmadjid Tebboune the month prior to “officially” inform him of his decision in a letter from prison that was posted on his Facebook page on January 2.
Nekkaz said in the letter he would dedicate himself “exclusively” to writing, his family and addressing health issues.
He had previously been jailed between December 2019 and February 2021 for “incitement to violence on social media,” where he has a large following.
The French-born Nekkaz was detained once more in May 2021 and received a five-year prison term last year.
Despite having abandoned his French citizenship, a regulation prohibiting candidates who had ever held a nationality other than Algerian had determined that he was unable to run in 2019. Instead, he proposed his cousin, who shares the same name and works as a mechanic.
After widespread protests forced his predecessor to quit, Tebboune, a former premier under longtime dictator Abdelaziz Bouteflika, won the 2019 elections.
His government has outlawed the Hirak pro-democracy movement’s protests and intensified legal action against critics, activists, journalists, and intellectuals.
The host nation of the ongoing tournament secured a ticket to the final after thumping Niger 5-0 in the first semi-final game on Tuesday, January 31.
In the clash today, Algeria dominated the contest from start to finish and made sure the attackers had their scoring boots on.
Following a very good start to the match, Ayoub Abdellaoui equalised for Algeria in the 15th minute.
Eight minutes later, Aimen Mahious got his name on the scoresheet to double the lead for the host nation.
Later in the 34th minute, Aimen Mahious found the back of the Niger net for the second time to grab a brace.
Courtesy of an own goal from Abdoulaye Boureima Katkoré and a strike by Soufiane Bayazid, Algeria cruised past Niger with ease to secure the delightful 5-0 win.
Courtesy of the victory, Algeria are in the finals and will face the winner of the second semi-final match between Senegal and Madagascar.
Aymen Mahious wrote his name in the history books as the scorer of the first-ever goal at the new Nelson Mandela Stadium as hosts Algeria edged Libya 1-0 in the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2022 opener on Friday.
The Desert Foxes’ forward was brought down in the 18-yard box by Libyan goalkeeper Muad Allafi after he was late in his attempt to stop a misplaced back pass from Libyan midfielder Aboulqassim Rajab.
Referee Tom Abongile made no mistake when he pointed to the spot.
Mahious calmly slotted the ball into the left corner sending Allafi the wrong way in the 57th minute to send the home crowd into resounding celebrations that could be heard across the Algerian capital and across the country.
The Desert Foxes who had been in control of their destiny from the first minute of the game and had outplayed Libya in the first half had registered 64% ball possession with at least one of their seven attempts at goal on target.
Head coach Madjid Bougherra celebrated the goal while encouraging his players to maintain their focus because there was so much football to be played.
Libya climbed out of the dark hole they had gone into after conceding 12 minutes from the halftime break and launched a series of runs at the Algerian goal.
It was in the 75th minute that Libya came very close to equalizing when from a perfectly executed corner kick, Libya captain Ali Ramadhan Ali was very unlucky to have his fine effort hit the post to further rattle the home side who had somewhat become comfortable.
Omar Alkhja also sent a strong shot at goal, but it was quickly pushed away by Algerian goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz to ensure the hosts remained intact.
Algeria regained their confidence to hold off a strong Libyan charge even in the 96th minute when substitute Talal Farhat had an opportunity to equalize through a free-kick on the edge of the box but sent his attempt into the Algerian wall.
Bougherra’s side will be thankful to the 40,000 fans that sang and cheered them on right from their warm-up session to inspire a deserved victory in the tournament opener.
With this victory, Algeria are top of Group A with three points while Libya sit bottom.
The second game of Group A will see Ethiopia facing Mozambique on Saturday, 14 January at the same venue at 1300 GMT.
According to the state news agency, an Algerian court sentenced 49 people to death after they were found guilty of lynching a man wrongfullysuspected of starting forest fires last year.
Because there is a moratorium on executions, the sentences are likely to be reduced to life in prison.
Algeria experienced the worst fires in its history in 2021, with multiple blazes killing 90 people.
Djamel Ben Ismail, the lynching victim, had gone to help fight the fires.
After the fires broke out in August last year, the 38-year-old tweeted saying he would travel over 320km (200 miles) from his home to “give a hand to our friends” fighting the blazes in the Kabylie region, east of the capital Algiers, which was the worst-hit area.
Soon after he arrived, locals falsely accused him of starting fires himself.
On 11 August, graphic footage began circulating purportedly showing Ben Ismail being attacked. People tortured and burned him before taking his body to the village square.
