Fighting continues in Sudan
Even hospitals were under threat in Sudan as two generals battled for control. More than 180 people have died since fighting erupted on Saturday. It is unclear who, if anyone, is in charge.
Hospitals, which are trying to treat the growing numbers of wounded people, have been attacked. One overwhelmed medical center was shelled. Paramilitary fighters then barged inside, ordered that patients be evacuated and took up positions, one doctor said.
My colleagues have used satellite imagery of Khartoum, the capital, to identify 20 planes that have been destroyed or badly damaged at the airport since the conflict erupted. The E.U.’s ambassador was assaulted in his home, though he was not injured. And even though millions of residents of the capital don’t have water or electricity, few are venturing out.
“Everyone is afraid,” said a 28-year-old who went out to try to charge his cellphone. “You can see it in their eyes. People are panicking.”
Scale: These photos and videos map the violence in Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country by area.
Context: The battles are the culmination of a long-brewing conflict between two generals, who together seized power in a coup in 2021. They have now turned against each other after rebuffing attempts to allow a transition to civilian rule.
Kremlin critic is sentenced
Vladimir Kara-Murza, an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, was convicted of treason in Russia. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison — which appears to be the longest sentence yet for any activist in the last year.
Kara-Murza, who has Russian and British citizenship, contributes to the opinion section of The Washington Post and had urged the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russian officials. His sentence is longer than those often given for murder in Russia and exceeds the time being served by Aleksei Navalny and others.
The verdict is the latest example of the Kremlin’s wartime repression 14 months after the invasion of Ukraine. Even though Russian verdicts are often foregone conclusions, especially for opponents of the Kremlin, the length of the prison term is bracing. It is a reminder that the Kremlin is willing to brand any domestic critics as enemies of the state.
Recent context: The sentencing comes three weeks after the American reporter Evan Gershkovich’s arrest on espionage charges. The U.S. ambassador to Russia met yesterday with Gershkovich. Ilya Yashin, an opposition leader, was sentenced to eight and a half years in December.
Background: Kara-Murza has long rankled the Kremlin and has survived what he has characterized as two state-sponsored attempts to poison him.
Other updates:
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NATO is becoming the war-fighting alliance it was during the Cold War.
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At least 15 people died in a Russian missile attack in eastern Ukraine, in one of the deadliest assaults on Ukrainian civilians this year.
Macron, still unyielding, expresses regret
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, expressed contrition for the first time yesterday that a consensus had not been reached on his pension plan. After months of conflict, he strained for reconciliation — but offered no concessions and few specific proposals.
In a 13-minute national address, Macron appealed for a new “national élan” based on “calm, unity, ambition and action” and appealed for 100 days of concerted action to establish a “new pact of life and work.” But his speech was defiant: Days earlier, he officially enacted the pension law.
Resistance continues. As he spoke, crowds banged pots and pans outside city halls in an effort to drown out his voice. Labor unions rejected an invitation to begin talks today. Instead, they are calling for protests on May 1 — Labor Day and a national holiday — and say they won’t speak to him until after that.
What’s next: Starting in September, the legal age when workers can start collecting a pension will increase by three months every year until it reaches 64 in 2030.
THE LATEST NEWS
Around the World
There are more than 10 million abandoned homes across Japan, called akiya, a symptom of the country’s shrinking population. For some curious buyers who feel less tethered to cities, that has created an opportunity.
One Australian paid about $23,000 for a stately home just 45 minutes from Tokyo. “We would never have been able to afford a house of this quality and size if it wasn’t an akiya,” he said.
SPORTS NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC
The soccer player who almost died crossing a ball: Alex Fletcher sustained brain damage and skull fractures after colliding with a wall behind the goal line.
The latest on Chelsea’s hunt for a new manager: The search is now down to a few names. Here’s what we know.
The fans who watch Mbappe and Messi together can’t find happiness: Another league title, stunning goals from two legends, yet the mood at P.S.G. is one of disgruntlement.
ARTS AND IDEAS
Rat tales
New York City has appointed its first-ever “rat czar,” who will oversee efforts to drive down the pest population. It seems that everyone in the city has rat horror stories — so we collected them.
They’re on subways and in the garbage. One man tried to save a rat from his dog. (The rat bit his finger, and he bled profusely.)
And, of course, there are toilet rats. One resident heard splashing while he was brushing his teeth, flushed and watched as a rat swam back down. He did not stay in that apartment much longer.
“But I still close the lid on the toilet,” he said. “Always.”
