World News: 26 April 2023

British American Tobacco to pay $635m for North Korea sanctions breaches
The US has imposed severe sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile activities. BAT is one of the world's largest tobacco multinationals and one of the UK's 10 biggest companies. It owns major cigarette brands including Lucky Strike, Dunhill and Pall Mall.

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Taliban kill IS leader behind Kabul airport bombing
The blast at the Abbey Gate entrance of the Hamid Karzai International Airport left about 170 Afghans and 13 US service members dead during the chaotic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.
The ISIL (ISIS) leader, whose identity has not yet been released, was killed in southern Afghanistan in early April as the Taliban conducted a series of operations against the group, according to one of the officials.

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Sudan crisis: War crimes suspect freed amid chaos
Earlier this week, there had been reports of a prison break at Kober, where Ahmad Harun and the country's former President Omar al-Bashir were serving sentences.
Bashir is accused by the ICC of leading a campaign of mass killing and rape in Sudan's Darfur region and attempting to wipe out part of the Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit communities. He has denied the allegations.

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Ukraine rapidly expanding its 'Army of Drones' for front line
The government has relaxed import laws and scrapped taxes for drone parts and equipment. The expansion is being funded by a successful fundraising campaign called the Army of Drones. More than $108m (£87m) has been raised with the help of celebrity supporters like Star Wars' Mark Hamill. As well as buying and building drones for the war, the money is being spent on training new pilots for the front line.

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Iran protests: Secret committee 'punished celebrities over dissent'
BBC said that its Persian news service obtained the documents from a Middle Eastern intelligence source. The people on the Iranian regime's radar reportedly include sporting legend Ali Daei and top actress Taraneh Alidoosti.
Iran government's response to anti-Hijab protests has been negative. Local media reported on Tuesday that two prominent actresses had been charged for flouting the dress code.

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Ed Sheeran appears in NYC court for start of copyright trial
Lawyers for heirs of songwriter Ed Townsend, Gaye's co-writer on the 1973 hit, showed the video to bolster their allegation that Sheeran, his label Warner Music Group and music publisher Sony Music Publishing owe them a share of the profits for allegedly copying the song. Ben Crump, a lawyer for the heirs, said in his opening statement that the performance amounted to a "confession" by Sheeran.

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