The videos caused national outrage.
Mr Ben Ismail’s brother urged social media users to delete the footage of the attack. His mother, he said, still did not know how her son had died.
His father, Noureddine Ben Ismail, said he was “devastated”. “My son left to help his brothers from Kabylie, a region he loves. They burned him alive,” he said.
The AFP news agency reports that the father’s calls for calm and “brotherhood” were praised by Algerians.
The fires took place amid dry conditions and very high temperatures, but authorities also blamed “criminals” for the blazes.
The court sentenced 28 others to between two and 10 years for other offences related to the lynching, the AFP quotes the state news agency as reporting.
The former CEO of Algeria’s state-owned oil and gas group Sonatrach, Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison for corruption in connection with the purchase of a refinery in Italy, a defense lawyer said.
Mr. Ould Kaddour “was sentenced to 15 years in prison,” said Miloud Brahimi.
Ahmed Mazighi, the former assistant to Mr. Ould Kaddour who had piloted the project to buy the refinery, was sentenced to seven years in prison.
A former executive of the oil group was sentenced to three years in prison while another was released by the Algiers court, according to the lawyer.
They were prosecuted in a corruption case related to the purchase by Sonatrach in 2018 of the Augusta refinery and various infrastructure in southern Italy from Esso Italy, a subsidiary of American ExxonMobil.
-Unspecified amount-
The amount of the transfer had not been specified but according to the Algerian media, the oil group has paid $ 720 million, an amount considered excessive for an old refinery that began production in 1950.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the transaction cost Sonatrach a total of 2.1 billion dollars, as the companyalso paid 916 million dollars to acquire the oil stored in the refinery and significant additional sums for renovation work.
The prosecution had requested 18 years in prison against Mr. Ould Kaddour and ten years against Mr. Mazighi, including for “squandering public funds, abuse of office and conflict of interest”.
Mr. Ould Kaddour, a close associate of the late deposed president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was extradited to Algeria in August 2021 after being arrested in the United Arab Emirates under an international arrest warrant issued by the Algerian judiciary.
Appointed head of Sonatrach in March 2017, Mr. Ould Kaddour was dismissed three weeks after the fall of Abdelaziz Bouteflika in early April 2019, pushed to resign by an unprecedented popular protest movement, the Hirak, after 20 years in power.
Mr. Ould Kaddour had led in the past the oil engineering company Brown and Root Condor (BRC), a subsidiary of Sonatrach, and the U.S. oil services company Halliburton.
BRC was dissolved in 2007 after suspicions of corruption in contracts obtained in violation of regulations.
Arab leaders on Wednesday (Nov 2) concluded the 31st summit of the largest annual Arabconference in Algiers.
The summit expressed “support for efforts to end the Libyan crisis through an inter-Libyan solution” and “a joint effort” by Arab states to end fighting in Syria.
Arab leaders acknowledged the dire consequences of the war for their nations and one after another called for a “collective Arab action” to face common challenges.
Those include food and energy shortages and the effects of climate change on their societies. But they presented no details on a potential mechanism that would help feed their people.
In a nod to Saudi Arabia, it expressed its backing for oil producers after the Saudi-led OPEC cartel and allied producers headed by Russia angered Washington by slashing production by two million barrels a day from November, further pushing up already elevated crude prices.
The statement said the “balanced” policy would help stabilise markets and “help the interests of both producer and consumer nations”.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, was the summit’s most notable absentee, staying away with a reported ear infection.
The summit final statement backed moves to make the state of Palestine a full member of the United Nations.
“Palestine is the pivotal cause to the Arab nation and states”, the Arab league secretary general said.
“Therefore, we were determined to continue to issue resolutions and translate them and present them to the United Nations and international organisations as happens every time”, Ahmed Aboul Gheit concluded.
Throughout its 77 years of existence, the Palestinian issue has been a central to the league. It is recently that more and more Arab countries have started to normalize ties with the state of Israel.
The summit took place at a time of heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank, where the Israeli military has conducted nightly arrest raids in searches for Palestinian militants.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in recent months, including armed gunmen, stone-throwing teenagers and people uninvolved in violence.
Water management is a major challenge for Algeria, as both the need for drinking water, and the consistent spells of drought, make the process a race against time. To confront this challenge, the country relies on its desalination plantsand its dams.
In the region of Tipaza, Kef Eddir is one of the 81 large dams in Algeria, where four new dams bring the storage capacity to 9 billion cubic meters. Dozens of other similar projects are planned in the country, which has just experienced three of the driest summers in its history.
