Sudan

After the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, Morocco now also wants to normalize relations with Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump declared via Twitter that the two states had agreed to establish "full diplomatic relations." Liaison offices were to be opened immediately in Rabat and Tel Aviv, and ultimately there would also be the opening of reciprocal embassies.

Due to heavy rains, the Nile water levels have risen, threatening to damage Sudan's 2,300 year old pyramids. The Nile has reached record-breaking levels, already killed around 100 people and destroyed the homes of many. According to archaeologist Marc Maillot sandbag walls have been built and water is being pumped out to protect the pyramids.

Under the leadership of the African Union the three in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) involved countries Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt have announced that they'll continue negotiations over the management of the dam.

The water and foreign ministers of the countries have agreed "to work on unifying the texts of the agreements submitted by the three countries" according to the water ministry of Sudan.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports an armed attack in the Masteri village near the Darfur region in Sudan. Over 60 people were killed, further 60 wounded. The Sudanese government has not reported nor commented on the attack.

The U.N. statement added that this attack "was one of the latest of a series of security incidents reported over the last week that left several villages and houses burned, markets and shops looted, and infrastructure damaged."

The trial of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for his involvement in the 1989 military takeover of the government started on Tuesday. Al-Bashir came to power after the takeover and was forced from power in 2019. He will be trialed alongside more than 20 of his former officials. If found guilty, he could possibly face the death penalty.

The Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Dr. Seleshi Bekele has announced that the country has started filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. He later stated on his Twitter account that "The inflow into the reservoir due to heavy rain fall and runoff exceeded the outflow and created natural pooling.This continues until overflow is triggered soon".

Talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan had ended with no agreement as Ethiopia aims to become a large energy supplier for its' population and generate revenue by exporting the surplus, while Egypt fears that the Nile will provide too little water for the country.

Sudan's Sovereign Council has banned and criminalized the practice of female genital mutilation. The transitional government had previously approved multiple amendments to the criminal code of Sudan, including the ban on female genitalia mutilation.

The justice ministry stated that the practice "degrades the dignity of women" and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok that the change is "an important step in reforming the justice system".

Sudanese people demand the government to lift the lockdown. The population is battling famine and poverty. Government aids have failed to appear because of "technical issues". Sudan extended the lockdown until June 18th. Sudanese car mechanic Mohamed Othman: "We demand that the lockdown is lifted immediately so that we can get on with our lives because hunger is worse than corona."