Grand Egyptian Museum to Open After Two Decades in Cairo

By Al Mayadeen English

31 Oct 2025 12:30

The Grand Egyptian Museum, the world’s largest museum for a single civilization, opens near Cairo after years of delays, with hopes it will boost cultural tourism and the economy.

The Grand Egyptian Museum, a $1 billion archaeological facility located just outside Cairo, will officially open its doors on Saturday following a two-decade-long construction effort. Billed as the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization, the complex aims to become a cornerstone of Egypt’s cultural tourism strategy.

Situated one mile from the Giza pyramids, the museum spans 470,000 square meters and will house over 50,000 artifacts, including iconic pieces from ancient Egypt such as a colossal 83-ton statue of Ramesses II and a 4,500-year-old solar boat belonging to Khufu, the pharaoh behind the Great Pyramid.

Though originally announced in 1992, construction on The Grand Egyptian Museum did not begin until 2005. After years of funding and planning delays, the project saw partial openings during a soft launch in 2024.

The main galleries, covering 24,000 square meters, opened last year and are organized chronologically and thematically from prehistory through the Roman period.

Some of the artifacts were transferred from the older Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, while others were newly excavated from archaeological sites such as the Saqqara necropolis.

Artifacts spanning ancient Egypt’s history

The museum is designed to offer a comprehensive experience of ancient Egypt’s heritage. In addition to the main exhibitions, the facility features a children’s museum, conservation laboratories, educational and conference spaces, and a commercial area.

Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the museum, emphasized the use of advanced technology and multimedia displays tailored to younger generations.

“We’re using the language that Gen Z uses,” Ghoneim told reporters. “Gen Z doesn’t use the labels that we read as old people and would rather use technology.”

A strategic investment in cultural tourism

Egyptian authorities view the museum as more than just a heritage site; it is also a long-term economic investment. The opening comes amid a broader infrastructure push, including a metro system and a new airport that began operating in 2020.

The Grand Egyptian Museum is expected to attract between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors daily, with Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding, which manages the project, stating to AP, “The world has been waiting… everyone’s excited.”

In 2024, Egypt welcomed a record 15.7 million tourists. The government aims to double that number by 2032, banking on the museum to help drive sustained growth in cultural tourism and generate critical foreign currency inflows.

The museum’s multimedia offerings include mixed-reality shows and immersive storytelling elements, designed to blend ancient artifacts with 21st-century presentation techniques.

“This is a gift from Egypt to the world and we are proud to finally share it,” Sherif Fathy, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, told The Guardian.

Delays and regional tensions

The museum’s grand opening faced repeated delays, most recently in July due to regional instability, including the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Fireworks tests were conducted near the Giza pyramids ahead of the inauguration, which is expected to host world leaders alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The museum opens as concerns about artifact security persist. Two artifacts, including a 3,000-year-old pharaonic bracelet, were reportedly stolen in recent weeks. Past unrest, particularly during the 2011 Arab Spring, also saw looting at archaeological sites.

Despite these concerns, Egypt is positioning the Grand Egyptian Museum as a global cultural landmark that merges its ancient legacy with future-facing infrastructure and tourism ambitions.

Tunisian Lawyer Ahmed Souab Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

By Al Mayadeen English

Tunisian court jails lawyer Ahmed Souab for five years after his criticism of the judiciary, sparking protests and accusations of political repression.

A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced lawyer and former administrative judge Ahmed Souab to five years in prison, according to his defense attorney, who spoke to Reuters. Souab is known as one of the most prominent critics of Tunisian President Kais Saied.

The lawyer had been detained since April after making public statements criticizing the state of Tunisia’s judiciary. Authorities claimed that his remarks constituted a “threat to the judicial system.”

In April, lawyers in Tunisia reported that a counterterrorism judge had ordered Souab’s detention two days after his arrest for his comments about judicial independence.

Souab’s arrest sparked widespread outrage among political parties and civil society organizations, who described it as “a dangerous escalation in the crackdown on opposition voices” and “a further entrenchment of authoritarian rule” in Tunisia.

This week, activists took to the streets demanding Souab’s release and denouncing what they called the government’s ongoing campaign to silence dissent and restrict freedom of expression.

Lawyer receives two-year prison sentence

Sonia Dahmani, a prominent Tunisian lawyer and vocal critic of Saied, was sentenced to two years in prison back in May in a case that human rights groups say highlights an intensifying crackdown on dissent in Tunisia.

Dahmani was convicted over comments she made criticizing government policies toward sub-Saharan African migrants. Her legal team condemned the ruling, arguing that she is being prosecuted twice for the same remarks, a violation of legal norms.

"This is a grave injustice," said lawyer Bassem Trifi, while fellow attorney Sami Ben Ghazi called the proceedings "a farce", citing the judge’s refusal to adjourn the session, which led to the defense team's withdrawal from the trial.

Cholera Outbreak in Africa Kills Over 6,800, Says Health Body

By Al Mayadeen English

31 Oct 2025 14:08

The Africa CDC reports over 6,800 deaths in Africa's ongoing cholera outbreak, with nearly 300,000 cases and warnings of further spread due to poor sanitation and lack of clean water.

The ongoing cholera outbreak sweeping across Africa has claimed more than 6,800 lives so far this year, according to data released Thursday by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), marking a significant increase compared to 2023.

In its latest report, the Africa CDC said the current outbreak has resulted in 6,854 deaths, with a case fatality ratio of 2.3%. A total of 297,394 cholera cases have been recorded across 23 countries on the continent.

Yap Boum II, deputy incident manager at the Africa CDC, issued the update during a virtual press conference held from Namibia. He noted an increase of nearly 50,000 cases compared to the same period last year and warned that the number could surge further in the coming months.

He attributed the potential rise to ongoing torrential rains in affected countries, which could exacerbate the spread of the disease if immediate intervention measures are not implemented.

Angola and Burundi among worst affected

The most severely impacted countries are Angola and Burundi, where a lack of access to clean water and poor sanitation conditions have driven the spread of infections.

“There is an escalation of cholera in Burundi, while Angola is experiencing an exponential second wave,” Boum said.

While the situation remains critical in many regions, the Africa CDC noted recent declines in cases in South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, these countries still carry a heavy burden in the broader outbreak.

Urgent need for clean water and sanitation

Cholera, a bacterial infection, is typically contracted through the consumption of contaminated food or water. Public health experts continue to emphasize the need for reliable access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation to prevent further outbreaks.

As the rainy season progresses, health officials across Africa are urging swift action to prevent further loss of life and reduce the scale of the outbreak.

Trump’s Instructions to Resume Nuclear Testing Need Explaining — Russian Envoy

As Mikhail Ulyanov noted, the US president said that his decision had been motivated by other countries carrying out nuclear tests

Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organisations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov Rosatom State Corporation/TASS

© Rosatom State Corporation/TASS

VIENNA, October 31. /TASS/. Remarks by US President Donald Trump that he has instructed the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear weapons tests demand explanations, Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, said.

"President Trump’s decision to direct the Pentagon to immediately resume the tests of US nuclear arms demands further explanations," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

The Russian envoy explained that the US president said that his decision had been motivated by other countries carrying out nuclear tests. "But the thing is that they are not conducting nuclear explosion tests banned under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty," he noted. Ulyanov pointed out that Russia recently held a test of nuclear delivery vehicles and not of nuclear explosives.