“The interannual storage of water will of course enable us, first of all, to meet the population’s drinking water supply needs. But also the development of agriculture, and in turn food security. We also have the use of water for industrial purposes,” says Nadia Ouchar, central director of the National Agency for Dams and Transfers (ANBT).
This dam has a strategic role in supplying three wilayahs (regions) with drinking water – Tipaza and its neighbouring wilayahs of Ain Defla and Chlef.
“Interconnectivity is important for regional balance, for equity in the supply of drinking water to the population, and of course for solidarity between the different regions,” Ouchar adds.
The dam’s reserve lake hopes to soon supply the greater Algiers area – some 150 kilometres away. The first stage of the water supply work consists of large pipes, pumping stations and reservoirs that stretch over dozens of kilometres towards the region’s capital, Tipaza. Upon completion, about half a million people will benefit from this regional project.
Digging underground
There are no dams in the very arid south of the country. But the Sahara has some of the largest underground reserves in the world. The inhabitants of Tamanrasset, the big city in the Hoggar region, rely on the waters drilled under the sand of the neighbouring wilayah, and are transferred 700km journey across the desert.
“Tamanrasset is supplied by the town of In Salah through the use of 24 boreholes. We have six pumping stations that lead to the terminal reservoir,” says Mohamed Belouafi, head of the Tamanrasset Water Resources Department. “For the moment, the supply is only to the main town of the wilayah. But we have plans to supply other cities.”
Desalination
Again concerning the coastal regions, priority is given to seawater desalination plants. The plants already provide 17% of the country’s drinking water, a figure that is expected to reach 60% by 2030, thanks to new stations.
The Bateau Cassé plant, in the Algiers district of the same name, was put into service in record time. “The work began in October last year and we delivered this plant and started producing in March 2022, at full capacity, (that’s) 10,000 m3 per day. Given the water stress, we gave it our all to get it up and running as quickly as possible,” says Sami Ghezala, the project manager at the Algerian Energy Company (AEC).
He adds, “This station produces the equivalent of 10 million litres per day. If we consider that a citizen consumes 100 litres per day, it can cover the needs of 100,000 inhabitants.”
The water is drawn 1 kilometre from the coast. It then undergoes several purification processes, including – the more energy efficient – reverse osmosis, before being mineralised. This technology could be deployed all along the Algerian coast.
All in all, Algeria’s ingenuity and innovation secure the country’s water supply for the future.
Algeria’s presidency says, Prince Mohammed will not attend the upcoming Arab League meeting since his physicians have recommended he should not travel.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will not attend an upcoming Arab conference in Algeria due to physicians’ advice to avoid travel according to the Algerian presidency.
Saudi Arabia offered no immediate acknowledgment of the comments on Saturday by Algeria about the condition of Prince Mohammed, who has quickly risen to power under his 86-year-old father King Salman.
Statements carried in Arabic and French on the Algeria Press Service late on Saturday referred to a statement from the office of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune about a telephone call between him and Prince Mohammed.
In the call, Prince Mohammed “apologised for not being able to participate in the Arab Summit to be held on November 1 in Algiers, in accordance with the recommendations of doctors who advise him not to travel”, the statement read.
“For his part, Mr President said he understood the situation and regretted the impediment of the Crown Prince, His Highness the Emir Mohammed Bin Salman, expressing his wishes for his health and well-being.”
A statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency acknowledged a call between Tebboune and the prince but offered no word on the doctors’ advice. It just said the call focused on “the aspects of bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries” and possible joint cooperation.
The Arab League Summit in Algeria represents the first time the regional body has met since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold across the world.
The Arab League, founded in 1945, represents 22 nations across the Middle East and North Africa, though Syria has been suspended amid its long-running war. While unified in the call for the Palestinians to have an independent state, the body has otherwise been largely fractious and unable to enforce its mandates.
Prince Mohammed came to power in 2015 as deputy crown prince, then became crown prince some two years later after King Salman removed Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a once-powerful figure as head of Saudi Arabia’s counterterrorism efforts and a close ally of the United States.
His rise to power has seen the kingdom undergo rapid changes, like allowing women to drive and opening movie theatres while loosening the grip of ultraconservatives. He also launched a purported corruption crackdown that targeted the richest men in the kingdom and led an internationally criticised Arab coalition that staged a military campaign in Yemen.
US intelligence services linked Prince Mohammed to the 2018 killing and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the prince’s policies. The kingdom has denied the prince was involved, though its prosecution of the government squad behind Khashoggi’s slaying has been held behind closed doors.
