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Guinea Prepares For Referendum On Constitution Allowing Junta Chief To Seek Presidency
Guinea will hold a constitutional referendum on Sunday that could open the door for junta leader Mamady Doumbouya to run for president. The proposed change marks a reversal from his earlier pledge, made after seizing power four years ago, that he would not contest future elections.
Wednesday is the final day of campaigning for the referendum, the latest attempt at a political transition in West and Central Africa, where eight coups between 2020 and 2023 reshaped the regional political landscape.
A transition charter adopted after the September 2021 coup said junta members would be barred from standing in the next national and local elections, but the new constitution does not include that language.
Doumbouya has not said what his plans are. His critics have criticised the referendum as a power grab.
Exiled opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo on Monday urged Guineans to boycott what he called a “masquerade”.
Diallo’s Union of Democratic Forces party is currently suspended, along with ousted President Alpha Conde’s Rally of the Guinean People, for failure to comply with administrative and financial disclosure requirements imposed by the junta. The parties have not been permitted to campaign against the new constitution.
Human Rights Watch has accused Doumbouya’s government of disappearing political opponents and arbitrarily suspending media outlets. The government has denied any role in disappearances but has vowed to investigate such allegations.
New Constitution
The government missed a December 31, 2024 deadline it set for a return to a civilian administration. The presidential election is currently expected to take place in December.
The new constitution would lengthen the presidential term from five years to seven, renewable once, and create a Senate. The president would directly appoint one-third of senators, with two-thirds selected by municipal and regional councils.
More than 6.7 million voters are registered, and the new constitution would be adopted if more than 50% of those voting approve it.
Ibrahima Camara, a civil servant, has changed his social media avatars to a picture featuring the word “Yes”, signalling his support.
“It’s the most clear-sighted choice,” he said. “We need a vote so Guinea can be governed by a constitution, a first step towards normalising the country.”
But in opposition strongholds, scepticism runs deep.
“I won’t vote because the process isn’t transparent,” said Abdoulaye Diallo, a resident of Hamdallaye, also in Conakry. “You can’t talk about voting in Guinea without the main parties. In the long run, this will create unnecessary tensions.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
Four Arrested Over Projection Of Trump And Epstein Images On Windsor Castle
British police on Tuesday arrested four people after images of U.S. President Donald Trump were projected next to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on the walls of Windsor Castle.
The projection took place ahead of Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, where King Charles is set to host him at the royal residence.
Trump arrived in Britain late on Tuesday for an unprecedented second state visit, and will be greeted by Charles on Wednesday for a day of pomp at Windsor Castle, about 25 miles west of London.
Earlier on Tuesday, protesters unfurled a massive banner featuring a photograph of Trump and Epstein near Windsor Castle, and later projected several images of the two onto one of the castle’s towers.
Protest Or ‘Public Stunt’?
The police said in a statement four adults were arrested on suspicion of malicious communications following an “unauthorised projection” at Windsor Castle, which they described as a “public stunt”. The four remain in custody.
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on September 8 made public a birthday letter Trump allegedly wrote to Epstein more than 20 years ago, though the White House has denied its authenticity.
The letter was also projected onto the castle, along with pictures of Epstein’s victims, news clips about the case and police reports.
The release of the letter has brought renewed attention to an issue that has become a political thorn in the president’s side.
Though he has urged his supporters to move on from the topic, appetite for details about Epstein’s crimes and who else may have known about them or been involved with him has remained high.
Trump was friends with Epstein before becoming president but had a falling out with the former financier years before his 2019 death in prison.
The birthday letter contained text of a purported dialogue between Trump and Epstein in which Trump calls him a “pal” and says, “May every day be another wonderful secret.” The text sits within a crude sketch of the silhouette of a naked woman.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Ukraine, US Pledge $75 Million Each For Joint Minerals Fund
In a fresh boost to strategic cooperation, Ukraine and the US International Development Finance Corporation will each contribute $75 million to a joint investment fund — a key component of the minerals deal first signed between Kyiv and Washington in April, officials announced on Wednesday.
“The US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has made a pilot commitment of $75 million, which Ukraine will match,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a statement.
DFC said the investment would support Ukraine’s reconstruction and economic recovery and strengthen US natural resource supply chains.
Svyrydenko said the initial focus would be on projects in energy, infrastructure, and critical minerals.
