Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from Gaza, Madagascar, and Bangladesh. Locally, the IMF unlocks $1.2 billion for Pakistan, Islamabad wins a UN rights council seat, security forces repel Taliban attacks, and a violent crackdown on TLP protests sparks nationwide unrest.

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Around The World

Boots, boots. An elite military unit has seized power in Madagascar from President Andry Rajoelina following weeks of youth-led protests. CAPSAT chief Randrianirina said the military would form a government and hold elections within two years. He also suspended key democratic institutions, like the electoral commission. CAPSAT, or the Personnel Administration and Technical and Administrative Services Corps, is the most powerful military unit in Madagascar, which supported Rajoelina when he came into power in 2009, but joined the protesters on Saturday.

Demonstrations first erupted in the country on September 25 over water and power shortages, and quickly escalated into an uprising over broader grievances, including corruption, bad governance, and a lack of basic services. The anger mirrored recent protests against ruling elites elsewhere, including Nepal and Morocco. 

Updates from Gaza. Hamas has handed over the bodies of four more Israelis to the Red Cross, bringing the number of released deceased captives to eight. Three bodies have been identified by the family, while the Israeli army says the fourth does not match any recorded captive. Hamas’s hastened move came after Israel warned it would restrict aid into Gaza and delay the reopening of the Rafah crossing until the bodies of all 28 deceased hostages are returned quickly.

Difficult questions remain about Gaza’s future, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern and help rebuild the territory. Also unanswered is the question of Palestinian statehood. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said 15 Palestinian technocrats have been selected to administer Gaza, with approval from Israel, Hamas, and all other Palestinian factions. Palestinians in Gaza also appealed for authorities to move quickly to restore some semblance of normality. Meanwhile, there are continued reports of Israeli tanks firing on Palestinians in both north and south Gaza.

Bangladesh factory fire. At least 16 people have died after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh. The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn. Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest garment industry after China, and the sector has employed about 4 million workers, as the industry, which earns about $40 billion a year from exports, mainly to the US and Europe. It also has a history of industrial accidents and fires, which have been blamed on lax monitoring and violations of building codes.

Pakistan

Surplus era. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan have reached a staff-level agreement on the second review of the 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the first review of the 28-month Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), unlocking about $1.2 billion in combined funding pending IMF Board approval. The Fund praised Pakistan’s economic recovery, highlighting a current account surplus, fiscal discipline, and easing inflation, while noting that recent floods have dampened growth projections for FY26 to around 3.3–3.5%. 

New hire. Pakistan was elected to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for a three-year term starting January 1, 2026, after securing 178 votes in the UN General Assembly, its sixth time on the 47-member body since 2006. The Foreign Office hailed the win as a reflection of global confidence in Pakistan’s “constructive role” in promoting human rights and pledging active engagement with UN members. 

Trigger-ready. Pakistan’s military said on Wednesday that security forces repelled coordinated attacks by the Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) along the Balochistan and KP borders, killing up to 50 militants in total, including 15–20 in the Spin Boldak area and 25–30 in Kurram. The ISPR said the assaults showed disregard for civilian safety, while rejecting Kabul’s claims that Pakistan initiated the violence. The clashes mark the third major border confrontation in a week, following earlier skirmishes that left 23 Pakistani soldiers dead and over 200 Taliban fighters “neutralized.” 

Unrest. A major pre-dawn police operation to clear Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) protest camp in Muridke on Monday sparked violent clashes, widespread unrest, and confusion over the fate of party chief Saad Rizvi. The six-hour crackdown, involving 1,500 police officers, left at least four people dead and dozens injured. While Punjab’s police chief denied reports that Rizvi was arrested or wounded, the silence of TLP’s official channels fueled speculation. 

The unrest quickly spread nationwide, with protests erupting in Lahore, Faisalabad, Karachi, and other cities, disrupting traffic and prompting arrests. Authorities said negotiations with TLP had collapsed after the group made “unreasonable demands,” including the release of detained workers, leading to the operation.

What Else Is Happening?

💰Google will invest $15 billion in India over the next five years to establish its first AI hub in the country, featuring gigawatt-scale data center operations, extensive energy infrastructure, and an expanded fiber-optic network.

🗣️Migrants coming to the UK will need to speak English to an A-level standard under tougher new rules. The changes, which will take effect from 8 January 2026, will impact some graduates and those applying for skilled worker or scale-up visas.

👛The US government has seized more than $14bn (£10.5bn) in bitcoin and charged the founder of a Cambodian business empire, the Prince Group, with a massive cryptocurrency scam, which involved forced labor camps.