Recently, the prince has come under intense US criticism over Saudi Arabia’s leading OPECand allied nations to agree to an oil production cut of 2 million barrels per day.
Algeria has been hailed for its “long-term strategic partnership” with the european union EU, as the bloc turns to Africa’s biggest gas exporter to fill a gap left by Russian supplies.
EU’s energy commissioner Kadri Simson is the latest in a string of top European officials to visit Algeria in search of more natural gas , since Russia cut gas supplies to Europe in suspected retaliation against Western sanctions after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
“As the relationship with Russia, so far EU’s biggest gas supplier, is irreversibly broken, we are turning to the EU’s reliable suppliers to fill in the gap,” said Simson. “In this respect we are offering Algeria a long-term strategic partnership.” she added.
Algeria has helped Europe diversify its energy supplies by pumping more gas to Italy, which in July signed a deal to import billions more cubic metres via an undersea pipeline from the North African coast.
Europe’s hunt for gas has become ever more urgent as winter approaches, but expertshave cast doubt over Algeria’s ability to boost output in the short term.
Algerian Prime Minister Aimene Benabderrahmane however said state hydrocarbons firm Sonatrach had put in place an “accelerated programme” to bump up output.
Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab, speaking at an energy summit in the capital Algiers attended by Simson, said his country was “a trusted supplier” that always honours its contractual obligations.
He added that Algeria was examining the possibility of laying high-voltage cables under the Mediterranean to export electricity to Europe, and that the country hopes to produce as much as 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035.
Simson said she wanted the EU to help Algeria reduce its methane emissions and boost its electricity output from renewables.
“Algeria has one of the highest solar based energy potential in the world,” she said in a tweet. “The EU is ready to help Algeria unlock this potential.”
The Algerian government is investing in the English language as a tool for the future.
In September, primary schools across the country have introduced English to Year 3 students, a move that brings it on par with French.
Many parents welcome this change.
“I’m the father of two children studying in primary school. Teaching English in primary school is sensible. We should prepare for it because most parents of Algerian students aren’t ready to teach English to their children in primary school.
It requires means for the students to join the classes and learn the language properly. And we here in Algeria, are lacking the means”, said Farouk Lazizi, father of two students in primary school.
For others, the decision is about moving away from French, a language associated with colonial times.
“This will be our first step away from the French language, which is characterised by administrative complications and has brought nothing. Well-off French people are starting to teach their children English . If you, a French person, are teaching your child English, then I should also have the choice to change the language I teach my son. I want to drop the language of the coloniser and adopt the language used worldwide”, said Hacene, father of a primary pupil in the capital, Algiers.
During the summer, the education ministry was in a race against time to implement the presidential instructions.
“It’s a good thing – God willing – that our children can speak foreign languages. We’re happy and we hope that our Algerian children will learn more, especially English, because we’re sick of French, the language of colonialism, we want to move forward”, said retired primary school teacher, El Hadi.
In Algeria, children have to learn four languages from primary school. These are Arabic, Berber, French and English.
However the geometric blue, teal and yellow design is a pattern called zellige, which is common in Moroccan mosaics, the ministry’s lawyer said.
The neighbouring nations have a long history of tensions, as they continue to dispute Western Sahara.
Lawyer Mourad Elajouti wrote on Facebook that he had issued a legal warning to Adidas, on behalf of Morocco’s Ministry of Culture.
In a letter to the company’s chief executive Kasper Rorsted, Mr Elajouti said the new design was cultural appropriation and “an attempt to steal a form of Moroccan cultural heritage and use it outside its context”.
He has demanded the German sportswear brand remove the design within two weeks.
Mr Elajouti added that Algeria’s 2022-2023 season kit “contributes to the loss and distortion of the identity and history of these [zellige] cultural elements”.
The BBC has contacted Adidas for comment.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption, Morocco’s culture ministry claims the designs are too similar to zellige, a style of Moroccan mosaic tilework
Algeria and Morocco share a nearly 2,000 km (1,242 miles) border, which has been a source of tension since independence from French colonial rule.
In 1963, they had the Sand War over Morocco’s claim to territory in Algeria.
Later on, Algeria backed the Polisario Front’s campaign for Western Sahara’s independence from Morocco, leading to the 1975-1991 Western Sahara War.
The border was then closed in 1994 for security reasons after militant Islamists bombed a hotel in the historic Moroccan city of Marrakesh.
