Africa

Richa Ghosh’s 94 runs off 77 balls, including 15 boundaries, helps save India’s innings as they recover from 102-6 to reach 251-8 against South Africa in their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match.

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If you’re thinking about a holiday for next summer, the travel experts at Club Med are currently running a limited-time sale on all-inclusive breaks.

As the weather begins to turn cold, many Brits will be daydreaming about their next summer getaway. Even though 2026 is still a few months away, travel gurus at Club Med have already unveiled some limited-time luxury holiday bargains.

From 14th to 17th October 2025, the Club Med Summer Sale gives holidaymakers the opportunity to bag premium all-inclusive holidays at swanky resorts and destinations. Ideal for early birds keen to pencil in next year’s holiday, the booking period covers stays from 30th May to 27th November 2026.

The seasonal offer includes up to 20% off premium rooms, including deluxe rooms, suites, and villas, and up to 15% off standard superior rooms, with minimum stays of three nights (five nights during the October half-term) and maximum stays of 28 nights. Little ones under six stay for free, and bookings can be secured with a low deposit starting at £150 per person.

Holidaymakers can escape the winter gloom with a vibrant trip to Marrakech in January. Swap grey skies for golden sunsets, bustling souks and the intoxicating scent of spices wafting through the air.

With agreeable daytime temperatures and fewer crowds, the winter months are a fantastic time to explore the Moroccan city. As part of its Dream Deals promotion, Club Med is offering a five-night stay from £1,001 per person, reported the Manchester Evening News.

Save up to 20% at Club Med resorts

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Club Med is offering money off Dream Deals, Skiing holidays, winter sun and summer holidays for 2025-26

Marrakech is the ideal destination to kick off the new year feeling refreshed and revitalised. The all-inclusive deal features a lavish stay at the Marrakech La Palmeraie, an Exclusive Collection Space boasting elegant suites with enduring appeal, nestled within verdant gardens and encircled by the splendour of Moroccan artistry.

There’s also a Family Oasis providing spacious accommodation crafted for unforgettable holidays with little ones, delivering a vital fusion of contemporary comfort and heritage.

Kids under six journey at no cost on selected breaks and room enhancements are on offer for an extra fee. Holidaymakers who have already experienced the Moroccan magic of Club Med have awarded it a 4.5 out of five-star rating on TripAdvisor.

One visitor shared their experience and highlights. They said: “Little paradise in Riad. High-quality Service, perfect and delicious catering before resting in comfortable suites.”

Another commented: “Club Med Marrakech is always a perfect place. The setting is beautiful: the gardens are very well-maintained, and the common areas are very clean. The food is excellent and the bar team is always on top.”

A third simply branded it: “A magnificent site with an exceptional team.” However, one holidaymaker who wasn’t entirely convinced noted that they were unhappy with a transfer delay.

They said: “We waited for almost two hours for the transfer to the club and then more than an hour for our pick-up, because it had not been prepared.” For those looking to bask in some winter sun, Club Med Dream Deals are offering exotic getaways to Phuket, Bali and Cancun.

Ski enthusiasts can bag a 15% discount on holidays in Grand Massif and Serre-Chevalier in France, as well as Italy’s Piedmont region. Club Med is also dishing out hefty discounts for summer 2026 holidays, including lavish breaks at its brand-new South African resort.

Set to open its doors on 4 July 2026, the resort offers a beachside retreat coupled with a safari adventure, featuring Club Med’s first-ever surf school. Situated in KwaZulu-Natal, five minutes from Durban.

The resort provides direct beach access and the opportunity to extend your stay with a one to three-night safari experience at Mpilo Lodge. Here, guests can embark on two daily game drives and spot the Big Five in their natural surroundings.

A hit with UK families, the revamped Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic now offers even more. Perfect for summer holidays, it now boasts Club Med’s largest water park with over 20 slides and splash zones, plus a luxurious spa.

Holidaymakers also have the option to upgrade to a premium all-inclusive experience, which includes gourmet dining, drinks, sports and activities. Kids Clubs for children aged four and above are included, although there is an additional cost for under-fours.

The Club Med property in Punta Cana boasts an impressive 4.4-star rating on TripAdvisor. One guest remarked: “It was way better than my expectations. Definitely recommend this resort to every family with kids. I took golf and tennis lessons there with my wife, and the instructor knew what they’re doing.”

One holidaymaker shared their glowing review: “I had an amazing experience during my stay at Club Med Punta Cana. The resort itself is beautiful – the beach, the activities, and the atmosphere make it a perfect spot to relax and enjoy. The staff truly go above and beyond to make you feel welcome.”

However, not every piece of feedback was completely glowing. A visitor highlighted some disadvantages: “There is a ton of seaweed on the beach these days, which is a bummer, and the music is a bit too loud for my taste, but I am told this will change once the renovations are completed this Fall. However, overall, the value of what is included (everything) and the quality of service can not be beat.”

