Latest news for 14 October 2025

MADAGASCAR

President missing.

President Rajoelina appears to have disappeared, hours after he warned of a coup amid reports of soldiers joining Madagascar’s anti-government protests. Word is the French government has now evacuated Rajoelina to a “safe place” — moments ago, he released a statement purporting to dissolve parliament. (BBC)Comment: And to think the protests only started three weeks ago! Things move fast in a power vacuum. The opposition wants to impeach Rajoelina for abandoning his post, while the (former?) president is accusing his enemies of an assassination plot.

CHINA

More tat.

Beijing has sanctioned five US units of South Korean shipping giant Hanwha Ocean Co., as the two rivals escalate their trade tit-for-tat. Shipping carries 80% of global trade, and both powers already target the other with port fees. (Bloomberg $)

Comment: Even if the US and China do manage to smooth things over in time for the vaunted Xi-Trump meeting at APEC in Korea later this month, it might only end up being to announce a de-escalation back to where we were a week ago.

UNITED STATES

Church crackdown.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China to release the ~30 leaders and staff of an underground church group arrested over the weekend. Only government-sanctioned churches are allowed in China. (NPR)

Comment: It doesn’t get a lot of media attention, but President Xi has ramped up pressure on Christians in China, likely seeing the faith’s rapid growth as a threat to his Communist Party’s grip on power. These latest arrests might’ve made more waves because the lead pastor (Ezra Jin) is US-educated and the father of US citizens.

GERMANY

Tank you very much.

The German armed forces have ordered 424 new armoured vehicles at $7B, with around half the spend going to US-based General Dynamics. A Dutch-German joint venture will supply the rest. (Reuters)

INDIA

Mending ties.

India is planning to reopen its embassy in Kabul, making it among the world’s first nations to revive formal ties with the Taliban. It’s one of the main announceables from the Taliban foreign minister’s visit to India this week. (India Today)

Comment: Interestingly, the Taliban foreign minister (Muttaqi) found himself at the centre of an Indian media firestorm after his embassy press conference barred women journalists — he quickly held a make-up presser with women. It’s a reminder that as his regime tries to re-engage with the world, it’ll only face more scrutiny.

BOLIVIA

Coca, not cola.

Bolivia is pushing to get the coca plant (where cocaine comes from) removed from the UN’s list of most dangerous drugs, with a formal review due by March. (NYT $)

Comment: Coca leaves themselves are a mild stimulant when chewed or brewed, with a long tradition across the Andean region. But the US and others have long resisted efforts to reclassify the plant, citing risks it’ll lead to more cocaine output.