More recently, in 2021 Algeria cut diplomatic ties with its neighbour, accusing Morocco of “hostile acts”. Morocco called the move “completely unjustified”.
Nigeria’s visit to Algeria will provide a good test for the Super Eagles with Ghana vs Brazil the glamour fixture involving a team from the continent.
Nigeria’s clash with Algeria in Oran headlines a number of high-profile friendly matches involving African countries during this international break.
The Super Eagles will visit Algeria next Tuesday as Jose Peseiro tests a host of players but that will come after Ghana have faced Brazil in France on Friday.
The Black Stars will use the match to prepare for the 2022 World Cup with the Samba Boys set to stretch them to the limit.
Looking at the facts and numbers ahead of Nigeria and South Africa‘s opening match at the 2002 Women Africa Cup of Nations
African champions Senegal have a date with Bolivia on Saturday while South Africa host Sierra Leone in another friendly encounter the same day.
Getty Images | Super Eagles
Algeria vs Nigeria
Nigeria coach Peseiro will seek to make it three straight wins when the Super Eagles take on the Desert Foxes in Oran next Tuesday.
Nigeria beat Sierra Leone 2-1 before thrashing Sao Tome and Principe 10-0 in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June but the 2019 African champions will provide a different kind of test.
Nigeria and Algeria have faced each other six times with the Super Eagles winning thrice while the North Africans have managed one victory, the win coming during the 2019 Afcon semi-final when they won 2-1 en route to the final.
Both teams missed out on a ticket to the World Cup in disappointing fashion during the playoffs, Nigeria falling to Ghana on away goals, while Algeria were edged out courtesy of a last-minute goal by Cameroon, having looked like they had sealed their ticket to Qatar.
For Peseiro, it will also be an opportunity to test a host of new players, especially upfront, where captain Ahmed Musa, Samuel Chukwueze and Emmanuel Dennis were the latest to withdraw from the squad due to injuries, joining long-term injury absentees Victor Osimhen and Umar Sadiq.
That leaves Lorient striker Terem Moffi, Cremonese’s Cyriel Dessers, Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi and Kelechi Iheanacho of Leicester City to battle it out for a starting berth.
BlackStars of Ghana
Brazil vs Ghana
The glamour tie involving an African team, the five-time world champions will certainly provide Ghana with the one of their biggest tests in recent years during Friday’s meeting at the Stade Oceane in Le Havre, France.
Brazil lined up with Thiago Silva and Marquinhos at centre-back with Alex Telles (left-back) and Eder Militao (left-back) as Casemiro and Lucas Paqueta were paired in central midfield while Neymar played just behind Richarlison as Vinicius Jr and Raphinha occupied the wings during Tuesday’s training.
That might give Ghana coach Otto Addo a hint on how to line up or where to exploit as he prepares his charges for the high-profile encounter. Ghana have conceded five goals without reply in their three meetings with Brazil, losing 1-0 twice in 2007 and 2011 as well as 3-0 defeat in the 2006 World Cup at the Round of 16.
While history favours the South Americans, Addo has a number of experienced players in his squad who can hold their own against the Selecao such as Thomas Partey, Daniel Amartey and the in-form Mohammed Kudus.
He was also recently boosted by the availability of Inaki Williams, Tariq Lamptey and Mohammed Salisu who switched allegiance to the Black Stars in June.
Ghana have Portugal, Uruguay and South Korea in their World Cup group and after falling to Japan and Chile in their last two matches, Brazil should give them a taste of what to expect in Qatar.
Safa | Bafana Bafana
South Africa vs Sierra Leone
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos can get some of his critics off his back with a victory against Sierra Leone in a friendly match at the FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Broos was criticised for his selection and tactics following South Africa’s 2-1 loss to Morocco in the 2023 Afcon qualifiers in June and had to apologise for saying the PSL’s lack of ‘quality’ was the reason for the national team’s struggles.
The Belgian coach has included Mamelodi Sundowns talisman Themba Zwane into the squad that has several newcomers, among them Melusi Buthelezi (TS Galaxy), Sibongiseni Mthethwa (Stellenbosch FC), Luke le Roux (Varbergs), Cyprus-based Mihlali Mayambela and Orlando Pirates marksman Zakhele Lepasa.
Zwane was among the players Broos was criticised for not including and he will hope the 33-year-old can replicate his good club form with national team against the Leone Stars, whose last game was a 2-1 loss to Nigeria three months ago.
