Sudan crisis latest; Russia accuses Ukraine of a drone attack; threats to library funding in the U.S.

Plus, is an incarcerated person truly free once they leave prison? [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by Suzanne Nuyen May 4, 2023 Good morning, and May the 4th be with you. Are any Tauruses celebrating birthdays this week? I've got some bad news for you: Because of the way the Earth wobbles, [you could be an Aries](. Here's what else we're following today. The two warring generals in Sudan have agreed to a seven-day cease-fire. Other cease-fire attempts have provided brief lulls in the fighting, but all were eventually violated, with each side accusing the other of breaking it. The fighting has overwhelmed aid workers. Some aid has reached the country, but the worst affected areas, Khartoum or Darfur, are struggling to get relief. [People wait with their luggage at Port Sudan on May 3, 2023 ahead of their evacuation by sea amid ongoing deadly clashes between rival generals' forces.]( Photographer/Source 🎧 NPR’s Emmanuel Akinwotu reports from neighboring Chad, where he tells the Up First podcast this morning that the situation is tense. He says Chad is [sensitive to the conflict]( because of "ethnic groups which share these borders and militias," and the country is facing a humanitarian strain. He adds that the U.N. is trying to get assurances from both sides that the cease-fire will hold to create safe routes to help where it's most needed. 🎧 More than 100,000 have fled Sudan since the conflict began. Listen to Sudanese-American journalist Isma'il Kushkush tell NPR's Leila Fadel the story of his [ten-day journey from Sudan]( to Egypt on Morning Edition, or [read it here](. The U.S. book ban battle is escalating, and some libraries face an existential threat: the [loss of public funding](. Missouri is the latest state to consider bills that would strip libraries of funding if they don't follow new policies controlling what books they can give minors. Critics have called it an attack on education and the public good. Russia accused Ukraine yesterday of attempting to assassinate President Vladimir Putin with a pair of drones. Ukrainian officials deny involvement, and some say Moscow is using it as an excuse to [escalate attacks on Ukraine](. Videos posted online show explosions above the Kremlin. 🎧 NPR’s Greg Myre tells Up First that some Ukrainian officials have "suggested without evidence that Russia may have [staged this attack against itself]( But he says the attack is also "hugely embarrassing for Russia" and Putin, who expected to capture Ukraine within days of his invasion last year. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [A photo of a court room.]( Comstock/Getty Images The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial for people accused of crimes. But a group of legal and civil liberties advocates wants to focus on how a "[trial penalty]( leads to the virtual extinction of fair criminal trials. ⚖️ About 98% of cases in the federal system end in plea deals. Big states see similar numbers. ⚖️ Those who choose not to take a plea deal, like Robert Rose, could spend more time in prison if convicted. He feels his 25 years to life sentence was a punishment for not pleading out. ⚖️ Martin Sabelli, the former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, says this system is most harsh on Black, brown and low-income people. ⚖️ Change needs to happen state by state, as most criminal cases are brought in at the state or local level. --------------------------------------------------------------- [A photo of Singer and activist John Legen in a pinstripe suit.]( Eric Williams A person's story doesn't end with a plea or conviction. When an incarcerated person leaves prison, are they truly free? Musician and activist John Legend has multiple family members, friends and neighbors who have been incarcerated. He tells his family's story in his new documentary HOME/FREE. 🎧 Listen to his conversation with Michel Martin on Morning Edition, where he talks about the [barriers that prevent people from living a productive life]( out of prison, or [read the interview highlights here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [A brown bunny stands on a mossy log.]( Photographer/SourceLee Eastman/FWS California's wildflowers have thrived after the rain, but its bunnies are in danger. Biologists are [evacuating the cuddly creatures]( as flood waters rise. Seven performers have been selected for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's [2023 inductees]( including Kate Bush, Willie Nelson and Missy Elliott. Michelle Obama has launched PLEZi Nutrition, a food company that markets [healthy food to children](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. 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