(LONDON) — Dozens of civilians have died and hundreds have been injured in Sudan as forces loyal to two rival generals battle for control of the resource-rich North African nation for a third day.
Since heavy fighting erupted in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Saturday, at least 97 civilians have been killed in the crossfire while 365 others have been wounded, according to a statement released Monday morning from the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate, a pro-democracy group monitoring casualties. The group noted there was “a number of injuries and deaths that are not included” because some “hospitals could not be accessed due to the difficulty of mobility and security situation in the country.”
While the violence has spread from Khartoum to other parts of Sudan, “the heaviest concentration of fighting” is centered in the densely populated capital, according to the World Health Organization, the global health arm of the United Nations.
The WHO said in a statement Sunday that it is “monitoring the health needs and resources across Khartoum and other affected cities to ensure that limited supplies are directed to where they are most needed.” However, movement in the capital “is restricted due to the insecurity creating challenges for doctors, nurses, patients, and ambulances to reach health facilities, and putting at risk the lives of those who need urgent medical care,” according to the WHO.
“Supplies distributed by WHO to health facilities prior to this recent escalation of conflict are now exhausted, and many of the nine hospitals in Khartoum receiving injured civilians are reporting shortages of blood, transfusion equipment, intravenous fluids, medical supplies, and other life-saving commodities,” the agency added. “There are also reports of shortages of specialized medical personnel, including anesthesiologists. Water and power cuts are affecting the functionality of health facilities, and shortages of fuel for hospital generators are also being reported.”
The clashes are the culmination of weeks of tensions between Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces, a Sudanese paramilitary group. So far, neither has shown any indication of backing down. The two men were once allies who had jointly orchestrated a military coup in 2021 that dissolved Sudan’s power-sharing government and derailed its short-lived transition to democracy, following the ousting of a long-time dictator in 2019.
As the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations met in Japan on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that they “have been consulting very closely on the situation in Sudan.”
“We’ve also been in close touch with partners in the Arab world, in Africa, in international organizations,” Blinken said. “There is a shared deep concern about the fighting, the violence that’s going on in Sudan, the threat that that poses to civilians, that it poses to the Sudanese nation and potentially poses even to the region.”
“There is also a very strongly shared view about the need for Generals Burhan and Hemeti to ensure the protection of civilians and noncombatants as well as people from third countries, including our personnel who are located in Sudan,” he added, “and also a strongly held view — again, across all of our partners — on the need for an immediate ceasefire and a return to talks — talks that were very promising in putting Sudan on the path to a full transition to civilian-led government.”
The United States has been “closely in touch” with its embassy in Khartoum “to make sure that our personnel is safe and accounted for, which is the case,” and also “with any American citizens in Sudan to make sure that those who are registered with the embassy and that we’re actually in contact with get all the information they can about how to remain safe and secure,” according to Blinken.
Lakshmi Parthasarathy, 32, is one of the U.S. citizens currently in Khartoum. When the fighting broke out early Saturday, Parthasarathy said the sound awoke her and she initially thought it was a thunderstorm. But then she looked outside her window.
“There was massive amounts of smoke and it was very clear it was gunfire,” Parthasarathy told ABC News in a remote interview on Sunday. “We went onto the roof and there were people running and we saw jets, and it looked like all-out war was happening like right there.”
“It’s basically been non-stop now since yesterday morning,” she added. “It doesn’t sound like it’s de-escalating. It’s definitely a scary experience.”
Parthasarathy, a software engineer and travel blogger from Boston, said she is staying at an Airbnb rental located less than a mile from the central part of the Sudanese capital, near the presidential palace and the shuttered international airport, where some of the heaviest fighting has taken place. She described the scene as “very chaotic” but noted that there are also “areas of calm” in Khartoum.
