French Unions Join Forces for Nationwide Strikes, Increasing Pressure on Macron’s Government

Tens of thousands of French trade unions are joining forces for more nationwide strikes and demonstrations for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement

November 5, 2026 at 7:55 a.m. EST

Protesters walk during a demonstration demanding higher wages and supporting high school protest movement, in Lyon, France, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

By Sylvie Corbet | AP

PARIS — Tens of thousands of trade union members joined nationwide strikes and demonstrations on Thursday to demand higher wages and support the high school protest movement, piling fresh pressure on the beleaguered government.

After more than a month of large, recurring protests across France, major rallies took place again in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and elsewhere, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend. Unions said about 260 rallies against rising living costs were planned nationwide.

Students also held fresh protests. About a third of France’s high schools were closed or unable to operate, some because of student blockades and others because teachers were on strike. Public transportation was heavily disrupted. Police in the northeastern city of Strasbourg urged people to exercise extreme caution near certain schools.

The Eiffel Tower was also closed.

The atmosphere was joyful and relaxed despite heavy security at the capital’s Place de la République, where Thursday’s march was due to begin in the early afternoon. Rioters had clashed with police there during protests marred by looting on Oct. 17.

Protesters carrying trade union flags gathered as hundreds of musicians played string, brass and percussion instruments, accompanied by singers.

Police are prepared but violence flares again

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said that 70,000 police officers are being deployed, backed by armored vehicles, drones and helicopters. Police have been criticized for injuring protesters with heavy-handed tactics.

Many demonstrations have been marred by violence, much of it committed by masked rioters who do not support the students’ or workers’ demands.

Authorities in the western region of Brittany said “masked individuals” tried to block roads in Rennes on Thursday. They said young people, often accompanied by adults, committed “serious acts of violence,” including throwing steel balls at police.

Unions aim to send a warning

France’s main unions warned that the country is on the brink of recession and that layoff plans are multiplying. “Fuel, food products, rent, gas, electricity … everything’s going up except wages and pensions,” they said in a joint statement.

France is mired in debt and is one of the worst economic performers in Europe, along with Italy and Belgium.

The unions put President Emmanuel Macron’s government and employers on notice.

“Anger is immense,” they said. “The situation in this country is fragile. The pressing social and environmental challenges must be addressed without delay.”

Fabien Villedieu, national secretary of the SUD-Rail union, took aim at the government and the French rail company, SNCF.

“When the government is not reasonable, when the head of the SNCF is not reasonable — bosses in general are not reasonable — and when they’re not reasonable, we simply do what we’ve always done in France, which is to go on strike,” he told The Associated Press at the Paris Gare de Lyon station.

Before the strike action, the government had been negotiating with unions — a familiar scenario in French politics — in hopes of limiting the rioting, which has resulted in France’s worst civil unrest in years.

Protests are drawn into election campaigning

The movement began in September with a protest over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris and spread nationwide. It drew students demanding more education funding and workers seeking better pensions and help with soaring fuel prices and other costs.

The rallies come as the campaign to succeed Macron as president next May heats up, with political parties seeking to capitalize on the movement. Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is the favorite to win.

Some candidates, including veteran far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon , propose radical solutions that appear difficult to implement, said Paul Smith, an associate professor of French history and politics at the University of Nottingham in England.

“There is a sense of absolute frustration at the government’s failure to operate,” Smith said in an interview. “Whoever wins the presidential election is going to have a stack of problems to cope with.”

“It’s very difficult to see exactly where things go,” he said.

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Lorne Cook contributed to this report from Brussels.

North Kordofan Struggles Under Sudan War’s Economic Fallout

04/11/2026 15:14 EL OBEID

El Obeid market before the war (Archive photo: Supplied)

Residents of El Obeid, the capital of Sudan’s North Kordofan, are facing worsening living conditions as fuel shortages, inadequate drinking water supplies, and soaring prices of essential goods deepen the economic crisis. Petrol costs more than SDG 30,000 per litre, disrupting transport and forcing many residents to travel on foot.

The continuing war and attacks on fuel stations and vital infrastructure are intensifying the economic and livelihood crises facing residents of El Obeid, leaving people struggling to meet even their most basic needs.

Resident Hassan Ibrahim Hassan described the hardship facing the city’s population, where fuel shortages, inadequate drinking water supplies, and rising prices of essential goods have combined to create an overwhelming burden.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, he said the fuel crisis was particularly severe. Petrol prices have exceeded SDG 30,000 per litre, while diesel has risen above SDG 35,000 per litre. A gallon now costs more than SDG 120,000 for petrol and SDG 140,000 for diesel.

The shortages have had a direct impact on transport and commercial activity, with public transport services disrupted by the lack of fuel and residents increasingly forced to travel on foot.

He added that the price of milk had also risen to more than SDG 12,000 per litre.

Drinking water supplies have also been affected, with the efficiency of the northern and southern water stations declining. This has forced residents to resort to salty water, which is unsuitable even for washing clothes or bathing. Despite its poor quality, the price has exceeded SDG 500 per litre, with four litres costing between SDG 1,500 and SDG 2,000.

Bread prices soar

The cost of bread, another basic necessity, has also risen sharply. Two small loaves, each weighing less than 40 grammes, now cost SDG 1,000. This consumes a substantial proportion of the already modest salaries earned by government employees.

The highest government salary does not exceed SDG 150,000, while some employees receive as little as SDG 40,000.

Prices of other essential commodities, including maize, millet, and meat, have also reached record levels, putting them beyond the reach of many wage earners.

A keila of millet now costs more than SDG 160,000, while a kilogramme of meat exceeds SDG 50,000.

These hardships are compounded by insufficient rainfall and the accumulated effects of the seasonal autumn crises, raising fears of a severe economic and humanitarian catastrophe for the people of El Obeid, already bearing the brunt of war and soaring living costs.

Drone Attacks Kill Civilians and Cripple Sudan’s Power Infrastructure, UN Warns of Growing Humanitarian Toll

04/11/2026 16:00 

EL SUNUT LOCALITY / ED DAMAZIN / EL ZAHOUR / KHARTOUM / ABYEI

Smoke rises over El Obeid following a drone attack in June 2026 (File photo: supplied)

Drone attacks across Sudan have killed at least 14 civilians and injured several others, while strikes on electricity infrastructure have triggered widespread power cuts and disrupted clean water supplies, prompting warnings from the United Nations and the Arab League.

The latest attacks killed eight people in Um Dibo, in El Sunut locality, West Kordofan, on Monday evening. Residents told Radio Dabanga that a drone strike also wounded three people.

On Tuesday, at least four people were killed and more than 10 injured when a drone struck a fuel station in the middle of the market in El Abbasiya Tagali, South Kordofan. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the injured were taken to the town’s hospital. The strike also damaged the station and several vehicles. Other sources reported that the same drone hit facilities in nearby Rashad, although the targets and extent of the damage remained unclear.

In Ed Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile region, drone attacks on several neighbourhoods killed a woman and a young man and wounded others on Tuesday evening, according to local sources. The strikes hit El Zahour, the Sudanese Armed Forces barracks area and El Ziraa El Aliya neighbourhoods, damaging a home.

The Blue Nile Civil Society Initiative identified the woman as Ilham Ali Shikan, a mother of three, and said another woman, Amal Bashir, was wounded. The initiative blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, for the attack and called for an end to strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Blue Nile governor Ahmed El Omda also condemned the attacks, describing them as an assault on civilians and civilian property.

‘UN warns of growing humanitarian toll’

The latest incidents come amid a wider campaign of drone strikes against electricity and fuel infrastructure across Sudan. The Arab League condemned repeated attacks it attributed to the RSF on energy facilities in Khartoum, El Gezira, Sennar, El Gedaref, River Nile, and Red Sea states.