Preferential Access
Ukraine and the US signed the deal, which had been promoted by President Donald Trump, in April, giving the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals projects in exchange for investment.
The US has been Ukraine’s key military donor since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. But after Trump’s return to the White House this year, he has argued that the US should get something back for its aid to Kyiv.
Half of the revenue Ukraine earns from new mineral extraction under the deal would go to the fund, with profits split between Kyiv and Washington.
The government plans to implement three large-scale projects through the end of 2026.
Scouting For Projects
“American partners are paying particular attention to gas projects,” said Economy Minister Oleksiy Sobolev, adding that such projects could be implemented quicker compared with minerals exploration.
DFC’s team was in Ukraine this month, scouting for projects. The delegation was in the central Kirovohrad region, visiting sites with deposits of titanium and zirconium ore, Sobolev said.
Ukraine has deposits of 22 of the 34 minerals considered critical by the EU for industries such as defence, high-tech appliances and green energy. It also possesses ferro alloys needed by the steel industry, non-ferrous metals used in construction, and some rare earth elements.
(With inputs from Reuters)
India, Venezuela Ink Pilot Digital Partnership Projects
India and Venezuela have agreed to jointly launch pilot projects in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) across health, education, agriculture, and digital payments. The agreement followed the visit of Venezuelan Vice Minister for Information and Communication Technologies, Raul Hernandez, to India.
The decision was formalized during Hernandez’s meeting with Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, P. Kumaran, on September 16. The talks centered on adapting India’s scalable DPI platforms—such as Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and Unified Payments Interface (UPI)—to Venezuela’s domestic development needs. The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in capacity building and technical training, particularly in Artificial Intelligence, digital governance, and citizen services.
Hernandez’s visit marked a follow-up to the India Stack Agreement signed in February 2025, underlining Venezuela’s interest in India’s digital governance ecosystem. He also engaged with key Indian institutions including UIDAI, the National Institute for Smart Governance (NISG), NeGD, AI BHASHINI, and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Venezuela has shown particular interest in deploying DigiLocker to digitize public records and streamline citizen services, and in exploring Aadhaar-based identity systems to improve public sector efficiency. As part of the new roadmap, Indian experts may help design localized versions of AgriStack and HealthStack, tailored to Venezuelan conditions.
“The focus on digital cooperation reflects both countries’ commitment to inclusive development and tech-driven governance,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
Beyond the digital domain, Hernandez’s visit also reaffirmed strong ties in pharmaceuticals and trade. India supplied nearly $110 million worth of medicines to Venezuela in 2024–25, covering more than 40% of its annual requirements. India continues to support Venezuela’s healthcare system through commercial exports as well as emergency grants of essential drugs and vaccines. Venezuelan officials stressed that no dues are pending with Indian pharmaceutical companies, and both countries are exploring joint ventures in biotechnology and public health, particularly in the wake of Western supply chain disruptions caused by sanctions.
The visit also carries political significance. It comes ahead of next year’s BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where Venezuela’s formal application for membership is expected to be taken up. Caracas has identified BRICS as a key platform to promote South-South cooperation, and sees India as an important interlocutor in advancing its bid. “Venezuela sees India as a natural partner in its efforts to join BRICS and diversify its global alliances,” a diplomat based in New Delhi said.
India, for its part, continues to position itself as a leading voice for the Global South through technology transfer, capacity building, and diplomatic engagement. The India-Venezuela relationship, rooted in 65 years of diplomatic ties, is now being redefined through the prism of digital transformation, knowledge exchange, and strategic autonomy.
Denmark Excludes US Military From Largest Arctic Drill In Greenland’s History
In a notable move amid rising Arctic tensions, Denmark has not invited the US military to participate in Arctic Light 2025 — set to be the largest military exercise in Greenland’s modern history — even as NATO allies ramp up defence cooperation in the region amid growing American interest in the strategic island.
Denmark’s Arctic commander, Soren Andersen, confirmed that, while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had been invited, no US military units were asked to participate.
“We work together with colleagues on the US Pituffik Space Base, but they were not invited with units for this exercise,” Andersen told Reuters.
Denmark Cares About Greenland
The US has previously participated in Denmark-led military exercises in Greenland. A spokesperson at the US Embassy in Copenhagen said that “while we are not participating in this particular exercise, we continue our robust military cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark and other Arctic allies”.
