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[1/2] Smoke rises from burning aircraft inside Khartoum Airport during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum, Sudan April 17, 2023. Gunfire was heard in Bahri and residents reported violent clashes west of Omdurman where they said the army had moved to block the arrival of RSF reinforcements. Some of the most intense fighting has been focussed around the compound housing the army HQ and the residence of Sudan's military ruler, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The army controls access to Khartoum and appeared to be trying to cut off supply routes to RSF fighters, residents and witnesses said. More people have been leaving the capital with most able to pass but some stopped at checkpoints, according to residents and social media posts.

☆ Top US diplomat says fighters opened fire on a clearly marked US Embassy convoy during a bloody battle in Sudan that has left nearly 200 people dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

An American diplomatic convoy was fired on during intense fighting in Sudan this week. No one was hurt during the attack, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Tuesday. But this action was reckless, it was irresponsible, and of course unsafe — a diplomatic convoy with diplomatic plates, a US flag, being fired upon." "This particular incident is still being investigated in terms of understanding exactly what happened," Blinken told reporters. People walk past shuttered shops in Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, April 17, 2023.

SummarySummary Companies Three EU states have banned Ukrainian grain, food importsRomania looks set to follow suitUkraine also trying to salvage Black Sea grain dealWARSAW, April 18 (Reuters) - Poland agreed on Tuesday to lift a ban on the transit of Ukrainian grain and food products, but Ukraine said a wartime deal allowing it to safely ship grain from Black Sea ports was still under threat. Failure to resume exports into eastern European countries or secure an extension of the Black Sea grain deal would trap large amounts of grain in Ukraine, hitting its exports and causing further economic problems for Kyiv as it battles Russian troops. Large quantities of Ukrainian grain have been trapped by bottlenecks in eastern and central Europe as low global prices and demand mean grain cannot easily be sold on. BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL IN DOUBTUkraine, which relies on grain and food sales for a significant slice of its gross domestic product, also has concerns about the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered between Moscow and Kyiv by Turkey and the United Nations last July. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss the Ukraine Black Sea grain export deal with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York next week, Russia's U.N. envoy said on Tuesday.

Many other hospitals were also reported to have come under attack on Monday, the third day of fighting in Sudan. Russia has also been trying to make inroads in Sudan, and members of the Kremlin-affiliated Wagner private military company are posted there. Leaders from around the world called for a cease-fire, but it was not clear who, if anyone, was in control of Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, by area. “Everyone is afraid,” said Ahmed Abuhurira, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer who went out to try to charge his cellphone. “The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and is now catastrophic,” he said.

☆ What are the deals on Ukraine, Russia grain exports?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

UKRAINE BLACK SEA GRAIN EXPORT DEALBrokered by the United Nations and Turkey, the deal has so far allowed Ukraine to safely export more than 27 million tonnes of grain from several of its Black Sea ports. Under the deal:- Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations set up a Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul, staffed by officials from each party. - Ukraine can safely export grain and related foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from the ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny. DEAL TO PROMOTE RUSSIAN FOOD AND FERTILIZER EXPORTSTo help persuade Russia to allow Ukraine to resume its Black Sea grain exports last year, a separate three-year agreement was also struck in July last year in which the United Nations agreed to help Russia with its food and fertilizer exports. The United States has pushed back on Moscow's demands, saying "the only prohibitions on food and fertilizer exports from Russia are those imposed by the government" of Russia.

The Sudanese Doctors' Union earlier reported at least 25 people were killed and 183 wounded in battles that erupted on Saturday between the military and the RSF. The army told soldiers seconded to the RSF to report to nearby army units, which could deplete RSF ranks if they obey. The military and RSF, which analysts say is 100,000 strong, have been competing for power as political factions negotiate forming a transitional government after a 2021 military coup. The RSF shared a video that it said showed Egyptian troops who "surrendered" to them in Merowe. Clashes also erupted between the RSF and army in the Darfur cities of El Fasher and Nyala, eyewitnesses said.