BackpagePix | Sadio Mane
Senegal vs Bolivia
France will also host another top African nation this weekend as Senegal take on Bolivia at the Stade de la Source in Orleans, using the match as a tune up for the World Cup.
Aliou Cisse’s men will face the Netherlands, the hosts and Ecuador in Group A in Qatar and the tactician has called up five new players, including Noah Fadiga, the son of Khalilou Fadiga, and Nottingham Forest defender Moussa Niakhate, as he looks to shake things up.
Eight players from the victorious 2021 Afcon squad are missing due to injuries or a lack of game time with right-back Bouna Sarr out of the World Cup with a knee injury and left-back Saliou Ciss without a club. Spartak Moscow forward Keita Balde has also been handed a three-month ban due to a doping violation.
However, with Chelsea pair Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly, Everton’s Idrissa Gueye, Crystal Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, Watford’s Imaila Sarr and Bayern Munich superstar Sadio Mane available, the Teranga Lions have enough to cause Bolivia problems.
Mane became his country’s top scorer with 33 goals when he scored a hat-trick in the 3-1 win over Benin before his penalty earned a 1-0 over Rwanda in the Afcon qualifiers in June and despite his goal drought at Bayern, he is still the man to watch against the South Americans.
Getty Images | Vincent Aboubakar
Cameroon vs Uzbekistan
The Indomitable Lions are under pressure to improve following their lacklustre 1-0 win over Burundi in June’s 2023 Afcon qualifiers when Fecafoot boss Samuel Eto’o read the riot act to the players for taking their positions in the team for granted.
Rigobert Song’s men can start righting those wrongs against Uzbekistan in South Korea’s northern city of Goyang on Friday with Vincent Aboubakar set to captain the team.
Song has handed Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo his first call-up after he switched allegiance from France to Cameroon in August and he will likely make his debut against Uzbekistan.
Cameroon are in a race against time to be ready for their return to the World Cup after missing the 2018 edition and have Switzerland, Serbia and Brazil to contend with in their group in Qatar.
Getty Images | Hakim Ziyech
Morocco vs Chile
Another World Cup-bound side taking on a South American team in this window, the Atlas Lions are under new management after former Wydad Casablanca coach Walid Regragui replaced Vahid Halilhodzic this month.
Regragui’s first task was to repair strained relationships between players and the technical bench and that was seen from his selection of Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, who had retired from international duty after falling out with Halilhodzic, and the inclusion Bayern Munich full-back Noussair Mazraoui.
Morocco will also have a number of youngsters for Friday’s friendly against Chile in Barcelona in what will be the first meeting between the two countries as the North Africans prepare for the global tournament in Qatar where they have Croatia, Belgium and Canada in their group.
At least 38 people have been killed and dozens more injured in forest fires that have devastated northern Algeria.
Kamel Beldjoud, the country’s interior minister, said 24 people died in El Tarf, near the border with Tunisia, as well as a mother and daughter in Setif.
Local media said at least 200 others have suffered burns and respiratory problems.
Firefighters, supported by helicopters, were still trying to contain several blazes on Thursday morning.
The names of the mother, 58, and her 36-year-old daughter who died in Setif have not yet been released, but officials there said flames had reached dozens of homes and villages.
Officials said that some 39 fires were ravaging various parts of northern Algeria, and they warned that hot winds could spread the flames further.
The civil protection agency said that the city of El Tarf was the worst hit area with 16 fires currently burning.
And reports say some 350 residents have been evacuated in several provinces.
Northern Algeria is affected by forest fires every year, with Mr Beldjoud noting that 106 fires have broken out in Algeria since August, destroying 800 hectares of forest and 1,800 hectares of woodlands.
Some 90 people are thought to have died in fires last year- and more than 100,000 hectares of woodland was burnt.
Last August, Mr Beldjoud blamed a spate of fires in Algeria’s Kabyle region on arson, claiming “only criminal hands” could explain “the simultaneous outbreak of about 50 fires across several localities”.
Thursday’s toll brings the total number of Algerians killed in wildfires this summer up to 42.
The latest blazes come during a summer which has seen a number of countries in the Mediterranean region ravaged by wildfires – particularly in Europe, with France, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy all affected.
Thousands of the Hirak movement returned to the streets of the Algerian capital on Friday as they demanded significant changes to the country’s government and political system — chanting slogans such as “let the system fall.”
The supporters of the Hirak movement – that pushed out former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in 2019 after 20 years in power — made their way through Algiers.
Mohamed Saadouni, a protester in the city, is firm in his position.