The organisation said the strikes had severely damaged power facilities, knocked several out of service and cut electricity to large areas, worsening conditions for civilians. It warned that deliberately targeting power stations and other civilian infrastructure that does not constitute a military objective violates international humanitarian law and could amount to a war crime.

The United Nations also warned that continued drone attacks on critical energy infrastructure were disrupting essential services. UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was deeply concerned about the attacks and their impact on people across several states.

According to reports cited by the UN, drones targeted two power stations in Kassala state and a substation in Merowe on Tuesday. Earlier attacks hit electricity facilities in River Nile state on Monday, a substation in Red Sea state on Saturday, and sites in North Kordofan and El Gezira.

UN humanitarian partners warned that power cuts and fuel shortages had disrupted clean water supplies, forcing residents to rely on untreated sources and increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.

Dujarric said the secretary-general strongly condemned the escalating drone attacks by parties to the conflict. In a statement issued two days earlier, the secretary-general said drone strikes had killed hundreds of civilians, including women and children, across Sudan and the Abyei area, in what he described as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

He also condemned attacks on civilians and the critical infrastructure they depend on, including healthcare facilities, and urged the warring parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities and engage in mediation efforts led by his personal envoy to Sudan, Pekka Haavisto.

The Arab League reiterated its support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Its secretary-general also appointed Zaid Al-Sabban as his personal envoy for Sudan.

Sudanese Security Forces Summon Striking Teachers in Khartoum

5 November 2026

Teachers protest against military rule 21 October 2021, Sudanese Teachers Committee photo

November 5, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Teachers’ Committee said on Thursday that security forces summoned two of its members in Khartoum State’s Umbadda locality.Sudan travel guide

The summons coincides with an ongoing teachers’ strike in the state, which is now in its third week.

Teachers are protesting poor professional and living conditions while demanding better terms of service and union rights.

In a statement, the committee said security officers summoned teachers Al-Nayer Al-Tarifi Hamad Al-Nil and Mohammed Adam over their involvement in the strike movement.

Adam has been bedridden for over a month with a broken leg, the committee noted.

Despite his condition, authorities took him to the General Intelligence Service headquarters in Umbadda, accusing him of inciting the strike.

The union accused authorities of using security measures instead of addressing catastrophic conditions in the education sector.

It described the actions as a deliberate attempt to restrict union activities and undermine the ongoing strike.

Holding the authorities responsible for its members’ safety, the committee demanded an immediate end to security harassment.

It also called on the government to respect the right of teachers to organize and strike.

The committee urged teachers to remain united and committed to their demands, vowing to continue their strike.

Bread Prices Double in Sudan After Currency Hits Record Low

By Al Mayadeen English

Sudan imports most of its wheat and fuel, so the pound’s fall to a record low of over 10,500 per dollar feeds straight into the price of bread. UN-backed reports warn famine could reach eight cities by 2027.

The price of a loaf of bread in Khartoum has doubled from 250 to 500 Sudanese pounds in a week, following a record depreciation of the currency and shortages of fuel and flour, which have closed most bakeries in the capital, AFP reported.

The Sudanese pound has lost about 25 percent of its value against the US dollar over the past month, and since Sudan imports most of its wheat, the price of flour follows the exchange rate. 

The currency reached a record low of more than 10,500 pounds to the dollar before recovering to about 10,200 on Wednesday, compared with 500 to the dollar in 2023, when the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began.

Households cut back on bread

AFP reported that some families in Khartoum now spend close to their entire income on bread. Sawsan Mahmoud, a 44-year-old mother of three, said she and her husband set aside 900,000 pounds ($88) a month for it, almost the sum of their two salaries. “The situation has become unbearable,” she told the agency, adding that the family now eats bread with one meal a day.

Meat has become harder to afford as well. A kilogram costs between 50,000 and 70,000 pounds, shopper Al-Muradi Awad told AFP, so a buyer who once took two kilograms now takes 125 grams.

Bakeries forced to close

On the other end, bakers in the capital described a market with almost no flour. Mohammed al-Fateh, who runs a bakery in Khartoum, said many bakeries have shut because flour is unavailable, and that people can spend a day or two at a distribution center and return with nothing.

Another baker, Mutawakil Ahmed Babiker, said the price of flour has doubled and power cuts force him to buy fuel for a generator. He sells a loaf for 500 pounds, below its cost, and cannot raise the price given his customers’ circumstances. He said he will most likely close the bakery.

Residents of the capital are again lining up at public kitchens for free meals, AFP reported. Many of these kitchens had stopped operating after the army retook Khartoum and drove out the RSF in March 2025.

The Ombada Emergency Room, which coordinates community kitchens in Omdurman, warned that need is spreading to thousands more families and displaced people, and that food shortages and rising prices are putting even one meal a day out of reach.

Fuel shortages

Khartoum and parts of eastern Sudan are suffering widespread power outages after repeated RSF drone attacks on power stations, AFP reported.

Fuel is also scarce. A civil servant, Yasser Mohammed, told the agency he had waited outside a gas station since 6 am and still had no petrol by 4 pm, which cost him a day of work. 

Sudan imports most of its fuel, and the weaker pound has reduced the government’s capacity to pay for it.

Famine warnings widen

The central bureau of statistics put the poverty rate at 80 percent and last year’s inflation at 99 percent. International organizations have warned that famine, already declared in parts of the country, could spread, while about 20 million people face severe food insecurity.

UN-backed reports say more than 200,000 people in South Kordofan and North Darfur are experiencing famine, and warn it could reach eight cities by 2027.

Outside Khartoum, most wheat arrives as aid, but fuel shortages, rising prices, and road closures caused by the fighting block deliveries.

The army controls Khartoum and central and eastern Sudan, while the RSF holds the Darfur region in the west and parts of the south.

US Prepares to Establish New Military Base in Somalia's Puntland

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Nov 2026 19:23

US military cargo aircraft have reportedly arrived in the coastal city of Bosaso as Washington prepares to establish a new military facility and train local security forces, amid reports of a US withdrawal from another base in southern Somalia.

The United States has begun preliminary preparations to establish a new military facility in the coastal city of Bosaso in Somalia's northeastern Puntland region, Somali media reported, following the arrival of US military cargo aircraft at the city's airport in recent days.

The reported move comes amid indications of a broader restructuring of the US military presence in Somalia.

According to local sources cited by Baidoa Online, the aircraft movements are linked to preparations for the facility, under an alleged understanding reached between Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni and US officials to expand security and military cooperation.

The sources said preliminary activities related to the project had begun, although Washington has not officially confirmed the start of construction or disclosed the facility's nature, size, or intended functions.

US reportedly plans to train Puntland security forces

Meanwhile, Garowe Online reported that Puntland authorities had begun selecting around 100 personnel from different security units to undergo US military training in Bosaso.

The outlet said the arrangements form part of security understandings involving the training, equipping, and financing of local forces to strengthen their capabilities against armed groups.

In August, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni held talks with officials from the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) on expanding security cooperation and counterterrorism efforts, alongside plans to develop the US military presence in Bosaso.

The discussions reportedly addressed efforts against ISIS and Al-Shabaab in the mountainous areas of the Bari region, as well as cooperation on maritime security and counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

Reports of US withdrawal from Balidogle base

The developments coincide with reports that US military personnel have left the Balidogle airbase in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region in the south of the country.

Washington had used the facility to train the Danab special forces and support military operations against Al-Shabaab.

Bosaso holds strategic importance due to its location on the Gulf of Aden and its proximity to maritime routes leading to the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The surrounding mountainous areas of Puntland are also sites of activity by armed groups.

