The World : Sudan Declares Emergency

The Sudanese government declared a yearlong, nationwide state of emergency to secure the country against “enemies of democracy,” a statement said. The chairman of the Sudanese State Council, Ahmed Mirghani, who is effectively Sudan’s head of state, said the decision was prompted by “chaos in the market, reflected in the scarcity of essential commodities.” This is due to illegal hoarding, black market dealings and widespread smuggling in the country, the official statement added. It referred to instability in some parts of the African country, citing a sharp increase in armed robberies.