The leader of Madagascar's military coup told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he is "taking the position of president" and that the armed forces would be in charge of the African island nation for up to two years before any elections are held. Col. Michael Randrianirina, who led the rebellion that ousted President Andry Rajoelina on Tuesday following weeks of youth-led protests, said in his first interview with a global news outlet since taking power that he expects to be sworn in as the country's new leader in the next few days.

"There must be an oath-taking" to make his position official, Randrianirina said at his unit's barracks while flanked by fellow officers. "We are staying here for at least 18 months, at most two years." Randrianirina announced Tuesday (Oct. 14) that the armed forces were taking power in Madagascar, a sprawling country of about 30 million people off of Africa's east coast that is the world's leading vanilla producer and is known for its unique biodiversity. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, it also has a history of coups and political crises.

The United Nations on Thursday(Oct. 16) urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to bring "a lasting end to hostilities" to protect civilians, after days of fighting killed dozens of people in both countries and injured hundreds more. It's the deadliest crisis between the neighbors since 2021, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan following the collapse of the Western-backed government. Cross-border violence has escalated since Oct. 10, with each country saying they were retaliating to armed provocations from the other. On Wednesday, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire.

The truce followed appeals from major regional powers, as the violence threatened to destabilize a region where groups, including the Islamic State and al-Qaida, are trying to resurface. There were no reports of overnight fighting. Key border crossings remained closed on Thursday. The latest military takeover capped weeks of protests against Rajoelina and his government led by youth groups calling themselves "Gen Z Madagascar."

Indonesia's top defense official that Jakarta will acquire at least 42 Chinese-made Chengdu J-10C fighter jets, marking the country's first non-Western aircraft purchase deal. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told reporters in the capital, Jakarta, that Indonesia would soon buy fighter jets from China as part of a plan to modernize its military. Analysts said the deal could touch regional sensitivities and have geopolitical implications.

"They will be flying over Jakarta soon," Sjamsoeddin said. He declined to provide further details of the purchase. The plan to buy the J-10s was first disclosed last month by defense ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Frega Wenas. Local media had reported that the Indonesian Air Force was still reviewing the Chinese-made fighter jets to ensure their acquisition would effectively strengthen Indonesia's air defense capabilities. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa confirmed that his ministry had approved a budget for the purchase of the aircraft from China that reached more than $9 billion.

India's goods exports to the US, its largest foreign market, dropped sharply by nearly 40% in the last four months, as Trump's steep tariffs took effect, data shows. September was the first full month of Washington's 50% tariffs on Indian goods, which kicked in on August 27. This includes a 25% penalty for Delhi's refusal to stop buying oil from Russia. "US has become India's most severely affected market since the tariff escalation began," said Ajay Srivastava of Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a Delhi-based think tank.

Negotiations for a trade deal between the two countries are under way, with the goal of concluding an agreement by next month. According to GTRI, the most significant impact of the tariffs has been felt by labour-heavy sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, and chemicals, which have suffered the heaviest losses. Shipments to the US have seen four consecutive months of decline, and are down 37.5% - from $8.8bn in May to $5.5bn in September.