West African republic, small, with a complex post-colonial path
Russia has launched overnight strikes on Ukraine’s Izmail port infrastructure along the Danube, injuring civilians and damaging a Togo-flagged vessel. Ukraine and Russia report targeting military cargo in the port area; attacks follow a broader wave of drone and missile activity across the region.
French journalists Gaël Mocaër and Sebastián Perez Pezzani, with Togolese fixer Fred Vedomey, remain in pre-trial detention in Lomé after being arrested on July 27 in Kara while filming a documentary. Authorities allege missing permits and drone use; supporters say permits were obtained and the case is a press-freedom concern.
The DR Congo government and M23 rebels have agreed on a roadmap for peace talks, backed by international mediators, to implement the Doha Framework. A ceasefire verification mission is set to monitor violations as fighting persists in North and South Kivu, with concerns over sanctions, detainees and political reforms.
The UN General Assembly has endorsed a non-binding move to shift from the Mercator projection to the Equal Earth map to better reflect continental sizes. The vote saw 164 members in favour with the United States abstaining or opposing; several countries express concerns about disputed territories and implications for regional shading.
The United Nations has endorsed a shift toward the Equal Earth projection, encouraging adoption over the Mercator map. The resolution, supported by 164 countries, stops short of mandating change but calls for broader use in education, media and policy discussions. The United States opposes the move, with concerns over disputed territories.
The UN General Assembly has voted 164–1 to encourage use of equal-area map projections, led by Togo and backed by the African Union. The non-binding resolution recommends the Equal Earth projection for schools, governments and tech companies. The United States cast the sole vote against; six states abstained.
Leeds Crown Court has convicted two men, Baqa Haider and Nathan Rivers, for their roles in an "industrial scale" scheme that processed criminal cash into gold and exported it with fake invoices. Haider has been jailed for six years; Rivers has received a 27‑month suspended sentence and a curfew. Police are still seeking three men sentenced in absence.
The Iranian government has mobilised civilians to receive limited military training alongside the IRGC and Basij as part of the Janfada campaign. State media report hundreds of thousands have registered in Tehran, with authorities claiming up to 1 million participants. Demonstrations and displays of weaponry signal broad state messaging of national unity amid economic strain and ongoing conflict.
Multiple cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have been struck by unknown projectiles, causing fires and injuries. UKMTO and local authorities are coordinating evacuations as the incidents raise security concerns for regional shipping routes and global trade.
Aleksandar Vucic has resigned the presidency and has launched a campaign to lead the Serbian Progressive Party into snap parliamentary elections on Oct. 25. A student-led movement born from a deadly 2024 Novi Sad station canopy collapse is contesting the vote. Overseas voting rules and limited polling stations abroad have sparked complaints from the opposition.
Bularia has reported that sea and aerial drones have attacked two merchant vessels 70–80 nautical miles off its eastern coast, sinking the Togolese‑flagged Alfa Watan and setting the Palau‑flagged Able on fire. Eighteen crew from the Able have been rescued, two are hospitalized; the fate of the Alfa Watan crew remains unknown. The strikes follow a separate grain‑ship fire off Romania a day earlier that Ukraine blamed on Russian drones.
Drone strikes near Bulgaria's coast have hit two commercial vessels, with one sinking and 11 crew missing. Bulgaria and NATO call for support while EU leaders condemn the attacks and call for accountability as the Black Sea becomes a new front in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The UK has threatened a total visa ban on Eritrean nationals unless Eritrea accepts the return of people the UK says have no right to remain, including foreign national offenders. Ministers have already suspended fast-track visas for Eritrean VIPs and restricted diplomats' travel outside London. Eritrea has refused to engage under threat and says it will only discuss returns after proper dialogue.