Ethiopia, Kenya, Israel-Palestine.
Today's three stories you should know.
Ethiopia
Proximities has often covered the kidnapping-for-ransom crisis in northern Nigeria. But the scourge of people being snatched en masse by criminal gangs appears to be a growing problem in another African nation: Ethiopia. BBC reports the country’s Oromia region, where the government is battling a rebel group, is worst affected and that in one incident last week dozens of bus passengers were snatched by gunmen - most of them young university students.
More from BBC here.
Kenya
It’s win after win for Kenya’s Gen Z-led protest movement right now. In an address to the nation, President William Ruto announced he was sacking his entire cabinet with the foreign minister the sole survivor. It comes after weeks of youth-led protests that began over a new tax bill before becoming a wider movement taking aim at the government over a litany of grievances. One activist told Reuters that the step was a "move towards justice" but that protesters would now watch closely to see who is appointed to replace the fired ministers.
More from Reuters here.
Israel-Palestine
Formally declaring a famine is a notoriously political, bureaucratic and technical process. For months now, experts have been warning that Gaza is “on the verge of” famine, “teetering” on famine, “suffering famine-like conditions.” But a group of 10 independent UN experts have finally staked a claim. There “is no doubt,” they said, that famine already exists across the Palestinian enclave. But what exactly does that mean in practice? Al Jazeera has published a useful explainer.
More from Al Jazeera here.