Israel-Palestine
Gaza’s health ministry says today was the deadliest day so far of Israel’s seven-day bombardment of the beseiged Palestinian enclave. At least 192 people, including 58 children and 34 women, have now been killed. Israel has reported 10 dead, including two children. The UN Security Council met today but failed to agree on even a statement of concern. Three tall buildings were flattened in today’s air raids.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press’ executive editor, Sally Buzbee, has called for an independent investigation into the Israeli air raid that destroyed a building housing Al Jazeera and the AP. Reporters Without Borders has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate it as a war crime. Israel has yet to provide any evidence to back-up its claim that the building was being used by the armed group Hamas.
Al Jazeera live blog here. Middle East Eye live blog here. Al Jazeera television streaming live here. And Israel’s Haaretz newspaper here.
India
The COVID crisis in India is now having a knock-on effect on the ability of other developing countries to source vaccines. The Serum Institute of India was the largest single supplier to the Covax scheme, a UN effort to ensure equal access to vaccines, but exports of doses from India were suspended in March. COVAX and the UN are yet again asking rich nations to stop hoarding vaccines. The UN children’s agency, UNICEF, says its data shows that G7 and EU nations could donate about 153 million doses and still have enough left over to vaccinate their entire populations.
More from BBC here.
Brazil
Worrying story out of Brazil. COVID-19 appears to be killing children and babies there at a higher rate than in other countries and doctors are struggling to understand why.
More from the New York Times here.