Previous US reports have pointed to plans to expand intelligence activities and air operations from Bosaso airport, potentially strengthening surveillance of armed groups and counterterrorism operations.

US forces allegedly continue to conduct airstrikes against ISIS and Al-Shabaab in Somalia, in coordination with the federal government in Mogadishu, according to publicly stated arrangements.

Western Sahara: UN ‘Stands Ready’ to Keep Supporting Peace Efforts as MINURSO Mission Ends

Three UN peacekeepers prepare for a practical training on UXO marking in a desert landscape, with UN vehicles in the background.

1 November 2026 

Peace and Security

The UN remains committed to supporting a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution in Western Sahara that provides for the self-determination of its people, Secretary-General António Guterres said on Sunday, as the UN peacekeeping mission there began to wind down.

The departure of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) “does not abrogate” the people’s “inalienable right to self-determination”, his statement said, delivered by his Spokesperson. 

It called on all parties “to respect and promote the rights of the people of Western Sahara.”

The mission’s mandate expired at midnight on Saturday, after the Security Council failed on Friday to agree on its future. 

A draft resolution from the United States was vetoed by Russia, while a rival Russian text failed to win the nine votes needed for adoption.

Although MINURSO’s operations have now ended, the UN will keep working towards a peaceful resolution through the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura.

Orderly withdrawal

Mr. Guterres recognized the “central role” MINURSO has played since 1991 in helping to monitor the ceasefire and in creating conditions for the pursuit of a political solution.

He expressed his “deepest gratitude” to the mission’s personnel, including the Special Representative for Western Sahara, Alexander Ivanko. Mr. Ivanko led the mission through a “particularly challenging period" after hostilities resumed in 2020.

The UN chief also paid tribute to the 20 MINURSO personnel who lost their lives during the mission’s 35 years in the territory.

When its mandate ended, the mission was headquartered in Laayoune, with nine team sites – four west of the berm and five east of it – and a liaison office in Tindouf. 

It had some 160 military observers and around 180 civilian and affiliated personnel, as well as a dedicated mine action capability.

Sunday marks the start of a liquidation period. A smaller team reporting to the UN Department of Operational Support will oversee the disposal of UN equipment.

Mr. Guterres called for the full cooperation of the parties so the process can be completed in an orderly way as soon as possible.

‘Maximum restraint’

The Secretary-General said he remains concerned about the security situation throughout the territory and the risk of hostilities escalating.

He urged all concerned “to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from actions that could further increase tensions or undermine regional stability.”

Divided council

The US delegate in the council on Friday said his country’s draft would have supported the principle of self-determination and “moved the 50-year conflict forward”, calling the status quo unacceptable.

Explaining the veto, the Russian delegate said the text would have imposed one-sided solutions, describing his vote as “a life-saving veto, so to speak”.

Russia’s alternative, a one-year extension of the mandate to 31 October 2027, failed to attract enough support from the 15-nation body.

MINURSO was established under Council resolution 690 (1991), in line with UN-Organization of African Unity settlement proposals accepted in 1988 by Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO. 

These provided for a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco. While the referendum never took place, MINURSO continued to carry out the tasks entrusted to it by the council.

In 2007, Morocco put forward an Autonomy Proposal as a basis for negotiations. It envisages the territory as self-governing under Moroccan sovereignty.

In closing, the statement said that while MINURSO’s peacekeeping operations had concluded, “the United Nations stands ready to continue supporting efforts to advance dialogue and pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict.”

Why a US-Russia Showdown Left Morocco Celebrating

Basma El Atti

Morocco claims Western Sahara as part of its territory

Morocco has welcomed the end of a decades-long UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, after a diplomatic showdown between the US and Russia left the Security Council unable to agree on its future.

The council failed on Friday to renew the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso) after Russia vetoed a US-backed proposal. A rival Russian draft to extend the mission also failed to secure enough votes.

The decision raises questions about the future of Africa's longest territorial dispute and the fragile ceasefire between Morocco, which claims Western Sahara, and the Polisario Front which has been fighting for the territory's independence for more than 50 years.

Here is what you need to know.

Why is Western Sahara disputed?

Western Sahara, on Africa's north-west coast, was a Spanish colony until 1975. It has significant phosphate reserves and valuable fishing grounds along its Atlantic coast.

As Spain prepared to withdraw, both Morocco and Mauritania claimed the territory.

The International Court of Justice found historical ties of allegiance but no territorial sovereignty that overrode the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.

Morocco's then King Hassan II responded by organising the Green March. On 6 November 1975 about 350,000 Moroccan civilians entered the territory in a mass demonstration intended to put pressure on Spain.

Days later, Spain signed the Madrid Accords with Morocco and Mauritania, agreeing to transfer administrative control. Morocco took the northern two-thirds and Mauritania the southern third. The agreement did not settle the question of sovereignty.

The Polisario Front, an independence movement founded in 1973, opposed the deal. It saw it as replacing Spanish colonial rule with Moroccan and Mauritanian control.

Mauritania renounced its claim in 1979, but Morocco continued fighting Polisario.

Map showing the sand wall or "berm"

Algeria became Polisario's main regional ally, providing military support and hosting its leadership and thousands of Sahrawi refugees in camps near the city of Tindouf.

The North African country says its position is based on the right to self-determination, while Morocco sees Western Sahara as an integral part of its territory.

Morocco and Algeria fought a brief border war in 1963 over disagreements about territory inherited from French colonial rule. Their relationship has remained tense, with Western Sahara at the centre of their dispute.

What was the UN's mission role?

After 16 years of fighting, Morocco and Polisario agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991, with the territory divided by a sand wall, or berm, to keep the rival forces apart.

The UN established Minurso to monitor the ceasefire and organise a referendum on the territory's future. Sahrawis were meant to choose between independence and integration with Morocco.

The vote was scheduled for 1992 but never took place. The two sides could not agree on who would be eligible to participate, with disputes over voter identification becoming a major obstacle.

In 2007, Morocco put forward a proposal for autonomy, which would see Sahrawis managing their internal affairs, while Rabat retained control over defence and foreign relations.

The Polisario Front and Algeria rejected the plan, insisting on a referendum that included independence as an option.

Years of UN-sponsored negotiations failed to produce a breakthrough.

The ceasefire broke down in November 2020, when Polisario said it was resuming armed struggle.

But following a long diplomatic campaign by Morocco, the UN Security Council voted in 2025 in favour of a resolution backing the autonomy plan as the "most feasible" solution for the disputed territory.

While most Sahrawis live in the part of Western Sahara controlled by Morocco, tens of thousands are estimated to be in refugee camps in Algeria.

What happened at the UN?

The US proposed extending Minurso's mandate for another year, but its draft went beyond the usual renewal.

It would have removed the word "referendum" from the mission's name and made Morocco's autonomy proposal the sole basis for further negotiations.

The draft received the support of 11 of the Security Council's 15 members, including France and the UK but Russia vetoed it, arguing that it was too favourable to Morocco.

Russia then proposed extending Minurso's mandate without changing its terms. That draft also failed, receiving only two votes in favour.

Minurso's mandate expired at the end of Saturday, 31 October. The UN said the following day that the mission had entered a liquidation period, with a reduced team overseeing the transfer of military equipment and other assets.

The UN mission has been in Western Sahara since 1991

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination must be respected and warned of the risk of renewed hostilities.

The Polisario Front condemned the US proposal. Its representative, Sidi Omar, thanked Russia for vetoing it, saying it would "torpedo the foundations of the UN peace process" and threaten regional and international peace.

Morocco, meanwhile, said the mission's personnel and equipment should leave the territory in the coming days, arguing that Western Sahara issue should no longer be considered by the Security Council.

