At an international conference in Berlin on Wednesday, aid commitments to the tune of 1.5 billion euros were agreed for Sudan, which for the past three years has been ravaged by a brutal civil war. According to UN estimates, 34 million people, or two-thirds of the population in theortheast African country, are dependent on humanitarian aid. The media debate the causes, consequences and possible solutions to the famine.

After the initial failure of peace talks with Iran, the US has begun its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the US millitary, six merchant ships arriving from Iran have been forced to turn back within the first 24 hours. President Trump has said that a key reason for the blockade is to prevent transit tolls from falling into the hands of the regime in Tehran. What consequences could this provoke?

A direct exchange between envoys of Israel and Lebanon has taken place in Washington for the first time in decades. The Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, described the talks with his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, as very positive. They agreed that Hezbollah must relinquish its power. Commentators, however, are sceptical about the prospects of success.

The Gaza war has triggered a wave of antisemitism across Europe. French MP Caroline Yadan has introduced a bill aimed at countering this trend, which is due to be debated in the French National Assembly today. Critics warn that theew legislation could restrict freedom of expression and criminalise criticism of Israel's policies.

The human rights organisation Memorial has been labelled as "extremist" by Russia's Supreme Court, effectively criminalising its activities inside Russia. Memorial was founded in 1989 to document repression in the Soviet era. The organisation was liquidated in 2021 but continued to work abroad and, to some extent, in Russia as well. The Nobel Committee, which awarded Memorial the Peace Prize in 2022, has condemned the decision.