The world is grappling with escalating crises as a famine has been officially declared in Gaza City by a UN-backed authority, amidst ongoing and intensified Israeli military strikes. This declaration marks a severe deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the region, with reports of significant civilian casualties. Aid workers on the ground describe dire conditions, emphasizing that over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic levels of starvation, destitution, and death. Despite the gravity of the situation, Israel has dismissed these findings as biased.

In Eastern Europe, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to dominate headlines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has renewed calls for direct talks with Vladimir Putin and is actively seeking support from countries in the Global South to exert diplomatic pressure on Russia to end the war. Meanwhile, military aid to Ukraine is reportedly set to increase, with calls for stronger sanctions against Russia. On the ground, evacuation efforts are ongoing in heavily attacked Ukrainian regions, and Russian air defenses have reportedly downed a drone headed for Moscow, leading to temporary suspensions of airport operations in central Russia.

Adding to the complex geopolitical landscape, Dutch ministers have resigned over disagreements concerning Gaza policy. In other international news, former US President Donald Trump's statements on the Gaza situation have drawn attention, and his administration's foreign policy stances, including relations with Russia, continue to be a subject of global observation. Separately, the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii has erupted again, spewing lava, and scientists are actively studying the potential link between melting glaciers and increased seismic and volcanic activity in Iceland.