Bangladesh-India, Ecuador, the Sahel.

Today's three stories you should know.

Jun 18, 2022

Bangladesh-India

At least 41 people have been killed and a staggering four million stranded as monsoon rains unleashed devastating floods in Bangladesh and India. The army has been deployed in northeastern Bangladesh to rescue stranded people and schools have been turned into shelters for those whose homes have been destroyed. India’s military is also helping with rescue efforts. Flooding is a regular problem in Bangladesh and India but experts say that climate change is making them more frequent.

Ecuador

Ecuador’s government has declared a state of emergency in three provinces as furious protests over spiralling fuel prices persist. Demonstrators, mostly from the country’s indigenous community, have blocked roads across the country, including highways leading to the capital Quito. The indigenous protesters started the demonstrations on Monday and have since been joined by student groups and other supporters. Indigenous people make up about one million of Ecuador's 17.7 million population.

The Sahel

Proximities has very regularly mentioned the conflict in the Sahel region, where the governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are battling groups with links to ISIS and al-Qaeda. The violence appears to be escalating rapidly and there are some signs that the armed groups have the wind at their backs. Al Jazeera has an interesting and detailed piece on the conflict that I thought some subscribers may find insightful.