Trump’s Gaza Plan Welcomed, But Doubts Remain
Maduro Expands Powers Amid US Tensions
Madagascar Dissolves Government After Protests
Xi Presses US To Oppose Taiwan Independence
Missile Hits Dutch Ship In Gulf Of Aden
US Shutdown Looms After Talks Stall
Expert Warns Sudan Risks Terror Hotbed
UN Turns 80 Amid Reform Demands
YouTube Settles Trump Lawsuit for $24.5m
China Sentences Myanmar Crime Family Members
On this day ….
On this day in 1949 the Berlin Airlift Ended
The Berlin Airlift ended after more than a year of Western supply flights that kept West Berlin alive during a Soviet blockade. Over two million tonnes of food, fuel and medicine were delivered, preventing the city from being starved into submission.
The airlift is often celebrated as a triumph of determination, but it also marked the moment when Berlin became locked into permanent confrontation — the symbolic prize neither side could afford to lose.
President Donald Trump has unveiled a 20-point plan intended to end the war in Gaza, backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and cautiously welcomed by Arab and Western governments.
The proposal calls for Hamas to return all Israeli hostages within 72 hours, a phased Israeli military withdrawal, and the handover of Gaza to a technocratic committee under the oversight of a temporary stabilisation force supported by Arab states. It also outlines large-scale humanitarian aid, prisoner exchanges, and the demilitarisation of Gaza under independent monitors.
The Palestinian Authority and a group of Arab states praised Trump’s “sincere efforts,” framing the plan as a step toward a two-state solution. France, Britain, Italy and Spain echoed that support, while Turkish and Pakistani leaders lauded his leadership. Yet scepticism persists.
Hamas has not responded, while the Palestinian Islamic Jihad dismissed the plan as a recipe for further conflict. Analysts argue Netanyahu retains wide discretion, with critics suggesting the proposal may serve more as a hostage deal than a path to peace.
Sources: Al Jazeera, ABC, CBS News
Venezuela’s vice president Delcy Rodriguez announced that President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree granting him additional security powers if the United States enters the country. The measure would allow nationwide mobilisation of the armed forces and give the military authority over public services and the oil industry. According to the constitution, the powers would run for 90 days and could be renewed for a further 90 days.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions after a US naval deployment in the Caribbean and recent strikes on boats Washington says carried illicit drugs from Venezuela. US officials are also drawing up options to hit alleged trafficking targets inside Venezuela, according to a media report.
Caracas has held training with volunteer militia members, and a government source said the decree had not yet been signed. The US State Department did not immediately comment.
Sources: France 24, Reuters
President Andry Rajoelina has dissolved Madagascar’s government following days of youth-led protests over persistent water and power cuts. The demonstrations, described as the most significant challenge since his re-election in 2023, have spread from the capital Antananarivo to other cities, with thousands of predominantly young people joining under the slogan “We want to live, not survive.”
The unrest has been met with a heavy security response, including tear gas, rubber bullets and a dusk-to-dawn curfew. The UN reported at least 22 people killed and more than 100 injured, attributing some deaths to excessive force and others to looting. Madagascar’s foreign ministry disputed those figures, calling them based on misinformation.
In a televised address, Rajoelina acknowledged public anger, apologised for government failures, and announced applications for a new prime minister would be received within three days. He said ministers would remain in post on an interim basis and promised dialogue with young people.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian
China has asked the United States to formally declare that it “opposes” Taiwan independence, according to reports citing people familiar with the discussions. The request, described as stronger than Washington’s long-standing language of “not supporting” independence, comes ahead of a planned meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in South Korea. The Trump administration has not yet made a decision, and officials say it is one of several demands under review.
Beijing has repeatedly raised the issue, arguing that upholding the “one China principle” requires explicit opposition to Taiwanese independence. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it continues to monitor Beijing’s narrative while maintaining close communication with Washington and partners.
US officials have stressed their commitment to the one-China policy and opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo. Any shift in wording would be seen as a diplomatic gain for Beijing and has prompted concern in Washington that Taiwan policy could become a bargaining chip in wider negotiations.
