Good morning.
Last week the United Nations discovered a mass grave in Sudan’s West Darfur in which 87 people were buried, prompting the UN high commissioner for Human Rights to demand a “thorough and independent investigation” into activity in the region.
It is the latest troubling news to come out of the country, which has been in a state of conflict since April, when fighting broke out between rival groups. In the three months since, 3.1 million people have been displaced, thousands are thought to have been killed and even more wounded, with entire neighbourhoods destroyed. UN agencies have received credible reports of 21 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence against at least 57 women and girls – in one of the incidents as many as 20 women were reportedly raped in the same attack. There have been reports of extrajudicial killings, ethnic violence, and widespread hunger, with a former UN humanitarian coordinator describing what is happening in Sudan as having “all the signature characteristics of genocide”. Peace talks were suspended last month as both sides continued to violate ceasefires. Over the weekend, representatives for the Sudanese army reportedly returned to Saudi Arabia for peace talks, indicating that they are open to diplomatic avenues for ending the conflict, though expectations are low.
As humanitarian organisations, NGOs and foreign governments watch on in dismay, the conflict shows little signs of ending, with both the army and the Rapid Support Force (RSF) engaging in a bloodthirsty battle to the end. But as the violence threatens to tip into an all-out civil war and plunge the region into crisis, neighbouring countries have been asking how order might be restored.
Today’s newsletter examines the state of play in Sudan, three months into the conflict. That’s right after the headlines.
Five big stories
Ukraine | Explosions have reportedly hit the Kerch bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to Russia, a heavily guarded road and rail link that is among the Kremlin’s most important infrastructure projects. The head of the Russian-controlled administration in Crimea, said traffic had been stopped because of “an emergency situation”. Two people have been killed and a child was injured.
Environment | Southern Europe is bracing for a second “heat storm” in a week. Record temperatures across the Mediterranean could be broken on Tuesday, and people in Italy have been told to prepare for most intense heatwave ‘of all time’. Meanwhile in the US more than 100 million people were under extreme heat advisories this weekend.
Iran | Iran’s “morality police” have returned to the streets 10 months after the death of a woman in their custody sparked nationwide protests. It comes as authorities announce a new campaign to force women to wear the Islamic headscarf.
Hospitals | The government is on track to break a key election promise from Boris Johnson to build 40 new hospitals in England by the end…
2023-07-17 00:39:58
Link from www.theguardian.com
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