SUDAN TALKS AND SAHEL CRISES

The most important Africa Edition story is the US-led push for Sudan talks, as regional diplomacy intensifies around one of the continent’s worst conflicts. ACLED’s July overview says North Kordofan remained the main battleground in June, with drone strikes continuing even as ground fighting stopped. Elsewhere, the wider Africa security picture remains severe, including Burkina Faso’s reported massacre and continuing instability across the Sahel. Trade and development issues are also moving, but conflict diplomacy is the clearest top headline for today’s Africa coverage.