Autumn is consistently a favoured time of year for planning ahead. Should Club Med getaways not quite fit the bill, Jet2 is providing up to £240 off summer holidays for 2026, featuring premium resorts as part of the Indulgent Escapes collection and complimentary child places.

For travellers watching their pennies, On The Beach has recently launched its 2026 summer holiday offers. There are numerous bargains to be discovered, but a seven-night break in Spain departing from Manchester in June starts from £240 per person.

Club Med is offering a pre-registration for Summer 2026 bookings until 10 October 2025 via their pre-booking page. The main sales period will run from 14 to 17 October, with offers available on the Summer Holiday Deals page.

Two goals from Salah and one from Adel make Egypt the third African country after Morocco and Tunisia to book a berth.

Egypt have booked a berth at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with an easy 3-0 win over Djibouti in Casablanca that gave them top place in Group A with one game remaining.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored twice and Ibrahim Adel claimed the other goal for the Pharaohs on Wednesday, as they became the third African country after Morocco and Tunisia to book their place in next year’s finals in North America.

Salah has scored nine goals in Egypt’s marathon qualifying campaign that began two years ago.

Egypt have competed at three previous World Cups but failed to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar, where Morocco had their best run as semifinalists and Tunisia were knocked out in the group stage.

Meanwhile, Thomas Partey was on the scoring sheet as Ghana trounced the Central African Republic 5-0 in Meknes, and they need one point from their final match at home to Comoros to qualify.

Mohammed Salisu, Alexander Djiku, captain Jordan Ayew, and Kamaldeen Sulemana were the other scorers for the Black Stars, who led 1-0 at half-time.

Cape Verde came from two goals behind in Tripoli to draw 3-3 with Libya and edge closer to a first World Cup appearance.

The island nation of about 550,000 inhabitants off the coast of Senegal will clinch first place in Group D if they defeat Eswatini in Praia on Monday.

Known as the Blue Sharks, the Cape Verdeans are two points ahead of Cameroon, who beat Mauritius 2-0 in Saint-Pierre with Manchester United striker Bryan Mbeumo among the goal scorers.

Cape Verde have 20 points after nine rounds, two more than Cameroon, whose eight World Cup appearances are an African record.

Cameroon, firm pre-qualifying favourites to win the group, had to secure maximum points in Mauritius to keep alive their hopes of overtaking Cape Verde, but needed 92 minutes to ensure success. They complete their schedule at home to Angola in Yaounde and must win to have any hope of automatic qualification.

Should Cape Verde finish first, Cameroon would hope to finish among the four best-ranked runners-up and qualify for the playoffs in November.

The winners of the African mini-tournament, comprising single-match semifinals and a final, advance to six-nation inter-continental playoffs next March with two World Cup places up for grabs.

The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

Dutch humanitarian organisation INSO rejected the allegations and called for the release of its eight staff members.

Burkina Faso’s military government says it has arrested eight people working for a humanitarian organisation, accusing them of “spying and treason”, allegations the Dutch nonprofit “categorically” rejected.

Burkina Faso’s Security Minister Mahamadou Sana said the eight people arrested worked for the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), a Netherlands-based group specialising in humanitarian safety.

Those detained included a French man, a French-Senegalese woman, a Czech man, a Malian and four Burkinabe nationals, Sana said, alleging the staff members had continued working for the organisation after it was banned for three months, for allegedly “collecting sensitive data without authorisation”.

The security minister claimed some of INSO’s staff had “continued to clandestinely or covertly conduct activities such as information collection and meetings in person or online” following the ban, including its country director, who had also previously been arrested when the suspension came into effect at the end of July.

Sana said the INSO staff members had “collected and passed on sensitive security information that could be detrimental to national security and the interests of Burkina Faso, to foreign powers”.

The Hague-based humanitarian organisation issued a statement on Tuesday saying it “categorically” rejected the allegations about its activities in Burkina Faso.

“[We] remain committed to doing everything in our power to secure the safe release of all our colleagues,” INSO said in the statement.

INSO also said it collects information “exclusively for the purpose of keeping humanitarians safe,” and that the information it gathers “is not confidential and is largely already known to the public.”

Burkina Faso’s military government has turned away from the West and, in particular, its former colonial ruler, France, since seizing power in a September 2022 coup.

Together with neighbouring Mali and Niger, which are also ruled by military governments, it has also withdrawn from regional and international organisations in recent months, with the three countries forming their own bloc known as the Alliance of Sahel States.

The three West African countries have also wound back defence cooperation with Western powers, most notably their former colonial ruler, France, in favour of closer ties with Russia, including Niger nationalising a uranium mine operated by French nuclear firm Orano.

Within the three countries, the military governments are fighting armed groups linked to al-Qaeda that control territory and have staged attacks on army posts.

Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups have accused the fighters, the military and partner forces of Burkina Faso and Mali of possible atrocities.

Trump administration continues to send individuals to countries where they have no ties amid mass deportation push.

The United States has sent a second so-called “third-country” deportation flight to the tiny southern African nation of Eswatini, shrugging off human rights concerns.