Minurso had 155 military personnel and was expected to cost $62m (£46m) in the financial year beginning in June, according to a UN report.

Why is Morocco celebrating the end of the UN mission?

Morocco's royal palace welcomed the failure to renew Minurso's mandate.

In Laayoune, the territory's largest city, footage showed people celebrating, waving Moroccan flags and displaying portraits of King Mohammed VI.

"The decision is an opportunity for Rabat to challenge what it sees as an international mechanism that has failed to resolve the dispute," Issam Laaroussi, a Moroccan expert in international relations, tells the BBC.

He said Morocco would now have more room to push its autonomy proposal and shift negotiations away from a referendum on independence towards autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.

The decision does not, however, change Western Sahara's legal status or amount to international recognition of Moroccan sovereignty.

Western Sahara remains on the UN list of non-self-governing territories, while the African Union officially recognises its independence, as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

But the decision comes after several countries backed the position of Morocco, which in recent years has made securing international support for its claim a central part of its foreign policy.

In 2020, the US recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara as part of an agreement to establish diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel.

France also backed Morocco's autonomy plan as the basis for resolving the dispute in 2024.

Thousands of Sahrawis live in refugee camps in Algeria

Morocco rejoined the African Union in 2017, more than three decades after leaving its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, in protest at the SADR's admission.

Since returning, Rabat has sought to build support for its position from within the organisation. At least 10 African countries have opened diplomatic missions in the territory in support of Rabat.

"Morocco is not necessarily seeking to abandon the UN process, but to change the framework for negotiations and draw greater support from regional organisations," says Laaroussi.

Addressing a special joint session of parliament on Monday, House of Representatives Speaker Ahmed Touizi hailed the end of Minurso as a victory for the country's diplomacy.

He said the country should now move from "managing the dispute to implementing its autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty, while pressing ahead with development projects in the territory."

Could this lead to a renewed war?

The fear is that Minurso's departure could lead to renewed fighting.

The mission has monitored military developments and helped reduce the risk of escalation.

Aid organisation Oxfam warned that losing its monitoring and de-escalation role could undermine stability, with serious consequences for civilians.

Laaroussi admits that the mission's departure could create security gaps.

"Minurso's departure does not create the original conflict, because the conflict is already there, but it could aggravate an already fragile security environment," he says.

The UN decision has also fuelled nationalist rhetoric online.

Several Moroccan users have shared AI-generated images of themselves in military uniform, declaring their readiness to fight for Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.

In Morocco, Western Sahara is widely regarded as a national cause. Political parties that are often divided on other issues are united in supporting the country's claim to sovereignty over the territory.

Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has said the end of the mission does not mean the end of the ceasefire, and that Rabat remains committed to it "within respect of its security and sovereignty."

Polisario has not said what it will do next.

And resumption of fighting could well draw in Algeria, as tensions with Morocco remain high.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), both countries significantly increased military spending last year, with SIPRI citing their dispute over Western Sahara as a key driver.

Algeria spent an estimated $25.4bn, more than four time Morocco's $6.3bn.

After 35 Years, UN Pulls the Plug on Western Sahara Mission

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Nov 2026 10:32

The UN’s MINURSO mission in Western Sahara ends after 35 years as the Security Council fails to renew its mandate.

The United Nations will wind down its long-running peacekeeping presence in Western Sahara, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced Sunday, after the Security Council did not extend the operation’s mandate.

Western Sahara, a vast and mineral-rich territory once colonized by Spain, has long been contested between Morocco, which controls most of the region, and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks full independence.

Morocco, which regards the disputed territory as its own, praised the outcome. The Polisario Front expressed concerns.

Background

The force, called MINURSO, was deployed in 1991 to oversee a UN-negotiated ceasefire. The Polisario has campaigned for an independent state in the territory ever since Spain, the colonial ruler, pulled out in 1976.

According to Guterres, the mission’s “liquidation phase” began on November 1, and its equipment will be shipped back to the countries that supplied troops.

How the mandate lapsed

The decision follows a Security Council vote a year earlier, when members approved a US-written resolution describing Rabat’s proposal of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the “most feasible” path to resolving the dispute.

Russia held back from voting on that measure. This time, it used its veto against a new American-backed text that would have reinforced the preference for Morocco’s plan while shrinking the peacekeeping contingent. A rival draft submitted by Russia was then voted down, so the mission’s authorization simply ran out.

MINURSO’s responsibilities went beyond watching over the truce. It was also meant to arrange a referendum on the territory’s future, but that vote never happened because the parties could not agree on who should be allowed to take part.

Reactions

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told state media that the “R” in the mission’s name, which stands for referendum, was outdated, calling it an “anachronism”.

He said Morocco had been warned in advance that Russia would block the American draft and viewed the situation as a chance to “review certain rules of the game.”

Morocco’s royal palace described the lapse as a “significant development” that moves the issue closer to being taken off the Security Council’s agenda.

On its part, Algeria’s Foreign Ministry voiced “deep regret” on Saturday, accusing Washington of “excessive bias” in favor of Morocco.

The Polisario said it was “concerned at the deadlock in the Security Council meeting.”

US-led push and international reactions

The resolution marks the latest step in Washington’s backing of Morocco’s sovereignty claim. In 2020, during his first term, Trump formally recognized Moroccan control over Western Sahara after Rabat agreed to normalize relations with “Israel”, an arrangement that advanced strategic goals for both sides.

Since then, several European powers, including Spain, France, Britain, and Germany, have voiced support for Morocco’s stance on the territory.

Libya’s East and West Army Chiefs Set for Paris Talks

Martyred Pan-Africanist Leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi assassinated by imperialism in 2011.

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Anadolu Agency

4 Nov 2026 16:42

The planned meeting would follow talks in Luanda in June and Sirte in July, as efforts to unify Libya’s divided military institution continue.

Libyan military sources have told Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency that an unannounced meeting is expected between the chiefs of staff of western and eastern Libya, under French sponsorship, to discuss the latest developments in efforts to unify the country’s military institutions.

In further detail, Salah al-Din al-Namroush, Chief of the General Staff of Libya’s Government of National Unity, and Khaled Haftar, Chief of Staff of the forces of the General Command in the east of the country, have reportedly arrived in France, with talks between them expected under French sponsorship on unifying the divided military institution.

Meeting to discuss several files

The Government of National Unity said in a statement on Tuesday that French Chief of the Defense Staff Fabien Mandon received al-Namroush, in the presence of a number of officials and officers, at the start of an official visit to France.

The statement said the visit falls within the framework of consultations between the two countries and the discussion of several files and issues of mutual interest, reflecting the importance of communication and coordination between the two sides.

At the same time, Haftar arrived in the French capital on an official visit, during which he is expected to meet the French chief of the defence staff, according to Benghazi TV, which is close to the General Command in eastern Libya.

The channel said the planned meeting would address military cooperation and ways to strengthen coordination and exchange expertise in defense fields, as well as security issues of mutual concern amid the challenges facing the region.

Both Chiefs arrive in France ahead of expected talks

Libyan military sources also told Anadolu that talks between al-Namroush and Haftar are expected in Paris, under French sponsorship and with Mandon in attendance.

The sources said the meeting would review the latest developments in the file on unifying Libya’s divided military institution and follow up on practical steps taken to that end. They stressed that the meeting would not be official, giving no details on when it would take place.

Al-Namroush and Haftar have met twice already this year. The first meeting took place in Luanda last June, on the sidelines of the African Chiefs of Defense Staff Conference, where they also held a meeting with the commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson.