On October 29, Trump announced that he had instructed the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing. He did not specify the type of tests or whether they would involve nuclear detonations.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Yermakov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control, told TASS in an interview last February that several indirect signs indicate Washington may still be preparing to resume full-scale nuclear testing. The Russian leadership has repeatedly warned that if the US takes this step, Moscow will be forced to respond in kind.

Russian Troops Liberate Seven Communities in Ukraine Operation Over Week — Top Brass

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted roughly 1,950 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 14 enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the Defense Ministry reported

© Alexey Konovalov/TASS

MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated seven communities in the Kharkov, Zaporozhye and Dnepropetrovsk Regions over the week of October 25-31, including Novoaleksandrovka in the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"Battlegroup West units liberated the settlement of Sadovoye in the Kharkov Region through active and decisive operations <...> During the past week, Battlegroup East units continued advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and liberated the settlements of Novonikolayevka, Krasnogorskoye and Privolnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Yegorovka, Vishnyovoye and Novoaleksandrovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops strike Flamingo missile assembly sites in Ukraine operation over week

Russian troops delivered one massive and five combined strikes by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Ukrainian military targets, hitting, in particular, Flamingo cruise missile assembly workshops over the past week, the ministry reported.

"On October 25-31, in response to Ukraine’s terrorist attacks on civilian facilities on Russian territory, the Russian Armed Forces delivered one massive and five combined strikes by ground-based, airborne and seaborne long-range precision weapons and also attack unmanned aerial vehicles, hitting Ukrainian military-industrial enterprises and their energy facilities," the ministry said.

The strikes also targeted transport infrastructure, railway trains used to transport the Ukrainian army’s armament and equipment, military airfields, arsenals, workshops for the assembly Flamingo cruise missiles and long-range attack unmanned aerial vehicles, storage sites of uncrewed boats, and also temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations, nationalists and foreign mercenaries, the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts over 1,320 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 1,320 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy tanks and 14 armored combat vehicles in its areas of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

Over the week in the Sumy Region, "Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of four mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, a jaeger brigade, an assault brigade, an air assault brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian army, two territorial defense brigades and a National Guard brigade," the ministry said.

In the Kharkov Region, Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on formations of two mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian army and three territorial defense brigades, the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 1,320 personnel, two tanks, 14 armored combat vehicles, 73 motor vehicles and 13 field artillery guns in those frontline areas over the week, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed 13 electronic warfare and counterbattery radar stations and 29 ammunition and materiel depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 1,600 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 1,600 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 28 enemy tanks and armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units inflicted losses on formations of six mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, two assault brigades of the Ukrainian army, two territorial defense brigades and two National Guard brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 1,600 personnel, 28 tanks and armored combat vehicles, 137 motor vehicles and 10 field artillery guns in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed 27 ammunition depots and 44 electronic warfare and counterbattery radar stations of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 1,330 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 1,330 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 40 enemy tanks and armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

During the week, Battlegroup South units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of six mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, an airmobile brigade, an assault brigade, a mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, two territorial defense brigades and a National Guard brigade," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 1,330 personnel, 40 tanks and armored combat vehicles, including three US-made M113 armored personnel carriers, 27 field artillery guns, among them seven Western-made weapons and 123 motor vehicles in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed 13 electronic warfare and counterbattery radar stations and 24 ammunition, fuel and materiel depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 3,520 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 3,520 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 27 enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

Over the week, Battlegroup Center units "inflicted losses on formations of a tank brigade, seven mechanized brigades, an infantry brigade, a jaeger brigade, an airmobile brigade, three assault brigades, three air assault brigades, three assault regiments, an unmanned systems brigade of the Ukrainian army, two marine infantry brigades, two territorial defense brigades and four National Guard brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 3,520 personnel, 27 armored combat vehicles, 30 motor vehicles and eight field artillery guns in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts 1,950 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted roughly 1,950 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 14 enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

Over the past week, Battlegroup East units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades, four assault regiments of the Ukrainian army and three territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 1,950 personnel, 14 armored combat vehicles, 108 motor vehicles, 11 field artillery guns, seven electronic warfare stations and four ammunition and materiel depots in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicts 395 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted roughly 395 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

Over the week, Battlegroup Dnepr units "inflicted losses on formations of two mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade and two coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian army," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 395 personnel, four armored combat vehicles, 77 motor vehicles and three field artillery guns in that frontline area over the week, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed 19 electronic warfare stations and nine ammunition and materiel depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russian air defenses down 1,701 Ukrainian UAVs, 17 smart bombs over week

Russian air defense forces shot down 1,701 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and 17 smart bombs over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week, air defense capabilities shot down 17 guided aerial bombs, 10 rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, two Neptune long-range missiles and 1,701 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 668 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 93,879 unmanned aerial vehicles, 633 surface-to-air missile systems, 25,773 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,608 multiple rocket launchers, 30,943 field artillery guns and mortars and 45,383 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.

Russia Deploys 170,000 Troops for Push in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region, Zelenskyy Says

Russian drones struck Sumy in Ukraine overnight, injuring at least 11 people, the regional prosecutor’s office said on Friday. At least four children were among the injured, it added.

By ILLIA NOVIKOV

11:26 AM EDT, October 31, 2025

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has deployed around 170,000 troops in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region where they are trying to capture the stronghold of Pokrovsk in a major push for a battlefield victory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.

“The situation in Pokrovsk is difficult,” Zelenskyy said, while also rejecting recent Russian claims that the devastated city is surrounded after more than a year of fighting. He acknowledged that some Russian units had infiltrated the city, but insisted that Ukrainian defenders are weeding them out.

“There are Russians in Pokrovsk,” Zelenskyy told a media briefing in Kyiv. “They are being destroyed, gradually destroyed, because, well, we need to preserve our personnel.”

In previous sieges during the almost four years since Russia launched its all-out invasion of its neighbor, Ukraine has pulled out of some places to avoid losing troops. Ukrainian forces are desperately short-handed against Russia’s bigger army.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently claimed that Russian forces are making significant advances on the battlefield, though their progress has been slow and costly in troops and armor.

Putin is trying to persuade the United States, which wants him to seek a peace deal, that Ukraine can’t hold out against Russian military superiority. He has also stressed what he says is Russia’s improving nuclear capability as he refuses to budge from what he says are his country’s legitimate war aims.

Ukraine claims hits on Russian oil facilities

Ukraine has been fighting back by hitting targets inside Russia to disrupt military logistics and make Russian civilians feel the effects of war.

Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has conducted over 160 successful long-range strikes on Russia’s oil extraction and refining facilities, the head of Ukraine’s Security Service, Vasyl Maliuk, told reporters at the briefing.

In September and October alone, Ukraine conducted 20 strikes on Russian oil facilities, Maliuk said.

He claimed that the strikes had brought a 20% drop in oil products on Russia’s domestic market and temporarily halted the operation of 37% of Russia’s oil refining capacity. The claims could not be independently verified.

“Clearly, we are not resting on our achievements. There are many fresh perspectives and new approaches in this work,” Maliuk said. “These include new equipment, new combat units, and new methods and means of communication.”

He said that over this year Ukraine has destroyed nearly half of Russia’s sophisticated Pantsir air defense systems, which have stopped Ukrainian long-range drones.

He also noted that last year Ukrainian forces destroyed one of Russia’s advanced new hypersonic missiles that can fly at 10 times the speed of sound, striking it on the ground at a military base inside Russia.

The Oreshnik missile, touted at the end of last year by Putin as invulnerable to air defense systems and a game-changing weapon, was hit at the Kapustin Yar military firing range near the Caspian Sea in southwestern Russia, roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the Ukrainian border, according to Maliuk.

