World

UN chief says Sudan is on the brink of a ‘full-scale civil war’ after nearly 3 months of fighting

Published

3 years ago

July 9, 2023

FILE - U.N secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses the media during a visit to the U.N. office in the capital Nairobi, Kenya Wednesday, May 3, 2023. Antonio Guterres says Sudan is on the brink of a “full-scale civil war,” as fierce clashes between rival generals continued unabated Sunday in the capital, Khartoum. (AP Photo/Khalil Senosi, File)

CAIRO (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sudan is on the brink of a “full-scale civil war” as fierce clashes between rival generals continued unabated Sunday in the capital of Khartoum.

Guterres warned late Saturday that the war between the Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary force is likely to destabilize the entire region, according to Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the U.N. chief.

Sudan descended into chaos after months of tension between military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and his rival, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open fighting in mid-April.

Health Minister Haitham Mohammed Ibrahim said last month that the clashes have killed over 3,000 people and wounded over 6,000 others. The death tally, however, is highly likely to be much higher, he said. More than 2.9 million people have fled their homes to safer areas inside Sudan or crossed into neighboring countries, according to U.N. figures.

The fighting began 18 months after the two generals led a military coup in October 2021 that toppled a Western-backed civilian transition government. The coup and ensuing conflict dashed Sudanese hopes of a peaceful shift to democracy after a popular uprising forced the military removal of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

The war has turned the capital Khartoum and other urban areas across the country into battlefields.

Residents in Khartoum said fierce fighting was underway early Sunday south of the capital. The warring factions were using heavy weapons in battles in the Kalaka neighborhood and the military’s aircraft were seen hovering over the area, said resident Abdalla al-Fatih.

In his statement, Guterres also condemned an airstrike Saturday that health authorities said killed at least 22 people in Omdurman, a city just across the Nile from the Khartoum. The assault was one of the deadliest in the conflict so far.

The RSF blamed the military for the attack in Omdurman. The military denied the accusation, saying in a statement Sunday that its air force didn’t carry out any airstrikes in the city Saturday.

The secretary-general also decried the large-scale violence and casualties in the western region of Darfur, which has experienced some of the worst fighting in the ongoing conflict, Haq said in a statement.

“There is an utter disregard for humanitarian and human rights law that is dangerous and disturbing,” Guterres said.

U.N. officials have said the violence in the region has recently taken on an ethnic dimension, with the RSF and Arab militias reportedly targeting non-Arab tribes in Darfur, a sprawling region consisting of five provinces. Last month, the governor of Darfur, Mini Arko Minawi, said the region was sliding back to its past genocide, referring to the conflict that engulfed the region in the early 2000s.

Entire towns and villages in West Darfur province were overrun by the RSF and their allied militias, forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee to neighboring Chad. Activists have reported many residents killed, women and girls raped, and properties looted and burned to the ground.

There were clashes between the military and the RSF elsewhere in Sudan on Sunday, including the province of North Kordofan, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Egypt, meanwhile, said it will host a meeting on Thursday for Sudan’s neighboring countries. The gathering aims at establishing “effective mechanisms” to help find a peaceful settlement to the conflict in coordination with other international and regional efforts, Ahmed Fahmy, spokesman for Egypt’s presidency, said in a statement.

Fahmy provided no further details on the gathering.

The efforts come as talks between warring factions in the Saudi Arabian coastal city of Jeddah repeatedly failed to stop the fighting. The Jeddah talks were brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States

World

Ecuador Honors Marco Rubio With National Order of Merit Grand Cross

Published

2 weeks ago

September 10, 2026

FNN NEWS

US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL.) presents his gun plan in 2018. Photo via ABC News.

President Daniel Noboa recognizes U.S. secretary of state during Quito visit focused on security, counternarcotics cooperation and stronger U.S.-Ecuador relations

QUITO, Ecuador (FNN) — Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa awarded U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio the National Order of Merit in the degree of Grand Cross on Wednesday, recognizing Rubio’s role in strengthening relations between the United States and Ecuador.

The Sept. 9 ceremony took place at the Carondelet presidential palace in Quito during Rubio’s South American diplomatic tour. Official State Department photography confirms Noboa presented the decoration to Rubio during the ceremony.

The honor came as Rubio and Noboa emphasized deeper cooperation on regional security, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and economic prosperity.

ECUADOR RECOGNIZES RUBIO’S ROLE IN BILATERAL RELATIONS

An executive decree read during the ceremony cited Rubio’s “distinguished services” and commitment to strengthening ties between Ecuador and the United States.

The decree highlighted bilateral cooperation against transnational organized crime, narcotics trafficking and illicit financial networks.

Noboa praised Rubio’s diplomatic engagement in Latin America and said the relationship between the two countries extends beyond government-to-government cooperation.

Ecuadorian media also reported that the award recognized Rubio’s contributions to bilateral relations and cooperation on security.

RUBIO: U.S.-ECUADOR RELATIONS HAVE IMPROVED

Accepting the decoration, Rubio called it a “great honor” and emphasized what he described as significant improvements in relations between the two countries.

Rubio focused particularly on two priorities: security and prosperity.

He said governments must provide security to create conditions for economic opportunity and pledged continued cooperation from President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Quito meeting was Rubio’s third meeting with Noboa, according to Rubio’s remarks.

SECURITY COOPERATION TAKES CENTER STAGE

The ceremony came during a broader visit focused heavily on counternarcotics and security cooperation.

Rubio announced that the Trump administration would seek approximately $45 million from Congress for security assistance to Ecuador, along with an additional $10 million targeting illegal gold mining, gang recruitment and illicit finance, according to Reuters.