Independent military analyst Hans Peter Michaelsen told Reuters the exercise has “a strong political signalling” to demonstrate Denmark’s stewardship of Greenland with NATO allies.
“The exercise is basically designed to show the Americans that Denmark looks after Greenland and does so with the help of other major NATO countries,” Michaelsen said.
Andersen dismissed suggestions that the drill was intended to send a message to Washington.
Ramping Up Defence Investment In Greenland
Denmark has ramped up defence investment and military activity in Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory, since US President Donald Trump’s comments about acquiring the strategically located territory and criticism over Denmark’s efforts to defend it.
Ties between Copenhagen and Washington have worsened this year due to Trump’s refusal to rule out taking Greenland by force. Denmark last month summoned the top US diplomat in Copenhagen over reports alleging covert influence operations by US citizens in Greenland.
Major EU Powers Taking Part
Arctic Light 2025, running from September 9 to 19, involves more than 550 soldiers, including special forces, from Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and Norway.
Denmark is deploying a frigate, helicopters, and F-16 fighter jets, while France has contributed a naval vessel, an air refuelling tanker aircraft and a drone unit.
The exercise prepares for potential scenarios involving increased Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic, Andersen said.
The US embassy spokesperson said that NATO allies’ efforts to ensure preparedness to defend in the Arctic were welcome.
The US, which maintained 17 bases in Greenland during the Cold War, currently has a permanent presence only at the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland.
(With inputs from Reuters)
‘Enormous Scope For Trade’: New Ireland-India Panel To Foster B2G Dialogue
Biz Boost For Ireland-India Ties
Ireland has introduced a new initiative that aims at strengthening its economic relationship with India. The Ireland-India Economic Advisory Panel is meant to create a more structured channel for business and policy dialogue between the two countries.
Announced in Dublin by Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris, the panel brings together leading Indian business figures with ties to Ireland, as well as senior officials from Irish government departments and agencies.
The panel includes names such as Noel Tata (Tata Trusts), Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Biocon), Mohit Joshi (Tech Mahindra), Murtaza Khorakiwala (Wockhardt), and Rajeev Mecheri (Invicara, TwinIt, and Ireland’s Honorary Consul in Chennai).
Speaking at the launch, Harris pointed to the “undoubted potential” in the Ireland-India relationship. Earlier this year, his department introduced an action plan to strengthen ties with India. It’s part of a broader effort to diversify Ireland’s global economic partnerships.
“The scope for more economic links and trade between our two countries is enormous,” Harris noted, emphasising the value of sustained business-to-government dialogue. “We want to make the most of every opportunity.”
What The Panel Could Actually Do
While advisory panels can often be symbolic, this one is designed not just to facilitate introductions but also to share practical insights with policymakers, trade bodies and businesses on both sides.
India’s Ambassador to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra underlined this point. He called for moving beyond diplomatic goodwill toward identifying real areas of complementarity, where both economies can benefit from partnership.
He pointed to sectors like agritech, health tech, clean technologies and professional training as particularly ripe for collaboration. These are not new talking points but the focus now is on turning them into investable, scalable models.
“The need is to identify complementary areas and build sustainable, mutually beneficial business models,” said Ambassador Mishra. “This panel can be a catalyst but it needs to engage with stakeholders on both sides in a practical way.”
Why Now?
India is among the fastest-growing major economies, while Ireland, despite its size, is a well-established hub for global tech and pharma. Both countries have young populations, highly skilled workforces and strong democratic institutions, but direct economic ties have remained relatively modest.
The timing of the panel is also notable. For Ireland, it’s part of a deliberate pivot toward broader global trade relationships post-Brexit. For India, it fits within a strategy of expanding partnerships across Europe in ways that go beyond just the UK or Germany.
There is also a people-to-people dimension. A growing Indian community in Ireland, particularly in sectors like healthcare and IT, adds a layer of familiarity and long-term engagement that can support deeper economic cooperation.
The panel has held early meetings with top Irish officials, including the Prime Minister and ministers in charge of digital transformation and public infrastructure. But its value will depend on follow-through and whether it can shape real opportunities for startups, SMEs and larger businesses in both countries.
