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It’s a six-hour direct flight from the UK, and each of the ten islands that make up the archipelago has a different and distinct feel – perfect for those looking for year-round sunshine

The stunning nation of Cape Verde is fast becoming a favourite among Brits seeking year-round sunshine.

For those looking to change their annual holiday destination in Spain, Italy or France, you might want to have a look at this place. Spain has long been a top pick for those looking to escape the unpredictable British weather, but now more holidaymakers are venturing further afield to Africa’s Cape Verde.

Just a six-hour direct flight from the UK, Cape Verde’s ten islands offer constant sunshine, with temperatures seldom dipping below 21C, making it an ideal winter sun destination. Did anyone say a quick weekend trip?

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Each island in this Atlantic archipelago boasts its own unique charm and character. With an abundance of white sandy beaches and turquoise waters, you’ll be spoilt for choice, reports the Express.

With a culture influenced by Portugal and African traditions, Cape Verde is the perfect place as it offers an all-year round exquisite weather where visitors can enjoy the beach and partake in watersports like windsurfing and outdoor activities like hiking.

Cape Verde is a member state of the African Union. But interestingly, the official language of Cape Verde is Portuguese. Nonetheless, Creole is also used in conversation, and visitors will hear it throughout their stay.

Top picks include Santa Maria Beach and Ponta Preta on Sal, Praia de Chaves on Boa Vista, and Laginha beach in Mindelo, on São Vicente. Beyond the beaches, there’s fantastic wildlife spotting opportunities, with whales, dolphins and turtles often seen in the crystal-clear waters.

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While Cape Verde is a great year-round destination, do note that the rainy season falls between July and October. In November, expect daily maximum temperatures around 29C and minimums averaging at 23C.

According to AMAN (Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies), Cape Verde welcomed over a million visitors in 2023, setting a historical record.

For those who love a good hike, the islands are crisscrossed with walking trails through magnificent mountains and towering volcanoes. Santo Antão, São Nicolau and Fogo are touted as the best islands for walkers.

So, if you’re looking to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of city life without going to the typical holiday destinations, Cape Verde is the place for you. For families, friends, and even for a solo trip.

Direct flights are available from London to Cape Verde on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Airlines such as easyJet offer direct flights from London Gatwick, with prices starting at £120 depending on the season and time of purchase.

YOUTUBE star KSI has been announced as Bruno Tonioli’s replacement on Britain’s Got Talent – after Simon Cowell got advice from an unlikely source.

The head judge turned to his 11-year-old son Eric for advice about who should take over from the professional dancer who had to quit due to filming clashes with Dancing With The Stars in the US.

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Music mogul Simon was then convinced to give guest judge KSI, 32, a permanent spot on the panel by his little boy who’s a huge fan of the influencer.

A TV insider told The Sun: “Simon’s been friends with Bruno for over 35 years and loved working with him on BGT.

“It was really tough knowing he had to let Bruno go because they couldn’t get the filming dates to work out with his commitments on Dancing with the Stars.

“Simon is always looking for new ways to keep the show evolving and loves to get the opinion of his young son.

“Eric was a big influence for Simon in choosing Bruno’s replacement. He’s obsessed with him and adores him, KSI is Eric’s favourite influencer.

“Plus, he’s been such a hit as a guest judge and Simon recognises they need to keep the show different by moving forward to keep attracting the younger audience.

“Bruno was popular with the grannies, but KSI is for the youngsters.

“KSI has a huge social media presence and Simon knows how important it is to keep the show more modern.”

KSI also showed he had a real gift for spotting talent because it was his live show golden buzzer act, Harry Moulding, who was crowned winner of BGT, bagging the £250,000 cash prize and a place performing at the Royal Variety Performance.

After being confirmed as the new full-time judge, music artist and boxer KSI said: “I’m so grateful and happy to be a part of the Britain’s Got Talent team for another season.

“I had such a good time last year and I can’t wait to see some more top talent.

“I’m full of energy, ready to go, and can’t wait to make this the most entertaining BGT season ever. Let’s do this.”