It’s Parthasarathy’s first time in Sudan and she has been traveling around the vast country for the past several weeks but only arrived in the capital a few days ago. She said her family is worried about her but that she has made several Sudanese friends who are helping her feel safe and has also registered with the U.S. embassy in Khartoum in case the situation worsens. She noted seeing many people flee the city but said most are staying indoors, particularly at night.
“It’s unclear to anyone what’s happening and where this is going,” Parthasarathy told ABC News. “I really didn’t expect this. This is not part of the plan. I’m nervous about what happens next.”
(BOCA CHICA, Texas) — SpaceX is set for a Monday morning launch of its powerful Starship rocket — which is expected to eventually carry passengers to the moon and Mars.
The uncrewed launch of the world’s largest rocket will mark the first flight test of a “fully integrated” Starship spacecraft and the so-called Super Heavy rocket, SpaceX said.
The 150-minute test window opened at 7 a.m. CT Monday, SpaceX said and is currently aiming for a 8:20 a.m. CT launch. A live webcast of the flight test began 45 minutes before expected liftoff.
The timing comes after the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday approved SpaceX’s launch of the nearly 400-foot-tall rocket from a remote site on the southernmost tip of Texas near Boca Chica Beach.
During a Twitter “Spaces” event for subscribers Sunday evening, Musk warned to set expectations “low.”
Following blastoff, the first stage of the Super Heavy rocket is expected to splash down about 20 miles off the coast of Boca Chica while the Starship vehicle orbits around the globe before splashing down off the coast of Hawaii.
For this first flight test, SpaceX said it will not attempt a vertical landing of Starship or a catch of the booster.
SpaceX said this flight test will “inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship,” which is designed to carry up to 100 people on long-duration, interplanetary flights.
NASA has already announced plans to use a Starship to put astronauts on the lunar surface in 2025.
ABC News’ Gina Sunseri contributed to this report.
(GUANAJUATO, Mexico) — At least seven people are dead, including one child, in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato after several gunmen stormed the La Palma resort on Saturday, according to authorities.
Authorities said when they arrived, they found the deceased bodies of three women, three men and a 7-year-old child, according to a release from the state attorney general’s office. Another injured person was found and transported to a local hospital.
The armed men allegedly arrived around 4:30 p.m. Saturday. “After the event, they fled but not before causing damage to the store and taking the cameras as well as the monitor,” the release said.
“The municipal government regrets the events that occurred and will provide the corresponding accompaniment to the relatives of those affected, also reiterating the willingness to cooperate with the relevant authorities pending that those responsible are brought to justice,” the statement continued.
No suspects have been apprehended at this time, officials said. The Mexican army and public security forces are working together, including using helicopters, in the investigation.
(WASHINGTON) — U.S. forces conducted a raid against ISIS militants in northwest Syria on Monday, according to U.S. Central Command.
“The raid resulted in the probable death of a senior ISIS Syria leader and operational planner responsible for planning terror attacks in the Middle East and Europe,” CENTCOM spokesman Joe Buccino told ABC News in a statement.
Two “armed individuals” were also killed, according to a statement from CENTCOM.
“Extensive planning went into this operation to ensure its successful execution. No U.S. troops were wounded. No U.S. helicopters were damaged. We assess no civilians were killed or injured,” the statement said.
Earlier this month, U.S. forces killed an “ISIS senior leader” in a strike in northwest Syria, CENTCOM had announced.
The military identified the leader as Khalid ‘Aydd Ahmad Al-Jabouri, who it said was responsible for planning attacks in Europe and Turkey, and developing ISIS’s leadership network.
“The death of Khalid ‘Aydd Ahmad al-Jabouri will temporarily disrupt the organization’s ability to plot external attacks,” a release from CENTCOM said at the time.
The U.S. has roughly 900 troops in Syria as part of its effort to defeat ISIS in the region. In recent years, American forces have killed or captured several ISIS leaders in the country.
“Though degraded, ISIS remains able to conduct operations within the region with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East. We will continue the relentless campaign against ISIS,” CENTCOM Commander Gen. Erik Kurilla said in a statement Monday.
