Why did the fighting start?

Shooting between the two sides began on 15 April 2023 following days of tension as members of the RSF were redeployed around the country in a move that the army saw as a threat.

There had been some hope that talks could resolve the situation but these never happened.

It is disputed who fired the first shot but the fighting swiftly escalated in different parts of the country.

Why is the military in charge of Sudan?

The civil war is the latest episode in bouts of tension that followed the 2019 ousting of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir, who came to power in a coup in 1989.

There were huge street protests calling for an end to his near-three decade rule and the army mounted a coup to get rid of him.

But civilians continued to campaign for the introduction of democracy.

A joint military-civilian government was then established but that was overthrown in another coup in October 2021, when Gen Burhan took over.

But then the rivalry between Gen Burhan and Gen Dagalo intensified.

A framework deal to put power back in the hands of civilians was agreed in December 2022 but talks to finalise the details failed.

Who controls which parts of the country?

When it began, the conflict appeared to be around the control of key installations.

However, much of it is now happening in urban areas and civilians have become unwitting victims.

The RSF captured Darfur, parts of Kordofan state and, until recently, had controlled much of the capital.

The military controls most of the north and the east, including the key Red Sea port of Port Sudan.

Here’s a rewritten version of the news article, aiming for clarity and conciseness:

Devastating Earthquake Rocks Myanmar and Bangkok, Rescue Efforts Underway

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake has caused widespread devastation in Myanmar and impacted Bangkok, Thailand, triggering urgent search and rescue operations.

In Myanmar, the earthquake has resulted in approximately 1,700 confirmed deaths and 3,400 injuries, according to reports from the military leader. Hundreds remain missing, with rescue efforts concentrated in Mandalay and the capital, Nay Pyi Taw. International aid teams are on the ground, but damaged airports are hindering relief efforts.

In Bangkok, the collapse of an unfinished skyscraper has left 76 construction workers missing, and the death toll has reached 17.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has emphasized the urgent need for shelter, medical care, water, and sanitation for the affected populations in Myanmar, highlighting the increased vulnerability of those already facing conflict. The ongoing conflict between the military junta and various armed militia, which has displaced over three million people since the 2021 coup, is complicating aid delivery.

The National Unity Government, representing the ousted civilian administration, has called for a two-week ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid. However, reports indicate that the military regime continues airstrikes, even near the earthquake’s epicenter.

Tom Andrews, the UN Human Rights Council-appointed expert on Myanmar, has urged the junta to follow the opposition’s lead and implement an immediate ceasefire, suspend military conscription, and allow unobstructed aid delivery.

UN agencies, including UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, and WFP, are actively involved in the relief efforts. UNFPA is focusing on the needs of women and girls, addressing compromised maternal healthcare and the heightened risk of gender-based violence. UNICEF has described the situation as a “catastrophe” for children, particularly in Mandalay, and is calling for urgent assistance. WHO has dispatched nearly three tonnes of medical supplies and launched an $8 million appeal for trauma care and disease prevention. WFP has begun distributing emergency food supplies, including high-energy biscuits, and is scaling up its assistance.

United States President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he was “p* off” at his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and would slap additional financial penalties on the sale of Russian oil if he did not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The comments marked a sharp change in tone from Trump, who has been open to peace negotiations with Moscow since his second term began in January.

Here is more about what happened, what Trump’s threat could involve, and why this is significant for Putin’s war on Ukraine, and for countries that buy Russian oil.

What did Trump say about Putin?

During an interview with NBC on Sunday, Trump said he was “very angry” and “p* off” over Putin questioning the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump argued that any move seeking to replace Zelenskyy as the leader of Ukraine would inevitably delay the prospects of a ceasefire.

However, Trump did add that Putin knew he was angry with him. He said he and Putin had “a very good relationship” and “the anger dissipates quickly … if he does the right thing”.

What had Putin said about Zelenskyy?

Putin said Zelenskyy lacked the legitimacy to sign a peace agreement.

The Russian leader has frequently claimed that the Ukrainian government is illegitimate, ever since the 2014 overthrow of Moscow-leaning President Viktor Yanukovych, whom the Kremlin claims had US backing.

Putin suggested on Thursday that a temporary administration be established in Ukraine under the supervision of the United Nations. This proposal was rejected by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Zelenskyy was sworn in as the president of Ukraine in 2019 for a five-year term. The war broke out following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Ukraine was supposed to have presidential elections in 2024, the country has been under martial law due to the war, and its constitution does not allow it to hold elections under martial law conditions.

What is the state of diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine war?

During his presidential election campaign, Trump promised that he would bring the Ukraine war to a prompt halt.

Since his inauguration, US negotiating teams have separately met Russian and Ukrainian teams multiple times in Saudi Arabia to discuss peace terms. Trump has also separately spoken to Putin and Zelenskyy since then.

A Sudanese war monitor has accused the military of killing hundreds of people in an air strike on a market in the country’s western Darfur region on Monday.

