International
South Africa reacts to US expulsion of ambassador Ebrahim Rasool

The South African presidency on Saturday said the expulsion of its Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, is “regrettable.”
The presidency disclosed this in a short statement published on X on Saturday.It also called for decorum on both sides to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
“The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool,” the statement read.
“The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter.
“South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America.”
The ppolitician was expelled after he was seen as a race-baiting politician” who hates the US and President Donald Trump.
Rubio wrote on X that Rasool was “no longer welcome in our great country”, adding: “We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.
”Rubio linked his remarks to an article by the right-wing media outlet Breitbart, wherein Rasool is quoted as saying Trump mobilised a “supremacist instinct” and “white victimhood” as a “dog whistle” during the 2024 elections.
But South African political analyst Sandile Swana said the “core of the dispute” was Pretoria’s decision to form a genocide case at the International Court of Justice against Israel, a close US ally, over its war on Gaza.
In February, Rasool, an anti-apartheid campaigner, told the Zeteo news site that what South Africans experienced during apartheid rule “is on steroids in Palestine”.
Moreover, Swana explained that in the fight against apartheid, the US “supported the apartheid regime”.
“[So] Rasool continues to point out the behaviour of the United States, even now is to support apartheid and genocide,” he added.
Land policy
Still, the decision by Washington to expel the South African ambassador comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries, since Trump cut financial aid to South Africa after citing his disapproval of its land policy that he alleged allows land to be seized from white farmers.
Last week, Trump pushed this further and said South Africa’s farmers were welcome to settle in the US, repeating that the South African government was “confiscating” land from white people.
South African-born tech billionaire Elon Musk, a close Trump ally, has also accused the country of having “openly racist ownership laws”.
However, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the policy, saying the government was not confiscating land but aiming to level racial disparities in land ownership in the Black-majority nation.
International
Madagascar: Military takes over as president impeached
Rajoelina, 51, had late Monday refused growing demands to step down from the protest movement that started on September 25 over power and water shortages, and developed into a campaign against the president and ruling elite.

The military on Tuesday took over power in Madagascar after the parliament impeached President Andry Rajoelina. This was as a result of weeks of anti-government protests.
There were celebrations on the streets of the capital after the commander of the CAPSAT military unit, which joined the demonstrators over the weekend, announced that it was in charge.
The presidency denounced “a clear act of attempted coup” and insisted that Rajoelina, in hiding, reportedly out of the country, “remains fully in office”.
Rajoelina, 51, had late Monday refused growing demands to step down from the protest movement that started on September 25 over power and water shortages, and developed into a campaign against the president and ruling elite.
International
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga dies in India
Indian police told AFP that he was walking with his sister, daughter, and a personal doctor “when he suddenly collapsed.

•Raila Amolo Odinga Photo by SIMON MAINA / AFP
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga died today at the age of 80 during a health visit to India.
AFP reports that Odinga was the perennial opposition figure of Kenyan politics, running unsuccessfully for the presidency on five occasions, most recently in 2022.
He remained a dominant force, able to rally huge numbers, particularly from his native western Kenya.
Indian police told AFP that he was walking with his sister, daughter, and a personal doctor “when he suddenly collapsed”.
“An Indian police security officer and a Kenyan security officer were also with them at the time.
“He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, but was declared dead,” the police source said.
International
Seychelles’ opposition leader wins presidential poll
In his victory speech, Herminie promised to lower the cost of living, revive public services, and unite the island nation, saying the result marked “a new chapter for all Seychellois”

•Patrick Herminie, on right, has promised to heal divisions after a tough election campaign
Seychelles’ main opposition leader Patrick Herminie has won presidential elections.
He defeated the incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan in a runoff vote, according to official results released by the electoral commission.
Herminie gained 52.7% of the vote, compared with Ramkalawan’s 47.3%.
In his victory speech, Herminie promised to lower the cost of living, revive public services, and unite the island nation, saying the result marked “a new chapter for all Seychellois”.
After losing his bid for a second term, Ramkalawan congratulated Herminie on his victory, saying he leaves “a legacy that makes many presidents blush”.
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