“We will continue the Hirak (movement) because none of our demands have been met and we still demand a civil state (with less of the military in power) and political openness in addition to freedom of the press for all.”
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recently announced early parliamentary elections in June — bringing them forward from next year. The protests, however, have not subsided.
Tebboune announced last month that he would dissolve parliament to open the way for a new batch of candidates from outside the establishment.
He also reshuffled the government and released around 30 detained activists, though dozens more remain jailed.
Ali Lekhdari, a journalist and member of the Hirak movement, explained what it will take to meet the demands of the Hirak.
“The streets want a real change and not only presidential elections and legislative elections that will be in June. The people want a complete change and not just elections. Elections are one of the changes among a global change that the people want.”
In another effort to satisfy protesters, Algeria’s government finalized a new electoral bill aimed at limiting corruption and giving voters more choice.
The Hirak activists are pressing for a full makeover of the opaque system governing Algeria, with the military in the shadows, which has been at the helm since the country won its independence war against coloniser France in 1962.
“The president of the republic assures the Algerian people about his health, that he is on the way to recovery and will be returning home in the coming days,” the statement said.
The Algerian president was flown to Germany for treatment in hospital on 28 October after he had tested positive for coronavirus.
There has very little that has been revealed to the public about his condition which fuelled speculation and concern among Algerians on social media about their “missing” president.
The last communication from his office was in mid November, when it said “the president had completed the Covid-19 treatment protocol” without indicating the date of his return home.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Wednesday was transferred to Germany for a “thorough medical examination,” the presidency said, a day after he was admitted to a military hospital in the capital Algiers.
The presidency said that the travel came on recommendation from his medical staff, but did not give details on his health condition or which hospital in Germany he would be admitted.
On Saturday, Tebboune went into “voluntary quarantine†after several of his aides showed symptoms of the novel coronavirus.
The presidency said on Tuesday that Tebboune was moved to a specialized unit at a military hospital in the capital Algiers and that he was in a “stable condition,†without stating if he tested positive for the coronavirus.
Tebboune, 74, was elected president last December, eight months after long-time ruler Abdelaziz Bouteflika was forced to resign, under pressure following street protests and from the powerful army.
Algeria has reported so far over 56,000 cases of the coronavirus and more than 1,900 related deaths.
A former Algerian police officer who joined the country’s Hirak protest movement has been sentenced to two years in jail for threatening security officials and divulging professional information online.
Toufik Hassani became popular after he apologised to students who were brutalised by police during their demonstrations in October 2019.
A prisoners’ rights group, the National Committee for the Release of Prisoners (CNLD), said some 45 other people are in jail for charges linked to online posts.
Journalist Khaled Drareni was on Tuesday sentenced to two years in prison for covering protests.
Human rights groups have condemned arrests of journalists and protesters.
The Hirak movement led protests against then-President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term after nearly 20 years in power.
Algerian courts in several parts of the country have ordered prison time for defendants in cases related to leaking exam papers, the ministry of education has said.
In the southern province of Djelfa, two people were sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 500,000 dinars ($4,000; £3,020) after they leaked the Arabic language exam papers online.
Other jail sentences ranging from 10 to 18 months have been ordered against people accused of posting national exam papers on social media in the provinces of Tebessa east and Laghouat south of the country, the Algerian press agency APS reported.
The leaking of exam papers has been a perplexing problem for the government in recent years with the ministry of communication technologies deciding to cut the internet during the exams period and exam boards banning electronic devices in their centres.
The Baccalaureate exams started this week throughout the country after a long delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Extra online security measures have been taken according the ministry of education to prevent cheating and leaking of exam papers.
Algeria’s President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has announced that a referendum on a new constitution will be held in just over two months, on 1 November.
A draft of the proposed constitution released earlier this year indicated that it would give Algeria’s parliament and the prime minister’s office more power.
There have been many months of pressure for reform in Algeria.
Last year, street protests across the country forced President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to stand down after 20 years in office.
Algeria said on Saturday it will further ease its coronavirus lockdown, including shortening an overnight curfew, lifting some travel curbs and allowing large mosques to reopen.
The North African country has recorded 34,155 coronavirus infections, with 1,282 deaths.
In June, it resumed some economic activity, mainly in the construction and public works sectors, and allowed the reopening of some businesses.
The new measures include lifting a travel ban on 29 provinces from Aug. 9 until the end of the month. During that period, a curfew will be shortened and will run from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. from the current 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., the government said.
Mosques with a capacity of more than 1,000 worshipers can reopen from August 15, though weekly prayers on Fridays, which are usually attended by larger numbers of people, will remain banned throughout the country.