EU Seeks Deeper Cooperation With India Amid Moscow Ties Concerns
The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled plans to strengthen and expand cooperation with India across areas including defence, technology, and trade, even amid ongoing tensions concerning New Delhi’s growing ties with Moscow.
The European Union and India are in the final stages of negotiating a free trade agreement, which both sides aim to conclude by the end of the year.
Fostering New Alliances
Negotiations, relaunched in 2022, have gained pace since the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump. Faced with Trump’s tariffs, both sides have sought accelerated efforts to foster new alliances.
For Brussels, that means planned trade agreements with Mexico, the South American bloc Mercosur, India and Indonesia. India sees promise in the European Union, but also in China and Russia.
Russian Oil
India has increased purchases of Russian oil since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In the past month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in China, and his troops joined a Russian-led military exercise.
On Friday, U.S. officials called on G7 and EU states to impose tariffs on China and India over Russian oil purchases.
In a document released on Wednesday setting out its vision, the Commission said the EU would further engage with India on curtailing Russia’s military and preventing circumvention of EU sanctions.
Benefitting From India
Despite the tensions, the European Commission views India as a fellow upholder of the rules-based multilateral order and hopes to benefit from its expected rise to become the world’s third-largest economy in 2030.
The EU envisages the two sides negotiating agreements on investment protection and boosting air transport, collaborating on securing supply chains, on green hydrogen, on decarbonisation of heavy industry and on research and innovation.
They could also agree on a defence and security partnership, as the EU already has with Japan and South Korea, and cooperate in projects in third countries, particularly in Africa and South Asia.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Fresh Violence Erupts At Thai-Cambodian Border, 23 Injured
In the most serious escalation since a ceasefire brought an end to a deadly five-day conflict in July, Thai police on Wednesday fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Cambodian civilians in a long-disputed border region, according to officials from both countries.
At least 23 Cambodians were injured in the incident, according to Cambodian authorities, while Thailand’s military said an unspecified number of Thai officials had also sustained injuries.
The clash took place at a disputed frontier settlement, which Thailand says is part of its Ban Nong Ya Kaew village in Sa Kaeo province, but Cambodia says is part of Prey Chan village in Bantheay Meanchey province.
Protests On Both Sides Of The Border
Thai authorities erected barbed wire fences in the area last month and for weeks there have been protests by civilians from both sides of the border.
Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817 km (508 miles) land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony.
Dozens Killed
Tensions over disputed areas spiraled into a border conflict in July, when the fiercest fighting between the neighbours in decades killed at least 48 people and temporarily displaced hundreds of thousands.
The fighting ended after both countries agreed a ceasefire brokered in Malaysia on July 28, and the border has largely remained calm since.
Cambodia Slams Thai Aggression Against Its Citizens
On Wednesday, Cambodia’s information minister Neth Pheaktra accused Thai officials of encroaching across the border, and said they used “tear gas, rubber bullets and noise-making devices against Cambodian civilians”.
Thailand’s use of force was in response to provocation from some 200 Cambodian protesters, some of whom threw sticks and stones and fired slingshots at Thai officials, causing injuries, the Thai army said in a statement.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Iran Foreign Minister To Discuss Nuclear Programme With European Powers
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is scheduled to hold a conference call with the foreign ministers of three European powers — Britain, France, and Germany — on Wednesday, as Tehran aims to prevent the reimposition of international sanctions related to its nuclear programme.
A French diplomatic source said the call was aimed at discussing the impending reimposition of U.N. sanctions by the European powers and to reaffirm conditions they have set for Tehran to enable that decision to be delayed.
Iran Calls On E3
Tehran called on Wednesday for a “positive approach and goodwill” by the European powers, known as the E3, which have initiated a one-month process to re-impose sanctions on Iran that were lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal that unravelled after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out in 2018.
The call, which will also include European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, follows an agreement reached by Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency last week on resuming cooperation between Tehran and the U.N. nuclear watchdog, including, in principle, the inspection of nuclear sites.
In June, Israel and the United States struck Iranian nuclear facilities, saying Iran was getting too close to being able to produce a nuclear weapon, and IAEA inspections were interrupted over security concerns and complaints by Tehran.
Resumed cooperation between Iran and the IAEA is one of the three conditions set by European powers to hold off completing the U.N. snapback mechanism – the automatic reimposition of U.N. Security Council sanctions – which they invoked in August.
