Madagascar, Myanmar, Afghanistan.

Today's three stories you should know.

Nov 13, 2021

Madagascar

One of the most inexplicable things about international media is the lack of attention given to the world’s many hunger crises. And that attention, that pressure, is often what moves the dial when it comes to humanitarian agencies getting the money they need to respond. Right now, more than 1.1 million people in Madagascar are in need of urgent food aid as a drought worsens, according to aid groups. More than 500,000 children under the age of five will likely suffer from acute malnutrition through April 2022, one group said. The situation is unprecedented for one very important reason: famines are always man-made - most often, due to conflict. But Madagascar stands on the brink of history’s first wholly climate change-caused full-blown famine.

Myanmar

U.S. journalist Danny Fenster was today sentenced to 11 years in prison in Myanmar with hard labor. Fenster, who had been managing editor of the online magazine Frontier Myanmar, was convicted of spreading false or inflammatory information, contacting illegal organizations and violating visa regulations, his lawyer said. The American’s sentence was the harshest of seven handed down to journalists since a military junta overthrew a democratically-elected government in February. According to the UN, at least 126 journalists or media workers have been detained since the coup.

Afghanistan

Qatar today agreed to represent the diplomatic interests of the US in Afghanistan, which will be the first official US representation in Kabul since the Taliban captured the city. Qatar, which for years hosted peace talks between the Taliban and the then Afghan government, emerged as a key broker between the Taliban and Western nations in the aftermath of the group taking over the country.