A push to unify Libya’s military

The second meeting was held in the Libyan city of Sirte last July, with the participation of members of the Joint Military Commission (5+5) and the (3+3) committee, to discuss steps to unify the military institution and strengthen security coordination.

Efforts to unify the military institution are being conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, through the 5+5 Joint Military Commission, which comprises five military representatives, each from eastern and western Libya.

It is worth noting that the UN mission is reportedly leading efforts to end the political division and hold long-delayed elections, with the aim of renewing the legitimacy of institutions and unifying them.

Libya Political Settlement Faces Hurdles Over UN-backed Dialogue

By Al Mayadeen English

2 Nov 2026 19:46

Libya's Mohamed al-Menfi and Mohamed Takala discuss efforts to reach a political settlement and hold elections amid disputes over the UN-backed 4+4 agreement and US warnings.

Libya's Presidential Council head Mohamed al-Menfi met with High Council of State President Mohamed Takala to discuss efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement that would pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections, amid continued disagreements over a UN-backed dialogue committee agreement and US warnings against obstructing the political process.

In a statement issued Sunday, the Presidential Council said the meeting addressed political developments and efforts to create conditions for reviving the political process, with the aim of reaching a national settlement that would end institutional divisions and enable elections.

Al-Menfi and Takala stressed the importance of protecting the judiciary and preserving its independence from political interference and alignments, describing it as a constitutional pillar of state stability and a safeguard for rights, freedoms and the rule of law.

The two officials also emphasized the need to preserve the unity and independence of sovereign institutions and respect their legally defined responsibilities to prevent competing decisions and the use of state institutions in political disputes.

Disagreements persist over '4+4' agreement

The meeting comes as disagreements continue among Libyan institutions over an agreement reached by the UN-sponsored "4+4" mini-dialogue committee on August 30, aimed at overcoming the political deadlock and establishing arrangements for elections.

Al-Menfi previously expressed reservations about the committee's working mechanisms and the level of representation of Libyan institutions within it. The High Council of State, under Takala's leadership, rejected the agreement on October 5, arguing that it bypassed the constitutional, legal and consensus-based frameworks governing the political process.

Under the agreement, the committee proposed restructuring the board of the High National Elections Commission and addressing disagreements over the constitutional and legal framework for elections. It also set out a plan to hold presidential and parliamentary elections within no more than 24 months, under a single executive authority and unified institutions.

At its latest meeting in London last week, the committee agreed to expand consultations with various components of the judicial institution to address divisions and safeguard the judiciary's independence and role in facilitating elections.

Committee members also agreed to maintain contacts with political parties to broaden support for the August agreement, with another meeting scheduled in two weeks.

Security Council extends UN mission mandate

The latest political discussions follow the UN Security Council's adoption on Friday of Resolution 2835, extending the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until October 31, 2027. Thirteen members supported the resolution, while Russia and Greece abstained.

The resolution reaffirmed support for UN Secretary-General's Special Representative Hanna Tetteh in leading an inclusive political process. It called on Libyan parties to participate in negotiations without preconditions, work toward unifying state institutions and establish a unified executive authority to prepare for nationwide elections.

Al-Menfi welcomed the extension, stressing that the political process must remain Libyan-led and Libyan-owned and rest on broad national consensus involving all relevant institutions and political forces.

He warned that agreements reached without national consensus would not ensure a sustainable political settlement, rejecting efforts to restrict negotiations to a limited group of parties.

Washington warns against obstructing political process

US President Donald Trump's adviser Massad Boulos warned that Washington would not hesitate to take strong measures against parties deliberately obstructing initiatives aimed at resolving Libya's crisis.

Speaking on Saturday, Boulos said the extension of UNSMIL's mandate complemented the US initiative to unify the executive authority and strengthen the sovereignty of the Libyan state.

He also pointed to measures outlined in Security Council Resolution 2174, which provides for sanctions against individuals and entities involved in obstructing or undermining Libya's political transition.

Libya continues to face political and institutional divisions, with two rival governments operating in the country. The Government of National Unity, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, is based in Tripoli, while a rival administration led by Osama Hammad operates in Benghazi under an appointment by the House of Representatives.

Third Russia-Africa Summit Concludes with the Signing of Key Joint Agreements

The three-day meeting brought together members of the African Union and the Russian Federation pledging to enhance their cooperation in the areas of economic development, communications and technological advancement

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

November 3, 2026

Geostrategic Analysis

A third Russia-Africa Summit was held at the end of October where representatives from the African Union (AU) and the Russian Federation held discussions on the mutual interests between Moscow and the governments which represent 55 member-states on the continent.

Africa has a population of nearly 1.6 billion people spread out over 11.7 million square miles encompassing the land mass and several islands representing the second largest Continent on earth. 

The Russian Federation has a population of 143 million with a land mass of 6.6 million square miles. It is the largest single nation-state in the world, bordering 14 other countries in Eastern Europe and North Asia. Russia has 11 different time zones. 

The First Russia-Africa Summit held in Sochi during October 2019 was the largest high-profile international gathering in the Federation. The second gathering took place in St. Petersburg in July 2023.

When the second summit occurred, it was convened amid the backdrop of the Russian Special Military Operations in Ukraine. Most African states endorsed and encouraged a diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine-Russian war which began during February of 2022.

In the aftermath of the start of the intensified fighting between Russia and Ukraine, African leaders suggested a grain deal which could address the negative impact of the war on the supply of agricultural products among the AU member-states among others in the international community. However, the Black Sea Grain deal, as it was called, collapsed as a result of the failure of Ukraine and its allies to uphold its side of the agreement. Attacks continued on the battlefield and at sea leading to its termination by July 2023.

International Context of the Gathering

The most recent summit took place as international tensions escalated surrounding the unprovoked war launched by the State of Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28, 2026. Despite the purported acceptance of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Tehran and Washington on April 9, the administration of President Donald Trump has refused to implement the brokered MoU while the White House has continued to engage in sporadic bombing attacks against Iran over the last six months.

The blockade of the strategic shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz has compounded the agriculture crisis, food deficits and prompted a sharp rise in energy costs including petroleum. The inflationary spiral triggered by the war against Iran has become a major source of uncertainty and unrest throughout the world.

At the conclusion of the latest convening of the Russia-Africa Summit there were positive remarks made during a press conference involving President Vladimir Putin and the AU Chairperson President Evariste Ndayishimiye of the Republic of Burundi at the Kremlin. The summit was attended by delegations from 48 African countries of which 21 were represented by heads-of-state.

President Putin noted during his statements at the closing press conference that:

“The 3rd Russia–Africa Summit has just concluded, and on behalf of its participants, President of the Republic of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye – representing the nation that currently chairs the African Union – and I would like to present our assessments of the joint work undertaken and the decisions adopted today. I would like to emphasize that this is already the 3rd Russia–Africa Summit. Holding such large-scale events has become a good tradition and clearly demonstrates the firm determination of both Russia and African states to further strengthen and develop multifaceted ties in the spirit of genuine partnership and mutual respect for the sake of universal growth and prosperity. It is deeply gratifying that twenty-one African leaders, high-level delegations from the overwhelming majority of the continent’s states, and the heads of virtually all leading African integration bodies took part in the Moscow summit.” (http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/81114)

The convening of the summit illustrates the necessity of building broader levels of discussion and cooperation among various states and regional groupings. This approach to international affairs can be contrasted with the foreign policy character of the US, the largest capitalist and imperialist state in the world. 

At present Washington and its allies in Western Europe are still seeking to dominate world affairs through military prowess and economic exploitation. Yet, despite this posture towards the majority of peoples and states around the globe, the political turmoil engendered by war and economic strife has negatively impacted the working class and nationally oppressed within the imperialist states. 