☆ Sudan's RSF says it's ready to cooperate over Egyptian troops
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin AbdallahCAIRO, April 15 (Reuters) - The head of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Saturday that his forces were ready to cooperate with Egypt to ease the return of Egyptian troops who had handed themselves over to the group in the northern Sudanese town of Merowe. Two Egyptian security sources said Egyptian officials were able to make contact with the leader of the Egyptian unit to confirm they were safe. The video showed a number of men dressed in army fatigues crouched on the ground and speaking to members of the RSF, Sudan's main paramilitary group, in an Egyptian Arabic dialect. A mobilisation of RSF forces towards Merowe's military airport on Wednesday prompted an army statement a day later that described recent RSF moves as illegal, bringing long-bubbling disagreements to the surface. It strongly supports Sudan's army and has recently promoted negotiations with pro-army political parties, in parallel to a plan for a transition towards elections backed by Hemedti.

☆ UN chief raises concerns with Russia about Ukraine grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The United Nations has said no ships were inspected on Tuesday under the deal - agreed in July last year - "as the parties needed more time to reach an agreement on operational priorities." The deal saw a resumption of Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports, which had been halted by Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion. All ships are inspected by officials from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations in waters near Turkey on the way in and out of Ukraine. The United Nations said there are dozens of ships waiting to be inspected before they travel to Ukraine. Last month, Russia agreed to renew the grain export deal for at least 60 days, half the intended period, and Moscow has said it would only consider a further extension if several demands in relation to its own exports were met.

☆ Myanmar junta says military carried out deadly attack on rebel ceremony
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

At least 50 people, including children, were killed in Tuesday's air strike in the Sagaing area in northwest Myanmar, according to media reports. Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told military broadcast channel Myawaddy the attack on the ceremony held by the National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow administration, for their armed People's Defence Force was aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region. They are the ones opposing the government of the country, the people of the country," said Zaw Min Tun. Kyaw Zaw, a spokesman for the NUG, said it believed nearly 100 people were killed in the Tuesday attack when air force jets dropped bombs on villagers and military attack helicopters then followed up, calling it "another senseless, barbaric, brutal attack by the military". The military has ruled Myanmar for most of the past 60 years saying it is the only institution capable of holding the diverse country together.

Summary Russia to West: remove obstacles to agricultural exportsLavrov: West should take UN proposals seriouslyLavrov: Ukraine may have to use land/rivers for exportsLavrov: Russia may work around Black Sea grain dealMOSCOW, April 7 (Reuters) - Russia warned the West on Friday that unless obstacles to its exports of grain and fertilisers were removed, then Ukraine would have to export grain over land and Moscow would work outside the UN-brokered landmark grain export deal. The Black Sea grain deal is an attempt by the United Nations to ease a food crisis that predated the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but was made worse by the most deadly war in Europe since World War Two. The deal, first signed by Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN in July last year and twice extended, allows for the export of food and fertiliser, including ammonia from Ukraine's Black Sea ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhny/Pivdennyi. If the West continued to refuse to remove the obstacles to Russian exports, Moscow would work around the grain deal, Lavrov said beside his Turkish counterpart at a news conference in Ankara. Since its signing, the 120-day grain deal has been extended twice, once in November and a second time in March, though Russia said the March extension was only for 60 days.

☆ China accounts for two thirds of world's planned new coal power - research
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"The more new coal projects come online, the steeper the cuts and commitments need to be in the future," said GEM's Flora Champenois, lead author of the report. Outside China, planned new capacity fell 20% last year, with no projects proposed either in the European Union or North America. India accounted for 60.5 GW of the proposed capacity while Indonesia is planning to build another 26 GW. Overall, worldwide coal-fired power capacity grew by 19.5 GW last year, with 45.5 GW of newly constructed capacity - mostly from China - offset by plant retirements totalling 26 GW. China's coal plant approvals last year were the highest since 2015, as local governments responded to concerns that power supply instability could undermine economic growth.