Eswatini’s government confirmed on Monday it had received ten deportees from the US who were not nationals of the kingdom. That came after five other deportees from the US were sent to Eswatini in July.

The White House confirmed the deportations on Monday, saying the individuals had committed serious crimes.

Neither the US nor Eswatini confirmed the nationalities of the individuals who arrived on Monday. However, US-based immigration lawyer Tin Thanh Nguyen said they included three people from Vietnam, one from the Philippines, and one from Cambodia.

Rights groups have condemned the treatment of the first group of deportees sent to Eswatini — which included individuals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba , and Yemen — saying they were kept in solitary confinement and not given access to lawyers.

Nguyen said he was representing two of those who arrived on Monday and two others previously sent to Eswatini, but he remained unable to speak with any of them.

“I cannot call them. I cannot email them. I cannot communicate through local counsel because the Eswatini government blocks all attorney access,” he said in a statement provided to Reuters news agency.

Amid its mass deportation push, the Trump administration has increasingly relied on sending deportees to third countries when they cannot legally send them to their homeland.

Rights advocates have challenged the practice, fearing it can leave those expelled stranded in countries where they do not speak the language and may not be afforded due process.

The Trump administration has also sent “third country” deportees to South Sudan, Ghana, and Rwanda.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the latest group of deportees sent to Eswatini had been convicted of “heinous crimes”, including murder and rape.

“They do not belong in the United States,” Jackson said.

Activists in Eswatini, a small mountain kingdom bordering South Africa, have also condemned the government’s secretive deal with the US. They have launched a legal challenge in hopes of scuttling the agreement.

For its part, the Eswatini department of correctional services has maintained that it is “committed to the humane treatment of all persons in its custody”.

The department said the individuals would be kept in correctional facilities until they could be repatriated to their home countries.

A MAJOR update in the hunt for a missing British hiker has come just a week after the search kicked off.

British tourist Elaine McSorley vanished after embarking on a self-guided hike from her South African hotel last week.

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But the search for the missing 71-year-old has been called off with no trace of her, according to local media outlet The Witness,

The major update comes after Elaine was reported missing on Saturday, September 27.

After an extensive six day search undertaken by local police, search and rescue teams, K9 units, and volunteers from security companies, local communities, the Community Policing Forum (South Africa’s neighbourhood watch), and nearby game reserves, the search has come to an end.

Investigators used all means possible, with drones, helicopters and fixed-wing aircrafts in an attempt to find the missing woman.

Despite the extensive efforts, no trace of Elaine has been found.

South African police said the investigation will continue, with hopes of narrowing down to a smaller search area.

She had set out with her husband Leon, 81, to hike from the Ghost Mountain Inn and Safari Lodge in eMkhuze.

Leon had turned back earlier due to the heat, while Elaine continued walking to a lake.

Leon raised the alarm three hours later when she later failed to return.

He has since checked out of the Ghost Mountain Inn and police do not know where he is.

Police said earlier in the week that they suspect a crocodile took Elaine, or foul play — but have no evidence of either.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza said: “The British couple checked into the Ghost Mountain Inn at 1pm and went for a walk at 2pm.

“According to the husband, during the walk to the lake, he decided to turn back and returned to the hotel, but when she did not return, he raised the alarm.

“We have been searching day and night but there is no sign of her. It is like she has vanished into thin air. The dogs have picked up no traces either.

“If she had simply collapsed and died we would have found her by now. There are theories as to what happened but I am not going to speculate.”

A police forum member said: “We’re starting to look at whether she was dev­oured.

“There’s no sign of crime.”

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Elaine’s disappearance comes after a fisherman disappeared while trying to catch sardines.

Fears the man had been taken by sharks surfaced after friends of the missing 37-year-old rushed to the spot where he vanished – but retreated when the fins of two other beasts suspected to be Bronze Whalers headed for them.

The horror attack on July 6 happened on a beach popular with divers and surfers at Mfazazana, Kwa-Zulu Natal province, 60 miles south of Durban.

A National Sea Rescue Institute spokesman confirmed that a 37-year-old local man had been reported missing “following a shark incident that involved 3 local fishermen”.

They said: “We and the SA police and the Water Policing and Diving Services unit were told a man disappeared under the water after a shark surfaced where he was netting.

“It appears that at least one friend attempted to intervene but it is believed that he was confronted by at least 2 sharks in the surf and he retreated to the shoreline.

“It is believed the sharks were feeding on a school of sardines at the time. A large scale search is underway but so far no sign of the missing man has been found”.

In the last 25 years, 37 people have been killed by sharks off the coast of South Africa – with the last being restaurateur Kimon Bisogno, 39, in September 2022.

South Africa responded to their crushing defeat by England with an impressive six-wicket victory over New Zealand at the World Cup in Indore.

Having been skittled for 69 and beaten by 10 wickets in their tournament opener on Friday, the Proteas dismissed New Zealand for 241 and cruised to their target in 40.5 overs in a remarkable turnaround in fortunes.

