- New study reinforces theory Covid emerged at Chinese market
- World Bank boosts climate financing by 10 percent
- Bagnaia eyeing summit on home ground in 100th MotoGP
- 'Something was wrong', defendant in French mass rape tells court
- Hezbollah chief admits 'unprecedented' blow in device blasts
- Sales of US existing homes slip slightly in August
- Fear, panic haunt Lebanese after devices explode
- Labuschagne sparks Australia fightback in England ODI opener
- S.Africa's HIV research power couple says fight goes on
- Why is Israel focusing on border with Lebanon?
- Mpox vaccines administered in Rwanda, first in Africa
- US Fed rate cut is 'very positive sign' for economy: Yellen
- Unknown Mozart string trio discovered in Germany
- 'Are we five-year-olds?' F1 drivers won't mind their language
- Brazil judge orders X to reimpose block or face hefty fine
- Munich to rename stadium street after Beckenbauer
- Champions Italy to face Argentina in Davis Cup Final 8
- The winding, fitful path to weight loss drug Ozempic
- Italians defeat American Magic to reach Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Norris has 'nothing to lose' as he hunts Verstappen in Singapore
- Kyiv 'outraged' at Swiss showing of Russian war film
- French city renames Abbe Pierre square after abuse claims
- Footballer charged after huge cannabis seizure at UK airport
- Vatican recognises Medjugorje shrine, but not Virgin's messages
- Israel bombs Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon after wave of deadly blasts
- Bank of England freezes rate after jumbo US cut
- Playing Nadal is 'kind of a nightmare', says Alcaraz
- Portugal tackles last of deadly northern forest fires
- Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
- Departing NATO chief warns US against 'isolationism'
- Coming winter 'sternest test yet' for Ukraine energy grid
- Evacuations as tail of Storm Boris floods northeast Italy
- Lebanon's Hezbollah reeling after second wave of deadly blasts
- Taiwan recognises same-sex marriages between Chinese, Taiwanese
- Stock markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Gabon's ousted leader Bongo says renouncing politics for good
- Lebanon device blasts: what we know about deadly attacks
- Equity markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Late Harrods owner Al-Fayed accused of rape: BBC
- Hong Kong man sentenced 14 months for wearing 'seditious' T-shirt
- Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts
- Equity markets, yen rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Meta and Spotify blast EU decisions on AI
- Hasan takes three as Bangladesh rattle India in first Test
- Two killed during police operation in New Caledonia
- Flood-hit region leaders to meet in Poland to discuss EU aid
- Sri Lanka to vote in first poll since economic collapse
- Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage
- AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn
- All Blacks primed for 'hell' of a Wallabies clash
RBGPF | 5.79% | 60.5 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.14% | 25.02 | $ | |
BP | 1.58% | 32.951 | $ | |
BCC | 4.01% | 142.78 | $ | |
SCS | -6.81% | 13.21 | $ | |
GSK | -1.06% | 41.985 | $ | |
BTI | -0.68% | 37.625 | $ | |
NGG | -1.63% | 68.925 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.1% | 25.005 | $ | |
RELX | 1.54% | 48.11 | $ | |
RIO | 3.56% | 65.23 | $ | |
RYCEF | 5.48% | 6.93 | $ | |
JRI | -0.3% | 13.4 | $ | |
AZN | 0.87% | 79.27 | $ | |
VOD | -1.64% | 10.065 | $ | |
BCE | -0.54% | 35.42 | $ |
Sudanese rally against UN bid to resolve post-coup crisis
Thousands of Sudanese pro-military protesters rallied Wednesday against a UN bid to resolve a political crisis in the country three months after a coup, an AFP correspondent reported.
The demonstrators gathered outside the Khartoum office of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan, or UNITAMS, which launched talks with Sudanese factions this month.
They held up banners that read, "Down, down UN", and others that urged United Nations special representative Volker Perthes to "Go back home".
"We don't want external intervention in our country," protester Hamed al-Bashir told AFP outside the UN office.
On January 10, Perthes said the consultations aimed "to support the Sudanese to reach an agreement on a way out of the current crisis". But he added that "the UN is not coming up with any project, draft or vision for a solution".
On Wednesday, UNITAMS said protesters had gathered outside the mission's office "demanding to expel the mission."
"We defend freedom of assembly & expression and offered to receive a delegation in our premises which they refused," it said on Twitter.
Sudan has been rocked by a deadly crackdown against protests calling for civilian rule since an October 25 military coup led by general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The country's latest military takeover derailed a power-sharing transition between the army and civilians that had been painstakingly negotiated after the 2019 ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.
- 'Reverse the coup' -
The ruling Sovereign Council -- formed by Burhan after the coup with himself as chairman -- has welcomed the UN-led dialogue, as have the United States, Britain, neighbouring Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The Forces for Freedom and Change, Sudan's main civilian bloc, has also said it would join consultations "to restore the democratic transition".
In a Wednesday press conference, FFC leader Omar al-Degeir called on the international community to stand by "the Sudanese people to achieve its demands to reverse the coup."
Stephanie Khoury, UNITAMS director of political affairs, said earlier: "Our role at this stage of consultations for a political process for #Sudan is to hear Sudanese stakeholders; ensure we actively listen to their views, document their visions & suggestions."
An 18-year-old protester died on Wednesday after suffering a bullet wound to the head during protests last month, according to the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors.
His death brought the number of people killed in the crackdown on anti-coup demonstrations to 77, including others who were also shot in the head, it said.
Sudan's authorities have repeatedly denied using live ammunition against demonstrators, and insist scores of security personnel have been wounded during the protests.
A police general was stabbed to death during the unrest this month.
In the city of Wad Madani, south of Khartoum, sport clubs said they had suspended all activities until further notice "in tribute to the martyrs killed". Shops and stores were also largely shuttered and streets were empty, according to witnesses.
On Monday a protester in Wad Madani was among three in the country gunned down by security forces during a protest for civilian rule, the Doctors' Committee said.
O.Lorenz--BTB