Violent clashes have erupted throughout Western Europe and Albania largely due to the role of the US and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners. The Trump administration has demanded that other NATO states substantially raise the level of military expenditures while imposing tariffs which have lowered the standards of living among the majority of people living within these countries. 

According to the Kremlin, the Russia-Africa Summit has agreed to measures which could improve the overall conditions of people living on the continent and within the Russian Federation, notably:

“A substantial package of approximately 150 bilateral and multilateral documents was signed on the sidelines of the summit. These included agreements on the establishment of intergovernmental commissions with the Republic of Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Niger, the Republic of Senegal, and the Republic of South Sudan. Additionally, intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in various fields were signed with the Republic of Mali, the Republic of Namibia, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Republic of Uganda, the Central African Republic and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. In addition, cooperation documents were signed between the Russian Government and several African regional integration organizations, such as the East African Community, the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the African Union Commission, the Economic Community of Central African States and the Southern African Development Community.” (http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/81113)

During the period known as the Cold War, which occurred in the aftermath of the second imperialist conflagration between 1939-1945, the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and its allies in Eastern Europe and Asia gave unconditional support to the anti-colonial struggles along with efforts to build viable and independent states in Africa. During the last half of the 20th century more than 50 African states gained their independence from European colonialism and settler-colonialism. 

The Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, among others also supported the aspirations of African Americans during the so-called Cold War period. There were expressions of political and material support for the movements for civil rights, self-determination and revolutionary transformation. 

Today, during the third decade of the 21st century, the US is attempting to reverse the gains of the political movements of the previous years and eras. Hundreds of thousands of African American women, whose elders and ancestors played a pioneering role during the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements of the post-World War II era, have been purged from government jobs and payrolls.

Voting districts within the southern US where the majority of African Americans still reside, electoral maps have been redrawn by right-wing dominated state legislatures aimed at disenfranchising Black people. By examining the international as well as domestic policies of Washington and Wall Street the need for criticism and corrective measures from foreign entities including governments could be effective in the current period. 

Therefore, AU member-states are well within their rights to seek productive partnerships with the Russian Federation and other countries and regional organizations. After coming to office for the second non-consecutive term, Trump almost immediately began to detain and deport African migrants, impose tariffs on all African states and eliminated assistance programs in the areas of science, medicine, agriculture and manufacturing development. 

These policy shifts indicate a worsening contradiction within US-Africa relations. Africa and its regional organizations starting with the AU, must embark upon an independent program for genuine independence and qualitative development. 

What’s at Stake in the Current Period

The discussions between the delegations at the Third Russia-Africa Summit were centered around enhancing cooperation between the Russian Federation and the AU member states. This effort on the part of Moscow and African states has as its most significant objective the lessening of dependence upon the US-dominated system of trade and financial exchange.

One source which analyzed the recent gathering in Moscow says of the present situation:

“Russia wants to increase exports of grain, fertilizers, industrial products, and energy to African markets, where demand for Russian expertise in nuclear energy, electricity, mining, and infrastructure is growing. This supports Moscow’s ambition to shift from exporting goods to exporting services, as part of its wider strategy to reduce any remaining dependence on the West, including dollar-based payment channels. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in December that rouble settlements accounted for 84% of Russia-Africa trade during the first ten months of 2025, but efforts to expand these mechanisms continue to face challenges, including limited banking infrastructure, the risk of secondary sanctions, and difficulties in converting certain local currencies. The success of this approach therefore depends not only on agreeing on which currencies to use for settlements, but also on establishing reliable, sustainable banking channels to process trade payments.” (https://en.majalla.com/node/333842/business-economy/russia-africa-summit-ambitions-and-challenges)

These global dynamics make clear the crisis in US imperialism that has exhausted its tactics within the arenas of economic and military affairs. The present domestic and foreign policy of the US is only worsening the social conditions of working and oppressed people internationally. 

There is the imperative of building alliances and enhancing the existing struggles for full equality, self-determination and social emancipation. The well-being of the overwhelming majority of humanity depends upon the outcomes of the unfolding global situation.

Ethiopia, China Pledge to Deepen Military and Strategic Cooperation

Addis Ababa, November 3, 2026 (ENA)— Ethiopia and China have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their longstanding military and strategic partnership.

Minister of Defense, Mohamed Idris made the remarks during talks with Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai in Addis Ababa today, where the two sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in the defense industry, technology transfer, and military training.

The also  agreed to further consolidate their longstanding and productive military ties and elevate bilateral strategic cooperation to a higher level.

Minister Mohamed emphasized the importance of sustaining the historic military partnership between the two countries while exploring expanded areas of collaboration, particularly in defense industrial development, technology transfer, and capacity-building through training opportunities.

He also underscored that Ethiopia's efforts to safeguard its national interests contribute to regional and international peace and stability, calling on China to continue standing alongside Ethiopia.

On his part, Ambassador Chen Hai reaffirmed China's interest in further deepening military and strategic ties with Ethiopia, ENA learned. 

The Ambassador also expressed China's readiness to expand cooperation in the defense industry, highlighting the positive outcomes already achieved through investment and bilateral engagement.

Trump Administration Will Cut South Africa and Rwanda From the AGOA Trade Program

By MICHELLE GUMEDE and GERALD IMRAY

4:05 PM EST, November 2, 2026

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump will cut South Africa and Rwanda from a quarter-century-old Africa trade agreement at the end of the year as punishment for not meeting certain criteria, including policies on trade barriers and alignment with U.S. foreign policy, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Monday.

In South Africa’s case, it’s another sanction against Africa’s biggest economy by the Trump administration. Last week, the U.S. excluded South Africa from a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 countries in Atlanta.

The trade deal under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, was introduced by former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2000 to give some African nations duty-free access to the American market for some of their goods.

Countries have to meet requirements to be members, like establishing a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism and the right to due process while also eliminating barriers to U.S. trade and investment. Countries’ memberships are reviewed each year. More than 30 African nations are currently members of AGOA and view duty-free access to the U.S. market for some of their exports as a crucial economic boost.

The suspensions take effect on Jan. 1, 2027

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement that Trump had informed Congress and the governments of South Africa and Rwanda that they would be removed from AGOA from Jan. 1 next year.

Greer said that the two countries were removed because of policies that “include, but are not limited to, barriers that undermine American trade and investment and practices that pose a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests in the region.”

The statement did not give any specific examples of trade barriers or security and foreign policy issues.

U.S.-South Africa relations have plummeted during Trump’s second term, with his administration accusing South Africa’s Black-led government of being anti-white over some of its domestic affirmative action policies, and anti-American for its criticism of Israel and diplomatic ties with Iran.

The U.S. last week sanctioned Rwanda’s defense ministry over its support of the M23 rebel group fighting government forces in mineral-rich eastern Congo.

There was no immediate reaction from the South African or Rwandan governments, though South African officials said last week they were expecting to be removed from the program.

Several countries have previously been removed from AGOA

The U.S. under former President Joe Biden cut several nations from AGOA for failing to meet democratic or human rights standards. They included Burkina Faso, Gabon and Niger for coups that overthrew their governments, and Uganda for introducing a strict anti-gay law.

Countries can be reinstated to AGOA and Greer said of South Africa and Rwanda that “the Trump administration is working to ensure our African partners take the necessary steps to meet the eligibility criteria.”

Trump has pushed for policy changes in South Africa

The Trump administration has been fiercely critical of South Africa and has baselessly accused its government of allowing widespread violence against minority white farmers. It has also said that South Africa’s affirmative action laws that promote Black business ownership are a barrier to U.S. investment.