UNITED NATIONS/KABUL, April 5 (Reuters) - U.N. chief Antonio Guterres condemned on Wednesday a ban by Afghanistan's Taliban authorities on Afghan women working for the United Nations, calling it "an intolerable violation of the most basic human rights" that should be immediately revoked. The United Nations has told some 3,300 Afghan staff - of which about 400 are female - not to report to their offices until further notice for security reasons. "Banning Afghan women from working with the U.N. in Afghanistan is an intolerable violation of the most basic human rights," Guterres posted on Twitter. Top U.N. officials in Kabul met with the Acting Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi on Wednesday after the Taliban authorities signaled on Tuesday that they would enforce a ban on Afghan women working for the world body. So far it is only 5% funded and the United Nations says nearly three-quarters of the country's 40 million people need help.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would view any ban on Afghan women working for the United Nations in their country as "unacceptable and, frankly, inconceivable", he said. The restrictions did not initially apply to the United Nations and some other international organisations. In January, the U.N Deputy Secretary-General flagged concerns that authorities could next restrict Afghan women working at international organisations. It was not immediately clear whether foreign embassies in Kabul had received similar instructions on female staff. Article 8 of its governing charter requires the U.N. not to place any restrictions on men and women working for U.N. agencies.

☆ Green transition won't be perfect and we'll need natural gas, World Energy Council CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"We need to get electrification going faster," said Angela Wilkinson, the secretary general and CEO of the London-based World Energy Council. Described by the International Energy Agency as a "versatile energy carrier," hydrogen has a diverse range of applications and can be used in a wide range of industries. One method of producing hydrogen involves electrolysis, a process through which an electric current splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. In looking at the overall picture, the World Energy Council's Wilkinson stressed there are no easy answers. "It's not that it's a simple issue of just swapping out one technology for another technology," she said.

☆ Killer drones and multi-billion dollar deals: Turkey's rapidly-growing defense industry is boosting its global clout
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Drones aren't the only thing elevating Turkey's status as a growing player in the global defense industry. Turnover for the country's defense industry as a whole last year was $10 billion, according to Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries. And the investment shows in the numbers: research and development in Turkey's defense sector "recently increased by 30 percent," the Atlantic Council's report wrote. Turkish defense manufacturers say they are booked for the next several years with orders to help replenish NATO stockpiles. Those firms also have high demand from Turkey's military alone — it is, after all, the second-largest military in NATO after the United States.

☆ Zelenskiy tells Europe: Be quicker with military aid or face a long war
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Nick Starkov | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Although Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged partners to step up supplies of weapons, Zelenskiy's comments represented an unusually open display of frustration. "If Europe waits, the evil may have time to regroup and prepare for years of war. "We cannot keep delaying the transfer of weapons to our soldiers ... we need modern aircraft. Is there truly any rational motivation in delays concerning modern aircraft?" Zelenskiy also complained that the EU appeared to be in no hurry to impose more sanctions against Russia.

That will be discussed over lunch with Guterres before the U.N. secretary-general takes his leave and EU leaders get an update on the war from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy via video link, officials said. "We will, as always, reaffirm our unwavering commitment to assist Ukraine," declared Charles Michel, president of the European Council of EU leaders. Diplomats involved in preparing the summit of the 27 national EU leaders were sceptical of an imminent breakthrough. AMMUNITIONBeyond food security and sanctions, the leaders will also discuss bringing those responsible for the 13-month war to justice, as well as providing more military aid to Ukraine. "We will need to take measures to boost the manufacturing capacity of the European defence industry," Michel said in his letter inviting fellow EU leaders to the summit.

☆ These eight charts show why climate change matters right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportGlobal warming is caused when greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere. Climate change is already having impacts on human life and well-beingZoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards This chart shows the various impacts climate change has on water availability, food production, health and well-being, cities and infrastructure and biodiversity and ecosystems. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportMany of the worst impacts of climate change will come to pass in the lives of the youngest humans. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportThe globe has warmed by 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the IPCC report says. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment ReportA slight change in the average change of the earth's temperature will impact different populations differently.