Putin said a year ago that the missile was used in an attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, some months after Maliuk said Ukraine destroyed one of them.

UN reports rise in Ukrainian civilian casualties

Meanwhile, Russian drones struck apartment blocks in the northeastern city of Sumy overnight, injuring 11 people, including four children, and also hit the southern Odesa region’s energy infrastructure, authorities said Friday.

The war has this year been deadlier for civilians than 2024, with a 30% rise in casualties so far, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, said Friday.

Russia’s almost daily aerial attacks on Ukrainian energy production and distribution facilities are especially worrying because the winter is forecast to be much colder than last year, Schmale said at a briefing in Geneva.

Ukrainian cities have centralized public infrastructure to run water, sewage and heating systems, and the U.N. fears that denying those services to people in high-rise buildings in cities near the front line “could turn into a major crisis,” according to Schmale.

“Destroying energy production and distribution capacity as winter starts clearly impacts the civilian population and is a form of terror,” he said.

Also, the U.N. humanitarian operation is short of money to respond to acute needs, as its Ukraine funding has declined from over $4 billion in 2022, the year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor, to $1.1 billion this year, Schmale said.

He added that the conflict “feels increasingly like a protracted war,” as U.S.-led international peace efforts this year have come to nothing.

“We have been through phases this year where there was cautious optimism that it might end,” Schmale said. “Right now on the ground, it doesn’t feel at all like it’s ending any time soon.”

China Vows to Expand Green Trade to Help Achieve Dual Carbon Goals

By Liu Yang

Oct 31, 2025 09:31 PM

People visit the technical exhibition to explore Chinese new energy vehicles. The exhibition is part of the ongoing 2025 World New Energy Vehicle Congress (WNEVC) that opened in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province, on September 27, 2025. Photo: VCG

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has vowed to expand green trade in a bid to facilitate trade optimization and upgrading, contributing to the achievement of the country's "dual carbon" goals and better serving global climate governance.

Li Chenggang, China international trade representative and vice minister of commerce, made the remarks during a briefing in Beijing on Friday, after the ministry issued the implementation opinions on expanding green trade on Thursday.

Noting that the implementation opinions form the first specialized policy document in the field of green trade, Li said that the ministry will enhance the green and low-carbon development capabilities of foreign trade enterprises by strengthening training and promoting green design and production to reduce the carbon emissions of foreign trade products.

In terms of expanding imports and exports of green and low-carbon products and technologies, the ministry intends to develop trade in sustainable fuels such as green hydrogen, while exploring trading of remanufactured products. It will also support enterprises in leveraging preferential arrangements under free trade agreements to expand cooperation in green and low-carbon fields, thereby creating new highlights in foreign economic and trade cooperation, Li said.

In order to create a favorable international environment for the development of green trade, MOFCOM will participate in consultations and discussions on global carbon-related economic and trade rules, strengthen exchanges on green and low-carbon development topics, and promote the establishment of more inclusive and equitable international green trade rules. The ministry will also actively participate in negotiations on green issues in high-standard economic and trade agreements, and elevate the level of environmental sections in free trade agreements, the official noted.

"Expanding green trade was among the country's development priorities for the 2026-30 period in the recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan," Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

Wang said that the implementation opinions have charted new pathways for enterprise transformation. "The move will not only accelerate the green transformation of traditional industries, but also develop new high-value-added growth drivers for the country's trade," the expert noted.

During the briefing, Li noted that in recent years, China's foreign trade has achieved notable progress in green and low-carbon development, which is reflected not only in product upgrades and iterations but also in profound transformations across the entire production and supply chain.

At the research and development stage, an increasing number of enterprises are integrating green concepts into product design. At the production stage, companies are continuously innovating in raw materials, energy use, and manufacturing processes to enhance the green and low-carbon attributes of their products. At the logistics stage, foreign trade transportation is increasingly adopting clean-energy vehicles and vessels, resulting in a steady reduction in carbon emissions. "These examples vividly illustrate the green transformation of foreign trade production and supply chains," Li noted.

Currently, the international market favors not only China's high-quality green products but also comprehensive solutions encompassing technology, services, and management. For example, a Chinese company exported green and low-carbon building materials to Saudi Arabia and provided a complete set of energy-saving and carbon-reduction design and construction solutions, helping to build a 300,000-square-meter urban complex. Another Chinese enterprise supplied Tanzania with a full rapid transit system, including new-energy buses, improving local urban commuting efficiency. "These transformations vividly demonstrate the competitiveness of China's green trade," the official said.

Wang said that China has taken concrete actions to fulfill its dual carbon goals, offering a replicable modernization pathway for green transformation to developing countries. "At the same time, by sharing green technologies and management expertise globally through multilateral platforms, China is continuously enhancing its capacity to serve the world through green trade, better sharing the fruits of green and low-carbon development with the global community," the expert noted.

China’s Five-point Proposal Leads New Course for Building Asia-Pacific Community: Global Times Editorial

By Global Times

Nov 01, 2025 12:57 AM    

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the first session of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and delivers a speech titled "Building an Inclusive Open Asia-Pacific Economy for All" in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 31, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting kicked off in Gyeongju, South Korea on Friday. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech titled "Building an Inclusive Open Asia-Pacific Economy for All" during the first session. In his remarks, he put forward a five-point proposal for regional cooperation for the Asia-Pacific region, contributing Chinese wisdom to the building of an Asia-Pacific community and raising China's solutions - a message that has drawn wide international attention. 

In the speech, President Xi, with keen insight into today's global challenges, charted the course for the future development of the APEC family. Observers noted that terms such as "universally beneficial and inclusive" and "open development" ran through the entire address, which also clearly stated the goal of building an Asia-Pacific community. President Xi's speech directly responded to the pressing issues and difficulties in Asia-Pacific cooperation in the current international environment, emphasizing that "we must join hands rather than part ways, and strengthen our links rather than sever them," and "we should stay true to APEC's founding mission to promote economic growth and improve people's lives, and champion open development where everyone shares opportunities and emerges a winner. We should promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia-Pacific community."

The first day of the Gyeongju APEC meeting focused on trade and investment - issues of top concern for member economies. At a time when protectionism and unilateralism are on the rise worldwide, and calls for "decoupling" and building "small yard, high fence" persist, the Asia-Pacific region faces particularly significant challenges. 

Asia-Pacific region accounts for nearly half of global trade and over 60 percent of global GDP, with the level of trade integration in the region far exceeding the global average. According to "An Asia-Pacific of Vitality: Public Opinion Across 16 Countries" jointly released by the International News Department of People's Daily and the Global Times Institute, APEC is widely expected to build a dynamic, harmonious, and prosperous Asia-Pacific family, with over 70 percent of respondents hoping economies will work together toward this goal. APEC members must take the lead in firmly opposing protectionism and safeguarding multilateralism. 

Just one day before the Gyeongju APEC meeting, the Chinese and US heads of state held a successful meeting. The Chinese and US sides announced that they had reached a consensus on the results of canceling and suspending certain tariffs. This development is not only a positive signal from the world's two largest economies meeting each other halfway, but also a source of confidence for the international community. The outcomes of the China-US summit align closely with the theme of the first day of the APEC meetings, which focuses on trade and cooperation - and they together underscore the shared objective of achieving mutually beneficial cooperation.

Once the "tariff wall" standing between the world's two largest economies begins to loosen, its positive effects will quickly ripple across the entire Asia-Pacific region. This will create more favorable conditions for regional cooperation and greatly boost confidence in the multilateral trading system.