(LOUISVILLE) — Two people were killed and other four were injured in a shooting in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday night.
Louisville Metro Police said they received a call at about 9 p.m. reporting multiple people had been shot at Chickasaw Park.
Two people were dead when police arrived at the scene, Deputy Chief Paul L. Humphrey said. Another four people were transported to University of Louisville Hospital, where one was in critical condition, Humphrey said.
The shooting comes days after a gunman opened fire at Old National Bank in Louisville, killing four people.
Mayor Craig Greenberg said on Saturday that “this is not who we are.”
He said that “the love and support and strength that we’ve seen all week long throughout the city continues to bring us together and move us towards a safer city, a stronger city and a healthier city.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(DADEVILLE, Ala.) — At least four people were killed and multiple others injured when a shooting broke out late Saturday at a crowded birthday party in a small rural Alabama town, authorities said.
The shooting in Dadeville, Alabama, about 60 miles northeast of Montgomery, unfolded around 10:34 p.m., according to a statement released Sunday morning by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Special agents from ALEA launched a death investigation at the request of the Dadeville Police Chief, according to the ALEA statement.
ALEA released no further details.
Brownie Caldwell, a Dadeville city council member councilwoman, confirmed to ABC News that an investigation of a shooting at a venue in downtown Dadeville was underway Sunday morning. Caldwell said she could not confirm the number of casualties.
Caldwell referred all questions to the |Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Apr 16, 4:26 PM EDT
At least 15 hurt, 5 critical, in deadly Dadeville shooting
At least 15 people were treated for gunshot wounds at hospitals following a shooting that killed four others at a “sweet 16” birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, officials said.
Five of the victims were in critical condition Sunday afternoon, Heidi Smith, a spokesperson for Lake Community Hospital told ABC News.
Smith said at least 15 people were initially treated at Lake Community Hospital, all suffering from gunshot wounds.
Smith said nine of the patients were in higher need of care and some were transferred to other medical facilities. Five of the patients were in critical condition, while four were in stable condition.
The ages of those hospitalized were not immediately released.
Three of the injured victims were transferred to Baptist Medical Center in Montgomery, one was transferred to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham and another was moved to the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, Smith said. One patient was transferred to Piedmont Hospital in Piedmont, Alabama, Smith said.
-ABC News’ Elwyn Lopez
Apr 16, 4:20 PM EDT
Biden calls on congress to enact gun reform
President Joe Biden released a statement Sunday calling on Congress to enact “common sense” gun control legislation in response to shootings over the weekend in Alabama and Kentucky that left a total of six people dead.
“This morning, our nation is once again grieving for at least four Americans tragically killed at a teen’s birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama as well as two others killed last night in a crowded public park in Louisville,” Biden said. “Jill and I are praying for their families, and for the many others injured and fighting for their lives in the wake of this weekend’s gun violence.”
As he has done in previous mass shootings, Biden urged Congress to enact gun reform legislation.
“What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear? When parents have to worry every time their kids walk out the door to school, to the movie theater, or to the park?” Biden said. “Guns are the leading killer of children in America, and the numbers are rising — not declining.”
Biden said the level of gun violence in America is “outrageous and unacceptable,” and noted that Americans “agree and want lawmakers to act on common sense gun safety reforms.”
“Instead, this past week Americans saw national Republican elected leaders stand alongside the NRA in a race to the bottom on dangerous laws that further erode gun safety. Our communities need and deserve better,” said Biden.
Apr 16, 1:05 PM EDT
Biden briefed on Dadeville shooting
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the deadly shooting at a birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, according to the White House.
Biden and his staff are closely monitoring the investigation and has been in touch with local officials and law enforcement to offer support, according to the White House.