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The Tasis Alliance, a coalition of Sudanese armed groups formed in February, has unveiled a parallel ”transitional peace” government to rival Sudan’s wartime government in Port Sudan.

Tasis is based on a partnership between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), a powerful armed group that controls swaths of South Kordofan and Blue Nile states in southern Sudan.

SPLM-N has been fighting a rebellion against the central government and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for 40 years – a conflict rooted in aggressive land grabs by central elites.

The RSF and SAF are former allies, yet a power struggle triggered an all-out civil war in April 2023.

Analysts have told Al Jazeera that Tasis aims to challenge SAF for legitimacy and power after more than two years of conflict.

“The Tasis government is the RSF’s latest desperate attempt to rebrand itself as a state authority rather than a militia,” said Anette Hoffmann, an expert on Sudan at the Clingendale Institute think-tank in the Netherlands.

“Yet all their actions have continued to prove the opposite. While announcing their government … RSF forces and their allies were besieging entire state capitals and starving innocent civilians,” she told Al Jazeera.

Why Tasis wants to be a state authority

Tasis announced its government just three days before a new round of Sudan peace talks is set to begin on July 29 in the United States.

The talks will bring together representatives from the Sudan Quartet – Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the US. Neither SAF nor the RSF will be included in this round, according to Africa Intelligence.

Regardless, the RSF has long been wary of being dismissed as a mere “armed group” in ceasefire negotiations and left out of the circles of power and influence in a post-war Sudan due to a lack of international legitimacy.

By forming its own government, the Tasis Alliance aims to garner recognition from some friendly states and boost its bargaining position in future negotiations, said Kholood Khair, an expert on Sudan and the founder of the Confluence Advisory think-tank.

“What’s interesting is that there has been so little disclosed about these new talks, yet it has started a fury across Sudan and catalysed the formation of these two governments,” Khair told Al Jazeera.

She added that the army adopted a similar ploy in May when it appointed Kamel Idris as prime minister in Port Sudan, a strategic city on the Red Sea Coast.

Idris recently appointed five new ministers to round out his new government, just a day after Tasis announced its parallel administration.

Recycled blueprint

Like Port Sudan, the RSF-backed government is run by a council of military elites and civilian loyalists.

The RSF’s leader, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, heads the Tasis’s 15-member Presidential Council.  SPLM-N leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu serves as his deputy.

A reported 47 percent of posts in the new administration went to RSF-aligned armed commanders and civil servants, while SPLM-N was given about one-third of the posts.

The rest were handed out to smaller armed groups and political parties who advantageously joined Tasis to boost their relevance, as previously reported by Al Jazeera. 

Post appointees include Suleiman Sandal from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) –  a rebel group that emerged out of the Darfur wars and splintered in the current war – who was made interior minister.

Al-Tahir Hajar, from the Sudan Liberation Forces Gathering (SLFG), which also emerged from the Darfur wars, is a prominent member of the Tasis leadership council.

The prime minister of the Tasis government is Mohamed Hassan al-Ta’aishi, a politician from Darfur and a former member of the transitional Sovereign Council that led Sudan shortly after former President Omar al-Bashir was toppled in 2019.

The Sovereign Council was headed by SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Hemedti. The two were supposed to step down from power in 2021, yet they orchestrated a coup to dismiss the then-civilian cabinet and dash hopes for democracy.

Cementing the rift 

Since SAF recaptured the capital Khartoum from the RSF in March, the former has been in control of the east and centre of the country, while the RSF has attempted to consolidate its control over the western and southern regions.

The Tasis government may have ended up cementing that division more than helping it gain an advantage at the negotiating table, said Alan Boswell, an expert on Sudan with International Crisis Group.

“The RSF aims to be legitimate as a national actor,” he said. “Yet [this government] makes de facto partition all the more likely, even if that is not the strategic intent.”

Khair added that the creation of a second government further incentivises armed groups to accumulate power in hopes of scoring a post in one of the two administrations.

“This [new government] really catalyses the proliferation of different armed groups,” she said. “More armed groups will mobilise … to win a position [in one of the two governments] during wartime.”

“This is a reality that really entrenches war dynamics.”