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The Italian giants have completed a bold summer transfer by bringing in Djed Spence from Tottenham Hotspur, finalizing a deal worth €35 million to replace the outgoing Denzel Dumfries, now on his way to Real Madrid. The 26-year-old English international has officially returned to Serie A after clearing his medical examinations with Inter Milan and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), signing a long-term contract at San Siro until June 2031. Spence's contract and Tottenham's compensation Under the terms of the agreement, Spence will earn €2.5 million annually, supplemented by performance-based bonuses. Tottenham will receive an immediate payment of €31.5 million, with an additional €3.5 million tied to future objectives and potential incentives. The deal marks a significant return for ...

MercatoToulouse striker Methalie seals surprise Premier League moveAugust 15, 2026ShareShareWhatsAppLinkedInEmailMessengerAfter intense negotiations, Toulouse and Sunderland have finalized a deal for the transfer of Dayann Methalie to the Premier League. The 20-year-old left-back is set to undergo his medical examination with the English club shortly.French football is losing another rising star to the Premier League. After weeks of back-and-forth, Toulouse and Sunderland have agreed on the transfer of Dayann Methalie, a left-back who will join the Black Cats this summer.Initially, Toulouse had rejected an offer around €33 million for their young defender earlier in the week. However, a revised proposal of approximately €30 million—including bonuses—has now been accepted by the Ligue 1 clu...

Militants' Financial Windfall A staggering $50 million ransom, paid in late 2025 to secure the release of foreign hostages held by Al-Qaïda-affiliated groups in Mali, has reportedly bankrolled the organization’s offensive across the Sahel. According to a confidential United Nations report dated August 10, 2026, the funds were channeled through Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition operating under Al-Qaïda’s banner in West Africa. While the report does not disclose the hostages’ identities or the payers, regional intelligence sources suggest the United Arab Emirates was involved in negotiating the release of three individuals: an Emirati national, a Pakistani citizen, and an Iranian. Officials from Abu Dhabi declined to comment on the specifics but reiterated their commi...

Algeria and Niger have taken a significant step forward in regional energy integration, forging stronger commercial and strategic ties in the Sahel. Jet A1 fuel shipments begin from Adrar refinery The partnership between Algeria’s Sonatrach and Niger’s Sonidep has reached a new milestone with the official launch of Jet A1 aviation fuel deliveries to Niger. These first shipments, dispatched from the Adrar refinery (RA1D), mark the implementation of a long-term supply agreement between the two state-owned energy giants. This commercial breakthrough underscores Algeria’s commitment to ensuring steady fuel supplies to neighboring Sahelian countries, reinforcing regional energy security. Joint marketing of Niger’s ‘Meleck’ crude oil in Benin The collaboration extends beyond fuel supply, with...

In a bold diplomatic maneuver, Algeria has intensified its efforts to restore and strengthen ties with Mali and Niger, two key players in the Sahel. The move comes as Rabat accelerates its own regional engagement, prompting Algiers to counter perceived losses in influence. Recent weeks have seen a flurry of high-level gestures, including the resumption of diplomatic relations with Bamako, the delivery of military helicopters to Niamey, and renewed energy cooperation, all aimed at countering Morocco’s growing footprint in the region. Algeria’s Diplomatic Reset with Bamako After fifteen months of strained relations marked by sharp rhetoric and a drone incident near the Algerian-Malian border, Algiers and Bamako have agreed to restore full diplomatic ties. The breakthrough was formalized on ...

The Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise has finalized the departure of its star winger, Anan Khalaili, who will join Crystal Palace in a landmark Premier League transfer. The 21-year-old Israeli international signed a five-year contract with the London-based club, with Union Saint-Gilloise receiving a reported fee of €24.5 million, including potential bonuses. From Brussels to London: The rise of a young talent Khalaili’s journey to Crystal Palace marks a significant step in his career after a promising stint with Union Saint-Gilloise. The winger, who joined the Brussels-based club from Maccabi Haifa in the summer of 2024, quickly established himself as a key player. His contributions were instrumental in securing the club’s historic first league title in 90...