Tazmin Brits, one of the 10 South Africa players to make a single-figure score last week, hit a brilliant 101 – her fourth one-day international century in five innings and fifth this year.

Brits was bowled two balls after reaching her century with 47 runs needed, and Marizanne Kapp and Anneke Bosch also departed chasing a net run-rate boost, but Sune Luus, who put on 159 for the second wicket with Brits, finished 81 not out to seal a commanding victory.

New Zealand, in contrast, were lacklustre, with bat, ball and in the field.

After choosing to bat rather than inserting South Africa on the back of their England collapse, Suzie Bates was out lbw to the first ball and they chewed by 48 dot balls in a timid powerplay.

Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday upped the ante with a partnership of 86 from 75 balls through the middle but the dismissal of Halliday in the 39th over sparked a collapse of seven wickets for 44 runs in 59 balls from 187-3 as left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba took 4-40.

Devine was bowled for 85 in the 45th over, ending hope of a big finish, while her side later gifted 19 wides and leaked runs with misfields.

It leaves New Zealand, last year’s T20 World Cup champions, off the pace set by Australia, India and England early in this competition, with only the top four progressing from the group stage.

South Africa look the far more likely contenders.

The International Criminal Court has found Sudanese militia chief Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman guilty of war crimes committed during Sudan’s Darfur conflict more than two decades ago. He was accused of playing a crucial role in the atrocities that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

One little island in the Atlantic Ocean stays warm and sunny long after summer is over – and it is closer to Africa than the continent it technically belongs to

When October arrives, much of Britain becomes grey, damp and chilly, leaving countless Brits yearning for a final dose of sunshine.

The brilliant news is that autumn often presents the most affordable time to secure a getaway, and with pupils back at school, the tourist hordes have thinned out considerably.

Whilst most European coastal spots begin to turn cooler, there’s one magnificent little island that remains balmy and bright, and it’s nearer to Africa than the continent it officially calls home. This gorgeous volcanic isle in the Atlantic boasts average daily temperatures of approximately 22C in October.

READ MORE: Brits can apply to live on Greek island for free but there’s very unusual catchREAD MORE: ‘Magical’ autumn walks that run right through stunning UK beauty spot

And whilst it’s a Portuguese territory, it lies more than 300 miles west of Morocco and over 600 miles from Lisbon. The island is Madeira – a verdant, mountainous haven that offers everything from breathtaking tropical landscapes to delightful towns and welcoming hospitality.

Frequently dubbed the “Hawaii of Europe”, it’s a perfect retreat for holidaymakers seeking dependable sunshine without travelling too far.

Flights from Britain to Madeira last just under four hours, with direct connections available from London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, and other cities. Ryanair, Jet2, easyJet, and TUI all provide direct services to the island’s capital, Funchal.

Madeira is most famous as the birthplace of football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who was born in Funchal in 1985. The island honours his heritage with a special museum and even a statue on the waterfront. But there’s far more to discover beyond that.

For those who adore trekking, countless renowned Levada trails await exploration. These narrow footpaths wind alongside the island’s ancient irrigation channels through valleys, clifftops and woodlands.

Among the most beloved routes is the Levada do Caldeirão Verde, which meanders through verdant laurel forests featuring spectacular cascades. Moreover, the capital Funchal boasts cobbled lanes, vibrant markets, and charming botanical gardens.

READ MORE: Best European destinations to visit in October for ‘bucket list’ autumnal escapes

Tourists can also enjoy a cable car journey up to Monte, then experience a traditional wicker toboggan ride back down. Whale and dolphin spotting excursions operate throughout the year, and October remains sufficiently warm for swimming or lounging beside the ocean.

Madeira’s culinary offerings represent another major attraction. Regional delicacies feature black scabbard fish served with banana, espetada (beef skewers), and naturally, the globally renowned Madeira wine.

Travellers who have experienced the island describe its tranquil ambience, gentle climate, and breathtaking landscapes, reports the Express. One visitor commented on Tripadvisor: “It’s absolutely breathtaking, the views are out of this world.”

Another remarked: “We visited in October and the weather was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, just right for walking and relaxing.” The sole consideration is that the island’s climate can prove unpredictable, positioned as it is amidst the Atlantic Ocean.

Aircraft occasionally cannot touch down owing to powerful winds and must be redirected to mainland Portugal. Although sandy beaches are scarce, the island boasts some remarkable volcanic rock pools that serve as a favourite spot for swimming and unwinding.

Protesters issue president 24-hour ultimatum to ‘respond favourably’ to demands, threatening ‘all necessary measures’.

Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina has ignored calls for his resignation by a nationwide youth-led protest movement, condemning what he perceives to be a coup plot driven by rivals.

Protesters took to the streets of the capital, Antananarivo, on Friday after a “strategic” pause in the near-daily demonstrations led by a movement known as “Gen Z”, which has demanded the president’s resignation over his alleged failure to deliver basic services, including water and electricity.