The U.S. has pressed South Africa to enact specific policy changes, including making crime against farmers a priority crime, dropping affirmative action requirements for U.S. businesses operating in the country, and repealing a land law that allows for the expropriation of private land without compensation in some circumstances.

The South African government has denied it is anti-white and has said the U.S. criticism is a result of misinformation. South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said last month that the country was preparing for the “worst-case scenario” on AGOA but would not “surrender its sovereignty” to U.S. demands.

U.S. Ambassador to South Africa L. Brent Bozell III said in a post on X on Monday that the AGOA suspension was because of South Africa’s failure to enact those policy changes.

“This was a predictable and preventable outcome resulting from the rejection by South Africa’s government of real concerns raised by the U.S. Government,” the ambassador wrote.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement that the administration’s move against South Africa, the top exporter to the U.S. in the program, could cause chaos to the U.S. economy and that the administration needs to give a clear explanation of how South Africa can be reinstated.

___

Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.

Uganda Arrests a Former Military Chief Accused of Engaging in Subversive Activities

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA

4:48 AM EST, November 3, 2026

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A former deputy military chief in Uganda has been arrested over allegations of planning to destabilize parts of the country, according to the military.

Peter Elwelu, a three-star general who served as the deputy chief of defense forces between 2021 and 2024, was taken into custody Monday, according to military spokesman Col. Chris Magezi.

Elwelu was “on the run over involvement in subversive activities and plans to destabilize” a remote part of eastern Uganda where he was born and raised, Magezi said. “The security forces recently recovered 15 guns in his possession, military fatigues, and two pickup trucks.”

Elwelu could not be reached for comment. He was being held by military authorities at an unknown location. The government has yet to substantiate the allegations against him.

Ahead of Elwelu’s arrest, Ugandan military chief Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba accused him of engaging in treacherous activities after his retirement from active duty last year. Kainerugaba said he had ordered the search party to capture Elwelu alive.

Elwelu, a previous commander of the land forces, once disagreed with Kainerugaba over military operations, leading to an urgent meeting mediated by President Yoweri Museveni.

Kainerugaba is Museveni’s son and seen as his likely successor. Just months after Museveni was sworn in in May of this year for a seventh consecutive term, Kainerugaba launched a presidential bid for 2031, the next scheduled elections in this East African country that has never had a peaceful transfer of power.

Uganda enjoys relative peace and stability under Museveni, who turned 82 in September. But some analysts worry the transition to another leader is likely to be volatile if not violent. Museveni has no rivals within the ruling party, and many believe the military will have a say in choosing his successor.

Museveni’s main rival in the last two elections, the musician and activist known as Bobi Wine, is in exile in the U.S. Kizza Besigye, the opposition figure who ran against Museveni four times previously, is in jail on treason charges he says are politically motivated. Besigye’s wife, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima, says her husband is in failing health.

Museveni first took power by force in 1986 as the leader of a guerrilla force whose goal was to democratize Uganda after years of chaos and civil war. He said at the time that Africa’s problem was leaders who overstayed their welcome.

Much later, Museveni changed his stance to say his criticism was of leaders who prolonged their rule without an electoral mandate. Constitutional term limits and age restrictions have been scrapped over the years.

How Key Demographic Groups Voted in the 2026 Midterms, According to The AP Voter Poll

President Donald Trump has repeatedly encouraged voters to pretend he’s on the ballot this Election Day. He’s not, but there’s reason to believe Tuesday’s midterms will be a referendum on his performance over the last two years. (AP video by Emily Wang and Mary Conlon)

By LINLEY SANDERS and HUMERA LODHI

9:45 PM EST, November 3, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans in Tuesday’s midterm races were hoping their candidates could hold onto the winning coalition that President Donald Trump assembled in the 2024 presidential election, but The AP Voter Poll suggests the GOP has lost ground with at least one key group.

The poll, an expansive survey of about 80,000 voters in all 50 states, suggests young voters were less likely to back House Republicans this year than they were to support Trump in 2024. Young voters — those under 30 — were also more likely than older voters to say their vote for the U.S. House was cast to express opposition to Trump.

Most voters say the economy or the state of democracy is the top issue facing the country, with the cost of living and government corruption weighing heavily on many Americans’ minds as they cast a ballot in Tuesday’s midterm elections. The poll also signals a strong desire for Congress to take a more forceful role in checking the presidency.

But the survey also found that while Democrats have at least a slight advantage on several major issues, including the economy and government corruption, the Democratic Party is not much more popular among U.S. voters than the Republican Party.

Young voters appear to shift away from Republicans

After moving toward Trump in the 2024 election, young voters appear to have swung away from the Republican Party in this year’s midterms.

The AP Voter Poll shows about 7 in 10 voters under 30 nationally say they supported the Democratic candidate in their local U.S. House race, while about 3 in 10 say they voted for the Republican. That’s a shift from 2024, when the youngest voters were roughly split between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Young voters make up a fairly small share of voters. Only about 1 in 10 voters in the 2026 midterms are under 30, which limits the impact of the shift.

But their displeasure with the country and its leadership is clear: About half of young voters say they are “angry” about the way things were going in the country today, compared with about one-third of voters ages 65 and older.

Many voters were driven by opposition to Trump

While Trump was not on the ballot, many voters had him on their minds.

The AP Voter Poll finds about 4 in 10 voters report wanting “to express opposition” to Trump with their vote for Congress. Just under 2 in 10 voters wanted “to express support” for the president, and roughly 4 in 10 say Trump was not a factor in their decision.

Most young voters — those under 30 — said their vote was cast to express opposition to Trump. Older voters, who tend to be more conservative in general, were less likely to say they were trying to signal their dissatisfaction with the president.

The survey highlighted voters’ unhappiness with Trump’s leadership. About 6 in 10 disapprove of how he’s handling the presidency. Views of Trump’s priorities were also mostly negative. About 6 in 10 voters say Trump places a higher priority on his personal interests than the country’s interests.

Voters think Congress isn’t doing enough to check an unpopular president

Most voters nationally want to see Congress provide more checks and balances on the presidency, and they overwhelmingly disapprove of how Congress is handling its job.

The survey suggests voters want to see Congress take on a stronger role as a co-equal branch of government. Roughly 7 in 10 voters say Congress is doing “not enough” to provide checks and balances on the presidency. Only about 2 in 10 say it’s doing “about the right amount,” and about 1 in 10 say Congress is doing “too much.”

That dissatisfaction with Congress’s role wasn’t confined to Democrats, the poll found: The vast majority of independents and about 4 in 10 Republicans say Congress is not doing enough.

The survey reflects deep unhappiness with the president and Congress. About 6 in 10 voters disapprove of how Trump is handling the presidency, while about three-quarters of voters disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job.

Concerns about democracy and corruption rival the economy for voters

The economy was a clear concern for voters, who expressed alarm over the high cost of gasoline and food.

But the survey found many voters are also deeply worried about the state of democracy and government corruption.

About 4 in 10 voters say the economy is the top issue facing the country, and roughly 3 in 10 say the state of democracy is the top issue. Only about 1 in 10 say the same about immigration or healthcare, and few named foreign policy or crime.

Roughly half of U.S. voters said government corruption and the cost of living were “crucial” to their vote for Congress, higher than the share that said that about immigration enforcement policies, the war in Iran or AI data centers.

Most voters who said government corruption was “crucial” for their vote for Congress supported the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House, while about 4 in 10 said they voted for the Republican. About 8 in 10 voters who said “the state of democracy” was the top issue facing the country supported the Democrat, while about 2 in 10 supported the Republican.

Democrats have an an advantage on handling issues

Democrats have at least a small advantage in their perceived handling of several major issues, although a significant share of voters say they don’t trust either party.

