Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Six In The Morning Wednesday 26 April 2023

 

Sudan live news: Ex-regime officials escape jail amid fighting



  • A wanted Sudanese war crimes suspect, Ahmed Haroun, has confirmed that he and other members of the former regime ousted in 2019 have escaped from prison during recent fighting, raising new fears for a fragile ceasefire.

  • Fuel shortages, the soaring cost of food and a growing number of hospitals bombed out of service are worsening the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan.

  • A US-brokered ceasefire between Sudan’s warring generals enters its second day but remains fragile as witnesses report continuing air strikes and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group says it has seized an oil refinery and power plant.

  • A boat with 1,687 civilians from more than 50 countries fleeing Sudan has arrived in Saudi Arabia, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs says. The operation is the largest rescue effort by the Gulf kingdom to date.


Record ocean temperatures put Earth in ‘uncharted territory’, say scientists

‘Unprecedented’ warming indicates climate crisis is taking place before our eyes, experts say

Temperatures in the world’s oceans have broken fresh records, testing new highs for more than a month in an “unprecedented” run that has led to scientists stating the Earth has reached “uncharted territory” in the climate crisis.

The rapid acceleration of ocean temperatures in the last month is an anomaly that scientists have yet to explain. Data collated by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), known as the Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature (OISST) series, gathered by satellites and buoys, has shown temperatures higher than in any previous year, in a series stretching back to 1981, continuously over the past 42 days.


Navalny denounces 'absurd' trial, as new charges emerge

Imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said that he was facing extremism allegations in a new court hearing — charges that could land him up to 35 years in prison.

A Moscow court held a hearing on Wednesday to determine the fate of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is facing a new trial on extremism and terrorism charges.

"They have brought absurd charges against me, according to which I am facing up to 35 years," said Navalny via video link during the hearing at at Moscow's Basmanny District Court.

He added that he could be judged on a separate military tribunal over terrorism charges, which could land him a life sentence in prison.

The judge closed the session minutes after it opened, saying that the case involved sensitive information and that it should be held behind closed doors.


Singapore executes man convicted in plot to smuggle 1 kg of cannabis


Singapore on Wednesday executed a man convicted of drug trafficking, a representative for his family said, despite pleas from his relatives and activists for clemency.

Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, had been convicted for abetting the trafficking in 2013 of more than 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of cannabis, double the threshold for the death penalty in the city-state, which is known for its tough laws on narcotics.

Kokila Annamalai, a Singapore-based rights activist representing the family, confirmed Suppiah had been executed by hanging after the president had rejected pleas for clemency on the eve of the execution.


3rd party could screen refugee status under revisions to bill

By KOSUKE TAUCHI/ Staff Writer

April 26, 2023 at 18:27 JST


The ruling coalition said it will consider setting up a third-party organization to screen applications for refugee status to sidestep criticism it is rushing to deport foreign nationals living in Japan illegally.

It presented the proposal at a meeting with opposition parties on April 25. However, the revision bill on immigration control would still allow the authorities to deport asylum seekers while their applications are being processed, which the opposition camp is unlikely to stomach.

The government contends that its proposed revisions to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law are necessary because many foreign nationals are abusing the current system on seeking refugee status.


Ukraine's Zelensky holds first war phone call with China's Xi


By Celia Hatton & Paul Kirby
BBC News


Ukraine's Volodymr Zelensky says he has had a "long and meaningful" phone call with China's Xi Jinping, their first contact since Russia's war began.

He said on Twitter he believed the call, along with the appointment of an ambassador to Beijing, would "give a powerful impetus to the development of our bilateral relations".

China confirmed the call, adding that it "always stood on the side of peace".

Unlike the West, Beijing has sought to appear neutral on the Russian invasion.

But it has never hidden its close ties to Moscow, or condemned the invasion, and last month President Xi paid a two-day state visit to Russia.






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