Apr 16, 12:40 PM EDT
Police chief pleads for prayer
An emotional Dadeville police chief pleaded for prayer for his city on Sunday and law enforcement investigators pleaded for tips from the public in finding those responsible for a shooting at a birthday party that left four dead and multiple people injured.
“The city of Dadeville is a tight-knit community, full of wonderful people. I ask you to please keep our community in your prayers. I ask you to please keep my police department in your prayers,” Police Chief Jonathan Floyd said at a news conference.
Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency confirmed the shooting broke out at a birthday party and asked for any witnesses to call the state police tip line at .
Burkett also confirmed that four people were killed and “a multitude” of people were injured, but did not disclose the conditions of those wounded.
Burkett did not take questions during the news conference. He released no information on whether any arrests have been made in the incident.
Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Raymond Porter said grief counselors will be at Dadeville schools on Monday, but did not say whether any students were among the dead or injured.
The district will make “every effort to comfort” children impacted, said Porter.
“Don’t lose sight of the fact that those are the ones most impacted by this situation,” said Porter, who also called on local clergy to reach out to families of those killed or injured to offer assistance.
“I’m also asking that you please do not let this moment define what you think of the city of Dadeville,” Floyd said. “What we’re dealing with is something no community should have to endure.”
Apr 16, 10:48 AM EDT
Loved ones of those killed, injured say shooting preceded by argument: Pastor
Ben Haynes, the senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Dadeville, told ABC News Sunday morning that he’d been at a hospital overnight with the families of those killed and injured.
Haynes said family members told him gunfire erupted inside a small venue where a birthday party was taking place when tempers flared during an argument. Haynes said there were more than 50 people at the party when the shooting occurred.
Apr 16, 10:14 AM EDT
‘I grieve with Dadeville’: Alabama governor
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey released a statement Sunday expressing grief over a shooting at a birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama, that left four people dead and multiple others injured.
“This morning, I grieve with the people of Dadeville and my fellow Alabamians. Violent crime has NO place in our state, and we are staying closely updated by law enforcement as details emerge,” Ivey tweeted.
(NEW YORK) — A spring storm moving across the Great Lakes region was set to deliver a blast of snow to parts of the Upper Midwest by Sunday evening.
The storm is the same one that’s triggered severe thunderstorms over the weekend across parts of the Heartland and the South.
Winter weather alerts are currently in effect from Minnesota to Illinois.
Wind advisories are in effect from northeastern Kansas to Minnesota, as well, including cities such as Kansas City, Missouri; Des Moines, Iowa, and Minneapolis, with possible wind gusts up to 45 mph.
Behind this system, colder, blustery conditions are moving in, sending temperatures plummeting.
Heavy snow was expected to fall across parts of Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin by Sunday evening.
Windy conditions may lead to blowing snow at times and lower visibility, impacting people traveling.
Windy conditions will persist across much of the Midwest into the evening.
Colder air is sweeping across the Ohio River Valley up to Michigan.
Heavy rain will impact the eastern Great Lakes with scattered, stronger thunderstorms possibly down into the central Appalachians. Some thunderstorms could bring isolated damaging wind gusts.
More than 26 million Americans were under a severe weather threat Saturday, with severe thunderstorms stretching from Illinois to Texas.
Accumulating snow is forecast for much of the Great Lakes region through Monday, with the bulk of snow expected to accrue Sunday night into the morning.
A large swath of Wisconsin could get 6 to 10 inches of snow, with some areas seeing closer to a foot. Little to no snow accumulation is expected in Chicago.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul and areas northwest of Chicago are forecast to get between 1 to 3 inches of snow.
The spring storm will continue to slowly spin over the Great Lakes and eventually up into southern Canada on Monday as it begins to weaken, with the storm’s cold front expected to swing across the Northeast this morning, bringing rain and scattered showers.
South Florida braced for a slow-moving storm, bringing torrential downpours on Sunday evening. Given the recent extreme rainfall event, the flash flooding threshold is lower in Fort Lauderdale.
