UNITED NATIONS -- The UN humanitarian chief on Wednesday called for an immediate, sustained cessation of hostilities in Gaza to prevent further loss of life and to stop famine from expanding.
Over half a million people currently face starvation, destitution and death. By the end of September, that number could exceed 640,000, said UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher in a briefing to the Security Council delivered on his behalf by his deputy, Joyce Msuya.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee on Friday confirmed that famine is occurring in Gaza and is projected to expand further to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis cities by the end of September, noted Fletcher. (UN-Gaza-Famine)
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NEW YORK -- A shooting occurred Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic School in the city of Minneapolis, the U.S. state of Minnesota, killing an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old and injuring 17 others, police confirmed.
Before 8:30 a.m. local time, the shooter, armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, approached the school church and fired through the windows at the children who were sitting in the pews during Mass, Minneapolis police chief Brian O'Hara said at a news conference.
The shooter then killed himself in the rear of the church, O'Hara confirmed. The suspect was in his 20s and did not have an extensive criminal history, he said. (U.S.-Minneapolis-Shooting)
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COPENHAGEN -- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Wednesday said that any interference in Denmark's internal affairs and in Greenland is "unacceptable," following reports that American citizens with ties to the White House are involved in covert influence activities in Greenland.
Earlier in the day, Danish broadcaster DR reported that at least three U.S. citizens connected to President Donald Trump have been conducting influence operations in Greenland, including establishing private networks and compiling lists of local figures based on their stance toward U.S. control of the Arctic island.
"We have a very clear disagreement when it comes to Greenland. Any interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, and in Greenlandic democracy, is unacceptable," Frederiksen told the media, stressing that her government takes the matter "very seriously." (Denmark-Greenland-U.S.)
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TEHRAN -- Iran's Supreme National Security Council has approved the return of inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday.
He told state news agency IRNA the inspectors were allowed in to oversee the replacement of fuel at the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Araghchi also denied reports that Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had agreed on a new cooperation framework, saying no text had been finalized despite exchanges of proposals.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday the agency's inspectors had returned to Iran for the first time since being expelled during the June conflict. "Now the first team of IAEA inspectors is back in Iran, and we are about to restart," he said. (Iran-IAEA-Inspections) ■