At least 22 people have been killed since the protests started on September 25, according to the United Nations. On Friday, police fired tear gas to disperse marchers in the capital, footage from Real TV Madagasikara showed.

“No one benefits from the destruction of the nation. I am here, I stand here ready to listen, ready to extend a helping hand and … to bring solutions to Madagascar,” Rajoelina said in a speech broadcast on his Facebook page.

He said, without providing evidence, that some politicians were plotting to take advantage of the protests and had considered staging a coup while he was addressing the United Nations in New York last week.

“What I want to tell you is that some people want to destroy our country,” he said, without naming those he alleged were behind the move.

The Gen Z movement rejected Rajoelina’s speech as “senseless”, promising to take “all necessary measures” if the president did not “respond favourably” within 24 hours to its demands.

There were also protests in the northern coastal city of Mahajanga and in the southern cities of Toliara and Fianarantsoa.

‘Opportunistic groups’

Madagascar is rich in resources yet remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with 75 percent of its population of 32 million living below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank.

The recent unrest forced Rajoelina to sack his government on Monday and invite dialogue. In a post on his X account at the end of the week, he said he had also met various groups for the past three days to discuss the situation.

Madagascar’s Foreign Minister Rasata Rafaravavitafika said the country faced “a massive cyberattack” and a “targeted digital manipulation campaign” launched from another country.

“According to analyses by our specialised units, this operation was initially directed from abroad by an agency with advanced technological capabilities,” she said.

She claimed that “opportunistic groups” had “infiltrated” the protests and aimed to “exploit the vulnerability of some of Madagascar’s young people”.

Rajoelina, the former mayor of Antananarivo, first came to power in 2009 following a coup sparked by an uprising that deposed former President Marc Ravalomanana.

After sitting out the 2013 election under international pressure, he was voted back into office in 2018 and re-elected in 2023.

Linsey Smith takes the wickets of Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp, as South Africa fall to 19-4 in just the sixth over of England’s opening match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.

FOLLOW LIVE: ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup – England v South Africa

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Pilgrims were visiting the Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam Church to mark the annual Virgin Mary festival.

Makeshift scaffolding set up at a church in Ethiopia has collapsed, killing at least 36 people and injuring dozens, state media reported.

The incident occurred at about 7:45am [4:45 GMT] on Wednesday in the town of Arerti, in the Amhara region, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) east of the capital, Addis Ababa.

A group of pilgrims were visiting the Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam Church to mark the annual Virgin Mary festival when the scaffolding collapsed.

District police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu told state media Fana “the number of dead has reached 36 and could increase more,” according to the AFP news agency.

The number of people injured remains unclear, but some reports suggest they could be as many as 200.

Local official Atnafu Abate told the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) that some people remained under the rubble but did not provide details on rescue operations.

Some of the more seriously hurt were taken to hospitals in the capital, he added.

Teshale Tilahun, the local administrator, described the incident as “a tragic loss for the community”.

Images shared on the EBC’s official Facebook page showed tangled wooden poles, with crowds gathering amid the dense debris.

Other pictures appeared to show the outside of the church, where scaffolding had been precariously constructed.

Health and safety regulations are virtually non-existent in Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, and construction accidents are common.

Despite Western sanctions, Russia’s military spending has fuelled its war economy. Three years into the war in Ukraine, growth is stalling, energy revenues are plunging, and the budget deficit is widening.

To shore up state coffers, Russia is raising the value-added tax from 20 percent to 22 percent, among other measures. The Ministry of Finance says funds will mainly cover defence and security spending.

The plan came a day after United States President Donald Trump said Russia was in “big economic trouble”, but is it?

Can the United Kingdom’s Labour Party deliver on its economic promises?

Plus, will the Africa-US trade pact, AGOA, be renewed?

South African Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa was found dead outside of a high-rise hotel in Paris. Police are investigating the cause of his death.

The demonstrations, which started over deteriorating living conditions, have left 22 people dead, according to the UN.

Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, has dissolved his government in response to mass demonstrations over power and water shortages that turned deadly, with the United Nations reporting that at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 others were injured.

The protests, which began last week and continued into Monday, were led largely by young people, angry over deteriorating living conditions in the capital, Antananarivo.

Experts say they represent the most serious challenge to Rajoelina’s authority since his re-election in 2023, and the largest wave of unrest the island nation has seen in years.

Crowds gathered at Antananarivo’s main university on Monday, carrying placards and singing the national anthem, before attempting to march into the city centre, according to footage broadcast by the local channel 2424.MG.

Police fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, as authorities enforced a dusk-to-dawn curfew that has been in place since last week. Security forces have also used rubber bullets to try to quell the unrest.

Looting has been reported at supermarkets, appliance shops and banks across the capital of 1.4 million people. Homes belonging to politicians have also been attacked in recent days.

The president promises dialogue

In a televised address on Monday, Rajoelina acknowledged the public anger and apologised for his government’s failings. “We acknowledge and apologise if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them,” he said on state broadcaster Televiziona Malagasy (TVM).