The use of air conditioners in mosques remains banned, as does a prohibition of access for women, vulnerable people and children under 15 years, the government said.
Algeria ended a curfew and travel restrictions for its remaining 19 provinces in July.
During the trial, which was held by video conference because of the coronavirus, Drareni, 40, denied wrongdoing and said he was only working as an independent journalist and exercising his right to inform.
His supporters said the verdict was reminiscent of the tightly controlled era of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was pushed out by the mass demonstrations and whose successor promised a more democratic, open leadership.
While a new president was elected in December, the pro-democracy Hirak movement is seeking deeper change in a nation whose rulers have been shadowed by the army since it gained independence from France in 1962.
Weekly protests rocked Algeria for nearly a year since the popular movement began in February 2019 and came to a halt in March this year when the authorities banned the demonstrations to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
‘Arbitrary and absurd’
In their case against Drareni, prosecutors cited a Facebook post in which he said the Algerian political system had not changed since the election of Abdelmadjid Tebboune as president, and that the journalist shared a call by multiple political parties for a general strike.
“Khaled Drareni was only doing his job of informing citizens. He did not commit a crime,” one of his lawyers, Fetta Sadat, told The Associated Press news agency.
The verdict “is proof that Algerian justice is not free but an instrument in the hands of power that can be used to intimidate Algerians”, he said.
The RSF dismissed Monday’s verdict as “arbitrary and absurd” and called it “judicial persecution against a journalist who is the honour of his country”, urging global mobilisation in his support.
At least one other Algerian journalist is currently awaiting trial, according to the media watchdog, which ranked Algeria 144th out of 180 countries in its 2020 Press Freedom Index.
One of the leaders of the protests which have rocked Algeria for the past 16 months has been sentenced to a year in prison.
Amira Bouraoui, 44, was convicted on six counts, including “insulting Islamâ€, “insulting the president” and “incitement to violate lockdown” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Her lawyer, Mustapha Bouchachi, condemned the verdict. “This conviction is unjust, there is no evidence. We are going to appeal,” he told the AFP news agency.
The gynaecologist and mother of two was arrested last Wednesday at her house.
Ms Bouraoui started to gain attention in 2014 when she unsuccessfully opposed former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s attempt to run for a fourth term in office.
Mr Bouteflika was eventually forced not to seek a fifth term in office last year following huge street protests, which Ms Bouraoui helped organise.
However, the huge protests continued until the lockdown was imposed.
Members of the “Hirak” movement such as Ms Bouraoui say that those who wield real power in the country have not changed and corruption and inequality remain rife despite the election of Abdelmadjid Tebboune as president last December.
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Algeria on Monday extended until 14 May the containment measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, after authorising the reopening of some businesses during the Ramadan period.
Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad has “renewed for an additional period of 15 days, namely from 30 April to 14 May, the current containment measures as well as all preventive measures,†his outfit said in a statement.
Mr. Djerad called on his compatriots to “continue to observe conscientiously and rigorously, the measures of hygiene, social distancing and protection,†according to the statement.
On Saturday, the prime minister had ordered the reopening of several businesses, including hairdressing salons, bakeries and clothing and shoe shops, in order to “reduce the economic and social impact of the health crisisâ€.
In addition, since the beginning on Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan, the authorities have relaxed the curfew decreed in several regions of the country because of the epidemic.
In the wilaya (prefecture) of Blida, near Algiers, where the first cases of new coronavirus were recorded, the total confinement has been lifted, giving way to a curfew from 14H00 to 07H00 local (13H00 to 06H00 GMT).
And in the nine wilayas most affected by the pandemic, including Algiers, curfews have been reduced by two hours.
According to official figures, 432 deaths have been recorded so far in Algeria. A total of 3,517 cases have been officially reported.
Algeria with a population of 44 million is the African country with the highest number of Covid-19 deaths.
Algeria has ended a full lockdown on the northern Blida province, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, and replaced it with a curfew during the holy month of Ramadhan.
Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad said the curfew will begin at 14:00 local time (13:00GMT) and end at 07:00 the next day.
It is unclear if the full lockdown on Blida province, which was to end in a week, will be re-introduced after Ramadhan.
Other nine provinces, including the capital Algiers, that had a curfew starting from 15:00 local time will now have a relaxed curfew starting from 17:00.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said there had been improvement since the lockdown and curfew were imposed and soon “normal life†would resume, according to Xinhua news agency.
