Sidoarjo (Indonesia) (AFP) – Families cry out in despair after rescuers in Indonesia say they have detected “no more signs of life” at a collapsed school. The Al Khoziny school in Sidoarjo collapsed on Monday as students were gathering for afternoon prayers. Five people have been confirmed dead and scores of others are feared buried under the rubble. IMAGES
Sidoarjo (Indonesia) (AFP) – Police and rescuers work on site at a collapsed school on Indonesia’s main island of Java on Thursday morning, as rescue efforts continue to search for survivors. Around 59 people still remain trapped under the ruins, according to a rescue service official. IMAGES
Undisclosed (Ukraine) (AFP) – Brightly coloured helium balloons in hand, Ukrainian soldiers take part in creative anti-drone target practice. “A balloon behaves unpredictably in the air,” says ‘Maly’, explaining that the targets mimic the movements of a Russian drone. Training like this has become invaluable in the war in Ukraine, where the use of unmanned drones has intensified greatly. AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data shows that Russia launched 36 percent more drones and missiles in September than in August 2025.
Bogo (Philippines) (AFP) – Rescuers on the Philippine island of Cebo search the rubble for survivors after a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck late on Tuesday 30 September. By the next morning, disaster officials reported that at least 69 people had been killed, with scores of injured patients overwhelming the island’s hospitals. “We’re racing against time,” says senior fire officer Erwin Castaneda.
Copenhagen (AFP) – French President Emmanuel Macron says “we are in a confrontation with Russia,” on the sidelines of a summit of European Union leaders in Copenhagen, the Danish capital. In recent days, Denmark — which holds the EU’s rotating presidency — has been rattled by unidentified drone flights that have shut down airports and encroached on military sites. Russia, Macron says, “is provoking incidents in airspace.”
Antananarivo (AFP) – Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, to protest against what they see as ingrained misgovernance, with outrage sparked by persistent water and power cuts. The latest protests come despite President Andry Rajoelina sacking his entire government in an effort to calm tensions.
Agadir (Morocco) (AFP) – Protesters and security forces clash in the southern Moroccan city of Agadir on the fourth consecutive day of demonstration in several cities across the country. In the capital, Rabat, more than 200 protesters were arrested in recent days, according to the Moroccan Association for Human Rights. Most have since been released. The youth-led protests have taken aim at Morocco’s social inequalities, with women and young people particularly affected. Recent reports of the deaths of eight pregnant women at a public hospital have caused considerable anger.
Bogo (Philippines) (AFP) – Hospitals on the Philippine island of Cebu have been overwhelmed after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the region, killing scores of people. Some of the injured are being treated on beds on the driveway of the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo. They had been wheeled out of the building amid fears of further aftershocks.
Cebu (Philippines) (AFP) – People inside the food court of a shopping mall in the Philippines cry out for help from God after a powerful quake struck the centre of the country, leaving dozens dead. The death toll from a powerful earthquake in the central Philippines approached 60, with injured patients overwhelming hospitals on the island of Cebu as workers carried dozens of body bags away in the chaotic aftermath.
Chan Junis (AFP) – Palestinians react to US President Donald Trump’s proposal for ending the war in Gaza, which calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, the disarmament of Hamas, and the gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Trump has given Hamas an ultimatum of “three or four days” to respond, as the militant group reviews the proposal backed by Israel. World powers, including Arab and Muslim nations such as Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey, have welcomed the proposal, but Hamas has yet to issue its response.
Cullera (AFP) – Spain’s national weather service has downgraded its rain alert for the eastern region of Valencia, the site of deadly flooding in 2024, but issued its highest warning for the holiday islands of Ibiza and Formentera. Monday’s red alert in Valencia revived memories of October 2024, when flooding killed more than 230 people.
Lagos (AFP) – Marble, gold, mirrors, and perfect lighting: in Nigeria, bathroom selfies are no joke. Bars and lounges are turning bathrooms into showpieces — not just to keep up with trends, but to pull in new customers.