The United States also designated Ecuadorian criminal organization Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization during Rubio’s visit.

Ecuador has become an increasingly important U.S. partner in regional counternarcotics operations under Noboa. The country has struggled with escalating violence involving criminal organizations competing over drug-trafficking routes and access to ports.

NOBOA PRAISES RUBIO’S LATIN AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT

Noboa used the ceremony to emphasize Rubio’s connection to Latin America and his work on regional security.

The Ecuadorian president said Rubio’s approach has helped strengthen relationships between the United States and countries throughout the region.

“We have achieved, working hand in hand with the United States, to provide more peace, health and also more liberties,” Noboa said through an interpreter, according to the ceremony transcript.

Noboa described the decoration as one of Ecuador’s highest honors. Independent reporting characterized the National Order of Merit in the Grand Cross degree as a major Ecuadorian national distinction awarded for extraordinary service.

RUBIO’S SOUTH AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC TOUR

Ecuador was part of a broader South American trip for Rubio.

He traveled to Ecuador after meeting Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella, with security, counternarcotics cooperation and economic relations among the major subjects of the trip. Rubio was then scheduled to travel to Peru.

The Ecuador visit underscored the Trump administration’s effort to strengthen relationships with regional governments cooperating with Washington on narcotics trafficking, migration and security.

For Rubio and Noboa, the Grand Cross ceremony also provided a symbolic backdrop for an expanding bilateral relationship centered on security cooperation, combating organized crime and economic ties.

US NATIONAL NEWS

U.S. Expands Sanctions Targeting Iran’s Financial Networks and Regime Financiers

Published

2 months ago

July 10, 2026

FNN NEWS

WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — The Trump administration announced a new round of sanctions Friday targeting individuals and businesses accused of helping finance Iran’s ruling elite and facilitating international financial transactions on behalf of the Iranian regime.

The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, target a global financial network that U.S. officials say supports Iran’s Supreme Leader and other senior regime officials.

Global Financial Network Targeted

According to the administration, the sanctions focus on Ali Ansari, a Dubai-based Iranian national accused of managing an extensive network of real estate and commercial holdings across multiple countries on behalf of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s Supreme Leader, and other regime insiders.

U.S. officials said the network includes assets and business interests in:

Germany
United Kingdom
Spain
Cyprus
United Arab Emirates
Other international jurisdictions

The administration alleges the network has been used to help Iranian regime officials maintain access to international financial markets.

Currency Exchange Houses Sanctioned

The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on three Iran-based currency exchange firms and their associated leadership:

Mohammad Darbani and Partners
Lavasani and Partners
Mohsen Khandan and Partners

The sanctions also extend to the firms’ managing partners and affiliated front companies.

According to the administration, these entities allegedly enabled Iran to obtain foreign currency and conduct international financial transactions despite existing U.S. sanctions.

Administration Cites Maximum Pressure Campaign

The White House said the latest designations are part of President Donald Trump’s broader strategy to increase economic pressure on Iran.

Administration officials said they will continue targeting individuals, businesses and financial institutions—including foreign entities—that facilitate illicit Iranian commerce or assist the regime in evading U.S. sanctions.

The administration maintains that the sanctions are intended to pressure Iran to end what it describes as destabilizing activities in the region and to hold accountable those who enable corruption within the Iranian government.

Authorities Used for Sanctions

The sanctions were imposed under multiple executive authorities, including:

Executive Order 13902, targeting Iran’s financial and petroleum sectors.
Executive Order 13876, focusing on Iran’s Supreme Leader and affiliated individuals.
Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886, which provides counterterrorism sanctions authority.

Treasury officials said the latest designations build upon previous actions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeting Iran’s shadow banking system and currency exchange networks.

World

U.S., CARICOM IMPACS Sign Landmark Biometrics Data-Sharing Agreement to Strengthen Border Security

Published

2 months ago

July 10, 2026

FNN NEWS

WASHINGTON (FNN NEWS) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) signed a Biometrics Data Sharing Partnership (BDSP) Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Friday, establishing a new framework for sharing biometric information to strengthen border security and immigration screening.

The agreement was signed July 10 at the Embassy of Saint Kitts and Nevis in Washington, D.C.

Strengthening National and Regional Security

According to DHS, the agreement enhances U.S. national security by enabling biometric information sharing between the United States and CARICOM member states that operate Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs.

Officials said the partnership will improve the ability of both the United States and participating Caribbean nations to identify potential security threats before individuals enter the United States.

The agreement is also intended to help prevent individuals from exploiting Citizenship by Investment programs to evade immigration or law enforcement screening, addressing what officials described as a critical gap in Western Hemisphere security.

Supporting Immigration Integrity

The memorandum also reflects Caribbean governments’ commitment to strengthening immigration integrity and aligning border security practices with U.S. standards.

DHS said the partnership reinforces regional cooperation on identity verification, information sharing and security screening while supporting lawful travel and international security efforts.

Senior Officials Attend Signing Ceremony

The signing ceremony brought together senior representatives from:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
White House Homeland Security Council
U.S. Department of State
CARICOM IMPACS

Diplomatic representatives from the following Caribbean nations also participated:

Antigua and Barbuda
Dominica
Grenada
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

These countries currently operate Citizenship by Investment programs that provide foreign nationals a pathway to citizenship through qualifying investments.

Regional Security Cooperation Expands

The Biometrics Data Sharing Partnership represents one of the most significant security cooperation agreements between the United States and CARICOM member states in recent years.

Officials said the framework will strengthen information sharing, improve border security, support immigration integrity and enhance efforts to identify individuals who may pose security risks before they travel to the United States.