Algeria and Niger deepen energy ties with new oil exploration project The partnership between Algeria and Niger has taken a significant leap forward with the launch of the Kafra Sud-Est 1 exploration well drilling, a move that underscores the growing strategic cooperation between Algiers and Niamey in the energy sector. The initiative, led by Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb alongside his Nigerien counterpart, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, represents a concrete step toward strengthening economic and energy collaboration between the two nations. Exploration in Kafra: A strategic milestone The drilling operation, supervised by Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb on behalf of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, marks a pivotal moment in bilateral relations. The Kafra Sud-Est 1 well, located i...

Burkina Faso junta orders military training for journalistsForty-four media professionals undergo week-long military drills in OuagadougouIn an unprecedented move, 44 journalists from both public and private Burkinabè media outlets completed a week-long military training program at the Pabré Police Academy, just outside Ouagadougou. Organized by the Ministry of Security, the initiative included physical drills, weapons handling, and group chanting. State broadcaster RTB footage captured the professionals in military fatigues, standing at attention with rifles in hand.Government frames training as patriotic dutyThe Burkinabè authorities defend the program as essential to fostering national unity amid ongoing jihadist violence. Police Academy Director Lassina Traoré stated the goal was to ac...

PoliticsDemocratic Republic of the Congo Congo's Tshisekedi retreats as opposition coalition C64 intensifies pressure In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, President Félix Tshisekedi has sent the referendum law back to Parliament for a second reading, just before the ultimatum issued by the C64 opposition coalition expires. The standoff between the government and opposition continues unabated. President Félix Tshisekedi has returned the constitutional referendum bill to Parliament for further deliberation, following a Constitutional Court ruling that validated the law with reservations. This move comes as the ultimatum issued by the C64 opposition coalition approaches its deadline on August 15. The C64 coalition and over 60 civil society organizations are demanding tha...

For over sixty-five consecutive days, Cameroon’s head of state has been absent from the country, prolonging a situation that has sparked intense debate both at home and abroad. Since June 7, President Paul Biya, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, has been in Geneva, where he remains under medical observation. His prolonged stay in Switzerland has raised serious questions about the future of governance in Cameroon and fueled speculation about his ability to lead from afar. Despite official assurances from the government regarding his health and capacity to govern, the absence of the president continues to draw criticism from opposition figures and civil society. Many Cameroonians are left wondering whether the seat of power has quietly shifted to Geneva, where executive decisions now...

The discreet yet impactful diplomacy of Morocco has once again taken center stage in Sahel crises. Through its mediation, Rabat successfully secured a presidential pardon for Yann V., a French intelligence officer sentenced to 20 years in prison by Mali's military court last June. On August 13, 2026, Mali's transitional government officially announced the pardon granted by Acting President General Assimi Goïta. The decision came with the immediate deportation of the officer from Mali's territory, highlighting the pivotal role played by Morocco in resolving the sensitive matter. The government's statement did not explicitly name the mediator but emphasized Morocco's discreet yet decisive intervention. «The transitional government acknowledges a brotherly nation whose good offices, exercis...

Mobile data costs in Mali are sparking widespread dissatisfaction among users and industry observers across West Africa. A recent comparison shows that consumers in Bamako receive significantly less data for the same price as their counterparts in Senegal, raising serious questions about telecom regulations, market competition, and digital affordability within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). The data gap is stark—where a user in Dakar might access around 25 gigabytes for a fixed amount, a subscriber in Bamako gets just 1.5 gigabytes, a disparity that underscores deeper structural issues. Regulatory failures fuel high data costs in Mali The price difference is glaring: the same amount of money buys over 25 times more mobile data in Senegal than in Mali. This places Ba...