Author: Keya Waghmare

Sudan’s last army stronghold in Darfur falls to the RSF

In the wee hours of October 26, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, seized control of El-Fasher, the last remaining stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in North Darfur, Sudan. With this victory, the RSF has now gained complete control of the region, thus splitting Sudan into eastern and western halves.

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Africa’s third-largest country. The RSF has been at war with the Sudanese Armed Forces for the past two-and-a-half years, causing an estimated 40,000 deaths and the displacement of 12 million people, the UN says.

The Joint Forces, which are allied with the Sudanese military, have stated that the forces of RSF have “executed and killed” at least 2000 unarmed civilians in the city of El-Fasher on 26 and 27 October- most of these civilians were women, children, and the elderly.

Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) published a report on October 27, in which they released satellite images captured by the aeronautic company Airbus Defence, which show evidence of mass killings in the city of El-Fasher. The images have captured reddish stains on the ground and clusters of “objects” lying around RSF vehicles, which are believed to be human bodies.

HRL has concluded that these killings were carried out door-to-door, specifically targeting on the basis of ethnicity. El-Fasher “appears to be in a systematic and intentional process of ethnic cleansing of indigenous non-Arab communities through forced displacement and summary execution,” the Yale researchers say in a report.

When did the Sudanese Civil War start?

In October 2021, a joint-military civilian government was established as a result of a coup that was staged to overthrow long-serving President Omar al-Bashir. This government was headed by Hemedti and Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. However, growing tensions over the country’s evolving sociopolitical transition led to a breakdown in their alliance.

By April 2023, these tensions erupted into overt conflict when clashes broke out between the SAF and RSF in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, marking the beginning of Sudan’s currently ongoing civil war.

The RSF was formed in 2013, and it originates from the notorious Janjaweed militia, which was accused of genocide and ethnic cleansing against Darfur’s non-Arab population.

What exactly is happening in Sudan right now?

In June of this year, the RSF captured the territory along Sudan’s borders with Libya and Egypt. Now that they have seized El-Fasher as well, this means that they have control over almost all of Darfur and its neighbour, Kordofan.

Many videos released by RSF soldiers themselves are currently circulating on the internet. The videos – which have been authenticated by the SAF – show fighters shooting unarmed civilians at point-blank range.

Earlier this week, satellite imagery confirmed that the RSF killed civilians who tried to flee the city near the earthen wall, which was constructed by the RSF to encircle and isolate the city, effectively besieging it.

A woman recounted to Reuters how she and others were stopped at the earthen barrier where the men were separated from women.”They lined the men up, they said, ‘We want the soldiers,’ When none of the men raised their hands, an RSF fighter picked out some of them who were beaten and killed,” she said. “They shot them in front of us, they shot them in the street.”

How is the world responding?

Widespread reports of ‘ethnic cleansing’ conducted by the RSF have prompted the UK, which is the official penholder on Sudan, to call for an emergency session of the UN Security Council in New York on Thursday. Activists from all over the world are urging pressure on the United Arab Emirates, which is widely accused of providing military support to the RSF. The UAE denies this despite evidence presented in UN reports and international media investigations.

“The situation is simply horrifying,” Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, the assistant secretary general of the UN for Africa, said during the emergency session.

Across Sudan, nearly 24 million people are suffering from acute hunger, with an estimated 600,000 on the brink of famine. The RSF and its allied forces have been accused of widespread sexual violence against women, including rape, gang rape, forced marriage, and sexual slavery, in addition to the mass killings of more than 17,000 people.

The fall of El-Fasher marks a turning point, not only in Sudanese history but also in the context of a disturbing global humanitarian tragedy. Despite mounting international concern, global action has remained largely limited to statements and diplomacy. Without decisive intervention, analysts warn that Sudan could descend into a full-scale famine and ethnic cleansing crisis, leaving millions trapped between starvation and violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with President Xi Jinping on 31 August 2025, on the sidelines of the Summit of the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin. This event marked PM Modi’s first visit to China after 7 years and was a crucial diplomatic moment for India and China following years of tension.

At the SCO summit, the two leaders expressed commitment to a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of boundary-related concerns that have plagued India-China relations for almost half a decade. According to a statement by the commerce ministry released on Sunday, India emphasised on the fact that “export-related measures should not be weaponised or misused to create artificial scarcity, distort markets, or disrupt supply chains, and emphasised that their calibrated and transparent use is essential to maintain trust in international commerce”.

At the meeting, India also called for action towards ensuring greater market access and enhancing trade facilitation between the two countries. These concerns are relevant because as of late, India’s automobile and electronic industries have faced major disruptions due to China’s steep export restrictions on rare earth magnets and fertilisers. According to PTI, India’s trade deficit with China has widened to nearly $100 billion in 2024-25.

However, India and China recorded a positive bilateral outcome in August, when visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi assured External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that his country will resume the supply of fertilisers as well as rare earth minerals. However, China is yet to act upon this promise and Beijing has not yet given an official statement or made public commitments on restarting exports.

The Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, which had resulted in the deaths of over 20 Indian soldiers and an unspecified number on the Chinese side, had triggered a severe diplomatic fallout between the two countries. As a result of this dispute, India banned numerous Chinese apps, restricted Chinese investments, and suspended direct flights and visas. But, in August 2025, nearly 5 years after the fallout, an agreement was reached between the Special Representatives of both countries.

“The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been resumed. Direct flights between the two countries are also being resumed,” ANI quoted PM Modi on 31st August, 2025. The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is particularly notable, as it is a significant pilgrimage for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. The Yatra’s revival is expected to encourage cultural and religious exchanges between the two nations.

On the second day of the SCO summit, PM Modi shook hands and posed for pictures with Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This gesture was seen as a powerful diplomatic message of strategic alignment, particularly in response to the US President’s actions and tariffs.

The most surprising image of camaraderie was the car journey that PM Modi and Russian President Putin had together on the second day of the summit, for their bilateral meeting. Putin, who is notorious for his unusual security protocols, is rarely seen spontaneously carpooling with unannounced guests. The two leaders celebrated India-Russia relations during their 50-minute-long bilateral meeting, with Modi saying that the two nations stuck together even under the most trying circumstances.

The overt act of bonhomie among all 3 countries during the SCO Summit has incited a response from US President Donald Trump on Truth Social, who posted, “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote in a social media post accompanying a photo of the three leaders together at Xi’s summit in China.

The trilateral showcase of solidarity has raised concerns about an emerging bloc. One of the worst hits by the US tariffs has been taken by New Delhi, facing an additional 25 per cent on India’s imports of crude oil coming from Moscow. The combined duties have pushed US tariffs on Indian products to 50 per cent. China, India and Russia are all original members of BRICS, an organisation which Trump claimed to be “anti-American.” Even Brazil (another BRICS nation) has been targeted by Trump, facing steep and restrictive tariffs.

Despite his strong words on Truth Social, Trump later sought to downplay tensions with India and called their ties ‘special,’ he said, “I’ll always be friends with (Narendra) Modi, he’s a great prime minister. He’s great. I’ll always be friends, but I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, according to PTI. Trump also expressed resentment and disappointment with New Delhi over its energy purchases from Moscow. “I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia, and I’ve let them know with the 50 per cent tariff.”

The Tianjin SCO summit demonstrated a major shift in worldwide political dynamics. Major trade commitments are expected to play a crucial role in bolstering the economies of both India and China.

Prime Minister Modi has strategically established diplomatic connections with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin through a method that not only prioritises regional security and economic advantages but also relies on mutual discontent with US foreign policy leadership. The Galwan Valley conflict between India and China created tension, but their current joint initiatives demonstrate their purposeful work to restore mutual trust. The gradual aftermath of Modi’s subtle yet undermining response will determine how international diplomacy and geopolitics evolve during the upcoming years because they will establish new regional alliances and reshape worldwide diplomatic relations.

Across Europe this summer, locals have taken to the streets with a clear message: mass tourism is pushing them out of their cities. Residents are retaliating against rising rents, overrun public spaces, and a lifestyle that’s being sold for profit.

Anti-tourism protests have occurred all summer across various European countries, including Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy. Thousands of protesters have taken to the city’s streets over the past few months to protest against mass tourism in Spain, especially in San Sebastián, which has the nation’s highest housing costs. There, protesters chanted slogans, one being, “Sustainable tourism is a mythological animal.”

In June, Genoa residents staged a symbolic “noisy stroll” protest, dragging suitcases through the city centre to highlight the disruptive impact of mass tourism.

Most recently, thousands of people protested on the Spanish island of Mallorca, with organisers arguing that the current tourism model exploits workers while benefiting only a small elite. Similar demonstrations have also taken place on other popular Spanish resort islands, such as Minorca and Ibiza. These islands, with a population of just over one million, hosted more than 15 million international tourists in 2024.

On June 15, locals in Barcelona started spraying tourists with water and chanting, “tourists go back home.” Others also carried signs with slogans such as “Barcelona is not for sale” and “Tourism is stealing from us.”

The ongoing demonstrations intend to shed light on the blatant “touristification” of European cities. The term refers to the emphasis and priority given to tourism rather than sustaining local life, amenities, and infrastructure. The protests aim to pressure governments to address the strain tourism has on rents and housing, and the collateral environmental damage caused. Many call for policy and urban planning that puts residents’ needs and livelihoods ahead of tourist demand. In cities like Venice, where fewer than 50,000 people live year-round, over 30 million tourists visit annually. As a result, much of the hospitality industry caters to the visitors rather than residents.