Sources: Bloomberg, News 18
A missile strike set the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht ablaze in the Gulf of Aden, wounding two crew and forcing an evacuation by helicopter, according to the owner. A European naval force said the vessel was “on fire and adrift,” and the French maritime centre identified Yemen’s Houthi movement as responsible. The rebels have not yet claimed the attack; the ship was unsuccessfully targeted on 23 September.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre urged caution after reports of a strike at sea. The incident widens the area of recent assaults, with the last recorded attack on a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden before this case occurring in August 2024.
Monitors said the Minervagracht had no Israeli affiliations. Houthi attacks over the past two years have upended Red Sea shipping, a route that previously carried about $1 trillion in goods annually, and have included ship sinkings with fatalities.
Sources: Associated Press, Times of Israel
A White House meeting between President Donald Trump and congressional leaders ended without a deal, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Senate leaders plan votes on competing proposals on Tuesday, but both are expected to fall short. Vice President JD Vance said he believed the country was “headed into a shutdown.”
Positions remain far apart. Republicans want the Senate to pass a House bill extending current funding until 21 November. Democrats are withholding support unless health care measures are added, including Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversals of earlier cuts.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump “seemed to understand” the scale of the health care issue, yet Republicans accused Democrats of “hostage-taking.” Meanwhile, guidance from the administration directed agencies to consider reductions in force during a shutdown, sharpening concerns over the consequences should funding lapse.
Sources: The Guardian, Washington Post
As Sudan’s war enters its third year, security expert Dr Essam Abbas warns the country is moving at an accelerated pace toward becoming a hotbed of terrorism and violent extremism if the fighting does not stop. He says devastation has spread beyond battlefields, with state authority eroding and security and administrative institutions collapsing, leaving areas effectively divided between army and Rapid Support Forces control.
Abbas cites drivers including decades of Islamist control from 1989 until their fall and their entry into the current war, extensive links with extremist groups, weak security institutions, weapons proliferation and inflammatory rhetoric.
Sudan’s geography further heightens risk: it overlooks the Red Sea, a key global trade waterway, and has more than 6,500km of open borders with unstable neighbours that facilitate movement of fighters and arms. He calls for urgent steps: stop the war, strengthen regional intelligence cooperation using modern technology, and launch comprehensive security sector reform.
Sources: Sudan Transparency, Dabanga Sudan
The United Nations marked its 80th anniversary with calls for sweeping reform. Secretary-General António Guterres warned that US-led aid cuts are “wreaking havoc” worldwide, but leaders also voiced deeper frustrations. US President Donald Trump mocked the organisation as ineffective, while Kenya’s President William Ruto said its very survival depends on reform. Other African leaders denounced the exclusion of the continent from the Security Council, branding the body a “structural failure”.
The anniversary debate highlighted enduring divisions. The Charter promises peace, sovereignty and human rights, yet critics say its principles are constantly violated. Leaders cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Israeli actions in Gaza and past wars such as Iraq as examples of impunity.
Proposals ranged from giving small island states a Council seat to placing limits on the veto. Supporters argue that, despite its flaws, the UN remains the most representative global forum — but only reform will preserve its credibility.
Sources: RFI, UN Press
YouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump and others after the platform suspended his account in the aftermath of the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack. Court filings show that $22 million will go to a trust linked to the construction of a White House ballroom, while the remaining $2.5 million will be distributed among other plaintiffs including the American Conservative Union and Naomi Wolf.
The settlement follows similar agreements Trump reached this year with Meta and X, which paid $25 million and $10 million respectively. Trump had accused the companies of unfairly silencing him at the end of his first term. YouTube restored his account in 2023, citing the importance of equal access to candidates.
Google, YouTube’s parent company, confirmed the settlement but declined further comment. The filing states the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability by YouTube.
Sources: Associated Press, ABC News
A Chinese court has sentenced 16 people linked to the Myanmar-based Ming family crime syndicate to death, with five given two-year reprieves that may be commuted to life imprisonment. Eleven others received life terms. The gang had built compounds in Myanmar’s Kokang region to run telecoms fraud, gambling, drug trafficking and prostitution operations worth more than $1.4 billion, often with backing from financial supporters.
The court found the syndicate had killed at least 14 people, including four Chinese nationals shot in October 2023 to prevent their repatriation. Authorities said the group relied on armed force and trafficked workers to staff large-scale scam centres.
The crackdown forms part of Beijing’s wider campaign against cross-border fraud that has also targeted gangs in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Since July 2023, more than 53,000 suspects have been handed over to China as part of joint enforcement efforts.