- The United States Hosts Signing of Declaration of Principles Between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Government of Rwanda U.S. Department of State (.gov)
- Congo and Rwanda agree on pathway to peace in US-brokered deal Reuters
- Congo and M23 Agree to a Cease-Fire in Qatar The New York Times
- DRC government and M23 agree to halt fighting and work towards truce The Guardian
- Rwanda and DR Congo set May 2 deadline for peace deal France 24
UK court defines ‘woman’. Trans women left in limbo
UK court rules 'woman' means biological sex, a decision that could limit trans women’s access to services and rights.
Six things we learned about the future of energy security at UK summit
Critical minerals, nuclear power and the ‘weaponisation’ of energy supplies were discussed at international conference
The UK and the International Energy Agency gathered ministers and high-level officials from 60 countries to Lancaster House in London for two days of talks on the future of energy security this week. The EU was out in force, the US sent a top official, but China stayed away. Here’s what we learned.
Continue reading...About 250,000 mourners pay final respects to Pope Francis, Vatican says
Vatican says about 250,000 mourners filed through St Peter's Basilica during a three-day lying in state.
A carve-up in gift wrapping: Trump’s peace plan puts the sacrifice on Ukraine
Redolent of old great power thinking, Trump’s Crimea giveaway could usher a return to international lawlessness
“Crimea will stay with Russia,” Donald Trump told Time magazine in a largely sympathetic profile on Friday. And with that statement, the US president made clear that he wanted to carve up another country, Ukraine, and so legitimise the forcible seizure of land made by Moscow 11 years ago.
From reading the transcript of the interview, Trump’s thinking is hardly coherent. Crimea, he says, wouldn’t have been seized if he had been president in 2014, but “it was handed to them by Barack Hussein Obama” and now Crimea has “been with them [Russia] for a long time” – so it is time to accept the seizure.
Continue reading...Head at Welsh primary school jailed for assault on deputy over ‘sexual jealousy’
Anthony John Felton ambushed Richard Pyke with spanner over suspected sex with teacher he had affair with
A headteacher who was caught on video attacking his deputy with a large adjustable spanner, in an assault motivated by “overwhelming sexual jealousy”, has been jailed for more than two years.
Anthony John Felton, 54, concealed the wrench in his jacket pocket as he approached his colleague, Richard Pyke, 51, from behind. Video of the incident showed him taking out the heavy tool and then repeatedly swinging it at Pyke’s head.
Continue reading...As Trump looms over Canadian elections, affordability a key factor
As Canada goes to polls on Monday, Trump threats are key as are cost of living issues.
Angie Murimirwa: From hiding in the bathroom to Time’s most influential people list : Goats and Soda – NPR
‘My bananas were seized and destroyed’ – Malawi-Tanzania trade row escalates
Following the crackdown, some traders have resorted to selling their goods in secret, the BBC hears.
Iran sees missile programme as main sticking point in US talks – Reuters
- Iran sees missile programme as main sticking point in US talks Reuters
- U.S. negotiating position on Iran in flux as talks continue The Washington Post
- Negotiations between Iran and the US over Tehran's nuclear program return to secluded Oman AP News
- Combine ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran with maximum support for the Iranian people The Hill
- White House Taps America First Isolationist to Lead Technical Talks on Iran, Irking Hawks Haaretz
Pope’s funeral a diplomatic minefield as Trump sets fire to US alliances
President’s international engagements have set stage for explosive confrontations and Pope Francis’s funeral comes at an especially fraught moment
A spectre is haunting Europe: the spectre of Donald Trump flying to the Vatican this weekend and publicly feuding with international leaders in front of St Peter’s Basilica in the midst of the sombre rituals and rites that will mark the funeral of Pope Francis.
The US leader’s first international trip of his second term comes at one of the most politically fractious and fraught moments in recent memory, as his “America first” project sets fire to US alliances and trade relationships around the world. Between international tariffs, the wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, the Trump team’s open antipathy toward Europe and its hard line on immigration from Central and South America, the papal funeral could prove to be a minefield of international diplomacy.
Continue reading...UN says its food stocks in Gaza completely ‘depleted’ amid Israeli blockade
More than 400,000 people who rely on UN-supplied meals will be affected, WFP warns.
Why Pope Francis won’t be buried in the Vatican
Pope Francis will be buried in Rome's church of Santa Maria Maggiore, breaking a 100-year-old tradition.
Why Pope Francis won’t be buried in the Vatican
Pope Francis will be buried in Rome's church of Santa Maria Maggiore, breaking a 100-year-old tradition.
Democratic lawmakers call for release of Tufts student from Ice detention
Jim McGovern and Ayanna Pressley exhort authorities to free Rümeysa Öztürk, calling her treatment ‘repression’
A group of high-profile Democratic lawmakers has called on the Donald Trump administration to immediately release the Tufts University graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk, praised her “unwavering spirit” and warned that the White House is engaging in “repression”.
In a New York Times essay published on Friday morning, the US senator Ed Markey and representatives Jim McGovern and Ayanna Pressley, who all represent Massachusetts, where Tufts is based, shared more details from their visit to Öztürk this week at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention center in Louisiana, where she has been held since her arrest last month.
Continue reading...Sudanese eating charcoal and leaves to survive, aid agency warns
People are trekking under "blistering" heat to escape "horrific circumstances", the BBC is told.
Tories urged not to ‘panic’ into uniting with Reform or removing Badenoch
Former ministers warn that leader must not be ‘pushed off course’ as Conservatives expect disastrous local elections
Senior Conservatives have warned colleagues against “bloody panic”, urging them not to consider doing deals with Reform or removing Kemi Badenoch as leader, as the party braces for a disastrous set of local election results.
Two former cabinet ministers warned against changing direction regardless of the result next Friday, with Andrew Mitchell saying “talk of deals with Reform is misplaced” and John Glen arguing Badenoch must not be “pushed off course”.
Continue reading...UK woman accused of illegal abortion did not look pregnant, friend tells court
Witness says nothing to indicate Nicola Packer was pregnant in weeks before she delivered foetus
There was “absolutely nothing” to indicate that a woman accused of taking abortion pills illegally was pregnant in the weeks before she delivered a foetus, a court has heard.
Nicola Packer, 44, is on trial at Isleworth crown court accused of administering poison with intent to procure a miscarriage in November 2020, during the second Covid lockdown.
Continue reading...Trump eyes diplomacy in Rome at Pope Francis’s funeral
US President Donald Trump says he expects to meet with foreign leaders while he’s in Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral.
Trump envoy meets Putin hours after Moscow killing of Russian general
Russian official calls talks with Steve Witkoff ‘quite useful’ as investigation launched into suspected Ukrainian bombing
Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff has met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin for high-stakes peace talks, hours after a senior Russian military official was killed in a car explosion near Moscow.
Trump has played up Witkoff’s visit – his fourth to Russia in recent months – claiming a deal on ending the war in Ukraine was within reach. “The next few days are going to be very important. Meetings are taking place right now,” Trump told reporters on Thursday. “I think we’re going to make a deal … I think we’re getting very close.”
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