Possible thunderstorms could exacerbate the lingering flooding issues in Fort Lauderdale, which saw more than 2 feet of rain, shut down the city’s airport and strand drivers on flooded streets.
(WASHINGTON) — The Biden administration on Monday plans to announce a new round public and private commitments aimed at accelerating electric vehicle use throughout United States.
The commitments to be rolled out on Monday, which include investment pledges from Uber, Zipcar and other tech companies, build on the White House’s February announcement that Tesla plans to open thousands of its charging stations to the public.
“These commitments are part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to spur domestic manufacturing, strengthen supply chains, boost U.S. competitiveness and create good-paying jobs,” the administration said on Monday.
The administration set a goal of having 50% of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. It also plans to add more than 100,000 public EV chargers to the more than 135,000 now available throughout the country.
City officials in Madison, Wisconsin, have committed to converting its entire fleet of about 900 vehicles to EVs by 2030, the White House said on Monday.
And private companies have also made commitments to the White House to boost electric vehicle use in the years ahead.
Zipcar, a vehicle-sharing company, said it would “allocate 25% of its electric vehicles to disadvantaged communities in 2023,” the administration said in a release.
And the White House said on Monday that Uber, the ride-hailing company, had agreed to commit to driving 400 million EV miles on its platform by the end of 2023.
Uber will also “help hundreds of thousands of drivers transition to EVs and through its partnerships with automakers, rental companies, and charging companies,” officials said.
Bowie, Maryland-based Blink Charging committed to investing $49 million to increase its manufacturing capacity, growing it from 10,000 to 40,000 chargers per year by 2024.
(NEW YORK) — More than a year after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine, the countries are fighting for control of areas in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops have liberated nearly 30,000 square miles of their territory from Russian forces since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, but Putin appeared to be preparing for a long and bloody war.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Apr 17, 6:19 AM EDT
Putin critic sentenced to 25 years
A Moscow court has sentenced one of Russia’s best-known opposition leaders, whose family live in the U.S., to 25 years in prison in what is widely seen a show trial.
Vladimir Kara-Murza is the most high-profile opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin to be jailed since Alexey Navalny.
Kara-Murza’s extraordinarily harsh sentence is one of the lengthiest any opposition figure has received under Putin and illustrates how repressive Russia has become during the war in Ukraine, reverting to something much closer to the USSR where no opposition is tolerated.
Kara-Murza was convicted of treason, as well as “discrediting Russia’s armed forces,” a new law that effectively criminalizes criticizing the war in Ukraine. He was also convicted of belonging to a banned organization. The charges are widely seen as politically motivated.
Kara-Murza is one of Russia’s best-known pro-democracy figures and a veteran critic of Putin.
Kara-Murza, who holds both British and Russian citizenship, spent many years living in the United States and his wife and children still live in Virginia. He was close to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, who championed human rights in the former Soviet Union.
Dozens of journalists and Western diplomats attended the court hearing on Monday, including the U.S. ambassador who read out a statement condemning the sentence.
“We support Mr. Kara-Murza and every Russian citizen to have a voice in the direction of their country. Mr. Kara-Murza and countless other Russians believe in and hope for a Russia where fundamental freedoms will be upheld. And we will continue to share those hopes and work for that outcome,” Amb. Lynne Tracy said.
Kara-Murza previously has survived being poisoned not once but twice. In 2015 and then again in 2017, he suffered organ failure after being exposed to an unknown toxin. Independent researchers later linked the poisoning to the same team of FSB poisoners who targeted Navalny.
He chose to return to Russia after the war began, believing it was important to continue to campaign for freedom in his country and has been an outspoken critic of the invasion.
His trial was held entirely behind closed doors, but a letter containing his closing statement to the court has been released to reporters.
“I only blame myself for one thing,” Kara-Murza said in the statement. “I failed to convince enough of my compatriots and politicians in democratic countries of the danger that the current Kremlin regime poses for Russia and for the world.”