In his speech, President Xi elaborated on China's five-point proposal for promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and building an Asia-Pacific community. This five-point proposal reflects China's sense of responsibility and commitment as a major power, and constitutes China's solution for building an Asia-Pacific community, establishing an actionable blueprint for jointly creating an open Asia-Pacific economy. At the same time, it is highly aligned with APEC's core values of openness and cooperation. Asia-Pacific prosperity and development cannot be separated from China. In his speech, President Xi convincingly presented facts and elaborated on China's vital contribution and commitment to an open world economy. He stressed that "China's door to the world will not close; it will only open wider and wider," providing a strong source of confidence for economies across the region.

We are also clearly aware that Asia-Pacific cooperation still faces many risks and challenges. Geopolitical spillovers, the weaponization of trade rules, and lagging digital governance continue to pose problems. Both tariff barriers and zero-sum mentalities threaten regional prosperity from time to time. The key to overcoming these lies in upholding multilateralism and modernizing international rules - using World Trade Organization norms as the foundation, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and other regional agreements as reinforcements, and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific vision as guidance - to rebuild market certainty, policy predictability, and institutional enforceability.

The Gyeongju APEC meeting comes at a critical juncture for the global economy. From the "ice-breaking" efforts to ease China-US trade tensions, to the firm defense of multilateralism, and the steadfast commitment to inclusiveness and shared benefits, the course of the Asia-Pacific ship is now clearly set. The region's economies will stand firmly against protectionism and unilateralism, promote cooperation through openness, pursue mutual benefit through cooperation, and achieve shared prosperity through mutual benefit. As long as Asia-Pacific economies think with one mind and work with one purpose, the region will ultimately build a more open, more dynamic, interconnected, and inclusive Asia-Pacific community, contributing lasting strength to global economic prosperity and development.

FM Responds to Whether China's Suspension of Rare Earths Export Controls Apply to All Countries

By Global Times

Oct 31, 2025 04:23 PM

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

In response to a question on whether China's newly announced one-year suspension of the rare earths export control measures, published on October 9, applies to all countries, or only to the US, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said at a regular press conference on Friday that "For specific questions, I suggest you consult the relevant competent Chinese authorities."

Global Times

More Details Revealed About the Meeting Between Heads of State of China, US: People’s Daily

By Global Times

Oct 31, 2025 08:34 PM

US President Donald Trump walked into the photo area and stopped in front of the national flags of China and the US. Turning to his left, he saw Chinese President Xi Jinping striding with firm steps along the red carpet.

It was October 30, in Busan, South Korea. The moment the two leaders shook hands was broadcast live to the world.

It was their first face-to-face meeting in six years. President Xi greeted Trump with a smile and said, "It's a pleasure to see you again."

President Trump immediately responded, saying, "It's good to see you again. And we're going to have a very successful meeting. I have no doubt." He then smiled at President Xi and added, "But he's a tough negotiator. That's not good. We know each other well."

The meeting took place in a VIP lounge at the airport - informal yet imbued with deep significance. This was the first event of President Xi's visit to South Korea and the final event of President Trump's week-long trip to Asia. Even the news of the meeting being confirmed the day before had already eased the breath of the international community that had been watching closely.

At that moment, an American reporter asked loudly, "Do you plan to sign a trade deal today?"

President Trump replied, "Could be. I think we'll have a great understanding. We have a great relationship. We've always had a great relationship."

The path has not been smooth.

After decades of ups and downs, China-US relations have been even more "eventful" in recent years. As President Xi Jinping once put it, after endless mountains and rivers that leave doubt whether there is a path out, suddenly one encounters the shade of a willow and bright flowers. "The most important thing in international relations is that China and the US must find the right way to get along with each other."

They entered the room and took their seats.

The room was not large, yet a profound discussion that spanned across the Pacific took place within arm's reach. The direction of China-US relations was set at both sides of the table in this meeting room, and it was also tied to the shared choice of over 1.7 billion people in both countries.

President Trump warmly opened the conversation: "It's a great honor to be with a friend of mine really for a long time, the very, very distinguished and respected president of China, and we will be having some discussions. I think we've already agreed to a lot of things and we'll agree to some more right now. But President Xi is a great leader of a great country and I think we're going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time and it's an honor to have you with us." 

The two largest economies in the world, with vastly different social systems and stages of development, need wisdom, foresight, vision and responsibility to find the right way to get along with each other.

President Xi addressed the issues with remarkable candor and wisdom, not shying away from problems:

"A few days ago, in the latest round of consultation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the economic and trade teams of the two countries reached basic consensus on addressing respective major concerns, which provided the necessary conditions for the meeting today. Given different national conditions, the two sides do not always see eye to eye with each other, and it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then."

He looked around the room, and his voice was calm and resolute: "In the face of winds, waves and challenges, the two leaders should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-US relations."

The strategic guidance of heads-of-state diplomacy is of vital importance. Whether the two countries see each other as rivals or partners is a fundamental and overarching question. Only by looking from afar can one see that the waves are small; only by soaring high can one realize that the sea is calm.

President Xi outlined China's position clearly: "China's development and revitalization goes hand in hand with President Trump's vision to 'Make America Great Again.' The two countries are fully able to help each other succeed and prosper together. China and the US should be partners and friends. That is what history has taught us and what reality needs."

Observers have praised China's strong response to the "tariff tsunami," noting that the country "remained calm, withstood the pressure, and earned respect."

What has shaped this sense of "calm"? It is the strategic determination rooted in standing on the side of historical righteousness, combined with the spiritual strength and confidence in development forged through history. President Xi spoke thoughtfully: "Over the past seven decades and more, we have been working from generation to generation on the same blueprint to make it a reality. We have no intention to challenge or supplant anyone. Our focus has always been on managing China's own affairs well, improving ourselves, and sharing development opportunities with all countries across the world. This is an important secret to China's success." 

On one side lies the need for cooperation and opportunities of mutual benefit, while on the other side is the escalation of friction and the risk of confrontation, creating a noticeable gap in economic globalization. Concerning the economic and trade issues that are of significant interest to the international community, President Xi, with a strategic vision of "When important things are addressed first, secondary issues will not be difficult to settle," urged "to inject confidence into the two countries as well as the global economy through solid deliverables."

He said, "economic and trade interactions should remain ballast and driver of ties, not obstacles or sources of conflict. Both sides should focus on long-term benefits brought by cooperation rather than falling into vicious cycle of retaliation."

The US and China have always had a fantastic relationship, and it will be even better, responded Trump, voicing his hope for an even better future for both China and the US.

"Once the major principles are established, other issues become easier to handle." The list of cooperation between China and the US can continuously grow longer. Addressing the challenges faced by human society requires the cooperation of major countries.

In this regard, President Xi emphasized: "China and the US can jointly shoulder our responsibility as major countries, and work together to accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of our two countries and the whole world.

President Trump agreed, saying that China is the biggest partner of the US, and with joint efforts, the two countries can get many great things done for the world and have many years of success.

President Trump also looked forward to visiting China early next year, and invited President Xi to visit the US.

In the future, how will China-US relations and the world in 2025 be described?

This chapter has been marked by sweeping global economic and trade frictions, but what is more historically significant is the recalibration and redrawing of China-US relations at a critical moment. Mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation - China's advocacy shines even brighter through the stormy challenges, highlighting its guiding value.

"Dialogue is better than confrontation." This quote from President Xi may be the most vivid reflection of the over 100-minute meeting.