A protester holds a sign reading “Tourism is killing Barcelona” during an anti-tourism demonstration in the city. / Photo: X / @UinHurricane

Mass tourism has disrupted daily life across Europe, and one of the most pressing issues locals face is housing. Residential units have been scarce and are slowly being converted to tourist accommodations. This scarcity has also led to a significant hike in rent and housing prices. Reports conducted by Harvard International Review have indicated that there are now more tourist beds than residents in Venice. During protests in San Sebastián, a resort city on Spain’s northern coast, some residents stated that their leading cause of concern isn’t the act of tourism itself, but rather the “speculators and exploiters who use tourism as a facade to ultimately profit from the housing and overall lives of the residents.” Locals have also started advocating for more sustainable practices to protect natural resources, local infrastructure, and heritage sites. In 2023, a tourist was accused of damaging a statue in the city’s 16th-century Fountain of Neptune, located in the Piazza della Signoria. The same year, in another part of Italy, a group of tourists was accused of toppling a valuable statue at a villa.

During the 2024 Olympics in Paris, a city with only 11.3 million residents, approximately 9.5 million individuals purchased tickets to attend the Games. In protest against the pollution of the Seine, which was expected to worsen with Olympic preparations, locals threatened to stage a mass defecation in the river, rallying under the hashtag #JeChieDansLaSeineLe23Juin (“I sh*t in the Seine on June 23”). The campaign, widely reported by outlets including CBS News and Forbes, was dubbed the “Paris Poop Protest” by Modern Diplomacy, which described how activists used a dedicated website and hashtag to coordinate their demonstration against both river pollution and government spending.

Governments have gradually started responding to these persisting protests; cities like Barcelona have begun cracking down on illegal rentals and changing specific bus routes to protect elderly residents. Places like Santorini in Greece and Bruges in Belgium have started imposing taxes on their tourism and hospitality industries. Venetian officials recently declared the temporary entrance fee, implemented to control tourist crowds, a success. The new €5 (about $5.4) tourist charge, which began on April 25 and concluded on July 14, brought in more than €2.4 million (about $2.6 million).

The summer of protest across Europe has made one thing clear: locals are no longer willing to stay silent as their cities transform into playgrounds for outsiders. While tourism remains a crucial economic engine, the cost of unchecked visitor influx, rising rents, environmental strain, and local life erosion has become too heavy to bear. As more residents push back, governments must reckon with a future in which tourism must be reimagined. Whether these measures can truly shift global travel culture remains to be seen.

In the 2025 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Summit held from 24 June to 26 June, a strong commitment was made by all the NATO countries. The member states have finally agreed to ramp up their defence spending goal to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035, a major jump from the previous target of 2% set in 2014.

The US president has raised questions about NATO’s collective defence strategies for several months now, narrowly referring to Article 5 of NATO’s Alliance in his defense, which states, “An armed attack against one or more of the allies shall be considered an attack against them all. Trump has avoided explicitly endorsing the clause, claiming there are “multiple definitions of Article 5,” a move seen by many as an effort to avoid confrontation with Russia.

In response, NATO has worked towards a compromise, agreeing to increase defence spending to keep the U.S. engaged in the alliance. The 32 countries have decided to dedicate 3.5% of their GDP to crucial military needs and 1.5% to other elements such as cybersecurity, infrastructure, etc.

NATO has publicly stated that the alliance must work towards deterring Russia’s military force. “NATO needs a “quantum leap” in defence to deter threats to the alliance”, Rutte mentioned in a speech given in London, earlier this month. Thus, he urged member states to invest more funds towards defence.

Trump went on Truth Social to share a message sent to him by NATO Secretary-General, Mark Rutte. In the message, Rutte acknowledged that Trump has driven NATO towards a very important global decision. He also added that Trump has “achieved something NO American president in decades could get done.”

A New York Times report highlights that Trump has previously bashed NATO for not allocating adequate funds for defence, particularly in the face of threats like Russia. During his first term, Trump had threatened that the USA would exit the NATO alliance. Experts believe that Trump may be undermining NATO from within and that this dramatic agreement was primarily made to ensure that the USA remains an enthusiastic participant in NATO.

Image Source: WhiteHouse/ @x.com 

However, not all 32 countries were satisfied with this decision. Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, had sent a letter to Mr. Rutte saying that Spain “cannot commit to a specific spending target in terms of GDP.” Sanchez insisted that Madrid would need only 2.1% percent of GDP to acquire and maintain all the personnel, equipment, and infrastructures requested by the alliance to confront these threats with their capabilities.

As a result, every member state will not be forced to reach the 5% threshold; however, there are some standard military requirements that every country is required to meet. Trump vowed that he would make Spain pay for this “terrible” decision. “I like Spain … It’s a great place and they’re great people. But Spain is the only country out of all the countries that refuses to pay. And, you know, so they want a little bit of a free ride, but they’ll have to pay it back to us on trade because I’m not going to let that happen,” Trump said.

This commitment was shaped as much by the strategic urgency felt by all 32 countries within the NATO alliance. As they rush to present a united front, a divide is forming within the coalition itself. As key participants like Spain are raising their voices against major players like the US.