AnewZ Morning Brief - 18 October, 2025
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for October 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know....
As famine continues to ravage parts of Sudan, humanitarian workers report that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), engaged in an ongoing conflict with the Sudanese army, are tightening their grip on relief supplies.
The RSF has imposed new constraints on aid deliveries in regions under its control, exacerbating the already dire situation in territories like Darfur, where hunger is rapidly worsening.
The RSF's actions are seen as part of its effort to solidify its control in the western region while suffering military setbacks in the capital, Khartoum. As the conflict between the RSF and the army drags on, with no decisive victory in sight, the humanitarian crisis deepens. The United Nations has described the war as the world’s largest and most devastating humanitarian disaster.
According to several aid workers who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the RSF has begun to impose higher fees and demand greater oversight over operations, such as the recruitment of local staff and the provision of security. These actions mirror tactics used by army-aligned authorities, further complicating aid delivery. Since late last year, these constraints have become more pronounced, leading to arbitrary delays and rejections of travel permits for aid groups seeking access to RSF-controlled areas.
In December, the Sudan Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations (SARHO), an entity operating under RSF control, issued new directives requiring humanitarian organizations to register through a "cooperation agreement" and establish independent operations within RSF territory. Although SARHO agreed to temporarily suspend these measures until April, aid workers report that the restrictions persist.
These moves appear to be part of the RSF’s broader strategy to secure international legitimacy and generate funds amid its ongoing military challenges. Despite the war’s toll, the RSF still controls vast swaths of territory, including most of Darfur, where aid agencies report the highest levels of need.
The restrictions have intensified the already dire food crisis, particularly in the famine-stricken camps around al-Fashir, the army’s last holdout in Darfur, and in nearby Tawila. These camps, home to thousands of displaced people, are experiencing extreme food shortages, with residents resorting to eating leaves due to the lack of aid.
"The situation in Zamzam camp is very difficult, we are hungry and scared," said Haroun Adam, a resident of the camp. "We aren't receiving any form of aid." The RSF’s actions, which include shelling refugee camps, are further hindering relief efforts.
While the RSF denies accusations of interfering with aid operations, aid workers insist that the restrictions have had a significant impact on their ability to reach those in need. The imposition of additional fees for essential services like local staffing and transport is further compounding the problem.
Kholood Khair, a Sudan analyst, noted that the RSF’s approach is reminiscent of previous government tactics, where relief operations were manipulated for political gain. "This is a harbinger for what an RSF government will look like," she said.
The ongoing conflict and aid blockages have left hundreds of thousands of Sudanese at greater risk of starvation, with the international community struggling to address the complex political and humanitarian challenges in the country.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for October 18th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to the White House on Friday looking for weapons to keep fighting his country's war with Russia, but met an American president who appears more intent on brokering a peace deal than upgrading Ukraine's arsenal.
Beijing has called on the Philippines to give up "unrealistic illusions" in the South China Sea, after Manila reaffirmed that Scarborough Shoal and the Kalayaan Island Group are integral parts of the Philippine archipelago.
Saudi Arabia has cemented its position as a major player in the global gaming industry with the $55 billion acquisition of Sims and Battlefield-maker Electronic Arts, marking its biggest step yet toward Vision 2030’s digital diversification goals.
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution renewing Haiti’s sanctions regime for another year. The measures include targeted asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo.
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