🇩🇿AlgeriaNorth Africa
Algeria to face Netherlands in friendly match ahead of 2026 World Cup
via Algérie3602 min read
The Algerian national team is set to play a friendly match against the Netherlands on Wednesday evening at De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam. This high-level fixture is part of Algeria's preparation for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With less than two weeks until their entry into the competition, Vladimir Petkovic's team is approaching this match with seriousness. Facing one of the top European football nations, the primary objective will be to measure themselves against a strong opponent. This duel against the Dutch is undoubtedly the most demanding test for Algeria before the World Cup. It will provide the technical staff with an ideal opportunity to gain valuable insights into the team's form, as they have been in training for over a week at the Sidi Moussa National Technical Center. Team cohesion, tactical organization, and the ability to react against a high-level opponent will be closely scrutinized. The national coach emphasized the importance of this confrontation, stating that the match against the Dutch team will help identify the limits of their players' capabilities and will be similar to their first World Cup match against Argentina. Beyond the result, Algeria will aim to deliver a strong performance. Against a team known for its technical quality and intensity, they will seek to demonstrate a solid presence, capable of competing in all aspects of the game. A convincing performance would boost the team'
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Tomsk Polytechnic University TPU, located in Siberia, hosts Russia's only university nuclear reactor, the IRT-T, that is open to international students for direct training and work. Established in 1896, TPU is a leading institution in engineering, particularly in oil and gas, and chemical and energy technologies. The IRT-T reactor, operational since 1967 with a power of 6 megawatts, allows approximately 450 students annually to gain practical experience in power plant management, radiological safety, and physical protection of facilities. Since 2016, about 160 international students from 22 countries have participated in this program, with graduates now working in nuclear industries globally. Beyond education, the IRT-T reactor contributes significantly to industrial and medical applications, producing about 5% of the world's nuclear-doped silicon for high-voltage electronics and processing large silicon ingots. It also transforms colorless topazes into blue gemstones and is a major producer of radiopharmaceuticals for 30 Russian clinics, serving over a million patients with isotopes like technetium-99m and phosphorus-32. TPU's campus, known as the "European Quarter" of Tomsk, features 34 buildings, including historical monuments, over 100 laboratories, and a complex for alternative fuels. The university supports international students through programs like the Zhar-Ptitsa club, offering various activities to aid integration. While instruction is primarily in Russian, some pr
Christian Gourcuff, former coach of Algeria's national football team, shared his insights on the team's current state and his past tenure in an interview with Africafoot. Gourcuff led the team from 2014 to 2016, succeeding Vahid Halilhodzic after the 2014 World Cup. During his time, he guided the team to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and implemented an offensive playing style. He noted that three players from his era, Aissa Mandi, Nabil Bentaleb, and Riyad Mahrez, are still part of the current squad. Gourcuff expressed admiration for their longevity, particularly Mahrez's rapid progression, attributing it to their love for football. He also commented on Bentaleb's career, describing it as inconsistent but noting his current freshness due to not having had the career he might have. Despite his distance from modern football, Gourcuff remains interested in Algeria's performance. He highlighted his strong relationship with Walid Sadi, the current president of the Algerian Football Federation FAF, stating, "Just for him, I hope Algeria performs well at the World Cup." Gourcuff emphasized the human quality of their interactions and Sadi's trust in his technical approach, calling him one of the people with whom he has kept very good memories.
Must ReadAlgeria and Niger have advanced their energy cooperation with the signing of three strategic Memoranda of Understanding MoU between subsidiaries of Algeria's Sonatrach and Niger's Société Nigérienne du Pétrole SONIDEP. The agreements were signed on June 2, 2026, at Sonatrach's headquarters, with Algerian Minister of Hydrocarbons Mohamed Arkab and Niger's Minister of Petroleum Mahamane Moustapha Barké represented by Hamadou Tini presiding. The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Niger to Algeria, Sonatrach CEO Noureddine Daoudi, and Sonidep Director General Ali Seibou Hassan, along with senior hydrocarbon sector officials from both countries. These agreements align with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's vision to boost South-South cooperation and build a strong bilateral partnership for African economic and energy integration. The MoUs cover key technical areas across the oil and gas value chain, involving three major Sonatrach subsidiaries. The first agreement, between Entreprise Nationale de Géophysique ENAGEO and Sonidep, focuses on seismic data acquisition and processing in Niger to support hydrocarbon exploration. The second protocol, between Entreprise Nationale de Forage ENAFOR and Sonidep, establishes a joint venture for oil and gas drilling operations in Niger, aiming to pool technical expertise and enhance operational capabilities. The third agreement involves Société Nationale de Commercialisation et de Distribution de Produits Pétroliers NAFTAL and a
The Algerian National Popular Army ANP successfully intercepted a substantial cache of war weapons, ammunition, and an all-terrain vehicle in In Guezzam, according to an announcement by the Ministry of National Defense. This preventive operation, based on precise intelligence, thwarted a major security threat. The seized military arsenal included five Kalashnikov-type submachine guns, three FMPK-type machine guns, four DUSHKA-type machine guns, one anti-aircraft machine gun, one RPG-7 type rocket launcher, and one mortar. Additionally, four PG7V-type rockets, 2,587 bullets of various calibers, and eight ammunition magazines were recovered. Two mobile phones were also seized. The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that these results demonstrate the ANP's constant vigilance and readiness to secure national borders and counter any attempts to undermine the country's integrity and stability.