The president promised measures to support businesses that suffered losses during the unrest and said he wanted to open a channel of communication with young people. “I understand the anger, the sadness, and the difficulties caused by power cuts and water supply problems. I heard the call, I felt the suffering, I understood the impact on daily life,” he added.

The demonstrations have been driven by frustration at years of economic hardship. Madagascar, an island nation off Africa’s southeast coast, is one of the region’s poorest countries.

About 75 percent of its 30 million people lived below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank.

Many protesters blame Rajoelina’s government for failing to improve conditions, particularly as frequent power outages and water shortages have disrupted daily life.

Casualties and disputes over figures

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that casualties included protesters and bystanders killed by security forces, as well as people who died in looting and violence carried out by gangs unconnected to the demonstrations.

Madagascar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected those figures, insisting they were not based on official data but on “rumours or misinformation”.

Organisers say they have taken inspiration from youth-led movements in Kenya, Nepal and Morocco. Demonstrators in Antananarivo waved a flag first used in Nepal earlier this month, when protests forced the country’s prime minister to resign.

The movement in Madagascar has been largely coordinated on social media, particularly Facebook, echoing similar online mobilisation seen in Kenya last year, when sustained demonstrations pushed the government to abandon proposed tax legislation.

As the world’s pontificators and peacemakers gather over the coming months in their various forums—be those the UN General Assembly or the backrooms of Europe and the United States—to discuss the world’s worst conflict-driven humanitarian crisis, Sudan, they would do well to think hard about what they are really hoping to achieve. A quick peace, or an enduring settlement? 

To do that, they will need to peel away the almost cartoon-like representations that have come to dominate media imagery and international perceptions of what this conflict is about, and seek a better understanding of the historical tensions within the Sudanese state, and of the competing visions for how it should be governed—if it is not to be further divided.

A recent analysis by Daniel J Deng, published by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, would be a useful place to start. Deng, an East Africa and South Sudan peace-building specialist, argues that the war is not merely a quest for military dominance but is, significantly, a “war of visions” over the future architecture of the Sudanese state.

Deng sees the Rapid Support forces, led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”), as a product of both the collapse of centralized governance and, potentially, as a catalyst for more inclusive, decentralized national reconstruction—the ‘New Sudan’. The Sudanese Armed Forces under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, is cast as the contemporary custodian of Sudan’s long-standing centralist, military-Islamic order.

That vision of a ’New Sudan’ was the life’s work of John Garang, rebel leader and, briefly before his death in a helicopter crash in 2005, first vice president of Sudan and president of the South Sudan Autonomous Region. Garang articulated a Sudan centred on pluralism, federalism, and inclusive governance, in which he “imagined a pluralistic, democratic Sudan anchored in inclusive governance, ethnic equality, and political secularism,” transcending both northern and southern regional chauvinism.

This vision was central to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between North and South in 2005, but with Garang’s death, the Islamist-dominated Bashir regime in Khartoum let it drift, leading to South Sudan’s secession in 2011. And, it can be argued, Hemedti, whether by conviction or design, is the inheritor of that vision. Certainly in his rhetoric, he appears to have adopted its central tenets and made them central to the vision that lies behind his political coalition, Tasis, and the ‘government of peace and unity’ it has set up in Nyala.

After Omar al-Bashir fell in 2019, the RSF sought to transform its image from a militia rooted in state repression to “a political actor speaking on behalf of Sudan’s neglected peripheries.” Hemedti’s own rhetoric is purposefully populist and ‘Africanist,’ explicitly distancing the RSF from the legacy of Khartoum’s “Islamist deep state”. He has called for “an end to discrimination, equal citizenship, and the rights of all Sudanese, regardless of region or ethnicity.” And in April 2023, as tensions between himself and General Burhan were about to boil over into war, he said: “We want a Sudan that belongs to all Sudanese, not just a select group… a Sudan where every citizen, from Darfur to Kassala, is treated with dignity and equality.”

According to Deng, Hemedti frames himself as “a man of the people, not one of the elites who live in glass towers.” He refers to his roots in Darfur and deep-rural Sudan, and his life as a camel driver—a far cry from Sudan’s tradition of urban, Nile-side Islamist elite dominance. Moreover, the alliances he has forged with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N, particularly the al-Hilu faction) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), suggest a leader who understands that Sudan’s future governance must of necessity be decentralised to reflect the aspirations of its diverse ethnicities. 

In contrast, Burhan and the SAF represent the “traditional centralist, military-Islamist dominated model of government”. After the 2021 coup which ousted civilian prime ministerAbdalla Hamdok, Burhan “sought to reintroduce Islamist figures into state structures, consolidating SAF’s traditional base and reactivating elements of the National Congress Party’s old guard.” In Deng’s view, this effort simply “reinforces a statist governance model misaligned with Sudan’s emerging decentralized realities” and represents a direct continuation of the old order, “domination by centre or clique”, instead of plural citizenship and regional equity.