“Criminals are supposed to repent of what they have done. I, on the other hand, am in prison for my political views. I also know that the day will come when the darkness over our country will dissipate.
The parents of Wall Street Journalist journalist Evan Gershkovich spoke in an interview with with the paper Friday, the first time since their son was detained in Russia in March.
Mikhail and Ella Gershkovich, who were born in the Soviet Union and married after emigrating to the U.S. separately in 1979, talked about how much he wanted to work for the Journal and cover Russia.
“He said I’m just one of the few left there,” Ella Gershkovich, his mother, said of his time working in Russia during the Ukraine war.
The couple said their family is keeping hope that their son will be returned.
The couple said their family is keeping hope that their son will be released.
“It’s one of the American qualities we absorbed. Be optimistic, believe in happy ending. That’s where we stand right now, but I am not stupid. I understand what’s involved, but that’s what I choose to believe,” Ella Gershkovich said.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman
Apr 14, 2:52 PM EDT
6 dead, including 1 child, after Russia attacks Slovyansk
Russian forces shelled Slovyansk, a city in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, Friday, Andrii Yermak, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, said on Telegram.
At least seven explosions were heard in the city in the area near a school, and three buildings were struck, Yermak said. Russia hit three five-story buildings in the attack, he added.
Six civilians, including one child, were killed and 17 people have been wounded, as of Friday afternoon, officials said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared a video of the attack on his Telegram page and condemned Russian forces.
He said there are still people trapped in the rubble.
“The evil state once again demonstrates its essence, just killing people in broad daylight, [and] ruining, destroying all life,” he said.
-ABC News’ Oleksiy Pshemyskiy and Ellie Kaufman
Apr 12, 7:12 PM EDT
Singer Brad Paisley visits Ukraine for 1st time with Senate delegation, meets with Zelenskyy
Country singer Brad Paisley visited Ukraine for the first time on Wednesday and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to see firsthand what’s happening in the war-torn country, according to Ukrainian fundraising platform UNITED24.
Paisley, who serves as a global ambassador for UNITED24 and its campaign to help rebuild Ukraine, performed his song “Same Here” while in St. Michael’s Square in Kyiv.
Paisley, who went with a bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation, also played for American troops in Poland, UNITED24 said.
“It’s an emotional experience seeing all of this firsthand,” Paisley said during a press conference. “For me, looking around this city and being here for the first time, I’m absolutely struck by the resilience of life and the beautiful nature of the way this city is trying to thrive in the middle of conflict.”
Apr 12, 5:59 PM EDT
2 US citizens died while fighting in Ukraine, State Dept. says
Two Americans have died while volunteering to fight in Ukraine, he U.S. Department of State said Wednesday.
Edward Wilton and Grady Kurpasi died in combat during the conflict, bringing the total number of Americans killed to at least eight.
Wilton, 22, died on April 7 fighting in Bakhmut, his half brother Parker Cummings told ABC News. He was from Marianna, Florida.
Wilton served in the U.S. Army, Cummings said, and informed his half brother about his plans to fight in Ukraine through a message sent from a plane en route to Poland on April 10, 2022.
“My brother was very selfless. My brother was very honorable and traditional,” Cummings told ABC News. “He cared more about freedom for all than for his own safety. Edward was a true hero and he will be missed until we see him again.”
Joshua Cropper, who told ABC News he fought with Wilton in Ukraine’s International Legion between April and early July 2022, said of Wilton: “He was so young, but immensely brave. Fearless. We’d need three guys to do any task, he’s always going to have his hand up. He was as mature as anybody I’ve ever known.”
Kurpasi was reportedly last seen in April 2022 and was widely reported to be missing last June.
As recently as last fall, his family said they believed he was in critical condition in a Russian-controlled hospital in Donetsk, but it’s not clear exactly when he was confirmed dead or if he was ever hospitalized.
