Gaza, Bangladesh, Mali
Today's three stories you should know
Gaza
The U.N. food agency (WFP) warned today that it may have to make more cuts to aid in Gaza, where about 70 percent of the population relies on its help, as it appealed for more donor money. "Without sufficient funding, we will be forced to scale back assistance for people who depend on it for survival," Ross Smith, WFP director of emergency preparedness and response, said. The comments came after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the world’s leading hunger monitor, said more than two-thirds of people in Gaza could face acute hunger by the end of the year. The Israeli government continues to impose severe restrictions on the amount of aid that can enter the Palestinian enclave.
More from Reuters here.
Episode 9 of the Proximities podcast, a conversation with journalists Zahra Joya and Amie Ferris-Rotman about their new book “The Vanishing Girl of Kabul,” is now live. This one was truly an honor for me. Zahra is one of the world’s most courageous journalists and the book is deeply moving, and deeply important.
Our conversation is on Apple Podcasts here, Spotify here and YouTube here.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned halfway into his term, citing health reasons amid suspicions he was forced out. Shahabuddin was appointed during the rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was toppled after street protests in 2024. After a period of transitional government, an administration headed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman came to power in February. Local media reported that Shahabuddin was pressured to step down over allegations that he spoke to Hasina by phone when he visited London for medical treatment in May. Hasina, who is in exile in India, has vowed to return to Bangladesh this year despite being handed a death sentence in absentia.
More from AP here.
Mali
Mali’s government has rejected reports that the U.S. is about to intervene in its fight against the powerful Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) armed group. The Washington Post reported, citing current and former U.S. officials, that the Trump administration was considering strikes against the al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM. “We have no confirmation and no official statement from the United States or U.S. officials on this matter,” Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said, adding he had only heard about it from the media. “I can assure you that Mali is not sitting idly by, waiting for others to come and solve our problem.”
More from Africa News here.