‘Natural Expectation’
“It is a natural expectation that Iran’s positive approach and goodwill should be reciprocated by the European side… If some European parties start nagging, this is not enough. That would mean they do not accept the IAEA,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said.
“We hope that with contacts, like today and future ones, all parties will come to the conclusion that escalating tensions and perpetuating the current situation is not in anyone’s interest.”
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and says it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Israel Opens Temporary Gaza City Evacuation Route As Tanks Advance
The Israeli military announced on Wednesday the opening of an additional 48-hour route for Palestinians to leave Gaza City, intensifying efforts to evacuate civilians and target Hamas fighters.
Hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering in the city, and many are reluctant to follow Israel’s orders to move south because of the dangers along the way, dire conditions, a lack of food in the southern area, and fear of permanent displacement.
“Even if we want to leave Gaza City, is there any guarantee we would be able to come back? Will the war ever end? That’s why I prefer to die here, in Sabra, my neighbourhood,” Ahmed, a school teacher, said by phone.
At least 30 people were killed across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in Israel’s latest strikes, including 19 in Gaza City, local health authorities said.
Tanks Edge Forward
A day after Israel announced the launch of a ground offensive to seize control of Gaza’s main urban centre, tanks had moved short distances towards the city’s central and western areas from three directions, but no major advance was reported.
An Israeli official said military operations were focused on getting civilians to head south and that fighting would intensify over the next month or two.
The official said Israel expected around 100,000 civilians to remain in the city, which would take months to capture, and the operation could be suspended if a ceasefire was reached with the Hamas militant group.
The prospects of a ceasefire appear remote after Israel attacked Hamas political leaders in Doha last week, infuriating Qatar, a co-mediator in ceasefire talks.
Defying global criticism of the attack, including a rebuke by Israel’s stalwart ally, the United States, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will strike Hamas leaders anywhere.
Visiting Doha on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was “a very short window of time” in which a ceasefire could happen, apparently referring to Israel’s stated plans to crush Hamas by force in Gaza.
Leaflets Urge Residents To Flee
In leaflets dropped over Gaza City, the military said Palestinians could use the newly reopened Salahudin Road to escape towards the south and that they had until lunchtime on Friday to do so.
“Movement must only take place via the streets marked in yellow on the map as the route for southward transit. Follow the instructions of the security forces and traffic signs,” they said.
But the situation remained chaotic and dangerous for civilians, who have been streaming away on foot, by donkey cart or in vehicles in recent days.
Much of Gaza City was laid to waste early in the war in 2023, but around 1 million Palestinians had returned there to homes among the ruins. Forcing them out would mean confining most of Gaza’s population to overcrowded encampments in the south, where a hunger crisis is unfolding.
The United Nations, aid groups and foreign governments have condemned Israel’s offensive and the proposed mass displacement.
A U.N. Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel had committed genocide, opens new tab in Gaza. Israel called the assessment “scandalous” and “fake”.
High-Rise Building Hit In Refugee Camp
Israeli forces control Gaza City’s eastern suburbs and have been pounding three areas in the southeast, north and northwestern coastal areas of the city, from which tanks have been pressing towards the centre and western areas.
“Gaza is being wiped out. A city that is thousands of years old is being wiped out in front of the whole cowardly world,” said Ahmed, the school teacher.
Palestinian and UN officials say no place is safe, including in the southern area designated by Israel as a “humanitarian zone”. On Tuesday, an airstrike killed five people in a vehicle as they were leaving Gaza City for the south.
In Nuseirat refugee camp in the enclave’s centre, an airstrike destroyed a high-rise building on Wednesday, prompting residents of nearby buildings to flee in panic.
Hundreds Of Thousands Of People In Gaza City
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said Israel has destroyed and damaged 1,600 residential buildings since August 10, when Netanyahu announced Israel’s intention to take full control of the territory by force.
Israeli forces have also destroyed 13,000 tents in Gaza City, where displaced people had been sheltering, it said.
Israel estimates 40% of people who were in Gaza City on August 10 have since left. The Gaza media office says 190,000 have headed south and 350,000 have moved to central and western areas of the city.
Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, Israeli tallies show. Israel’s military assault against Hamas has killed over 64,000 Palestinians, Gaza’s health ministry says.
(With inputs from Reuters)