The Emergency Lawyers group – which documents abuses by both sides in Sudan’s civil war that erupted in April 2023 – said the bombing of Tur’rah market was a “horrific massacre” that had also left hundreds injured.

Videos posted on social media – some by the army’s rival the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that controls much of Darfur – showed the smoking ruins of market stalls and bodies charred beyond recognition.

A military spokesperson denied targeting civilians, saying it only attacked legitimate hostile targets.

Both the Sudanese armed forces and RSF have repeatedly been accused of shelling civilian areas.

The RSF has deployed drones in Darfur, but the army has the warplanes – and regularly strikes RSF positions across the region.

The BBC has not been able to confirm the death toll of the attack on the market, which is located about 35km (21 miles) north of the army-held city of el-Fasher.

A Darfur activist group – the Darfur Initiative for Justice and Peace – called it the “deadliest single bombing since the beginning of the war”.

Reports quoting eyewitnesses and residents ranged from 61 to 270 dead.

The UN Secretary General’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said dozens of casualties had been reported from the market bombing.

He said the world body was “gravely alarmed by the continued attacks on civilians,” including an RSF artillery strike on a mosque in the capital, Khartoum, on Sunday.

Civilian deaths in bombing and shelling attacks have intensified in recent months with the escalation of fighting in the country’s brutal civil conflict.

Some 12 million Sudanese people have fled their homes since war broke out – that is equivalent to Belgium or Tunisia’s entire population.

Famine has taken hold and starvation is widespread, the UN says, with over half the country experiencing “high levels of acute food insecurity”.

Estimates vary, but it is said that at least 150,000 people have been killed by the fighting.

The RSF has denied evidence that it is committing a genocide in Darfur, including the murder of thousands of civilians, and the rape of non-Arab women as a means of “ethnic cleansing”.

According the UN, Sudan is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

In a striking commentary on Fox News, host Jesse Watters delivered a direct and unapologetic message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, asserting America’s control over global affairs. “We run the world. This is America’s world. He’s our proxy. This world — this ends when we say it ends,” Watters declared, reinforcing the notion that Ukraine’s fate is ultimately in the hands of the United States.

Watters illustrated his point with a metaphor, likening Ukraine’s plea for continued U.S. support to a young man seeking a father’s blessing for marriage without the necessary means to provide. “It’s kinda like when you wanna propose, so you go to the girlfriend’s dad. You go into his house. ‘Can I have your blessing?’ And he goes, ‘Well, do you have any money for a ring?’ ‘Nope.’ ‘Do you have a job?’ ‘Nope.’ ‘Do you have a house?’ ‘Nope.’ And then you start arguing with the dad, and he kicks you out of the house, and you go back to the girlfriend. The girlfriend’s like, ‘Well, how did it go?’ Not good. It did not go very well.”

According to Watters, Zelensky “screwed up” by directly confronting U.S. Senator J.D. Vance on the issue of diplomacy and Russia’s trustworthiness. The exchange reportedly took place shortly after former President Donald Trump responded to a reporter’s question about alignment with Russia, stating, “I’m just aligned with America, and I’m aligned with the world.” Vance then added that bravado alone would not suffice in diplomatic efforts. Zelensky, however, swiftly criticized Vance, saying, “You don’t know anything about diplomacy. What do you know about diplomacy? You can’t negotiate with Putin. He can’t be trusted. He violates ceasefires.”

Watters questioned the rationale behind Zelensky’s visit and the purpose of ongoing diplomatic engagements. “Well, then what are we all doing here? Why did he fly all the way here to sign this mineral deal if you can’t negotiate with Vladimir Putin? What’s the whole point of this?” He further argued that the United States has no interest in providing Ukraine with a formal security pact that would obligate American soldiers to defend the country in case of future Russian aggression. Instead, he suggested that securing critical mineral resources was the most tangible benefit Ukraine could expect from ongoing negotiations.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, the debate over U.S. involvement remains highly contentious, with figures like Watters pushing for a reassessment of America’s role. His comments reflect a growing sentiment among some political factions that Ukraine’s reliance on U.S. support should not come without strict limitations and strategic reassessments.

Washington, D.C. – Former President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is “not ready for peace” if the United States remains involved in negotiations, following a meeting at the White House.

In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump described the discussion as “very meaningful” but suggested that Zelenskyy views U.S. support as a bargaining tool rather than a path to ending the war.

“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion,” Trump wrote. “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE.”

Trump also accused Zelenskyy of disrespecting the United States during their meeting in the Oval Office, adding, “He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

The statement marks a stark contrast to the Biden administration’s stance, which has pledged continued military and financial support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion. Trump, who has frequently criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine, has suggested he could broker a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin within “24 hours” if re-elected.

Zelenskyy has not publicly responded to Trump’s remarks, but the Ukrainian leader has consistently argued that ongoing American support is crucial in resisting Russian aggression.

The meeting and Trump’s statement come amid broader debates in Washington over U.S. aid to Ukraine, with Republican lawmakers divided on continued funding for Kyiv.

This is a developing story.