By the time the meeting ended, it was nearly 1 pm local time. The two heads of state walked out of the VIP room with ease. Amid the sound of camera shutters, President Trump cheerfully said it was an "amazing meeting" and a "great success." He then whispered a few words to President Xi.

A Hongqi limousine was parked below the steps. The next moment surprised the on-site reporters: President Trump walked President Xi to the car, bidding him farewell once again.

The road ahead is long. Despite many uncertainties, history has recorded this moment:

Three hours after the meeting, the joint announcement of the outcomes of China-US economic and trade consultations in Kuala Lumpur was made. Words like "suspend implementation" and "properly resolve" are setting the trajectory of China-US relations and even the global economy on a new course. 

US Senate Votes to Eliminate Trump's Global Tariffs

By Xinhua

Oct 31, 2025 01:03 PM

US Senate voted 51-47 on Thursday to eliminate the national emergency cited by US President Donald Trump to impose global tariffs in early April.

The votes are symbolic as the U.S. House has passed a rule against legislation to block Trump's tariffs through March, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

While most Republicans voted against the measure, four Republicans joined Democrats to vote for the ending of the national emergency.

Earlier this week, the Senate, with bipartisan support, has passed two other resolutions aimed to eliminate duties on goods from Canada and Brazil, respectively.

This indicates that more U.S. lawmakers are disagreeing with the Trump administration's aggressive use of tariffs to reshape U.S. trade relationships, said The Washington Post.

Declaring an international emergency over the "large and persistent trade deficit" in international trade relationships, Trump imposed a 10-percent tariff on all countries and additional "reciprocal" tariffs on countries that had the largest trade imbalances with the United States in early April.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hold a hearing on Trump's tariff on Nov. 5. Two lower courts ruled Trump's tariff illegal and Trump has appealed the case to the Supreme Court.

The United States has collected about 88 billion U.S. dollars in tax revenue from the tariffs through August, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Tax Foundation estimates that tariffs are expected to increase taxes by more than 1,600 dollars per household annually and shrink the gross domestic product by 0.5 percent over the next decade.

Mali Fuel Blockade Worsens Amid Restructuring of Mining Industry

Rebel offensive against the military government has resulted in severe petroleum shortages while the country has cancelled more than 90 contracts with extractive foreign firms

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Thursday October 30, 2025

Geoeconomic Analysis

In the resource-rich West African state of Mali thousands are lining up daily in the capital of Bamako to purchase what limited amount of petroleum which remains inside the country.

Over the last nearly decade-and-a-half, various insurgent groups have launched attacks in the northern and central regions of the former French colony which gained its national independence in 1960.

A self-described Islamist grouping, JNIM, appears to be the most formidable of the rebel organizations. Reports indicate that JNIM is affiliated with al-Qaida. Nearly all of the rebel groups in the Sahel region of West Africa follow the same pattern of claiming representation for Islam while focusing completely upon the destruction of property and the destabilization of various types of governments on the continent. 

Since 2020, the military government in Mali headed by Transitional President Assimi Goita, has publicly rebuked the role of France and other western imperialist states in Africa. This same political trajectory has spread to the neighboring states of Burkina Faso and Niger. In late 2023, the Liptako-Gourma Charter was signed creating the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Since this time period, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which had expelled all of the AES members for purported violations of the prohibition on the seizure of power through military means, invited all three contiguous states back into the regional fold. The AES refused and have maintained their independent position related to cooperation with the Russian Federation and commitment to economic restructuring. 

Regional Security and the Economic Blockade

Consequently, the links between the imperialist states and their surrogates should be considered in the latest security crisis in Mali. During mid-2024 a diplomatic row between Mali and Ukraine occurred after information was revealed that Kyiv was assisting the armed rebels fighting against the government. Senegal, which is not a member of the AES, also condemned Ukraine for their involvement in destabilizing the Malian administration. (https://apnews.com/article/mali-ukraine-wagner-junta-embassy-rebel-russia-senegal-a471c7332369d154af57ad0816fb3504)

The AES alliance has developed close relations with the Russian Federation. Joint gatherings including summit meetings in Russia have taken place. This relationship includes security cooperation between Moscow and the AES nations. 

Western imperialist military operations in West Africa accelerated during the rise of jihadist violence in the region. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) along with Operation Barkhane led by France, sought to cultivate partnerships between African states and their military forces. 

Yet, these joint military training exercises did nothing to enhance the security apparatus of the Sahel states. The lack of progress in the efforts to defeat the jihadists rebels compounded by an economic crisis which is characteristic of modern-day neo-colonialism, inevitably created the conditions for military coups. 

A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report issued on October 26 said of the situation in Mali:

“Mali has suspended schools and universities nationwide due to a severe fuel scarcity caused by a blockade on fuel imports imposed by Islamist insurgents. Education Minister Amadou Sy Savane announced on state television that all education institutions would remain shut until 9 November, saying the movement of staff and students had been affected by the blockade. He said the authorities were ‘doing everything possible’ to end the crisis so that classes could resume on 10 November. For weeks, Mali has been hit by a fuel shortage, especially in the capital Bamako, after militants from an al-Qaeda affiliate imposed a blockade by attacking tankers on major highways.” (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2w0zpew0ko)

Adding to the sense of insecurity in Mali is an advisory issued by the U.S. State Department calling for all of its citizens to leave the country immediately. According to news reports, all non-essential personnel at the U.S. embassy have been evacuated. 

The State Department tone indicated serious danger for the Malian government:

“The US embassy in Mali urged American citizens Tuesday to ‘depart immediately’ as a fuel blockade by jihadists who are battling the country's military-run government renders daily life increasingly dangerous. Since September, al Qaeda-linked fighters have targeted fuel tankers, particularly those coming from Senegal and Ivory Coast, through which the majority of Mali's imported goods transit. The jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, known by its Arabic acronym JNIM, have recently appeared to be seeking to isolate the capital Bamako by increasing operations on the surrounding roads.” (https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20251028-us-embassy-urges-citizens-in-mali-to-depart-immediately-amid-fuel-blockade)

It is quite interesting that the U.S. State Department would issue such an advisory in the aftermath of meetings between Malian officials and the Trump administration earlier in the year. There were reports that the White House wanted to open talks on exchanging security assistance for U.S. access to Malian resources. 

In other discussions and even agreements signed with African states, these initiatives by the Trump administration have not resulted in any economic advancement or social stability in conflict areas. At the same time, the administration has coaxed a small number of African states to accept deported migrants illegally removed from the U.S. to satisfy its own racist and xenophobic political base.

One publication following the interactions between Washington and Bamako stated in a recent article that:

“Two midlevel United States officials visited Bamako in July to explore cooperation in fighting Mali’s 13-year jihadist insurgency in return for access to the Sahel country’s gold and lithium.

The officials — Rudy Atallah, deputy senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, and William Stevens, deputy assistant secretary of state for West Africa — made separate visits to Bamako, the capital, in a sign that US-Mali relations, which soured four years ago after a military coup led by Col. Assimi Goïta, could be thawing under the administration of President Donald Trump. Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop hosted meetings with both US envoys. ‘We discussed the fight against armed terrorist groups supported by foreign state sponsors,’ he said on X after his talks with Stevens on July 21. Also on the agenda, he said, were ‘prospects for economic cooperation, including through private American investment in Mali, thanks to the improvement of our country’s business climate’.” (https://passblue.com/2025/08/04/us-may-offer-mali-counterterrorism-help-in-exchange-for-minerals/)

These events shed light on the present situation in Mali and the imperatives of improving national security while restructuring the economy. All three of the AES states are landlocked therefore providing formidable challenges to independent planning and development.