And that’s pretty much where the Juba Peace Agreement of 2020 fell down: implementation was top-down and elite-centric: “The JPA institutionalized parallel sovereignties… Rather than demobilizing insurgents into a unified national force, the JPA institutionalized parallel sovereignties.” These were the same design flaws that led to the collapse, in South Sudan, of its own internal peace process in 2016. Both failures—that of South Sudan, and of Juba in Sudan and the subsequent coup, underline the perils of centralist bargains unmoored from grassroots legitimacy, writes Deng. “By replacing institutional pluralism with top-down military rule, the post-2019 transition drifted into warlord competition masked as governance.”

At no point does Deng attempt to downplay the RSF’s part in the conflict, but he makes clear that Sudan’s future depends on ‘moving beyond binary paradigms of unity versus secession’and reconstructing a governance model that is neither rigidly centralist nor hopelessly fragmented, but layered, decentralized, and rooted in local legitimacy—an outcome that, on the face of it, is more closely aligned with Hemedti’s public posture than Burhan’s. 

And here’s where the pontificators and peacemakers need to pay attention. There is no Nobel Prize-gaming quick fix. Peace in Sudan, and the viability of a future state, will depend on the old Islamist-centralist-elitist-militarist model giving way—through committed, sustained peace and institution building—to a new model of inclusion and distributed power, anchored in accountable, civilian-led, and grassroots-rooted governance. It’s either that or suffering Sudan goes back to Square One. 

Police fire rubber bullets and tear gas as hundreds protest chronic power outages in the island country.

Authorities in Madagascar have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the capital, Antananarivo, following protests against frequent power outages and water shortages that turned violent.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets on Thursday to voice their anger over persistent power cuts, which often leave homes and businesses without electricity for over 12 hours. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to quash the demonstrations.

The protesters barricaded roads with rocks and burning tyres. By Thursday afternoon, there were reported incidents of looting at various retailers, appliance stores and banks across the 1.4-million-strong capital.

Several stations for the country’s new cable car system were also set on fire.

Local media reported on Thursday that three homes of politicians known to be close to President Andry Rajoelina were also attacked by protesters.

Authorities banned the demonstration on Wednesday, citing the risk of public disorder, and police patrolled the capital in large numbers from early Thursday.

“There are, unfortunately, individuals taking advantage of the situation to destroy other people’s property,” General Angelo Ravelonarivo, who heads a joint security body that includes the police and the military, said in a statement he read on privately owned Real TV late on Thursday.

To protect “the population and their belongings,” the security forces decided to impose a curfew from 7pm to 5am (16:00-02:00 GMT) “until public order is restored,” the statement said.

Madagascar, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is mired in poverty, and some people blame the government of Rajoelina, who was reelected in 2023, for not improving conditions.

Some 75 percent of the country’s estimated 30 million population lived below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank.

“Water and electricity are basic human needs.” “Let us speak out.” “Malagasy people, wake up.” These were some of the messages displayed on the protesters’ placards.

It was unclear how many people were injured during the rallies or whether there were any fatalities.

The protest movement, dominated mostly by the youth, started gaining traction a few days ago on social media platforms, mainly Facebook.

In the country’s provinces, unrest was also reported at the offices of the national water and electricity company, which is seen by protesters as the root of the country’s problems.

At the 80th UNGA, Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye condemned the war in Gaza, calling it a “humanitarian catastrophe” and urging immediate global action. He demanded justice for Palestinians and fairer governance that respects sovereignty worldwide.

Kenyan President William Ruto told the UN General Assembly that Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership on the Security Council is unfair and undermines the UN’s credibility, arguing the continent bears the “heaviest cost of instability”.

Lilongwe, Malawi – In the rural valleys of Malawi, where homes are built of mud and grass, and electricity is scarce, Tamala Chunda spent his evenings bent over borrowed textbooks, reading by the dim light of a kerosene lamp.

During the day, he helped his parents care for the family’s few goats and tended their half-acre maize field in Emanyaleni village, some 400km (249 miles) from the capital city, Lilongwe. By night, he studied until his eyes stung, convinced that education was the only way to escape the poverty that had trapped his village for generations.

That conviction carried him through his final examinations, where he ranked among the top 10 students in his secondary school.

Then, this May, a letter arrived that seemed to vindicate every late-night hour and every sacrificed childhood game: a full scholarship to the University of Dayton in Ohio, the United States.

“I thought life was about to change for the first time,” Chunda told Al Jazeera. “For my entire family, not just myself.”

News of the award brought celebration to his grass-thatched home, where family and neighbours gathered to mark what felt like a rare triumph. His parents, subsistence farmers battling drought and rising fertiliser costs, marked the occasion by slaughtering their most valuable goat, a rare luxury in a village where many families survive on a single meal a day.

Distant neighbours even walked for miles to offer their congratulations to the boy who had become a beacon of hope for the children around him.

But just months later, that dream unravelled.

The US embassy informed Chunda that before travelling, he would have to post a $15,000 visa bond – more than 20 years of the average income in Malawi, where the gross domestic product (GDP) per person is just $580, and most families live on less than $2 a day, according to the World Bank.

