'Digging with a needle': Generals stall peace as Sudan's el-Obeid burns As drone attacks rain down on el-Obeid and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) tighten their months-long siege, the capital of North Kordofan has emerged as the latest flashpoint in Sudan's grinding war of attrition. Despite mounting international alarm and renewed US diplomatic pressure aimed at securing a nationwide truce, Sudan's warring generals remain deeply entrenched. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF appear locked in a pursuit of outright military victory, largely sustained by a continuous flow of foreign weapons. Through the lens of the escalating crisis in el-Obeid, a grim reality is unfolding: Civilian suffering is increasingly weaponised amid polarised domestic narratives, while geopolitical manoeuvring repeatedly stalls any viable path to peace. El-Obeid holds immense strategic value.

Could Israel sabotage the deal? Iran has launched attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait after the United States struck five Iranian targets, escalating tensions and threatening the fragile ceasefire agreed by the two sides earlier this month. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the attacks on Sunday, saying it launched ballistic missiles and drones at the US Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait and the US Fifth Naval Fleet at Port Salman in Bahrain. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its navy and air force "conducted strikes tonight on 10 Iranian military targets at multiple locations in and near the Strait of Hormuz", saying the attacks were a response to an Iranian drone attack on the Kiku oil tanker. It said the Panama-flagged vessel was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil when it was attacked as it transited near the strait early on Saturday.

Could Israel sabotage the deal? The United States has bombed Iran for a second straight day, striking Sirik, Bandar-e Lengeh and Qeshm Island after a drone attack on a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, while Kuwait said its air defences were responding to "hostile missile and drone threats", raising heightened tensions across the region. Meanwhile, Israel carried out new attacks on southern Lebanon, killing at least one person, just a day after reaching a framework agreement with the Lebanese government aimed at ending the fighting. Tehran-based political analyst Abas Aslani said Iran views the waterway as a deterrent against future US attacks.

Could Israel sabotage the deal? The US has bombed Iran for a second day, hitting the city of Sirik, Bandar-e Lengeh and Qeshm Island, following a drone attack on a commercial vessel near the Strait of Hormuz . Air raid sirens blare in Bahrain as Kuwait's military says its air defences are responding to "hostile missile and drone threats".

Is the war entering a new phase? Russian overnight attacks have killed two people and wounded more than 20 across Ukraine, while Kyiv's attacks on Russian territory and occupied areas have killed one and wounded 10, according to local officials. Drone and bomb attacks hit multiple Ukrainian regions overnight into Saturday, killing one person in Sumy and one in Dnipropetrovsk, while nine people, including two children, were injured in attacks on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia. In Sumy district in the north, a man of 66 was killed in a Russian drone attack on a house, regional military Governor Oleh Hryhorov said, while a second statement referenced "a massive attack" elsewhere in the same region bordering Russia, which injured 10. Attacks on the southeastern town of Zaporizhzhia injured nine, including two children, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said. "The enemy attack caused extensive destruction to the city's civilian infrastructure," the service said.

Could Israel sabotage the deal? The United States has carried out strikes on Iran in what it says is a response to an Iranian drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it targeted locations in the region where US forces are deployed in retaliation for the Trump administration's latest attack.

Game Theory: Why did Africa boycott the 1966 World Cup? Game Theory Why did Africa boycott the 1966 World Cup? A record 10 African teams are competing at the 2026 World Cup. But 60 years ago, not one African nation played in the 1966 World Cup. Al Jazeera's Samantha Johnson looks at the 1966 boycott that helped reshape the tournament for generations to come. Why are World Cup tickets so expensive?

Could Israel sabotage the deal? The United States has renewed its attacks against Iran, in response to an incident a day earlier when a cargo vessel was struck by an Iranian drone. On Friday, the US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said it had issued a "powerful response to yesterday's attack". "Iran's dangerous behavior undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor." US strikes were reported near the southern Iranian port of Sirik after the announcement.

Is the war entering a new phase? Russia has reported that it downed 660 drones overnight, as Ukraine maintains a barrage that is straining Russian air defences and energy infrastructure. The number of drones shot down marks one of Kyiv's biggest launches of long-range strikes, Russia's Ministry of Defence stated on Friday. That has stoked concern that Moscow may try to pull ally Belarus into the conflict, launched when it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The latest wave of Ukrainian drones saw Russia intercept unmanned aircraft over 13 regions, including the capital, Moscow, and the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula, as well as the Black and Azov seas.

Who will control Africa's AI infrastructure, and at what cost? In April, African Union ministers gathered in Tangier, Morocco, to discuss artificial intelligence at a moment when governments across the continent are racing to develop AI strategies, attract investment and expand digital infrastructure. Beneath the enthusiasm, however, sits a more fundamental question. As foreign technology companies invest in data centres, cloud services and AI systems across Africa, how much control will African countries ultimately have over the infrastructure on which those technologies depend? The debate reflects a broader shift in how policymakers are thinking about AI.