90 Mining Contracts Cancelled

Mali is attempting to restructure its mining industry in a manner which is more beneficial to the people of the country. In late October, the military government announced the annulment of 90 contracts with various firms based outside the country. 

Barrick, one of the largest gold and copper mining firms in the world, was forced to suspend its operations in Mali during early 2025. There were disputes between the corporation and the Malian government over the amount of taxes paid and what was said to be misconduct by Barrick executives, several of whom remain in detention. 

Several of the largest investors in recent years for Barrick are financial entities based in the U.S. such as Black Rock and Berkshire Hathaway. Under the previous agreement, the Malian government says it did not receive adequate compensation for its part ownership in the mining operations. In recent weeks there was an announcement about an additional investor in Malian mining.

Business Insider Africa in an article published on October 9 noted:

“The United States-based Flagship Gold Corp. has entered into a strategic partnership with Mali’s state-owned Mineral Resources Research and Exploitation Company (SOREM) to restart production at the Morila gold mine, marking the first American investment under the junta-led nation’s new mining code. Following confirmation by Mali’s military-led government, Reuters reported that the agreement, finalized on October 8, 2025, allows Flagship Gold Corp. to acquire equity in Morila SA and contribute capital and technical expertise to resume production at one of Mali’s most significant gold mines. The deal comes after the government’s June 2025 takeover of the mine, which involved purchasing an 80 percent stake from Australia’s Firefinch Limited for a symbolic one U.S. dollar.” (https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/mali-secures-first-us-mining-investment-restarting-historic-gold-mine-after/hz7rnw9)

Reviewing these mining deals which are in transition reveals the degree to which international finance capital maintains its grip on African resources. Until the African workers, farmers and youth can adequately benefit from the mining and export of its resources the masses of people will remain impoverished. 

This lack of control over its own resources makes the government in Mali and the AES as a whole quite vulnerable to imperialist manipulation and destabilization. Therefore, the national security of Mali is essential in building a stable and resilient society.  

Legal Challenges to Third Country Deportations of Africans Continue

Ghanaian civil society organization files lawsuit against the government of President John Mahama saying the acceptance of United States deportees violates constitution while Liberia says it is considering accepting Kilmar Abrego Garcia who is fighting illegal removal

By Abayomi Azikiwe

Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Tuesday October 28, 2025

Political Review

United States President Donald Trump has been persistent in deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and National Guard troops to various regions of the country to arrest, detain and deport migrants.

Most of these deportations are deliberately targeting people from the Caribbean-Latin America, Asia and Africa for harassment and removals.

All of these efforts are aimed at terrorizing people of color communities and reducing their numbers in the U.S. Trump’s mantra of “making America great again” is clearly based on a determination to enhance the demographic status of European Americans while furthering the level of institutional racism and national oppression. 

To rapidly facilitate the “cleansing” of the U.S., the MAGA Republicans who control the White House, House of Representatives and the Senate are upholding the illegal efforts of the Trump administration. By denying the right to due process under constitutional law, the administration has set the stage for the violation of the basic civil and human rights of all people living in the U.S. irrespective of their immigration status.

Since the inauguration of Trump, almost daily there are new initiatives to create greater instability and insecurity among the population. In Los Angeles, where the National Guard under federal control was first deployed, Marines were also sent into the city for several weeks. 

Militarization of the urban areas serves as a backdrop to the worsening crisis. Tariffs and mass layoffs of government employees are weakening the socioeconomic status of working and oppressed peoples in the U.S. 

Ghanaian Human Rights Organization Files Lawsuit to Halt Secret Migrant Deportation Deal with the U.S.

During the month of September, the Republic of Ghana government of President John Mahama was exposed for collaborating with the Trump administration in its efforts to subvert U.S. and international law by denying due process and deporting migrants to third countries. With its stated objectives of removing at least 11 million people from the U.S., select member-states of the African Union (AU) are being targeted for these illegal deportations. 

The coercive mechanisms being utilized by the White House is part and parcel of its tariffs policy which penalizes states for trading with the U.S. Tariffs which exceed 100% have been leveled at the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the second largest economy in the world. In regard to AU member-states which represent an estimated 1.4 billion Africans, some governments have been subjected to tariffs as high as 50%. 

Moreover, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provided some duty-free imports to the U.S. from production facilities on the continent, has been defunded by the current MAGA-dominated Congress. Textile factories in Lesotho which exported their products to the U.S. have laid off tens of thousands of workers. 

With specific reference to Ghana in West Africa, President Mahama has stated that the raising of visa fees for nationals entering the U.S. was a factor in negotiating the secret deal with the Trump administration. Yet, the character of the migrant deportations, their treatment by federal agents of the U.S. and the failure to be transparent with the people of Ghana, Africa and the world has not been addressed by Mahama and his administration. 

The African migrants were transported from the detention facilities in the U.S. without being told their destinations. Some were placed in straight jackets while the detainees were only feed bread and water. After being dropped at a military camp in Ghana, there was disinformation over the whereabouts of the migrants. 

Their attorneys in the U.S. filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government for violating the due process rights of those deported to Ghana. The courts noted the violation of U.S. laws governing deportation, the judge in the case however said they did not have the authority to return those illegally removed. 

In a most recent development in Ghana, the Democracy Hub organization has filed a case against the government’s secret deal with the Trump administration noting that the arrangement violates the national constitution as well as international law. The Ghana Supreme Court has ordered the Attorney General to respond to the claim filed by Democracy Hub within two weeks from October 27.

One source on the Democracy Hub case filed in Ghana’s highest court says:

“The group’s lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, said that with the arrival of 14 new deportees on Monday, the total number of migrants sent from the US to Ghana has reached 42. Since July, the US has deported several migrants convicted of serious crimes—including murder and child abuse—to African countries such as South Sudan, Rwanda, and Ghana. Democracy Hub criticized the arrangement as lacking transparency, saying deportees are being sent to third countries where they have no ties and are deprived of their right to due process. US President Donald Trump is known for his anti-immigration policies, which have focused on tightening border controls, limiting legal immigration, and increasing deportations. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order repealing the ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ initiatives introduced under his predecessor, Joe Biden. He later announced the termination of the ‘CBP One’ program, which had allowed migrants to apply for legal entry into the US.” (https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/ghana-government-faces-lawsuit-over-deal-to-accept-migrant-deportees-from-us/3717615)

These events illustrate clearly the political and economic vulnerability of African states in their dealing with the imperialist countries. The Ghana government has been left with the indefensible task of legally justifying its arrangement with the Trump administration which it cannot provide sound legal arguments before the Supreme Court of the country.

Other African States Targeted

There are other African states which are known to have agreed to accept third-country migrants deported from the U.S. These states include South Sudan, Rwanda, Eswatini, and most recently the Republic of Liberia in West Africa. News reports indicate that the government in Liberia has agreed to accept Sheetmetal Workers Union apprentice Kilmar Abrego Garcia who earlier was deported to a notorious maximum-security prison in El Salvador.

It would take a national campaign involving his trade union leadership, assistance from a U.S. Senator and thousands of community activists to have him released and sent back to his family. He has been detained periodically and threatened with spurious criminal charges. 