☆ UN warns 'vampiric overconsumption' is draining world's water
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Isla Binnie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (Reuters) - The United Nations opened its first conference on water security in almost half a century on Wednesday with a plea to governments to better manage one of humanity's shared resources. A quarter of the world's population relies on unsafe drinking water while half lacks basic sanitation, the U.N. said. "We are draining humanity's lifeblood through vampiric overconsumption and unsustainable use, and evaporating it through global heating," said U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres. But Guterres said it must "result in a bold Water Action Agenda that gives our world's lifeblood the commitment it deserves". The United States quickly responded to Guterres' call.

Jekta's electric-motor PHA-ZE 100 will generate zero emissions, according to the company. Gayo intends to use the planes for sustainable luxury travel and transport to remote areas, Gayo Chairman Gisle Dueland told Reuters. United Airlines (UAL.O) and Air Canada (AC.TO) have both said they would buy electric planes from Swedish start-up Heart Aerospace. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged developed countries to commit to reaching net zero emissions by 2040 instead of 2050. Carbon dioxide emissions from tourism are expected to grow 25% by 2030 from 2016 levels if there are no changes, according to the U.N. World Tourism Organization.

☆ Greta Thunberg, climate activists get court nod to sue Swedish state
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM, March 21 (Reuters) - A Swedish court gave Greta Thunberg and hundreds of other climate activists the go-ahead on Tuesday to proceed with a class action lawsuit against the Swedish state for "insufficient climate policy". On Tuesday, Nacka District Court said the lawsuit could go ahead after the group made adjustments to the claim. "The district court has today issued a summons in a high-profile class action lawsuit," the court said in a statement. "In the case, demands have been made for the district court to determine that the state has an obligation to take certain specified measures to limit climate change." The Swedish state has three months to respond to the lawsuit before the case could be heard or settled in writing, the district court said, adding it could not say when the suit might be decided.

☆ Photos from Putin's big meeting with China's Xi show no absurdly long tables but feature unexpectedly giant flags
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Tuesday, he was photographed with China's President Xi next to weirdly tall flags. But for Chinese President Xi Jinping, Moscow broke out long red carpets and massive flags. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Photo by PAVEL BYRKIN/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty ImagesRussian President Vladimir Putin meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with leaders of the countries of the CTSO Monday at a new long table, but this one is round.

☆ 'Climate time bomb ticking', emissions must urgently be cut, UN chief says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 20 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the "climate time bomb is ticking" as he urged rich nations on Monday to slash emissions sooner after a new assessment from scientists said there was little time to lose in tackling climate change. "The rate of temperature rise in the last half century is the highest in 2,000 years," he said. The synthesis report summarised findings from three expert assessments published between 2021 and 2022 that looked at the physical science, impacts, and mitigation of climate change. The summary report is designed to provide clarity for policymakers as they consider further action to slash emissions. The document will also serve as a guide for a global climate change "stocktake" set to take place this year, in which countries will assess progress.

☆ US, China, Russia argue over North Korea at United Nations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File PhotoUNITED NATIONS, March 20 (Reuters) - The United States, China and Russia argued during a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday over who was to blame for spurring North Korea's dozens of ballistic missile launches and development of a nuclear weapons program. North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions for its missile and nuclear programs since 2006. China and Russia blamed joint military drills by the United States and South Korea for provoking Pyongyang while Washington accuses Beijing and Moscow of emboldening North Korea by shielding it from more sanctions. Russia and China, veto powers along with the United States, Britain and France, have said more sanctions will not help and want such measures to be eased.

☆ World’s top climate scientists issue ‘survival guide for humanity,’ call for major course correction
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature threshold is widely recognized as crucial because so-called tipping points become more likely beyond this level. In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts — everything, everywhere, all at once. But it will take a quantum leap in climate action." He added, "In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts — everything, everywhere, all at once." "Climate justice is crucial because those who have contributed least to climate change are being disproportionately affected," said Aditi Mukherji, one of the 93 authors of this Synthesis Report.

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