Venezuela, Sudan, Hong Kong
Today's three stories you should know
Venezuela
Thousands of people are feared dead in Venezuela after huge back-to-back earthquakes hit in and around the capital Caracas, collapsing buildings, trapping people under the rubble and setting off aftershocks. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said at least 164 were confirmed dead and almost 1,000 injured but the number is expected to grow. The U.S. Geological Survey, using predictive modeling to estimate the death toll, said there was a substantial probability it would exceed 10,000. "When we went downstairs, the scene was like a horror movie," a survivor who lived near buildings that collapsed told Reuters.
More from Reuters here.
Episode 5 of The Proximities Podcast, a conversation with journalist and author Sally Hayden, is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
Sudan
Newly issued banknotes are reported to be circulating in regions of Sudan controlled by a rebel paramilitary group, underlining fears that the country, which has been gripped by civil war for three years, could split in two. Last year the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia, which controls huge swathes of Sudan, established a rival administration known as the "Tasis" and has sought to undertake government functions, including issuing the salaries of civil servants. Analysts say, though, that the RSF, which is widely reported to be backed by the United Arab Emirates, would struggle to gain international recognition for a parallel central bank despite the considerable resources it commands.
More from Reuters here.
NB: Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan discussed the possibility of a Sudan split on The Proximities Podcast recently. Apple Podcasts here. Spotify here. YouTube here.
Hong Kong
Two booksellers have been arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of selling seditious materials and receiving money from foreign political organizations, police said. Though the two were not named, local media reports identified one as Leticia Wong, the owner of Hunter Bookstore and a former city councilor. Both were detained under a controversial national security law that rights groups say has been weaponized to imprison pro-democracy campaigners after mass anti-government protests in 2019. In March, bookseller Pong Yat-ming and three staff members from his Book Punch store were arrested on similar charges.
More from HKFP here.