Ethiopia has inaugurated the first phase of the Aysha II Wind Power Plant, bringing 80 megawatts of renewable electricity onto the national grid and marking the largest wind project of its kind in the region, as reported by Maghrebi Week on February 9th.   The $257 million project, launched in 2017 and located in the Somali Regional State, was opened by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed alongside leaders from Djibouti and Somalia, highlighting regional cooperation on energy. 

Ethiopia has inaugurated the first phase of the Aysha II Wind Power Plant, bringing 80...

Although the future of Palestine as a state is unclear, it seems it is about to get its own constitution. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority, on 9 February issued a presidential decree ordering the publication of the first draft of the provisional Constitution of the State of Palestine, as reported by Atalayar. The aim is to make the document publicly available for review, with an open invitation to citizens, civil society organisations, political forces, experts and academics to submit comments and suggestions within sixty days of the decree’s publication.

Although the future of Palestine as a state is unclear, it seems it is about...

The death of singer Ifanaya Nwangene from a snake bite is a wake up call for Nigerian public health, reports the BBC on February 8th. Family alleged Nwangene’s death was due to shortages of antivenom. Snakebites are generally treatable, but inaccessible antivenom leads to thousands of preventable deaths a year. The singer’s death is the latest high-profile case drawing attention to the country's public health crisis. BBC News, Africa

The death of singer Ifanaya Nwangene from a snake bite is a wake up call...

The Sudanese government announced that it will rejoin the East African bloc IGAD (the Intergovernmental Authority on Development) after a two-year freeze on its membership, following the paramilitary chief's invitation to a summit, reported The New Arab and agencies on February 9th. The IGAD is a regional organisation composed of East African states, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Djibouti, and formally, Eritrea.

The Sudanese government announced that it will rejoin the East African bloc IGAD (the Intergovernmental...

Relationships in the Middle East are hard to define and even when they work are often ephemeral and seldom last the course. Recently we have seen the smoke and mirrors of how the west operates in Syria with the downfall of Assad followed swiftly by the installation of the most brutal terrorist to emerge from Iraq or Syria since Baghdad fell to U.S.

Relationships in the Middle East are hard to define and even when they work are...

Pope Leo XIV has called for an end to violence in Nigeria, as he addressed crowds at the Vatican's St. Peter's Square on February 8th, as reported by Africa News and agencies on the same day. His call for peace came a day after it was reported that gunmen in north-western Nigeria had killed three people and abducted 11 others, including a Catholic priest.

Pope Leo XIV has called for an end to violence in Nigeria, as he addressed...

A human rights organisation has expressed concern over the number of civilians killed in Mali throughout 2025, as reported by RFI and agencies on February 7th. Released on February 6th, the Collective for the Defence of the Rights of the People of Azawad (CD-DPA)'s annual report found that 553 people were killed in northern and central Mali in 2025. CD-DPA's…

A human rights organisation has expressed concern over the number of civilians killed in Mali...

Large crowds assembled at Sydney Town Hall, where officers blocked protesters from marching along routes near the president’s movements, warning that any attempt to proceed would be deemed unlawful, as reported by Middle East Eye via AFP on February 9th. Tensions escalated as demonstrators chanted and beat drums while attempting to move toward the New South Wales Parliament. Scuffles broke out when police prevented protesters from crossing barricades, with officers deploying pepper spray and forcibly pushing crowds back.

Large crowds assembled at Sydney Town Hall, where officers blocked protesters from marching along routes...

Only two women survive after a boat carrying at least 55 migrants capsized off the coast of Libya, reported Asharq-Al-Awsat on February 9th. 53 people remain missing confirmed the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) after the initial shipwreck on February 5th. The organisation went on to call for better international collaboration regarding safe migration routes. Asharq Al Awsat

Only two women survive after a boat carrying at least 55 migrants capsized off the...

At least 53 migrants are dead or missing after a boat carrying dozens of people capsized off Libya’s coast, the United Nations said on February 9, 2026, highlighting the continuing risks faced by those attempting the Mediterranean crossing, according to The New Arab. The vessel reportedly sank near western Libya as it attempted to depart toward Europe, a route frequently used by migrants and asylum seekers fleeing conflict, poverty and instability across Africa and the Middle East.

At least 53 migrants are dead or missing after a boat carrying dozens of people...

Islamic State-linked rebels killed at least 20 people in an attack on a village in eastern Congo, according to the Associated Press on February 9th. The assault was carried out early on February 7th by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the village of Mambimbi-Isigo, in the Lubero territory of North Kivu province, military administrator Col. Alain Kiwewa Mitela said.

Islamic State-linked rebels killed at least 20 people in an attack on a village in...

A third migrant’s body was found near the Morocco-Ceuta fence in the span of two weeks, indicating repeated deadly attempts by migrants to cross into the Spanish enclave, according to Moroccan government-friendly Yabiladi on February 9th. Ceuta and Melilla are two Spanish territories in North Africa enclosed by border fences in Morocco. They are frequent targets for sub-Saharan Africans and others seeking entry into the EU.

A third migrant’s body was found near the Morocco-Ceuta fence in the span of two...

Algerian representatives attended a high level meeting at the US embassy in Madrid to discuss the Western Sahara issue, reports Atalayar on 8th February. Moroccan and Mauritian officials and UN envoy Staffan de Mistura were also reportedly in attendance, as well as members of the Polisario Front militias. The US envoy for Africa and the Middle East, Massad Boulos, has recently insisted that resolving the Western Sahara conflict was a…