Voters are slightly more likely to say Democrats would handle the economy and government corruption better than Republicans, two issues that emerged as highly important to voters in this election. Democrats also have a small edge on foreign policy and a wider advantage on their handling of transgender issues and healthcare. Voters split on which party would better handle artificial intelligence and taxes, while Republicans have a small advantage on immigration.

Despite Democrats’ relative advantage on issues, though, the Democratic Party is not much more popular with voters than the Republicans. Just under half of voters have a “somewhat” or “strongly” favorable view of the Democratic Party, while about 4 in 10 view the GOP positively.

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METHODOLOGY

The AP Voter Poll is a survey of the American electorate conducted by SSRS for The Associated Press, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, FOX News Media, NBC News and Versant. The survey blends probability-based and non probability-based interviews with registered voters in all 50 states conducted from Oct. 19 to Nov. 3 in Alaska and Oct. 22 to Nov. 3 in all other states. A detailed methodology statement is available here. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 0.6 percentage points for the full sample.

Takeaways: Voters Punishing Trump as Hispanics and Young People Turn Away from GOP

By  STEVE PEOPLES, BILL BARROW and LINLEY SANDERS

11:03 PM EST, November 3, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump repeatedly encouraged voters to pretend he was on the midterm ballot. They did. And it went very badly for him and his Republican Party.

Voters punished Trump’s allies in swing states and Republican strongholds alike on Tuesday, giving Democrats key victories across Ohio, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Florida and even South Carolina. Trump’s controversial mid-decade redistricting plan appeared to backfire. And in Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history.

Voters nationwide were in the mood for change, according to The AP Voter Poll, which found that roughly three-quarters of voters feel “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the direction of the country.

Among the voters who had Trump in mind when they cast their vote, about twice as many wanted to express opposition to the Republican president as those who wanted to support him. Most also blamed the Trump administration for high costs: about 6 in 10 say higher than usual prices are “more because of Trump’s policies.”

Trump’s coalition was also fraying: Young voters and Hispanics appear to have shifted away from the GOP after warming to Trump in 2024.

With undeniable momentum, Democrats were eyeing majorities in the House and Senate, which would curb Trump’s power after he’s faced few limits from a compliant Republican-controlled Congress.

Here are some takeaways from Tuesday’s midterms:

The end of the Trump era may be beginning

Tuesday’s electoral beating appeared to be a direct repudiation of Trump, who demanded loyalty across his party and brought Republicans to the midterms saddled by his dismal approval ratings, an unpopular war with Iran, and surging costs for millions of frustrated Americans.

Indeed, Trump’s political strength is hitting a new low roughly two years before his final term ends.

The AP Voter Poll confirms that voters are deeply unhappy with the Republican president, with roughly 6 in 10 saying they disapprove of his job performance. About 70% of voters want Congress to provide more checks and balances on the presidency.

As gas prices soar, about 4 in 10 say the economy is the most important issue facing the country, while roughly 3 in 10 say the state of democracy is the top issue, according to the poll, well above the number who said the same about crime, healthcare and immigration. At the same time, about 6 in 10 voters said Trump places a higher priority on his personal interests than the country’s interests.

Trump was betting that his base of white working-class voters — and an increased share of young people and voters of color — which fueled his presidential victory in 2024 could save his Republican allies if they show up in great numbers.

He was wrong.

The AP Voter Poll indicates a substantial shift in young people and Hispanics moving away from Republicans compared to Trump’s victory just two years ago.

Voters under 30 were about evenly split between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024. But in this election, about 7 in 10 voters in that same age nationally say they supported the Democratic House candidate in their area.

Young voters only make up about 10% of the electorate, according to the poll, which limits the impact of the shift. But it nonetheless makes it harder for the GOP to win.

Meanwhile, only about one-third of Hispanic voters say they backed the Republican in their local U.S. House race, while roughly 4 in 10 voted for Trump two years ago. About 6 in 10 Hispanic voters nationally say they voted for the Democratic candidate in their local House race. That’s as about 7 in 10 Hispanic voters say Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions in the U.S.

Democrats gaining in bid to flip control of Congress

A party doesn’t flip both chambers of Congress very often.

Since World War II, the House and Senate have flipped from one party to the other in the same midterm just three times: 1946, 1994 and 2006. The common thread when it does happen is an electorate clamoring for change or broad frustration with the sitting president.

This year has both, and Democrats are capitalizing on the opportunity.

Democrats were winning virtually everywhere.

Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper won North Carolina’s Senate contest, giving his party one of the minimum four flips it needs. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff and New Hampshire Democrat Chris Pappas won their respective states’ high-profile Senate contests. Ossoff was once viewed as Democrats’ most vulnerable incumbent and the only Democratic senator running in a state Trump won in 2024.

The most painful blow for Trump may have come in South Carolina, where his handpicked candidate to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, his sister Darline Graham, was defeated by Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician making her first run for office. The Republican loss marked Democrats’ second Senate pickup and was a seismic defeat in a state that hadn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998.

Republicans currently have a 53-47 advantage in the Senate. To take control, Democrats must win states that Trump won. Among their targets beyond North Carolina and South Carolina: Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Texas and Alaska.

Strategists in both parties believe Democrats are on track to win a majority in the House, where Republicans began the current Congress with a slim margin of 220-215.

Democrats are targeting more than 60 House districts, including many where Trump won by double digits. But between redistricting and the deep partisan divide between metropolitan and rural America, there simply aren’t as many competitive races as there were in some previous years when the House flipped, including 2018, when Democrats netted 40 more seats.

The Democratic brand still needs work

While Trump’s standing has cratered in 2026, Democrats’ brand as a whole isn’t much to brag about. That leaves the party’s major factions — the progressive left flank and the liberal-to-moderate establishment — parsing Tuesday’s outcomes to claim any advantage in Democrats’ tug-of-war over party identity.

The party’s moderate wing was having a good night early on as high-profile leaders like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore won reelection. Both are considered 2028 presidential prospects.

At the same time, Florida Democrat Angie Nixon, the only self-identified democratic socialist on a Senate ballot, was defeated, despite a much stronger-than-expected showing.

Still, the progressive movement would have a feather in its cap should Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed defeat Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan. El-Sayed is progressives’ highest-profile candidate, although he does not identify as a DSA member nor is he endorsed by the organization.

It’s one thing for New Yorkers to elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, as mayor. It’s quite another for an unabashed progressive like El-Sayed to carry a perennial battleground state that helped elect Trump twice.

The Democratic brand needs help no matter how well the party does on Tuesday.

The AP Voter Poll shows that about 6 in 10 voters have a “very” or “somewhat” unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party, which is about the same as the Republican Party.

Trump’s gerrymandering may backfire

The Trump-backed gerrymandering push is not going as planned for Republicans.

In Florida, Rep. Jared Moskowitz won the state’s 25th District; Democrat Pia Dandiya, a first-time candidate, won the 22nd District and Rep. Kathy Castor won reelection in the 14th District. Republicans had redrawn all three districts this spring with the intent of ensuring GOP victories this fall.

That’s bad news for Republicans in other districts in Florida and potentially in Texas — states where the Republican plan counted on getting votes from Latino voters and other nonwhites who backed Trump in 2024. The early results show that has not happened.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom answered by persuading his state’s voters to respond in kind. Democratic and Republican states followed. Along the way, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted part of the Voting Rights Act, allowing several Southern states to redraw districts that had been majority- or near-majority-Black.

On paper, the results suggest a net shift of nine seats to Republicans. But the gerrymandering meant spreading conservative supporters across more districts. In Florida and Texas, especially, the Republican plan counted on getting help from Latinos and other nonwhite voters who backed Trump in 2024 — and that may not happen.