Riyadh ― The head of the Red Cross says history is repeating itself in Sudan’s Darfur region after reports of mass killings during the fall of the city of al-Fashir to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary last week.
The RSF’s capture of al-Fashir – the Sudanese army’s last holdout in Darfur – marked a milestone in Sudan’s civil war, giving the paramilitary force de facto control of more than a quarter of the country’s territory.
Hundreds of civilians and unarmed fighters may have been killed during the city’s fall, the UN human rights office said on Friday. Witnesses have described RSF fighters separating men from women and children, with gunshots ringing out afterwards. The RSF denies harming civilians. Meanwhile, the UN has confirmed famine conditions in al-Fashir. Reuters
China extends visa-free policy until next December
Beijing ― China will extend its visa-free entry policy for countries including France to December 31 2026 and expand the scheme to cover Sweden, effective November 10, the foreign ministry said on Monday.
Spokesperson Mao Ning did not specify which other countries besides France would be covered by the extension. The policy was scheduled to expire at the end of this year for more than 30 nations such as Spain and Germany.
Under the scheme, visitors from eligible countries can enter China for business, tourism, family visits, or transit for up to 30 days without a visa. Reuters
Guinea’s junta leader to stand for president
Conakry — Guinea’s junta leader Mamady Doumbouya put his name forward on Monday to stand in presidential elections on December 28, a move that could keep him in power for another five years.
Doumbouya had vowed not to run when he seized power in the West African country in 2021. But a new constitution pushed by the junta and approved in a referendum in September opened the door to his candidacy.
The new charter requires presidential candidates to live in Guinea and be between 40 and 80 years old. That would bar two potentially powerful candidates — former president Alpha Conde, 87, who lives abroad, and former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, 73, in exile over corruption allegations that he denies. Reuters
Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan sworn in as president
Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan vowed on Monday to move on from deadly protests set off by last week’s disputed election as she was sworn into office for her first elected term.
Opponents say the vote was rigged and that hundreds died, but the government has dismissed that toll as exaggerated. Hassan, who came to power in 2021 following the death of her predecessor, was declared the winner of last Wednesday’s election with nearly 98% of the vote. Her two leading challengers had been disqualified from the race.
The 65-year-old, one of only two female heads of state in Africa, took the oath of office at a ceremony at a military parade ground within the State House in the capital Dodoma. Reuters
Thailand, Cambodia start to act on ceasefire deal
Bangkok ― Thailand and Cambodia have begun withdrawing heavy weapons and conducting demining operations along their contested border as part of steps to de-escalate tensions after last week’s signing of an extended truce, Thai officials said on Monday.
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia signed an enhanced ceasefire deal last week in Kuala Lumpur in the presence of US President Donald Trump, three months after border tensions between the two countries exploded into a deadly five-day conflict.
Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said Thailand would not release 18 Cambodian soldiers it has held since the conflict or reopen border checkpoints until it assessed Cambodia was adhering to the agreement. Reuters
South Korea pushes for nuclear-powered submarines
Seoul ― South Korea said on Monday its push to obtain nuclear-powered submarines was not intended to fuel a broader arms race, and that it had reassured Washington and Beijing that they were needed to respond to North Korea’s submarine programme.
US President Donald Trump said last week he has given South Korea approval to build a nuclear-powered submarine, a dramatic move that would admit Seoul to a small club of nations possessing such vessels.
“It is not to generate more of an arms race ... but the result of persuading China and the US that North Korea has announced (its own) nuclear submarines and we need to prepare correspondingly,” presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik told reporters.
South Korea’s national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said on Saturday that Seoul had asked for US help so it could use fuel for its proposed nuclear-powered submarines, since it would be for military purposes, and the US had approved it. Reuters
Local demand boosts India’s manufacturing
Bengaluru ― India’s manufacturing activity gained momentum in October as domestic demand strengthened, offsetting a slowdown in export growth, though business optimism slipped from a seven-month high, a business survey showed on Monday.
The HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, compiled by S&P Global, rose to 59.2 in October from 57.7 in September, higher than a preliminary estimate of 58.4.
The 50.0 mark separates expansion from contraction on a monthly basis.
Output growth accelerated to match the joint-strongest pace in five years, equal to that seen in August. Manufacturers cited demand strength, efficiency improvements, new clients and technology investments as factors driving higher production. Reuters