A report published by Africa News emphasized statements by a U.S. court judge on October 27:

“A United States federal judge on Monday requested assurances that officials would not deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia while an injunction barring his removal from the US is in place. Last week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a notice of its plan to send the Salvadoran national to Liberia, the latest in a series of possible African destinations. Abrego Garcia entered the US illegally as a teenager in 2011 after fleeing gang violence in his home country and is married to an American with whom he has children. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from being deported to El Salvador, saying he faced a ‘well-founded fear’ of violence from a gang that targeted his family.” (https://www.africanews.com/2025/10/28/us-judge-tries-to-block-deportation-of-salvadorian-native-to-liberia/)

In the Southern African kingdom of Eswatini, a Cuban deported from the U.S. has engaged in a hunger strike to protest his presence in a maximum-security prison without access to legal counsel. Although there are corporate media reports that the migrant is a dangerous criminal, the U.S. or Eswatini has no right to hold him incommunicado for weeks with no right to due process.

In a publication which covers Latin America, its notes of the current situation in Eswatini that:

“A Cuban man deported to the African nation of Eswatini earlier this year has begun a hunger strike to protest his detention at a maximum-security prison. Roberto Mosquera del Peral was among five people sent to the African country earlier this month. He is being kept at the prison along with his fellow deportees and ten others removed also in October. His lawyer, Alma David, told Reuters that his client is ‘arbitrarily detained and now his life is on the line.’ She added that the strike began a week ago, on October 15.” (https://www.latintimes.com/cuban-man-deported-eswatini-begins-hunger-strike-supermax-prison-life-line-590829)

These African states should be condemned by the AU Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for their violation of the continental charter and international law. Trump’s policies domestically and internationally have had disastrous consequences on African and other peoples of the Global South over the last nine months. 

People in the U.S. demonstrating in their millions against the denial of fundamental civil and human rights must include the struggle of migrants for just treatment by the courts and the administration in Washington. The plight of the Palestinians, the people of Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine and Africa are all being used in an attempt by the current U.S. administration to reassert itself as the dominant imperialist state in the world. 

Fate of Thousands Feared in Darfur After Reported Rampage by Sudanese Paramilitary Force

By SARAH EL DEEB and FARNOUSH AMIRI

3:59 PM EDT, October 30, 2025

CAIRO (AP) — Sudanese fleeing a paramilitary force that seized a city in the country’s Darfur region trickled into a nearby refugee camp Thursday after walking for miles, telling aid workers that roads were littered with bodies. Aid groups feared for the fate of thousands more trying to escape, with hundreds reportedly killed in the turmoil.

The U.N. Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Sudan amid international alarm over the bloodshed. U.N. officials have warned of a rampage by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces after it took over the city of el-Fasher, reportedly killing more than 450 people in a hospital and carrying out ethnically targeted killings of civilians and sexual assaults.

Speaking at the meeting, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher criticized the Security Council for not acting sooner in Sudan. The country has been torn for the past two years by a war between the military and the RSF that has killed more than 40,000 people and left more than 14 million displaced.

“Can anyone here say we did not know this was coming?” he said. “We cannot hear the screams, but as we sit here today the horror is continuing. Women and girls are being raped, people being mutilated and killed with utter impunity.”

As the U.S. and others at the gathering called for an end to “external support” for the warring parties, Sudan’s representative accused the United Arab Emirates, a top American ally, of backing the RSF. The Gulf nation has denied reports it provides weapons and funding to the paramilitary forces. A U.N. panel of experts in 2024 said it found the reports credible.

The RSF had been besieging el-Fasher, the last military-held stronghold in the Darfur region, for the past 500 days. Its capture raises fears that Africa’s third-largest nation may split, with the paramilitaries holding Darfur and the military holding the capital Khartoum and the north and east of the country.

A terrifying escape

The U.N. migration agency said over 36,000 have reportedly fled el-Fasher since Sunday, with people fleeing on foot in the middle of the night. Experts analyzing satellite imagery say an earthen wall built by the RSF around the city is preventing residents from fleeing and has become a “kill box” where some appear to have been shot.

Only thousands have arrived at Tawila, a town some 60 kilometers (35 miles) west of el-Fasher. Tawila has already burgeoned into a sprawling refugee camp housing hundreds of thousands who fled the RSF’s siege of el-Fasher over the past year.

Mathilde Vu, advocacy manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council, which manages the camp, said the small number reaching Tawila “should be a concern for all of us ... That tells the horror of the journey.”

The new arrivals told aid workers that there were arbitrary killings by RSF along the roads, which were littered with bodies, the International Rescue Committee said. Save the Children said arriving women described hiding with their children in trenches or abandoned buildings inside el-Fasher to escape fighters, then being attacked and robbed by armed men as they left the city.

Vu said the vast majority of those arriving in Tawila are women, or families headed by women, as well as large numbers of children separated from their parents. Some among the arrivals were injured, many were malnourished.

Some women reported rapes as they fled, Vu said.

“Men are just not arriving. Either they were killed, disappeared or lost along the way,” she said.

In Tawila, the newly displaced sheltered under trees. One woman, Aisha Ismael, said she arrived barefoot with none of her belongings amid constant drone attacks and shelling. People foraged for livestock fodder known as ambaz, which is made from peanut shells and water, because they were so hungry.

“We looked for it in the dirt to eat and they didn’t even let us. If they catch us, they hit us and throw it away,” she said.

Reports of killings in el-Fasher

Disrupted communications around el-Fasher has made assessing the devastation inside the city difficult. Witnesses told The Associated Press that RSF fighters went from house to house, beating and shooting people, including women and children.

Some 460 patients and their companions were reportedly killed Tuesday at the Saudi Hospital in el-Fasher, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization. The AP has not been able to independently confirm the hospital attack and death toll.

The RSF on Thursday denied carrying out killings at the hospital. It said it had arrested a number of individuals accused of committing violations during the seizure of el-Fasher.

The Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab said satellite imagery from Airbus corroborated alleged killings by the RSF around the Saudi Hospital. It also analyzed images of a children’s hospital that the RSF turned into a detention center months ago and found “a pile consistent with human remains” in the yard.

“We think those are people who were killed at the detention center,” the lab’s executive director Nathaniel Raymond said.

The Yale researchers also said that “systematic killings” took place in the vicinity of the earthen wall, which the RSF built outside the city earlier this year.

“The entire city is surrounded by a berm. It is a kill box, to trap them, to kill them,” said Raymond.

External support

At the Security Council gathering, U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea condemned “the horrific violence occurring in el-Fasher.” She repeated Washington’s stance that the RSF and its allied militias have committed genocide in Sudan.

She said American officials are working to secure “an immediate humanitarian truce and halting external support” for the violence in Sudan.

The military — which opponents say is linked to Sudanese Islamist groups — and the RSF were previously allies in ruling Sudan, until they fell out in a struggle for power in 2003. Both sides have faced allegations of human rights abuses.

But rights groups and the United Nations have accused the RSF and allied Arab militias of repeated mass killings of civilians and widespread rapes, mainly targeting non-Arab communities. The RSF is largely made up of fighters from the Janjaweed militia that committed genocide in the early 2000s in Darfur.

Egypt, where the military dominates the government, gives political backing to the Sudanese military, seeing it as a more reliable ally in the neighboring nation.

The UAE is reported to back the RSF, similar to its support of armed factions in Libya and Yemen to spread its influence and combat Islamist groups. It has repeatedly denied allegations that it funnels weapons to the RSF. But in January 2024, the U.N.-appointed Panel of Experts for Sudan detailed reports of cargo planes believed to carry weapons destined for the RSF through neighboring Chad and called the reports credible.