A GoFund Me page organized on behalf of Kurpasi’s wife provides few details on his time in Ukraine, but states that he “ended up leading a squad into battle and was killed in action.”
“We can confirm the death of a U.S. citizen in Ukraine. We are in touch with the family and providing all possible consular assistance,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement when asked about his case. “When a U.S. citizen dies overseas, including in Ukraine, the Department of State supports the legal representative and family of the deceased in numerous ways, including by providing information on the disposition of remains and estates and issuing a consular report of death.”
The spokesperson added: “The U.S. government takes its role in such a situation very seriously, providing all appropriate assistance through the legal representative, next of kin or their designee.”
Regarding Wilton, a State Department official confirmed that a U.S. citizen died near Bakhmut and said they’re in touch with the family and providing all appropriate consular services.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Chris Looft
Apr 12, 2:50 PM EDT
Efforts to pressure Russia to release WSJ reporter ‘senseless and futile,’ Russia says
Days after the U.S. designated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as wrongfully detained in Russia, Russian officials referred to pressure from the U.S. to release him as futile.
“Any attempts to put pressure on the Russian authorities and the court, insisting on a ‘special treatment’ for U.S. citizens who have violated Russian law, are senseless and futile,” the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
After some missed calls, President Joe Biden finally connected with the parents of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed Tuesday.
“He felt it was really important to connect with Evan’s family,” she told reporters on Air Force One as the president travels to Ireland.
Meanwhile, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Gershkovich’s detention is “pretty fresh” and officials are still trying to get consular access to Gershkovich, which they have not been able to do.
He would not get into any specific conversations the U.S. is having with Russians about releasing Gershkovich or if a prisoner swap is a possibility.
“I just want to make a couple of things clear that is, the determination of wrongful detention, it doesn’t start the clock necessarily on communicating with the Russians about getting him released,” Kirby said. “We’re very early in this process here and I certainly, I think you can understand why I wouldn’t talk about any discussions we might be having with the Russians about his release or Paul [Whelan]’s release. We certainly wouldn’t do that.”
Kirby said the administration is “certainly having discussions about what we can do to get him released.”
“I don’t want to go into details about these internal deliberations, having things out in the public sphere viscerally might actually make it harder to get Evan and Paul home, and that’s what we’re focused on,” Kirby said.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Apr 10, 4:28 PM EDT
Gershkovich designated as wrongfully detained by Russia
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has determined that Wall Street Journalist reporter Evan Gershkovich is being wrongfully detained by Russia, according to a statement released Monday afternoon.
Two Americans are now considered to be wrongfully detained by Russia — Gershkovich and Paul Whelan.
Gershkovich’s case will now be transferred to the Office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, the U.S. government’s top hostage negotiator.
Gershkovich, a 31-year-old New Jersey native who has lived and worked in Moscow as an accredited journalist for the last six years, was in a restaurant in Yekaterinburg on March 29 when Russia’s Federal Security Service arrested him on espionage charges that the Wall Street Journal, his colleagues and the U.S. government have said are absurd.
(GUANAJUATO, Mexico) — At least seven people are dead, including one child, in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato after several gunmen stormed the La Palma resort on Saturday, according to authorities.
Authorities said when they arrived, they found the deceased bodies of three women, three men and a 7-year-old child, according to a release from the state attorney general’s office. Another injured person was found and transported to a local hospital.
The armed men allegedly arrived around 4:30 p.m. Saturday. “After the event, they fled but not before causing damage to the store and taking the cameras as well as the monitor,” the release said.
“The municipal government regrets the events that occurred and will provide the corresponding accompaniment to the relatives of those affected, also reiterating the willingness to cooperate with the relevant authorities pending that those responsible are brought to justice,” the statement continued.
No suspects have been apprehended at this time, officials said. The Mexican army and public security forces are working together, including using helicopters, in the investigation.