“That scholarship offer was the first time I thought the world outside my village was opening up for me,” he said. “Now it feels as if I’m being informed that no matter how hard I work, doors will remain sealed by money I will never have.”

A sudden barrier

Chunda is one of hundreds of Malawian students and travellers caught in the sweep of a new US visa rule that critics say amounts to a travel ban under another name.

On August 20, 2025, the US State Department introduced a yearlong “pilot programme” requiring many business (B-1) and tourist (B-2) visa applicants from Malawi and neighbouring Zambia to post refundable bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 before travelling.

The programme, modelled on a proposal first floated during the Trump administration in 2020, is intended to curb visa overstays. But Homeland Security’s own statistics suggest otherwise.

In 2023, the department reported that Malawian visitors had an overstay rate of approximately 14 percent, which is lower than that of several African nations not subject to the bond requirement, including Angola, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

“It is the equivalent of asking a farmer who earns less than $500 a year to produce 30 years’ worth of income overnight,” said Charles Kajoloweka, executive director of Youth and Society, a Malawian civil society organisation that focuses on education. “For our students, it is less of a bond and more of an exclusion order.”

A US embassy spokesperson in Lilongwe told local media that the bond programme was intended to discourage overstays, and said it did not directly target student visas.

While student visas, known as F-1s, are technically exempt from the bond requirement in the pilot phase of the programme, in practice the situation is more complicated, observers note.

International students on F-1s are allowed to enter the US up to 30 days before their programme start date. However, for those needing to arrive prior to that – for orientation programmes, housing arrangements, or pre-college courses, for instance – they must apply for a separate B-2 tourist visa.

That means that many scholarship recipients need tourist visas to travel ahead of the academic year. But without funds to secure these visas, the scholarships can slip away.

For students entering the US on tourist visas with the intention of changing their status to F-1 once they are there, this is legally permissible, but it must be approved by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. The visa bond requirements make this pathway much more complicated for Malawian students.

Even for those who manage to raise the funds, there is no guarantee of success. Posting a bond does not ensure approval, and refunds are only granted if travellers depart on time through one of three designated US airports: Logan in Boston, Kennedy in New York, and Dulles outside Washington.

Kajoloweka added that the policy also places extraordinary discretion in the hands of individual consular officers, who decide which applicants must pay bonds and how much.

Students in limbo

For decades, programmes such as the Fulbright scholarships, the Mandela Washington Fellowship, and EducationUSA have created a steady pipeline of Malawian talent to American universities.

“Malawi depends on its brightest young minds acquiring skills abroad, especially in fields where local universities lack capacity,” said Kajoloweka. “By shutting down access to US institutions, we are shrinking the pool of future doctors, engineers, scientists, and leaders … It is basically a brain drain in reverse.”

The visa bond has strained decades of diplomatic and educational ties between the US and Malawi, a relationship built by programmes dating from the 1960s and reinforced by sustained investment in education and development.

Last month, Malawi’s foreign minister, Nancy Tembo, called the policy a “de facto ban” that discriminates against citizens of one of the world’s poorest nations.

“This move has shattered the plans most Malawians had to travel,” said Abraham Samson, a student who had applied for US scholarships before the bond was announced. “With our economy, not everyone can manage this. For those of us chasing further studies, these dreams are now a mirage.”

Samson has stopped monitoring his email for scholarship responses. He feels there is little point, believing that even if an offer were to arrive, the overall costs of studying in the US would remain far beyond his reach.

Section 214(b) of US immigration law already presumes every visa applicant intends to immigrate unless proven otherwise, forcing students to demonstrate strong ties to their home country.

The bond adds another burden, wherein applicants must now prove both their intention to return and that they have access to wealth beyond the means of most.

Hope on hold

The situation is even more difficult for small business owners.

One businessman has spent two decades creating his small electronics import company in Lilongwe, relying on regular trips to the US to identify cost-effective suppliers.

In the aftermath of the mandate, the $15,000 visa bond has disrupted his plans, forcing him to buy from middlemen at outrageous prices.

“Every delay eats away at my margins,” he explained, speaking under the condition of anonymity to protect future visa prospects. “My six employees rely on me. If I can’t travel, I may have to send them home.”

Civil society groups, such as the one Kajoloweka helms, are mobilising against the policy. The group is documenting “real-life stories of affected students,” lobbying both locally and internationally, and “engaging partners in the United States and Europe to raise the alarm”.

“We refuse to let this issue quietly extinguish the hopes of Malawian youth,” he said. “This bond is a barrier, but barriers can be challenged. Your dreams are valid, your aspirations are legitimate, and your voices matter. The world must not shut you out,” he added, speaking generally to Malawian youth.

Meanwhile, back in his village, Chunda contemplates a future far different from the one he had imagined. His scholarship to the University of Dayton sits unused, a reminder of an opportunity denied.

“I thought life was about to change for the first time,” he lamented. “For my entire family, not just myself. I now have to look elsewhere to realise my dream.”

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.