During Thursday’s session, the UAE’s representative to the U.N., Mohamed Abushahab, said the Gulf state stands in “solidarity” with the Sudanese people and announced $100 million in humanitarian aid.

Sudan’s U.N. Ambassador Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed accused the UAE of waging a “war of aggression” in Sudan with its support of the RSF and criticized the Security Council for failing to take “any practical measures to hold this particular sponsor and others accountable.”

___

Amiri reported from the United Nations. AP correspondents Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Toqa Ezzidine in Cairo, and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Citing AP Investigation, Senators Demand Answers on Use of Full-body Restraints During Deportations

By JIM MUSTIAN and JASON DEAREN

8:45 PM EDT, October 30, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — A “near-total secrecy” surrounding deportation flights and the use of full-body restraints onboard is raising “serious human rights concerns,” a group of 11 Democratic U.S. senators wrote in a letter Thursday to top immigration officials.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland called upon U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to provide a full accounting of its air operations and to stop using the black and yellow restraints known as the WRAP until the agency explains its policies for the device and resolves other questions about its use on immigration detainees.

“I think it’s very problematic,” Van Hollen told The Associated Press. “They want to keep the public in the dark.”

The senators’ letter cites an AP investigation this month that revealed several examples of ICE using the device on people — sometimes for hours — on deportation flights dating to 2020. Van Hollen was joined by U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Alex Padilla of California, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, and six others.

The WRAP is the subject of several federal lawsuits likening incorrect usage of the device to punishment and even torture. Advocates have expressed concern that ICE is not tracking the WRAP’s use as required by federal law when officers use force, making it difficult to discern exactly how many people are being subjected to the restraints.

“When an organization like DHS doesn’t want transparency, it’s because they don’t want people to know what they’re doing,” Van Hollen said, referring to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency.

In addition to the letter, U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., told AP in a statement that she is working on a bill to rein in the agency’s use of the WRAP.

“ICE’s use of full-body restraints to immobilize detained individuals raises serious concerns about the safety, dignity, and human rights of those under their jurisdiction,” Ramirez said.

DHS has not answered detailed questions from the AP about the use of the WRAP and did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin previously said that ICE’s practices “align with those followed by other relevant authorities and is fully in line with established legal standards.”

The manufacturer of the WRAP, Safe Restraints Inc., said in a statement to AP that the device “was specifically designed to prevent pain and injury.”

“Our priority is preserving life and preventing harm,” the company said. “We strongly oppose any misuse or untrained use of this equipment.”

The AP found that DHS has paid Safe Restraints Inc. $268,523 since it started purchasing the devices in late 2015, during the Obama administration. Government purchasing records show the two Trump administrations have been responsible for about 91% of that spending.

ICE would not provide AP with records documenting its use of the WRAP despite multiple requests, and it’s not clear how frequently it has been used in the current and prior administrations.

In addition to reporting on ICE’s use of the device, the AP identified a dozen fatal cases in the last decade where local police or jailers around the U.S. used the WRAP and autopsies determined “restraint” played a role in the death.

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Contact AP’s global investigative team at investigative@ap.org. For secure and confidential communications, use the free Signal app +1 (202) 281-8604.

“The brutal, inhumane tactics of ICE continue to jeopardize people’s lives across the country,” Ramirez said. “ICE is acting outside of oversight or accountability. That can’t go on.”

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Mustian reported from Washington and New York and Dearen reported from Los Angeles.

Keith Shiri on Curating Connection: Inside Film Africa 2025’s Bold New Vision

October 25, 2025

By Adonis Byemelwa

Few figures have shaped the global narrative of African cinema quite like Keith Shiri. With his instinct for storytelling that bridges continents and generations, Shiri continues to champion voices that challenge, inspire, and reimagine what African film can be. As the Lead Curator of Film Africa 2025, he stands at the heart of a movement that celebrates both the legacy and the evolution of African storytelling.

It’s a festival that pulses with life, where tradition meets experimentation, and where the screen becomes a space of dialogue, identity, and imagination. Somewhere between the creative bustle of London and the cinematic rhythms of the continent, Pan African Visions.

Bureau Chief in Tanzania caught up with Shiri for a candid conversation about vision, purpose, and the art of curation.

What follows is a deeply personal reflection on the thinking behind this year’s festival, one that reminds us that cinema is not just about what we see, but how we connect, remember, and dream together.

As the lead curator, you’re the architect of the festival’s voice. What was your guiding vision in putting together this year’s program ?

This year’s programme is about reimagining Africa’s cinematic landscape through a lens of connection, between histories, geographies, and generations. We wanted to showcase how filmmakers are confronting urgent questions around ecology, migration, and identity with both aesthetic daring and cultural rootedness. It’s about positioning African cinema not on the periphery, but at the centre of a global conversation on art and humanity.

The DRC Spotlight feels both timely and bold. What kind of creativity is coming out of Congolese cinema right now that you felt the world needed to see ?

Congolese cinema is experiencing a thrilling transformation; it’s politically conscious, visually experimental, and deeply personal. Filmmakers like Sammy Baloji and others are blending documentary, performance, and installation to reinterpret the DRC’s layered histories. What’s happening now is a reclamation. Congolese artists are telling their own stories, reframing the gaze, and redefining how the world perceives them.

Souleymane Cissé redefined African cinema for generations. How did you approach curating a tribute that captures both his artistic genius and his continuing influence ?

Cissé’s cinema reminds us that African storytelling can be mythic yet modern, deeply philosophical yet profoundly human. Our tribute sought to honour his artistic mastery while spotlighting younger filmmakers who embody his spirit, those who see film as a tool for introspection and liberation. It’s a celebration not just of Cissé’s legacy, but of how his ideas continue to ripple through new voices across the continent.

Film Africa balances legends like Kunle Afolayan with emerging filmmakers. How do you strike that balance between honoring the past and embracing new directions ?

For me, it’s never about choosing between tradition and innovation — it’s about the dialogue between them. The festival thrives on those intergenerational exchanges. Established auteurs ground us in the craft, discipline, and lineage of African cinema, while emerging voices challenge form and expectation. When these worlds meet onscreen, something electric happens. The conversation becomes both a reflection of our heritage and a vision of where we’re heading.

African films are increasingly finding space on Netflix and other global platforms. From your vantage point, how is this changing the way African stories are told and received ?

Streaming platforms have undeniably amplified visibility, but they also reshape creative expectations. It’s encouraging to see African films reaching vast audiences, yet the real challenge lies in preserving creative autonomy. Progress isn’t just about access, it’s about control. African filmmakers must set their own narrative terms, not adapt to algorithms. The goal is to define our cinematic language, not dilute it for global consumption.

London has become a vital meeting point for African culture and the world. How does the city itself shape the identity and impact of Film Africa?

London is a city of crossings, a place where cultures collide and converge. That energy defines Film Africa. The city’s diasporic heartbeat allows African stories to echo across generations and continents. Here, the festival becomes more than a showcase; it’s a bridge. London’s diversity gives Film Africa the power to connect, to amplify, and to foster dialogue between Africa and its global communities most naturally and dynamically.

Presenting African cinema to global audiences can be both challenging and rewarding. What have been some of your biggest curatorial surprises or lessons in that journey?

One lesson that continues to resonate is that audiences crave authenticity and complexity. The more specific a story feels, the more universally it connects. Films we once worried might be “too local” often spark the deepest emotional engagement. The real surprise has been discovering just how powerfully African cinema speaks when it refuses to simplify or translate itself. The truth of our stories, told unapologetically, is what ultimately transcends borders.