Cemeteries swell in war-torn Sudan

Plus, Israel pounds central Gaza camps.

Sign up for Reuters newsletters  Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Edson Caldas Putin arrives in Vietnam for a state visit after signing a new defense pact with North Korea, Israeli forces pound central Gaza camps, and Biden's allies are raising $10 million to challenge Trump's social media machine. Plus, a special report on Sudan's cemeteries expanding fast as hunger and disease spread in the war-torn country.  Today's Top News   Vietnam's President To Lam welcomes Putin at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha Putin's Asia tour Russian President Vladimir Putin was welcomed in Vietnam with a 21-gun salute during a military ceremony, as one of the Communist-run country's top leaders hailed a comprehensive strategic partnership with Moscow and vowed to boost ties. Southeast Asia Bureau Chief Kay Johnson joins the Reuters World News podcast with insights on how Vietnam's 'bamboo diplomacy' is put to the test with Putin. It comes on the heels of his visit to North Korea, where he signed a new defense pact. Environment Nearly 2 million Muslims will reach the end of the haj pilgrimage this week, but extreme heat has proved fatal for hundreds who began the journey last Friday to Mecca. Climate scientists say such deaths offer a glimpse of what is to come for the tens of millions expected in coming decades to undertake the haj. Global fossil fuel consumption and energy emissions hit all-time highs in 2023, even as fossil fuels' share of the global energy mix decreased slightly on the year, the industry's Statistical Review of World Energy report said. In other news US President Joe Biden's main re-election SuperPAC is raising millions of dollars to try to solve a problem vexing Democrats: how to compete with Donald Trump's social media machine that spits out a wall of viral videos. Follow the latest on the elections. Israeli forces pounded areas in the central Gaza Strip overnight, killing three people and wounding dozens of others, while tanks deepened their invasion into Rafah in the south. Separately, the head of Lebanon's Hezbollah threatened Israel and Cyprus. Somalia's government is seeking to slow the withdrawal of African peacekeepers and warning of a potential security vacuum, with neighboring countries fretting that resurgent al Shabaab militants could seize power. Business & Markets   Sales of new battery-electric cars in the European Union dropped 12% in May from a year earlier, led by a 30% plunge in Germany, data from Europe's auto industry body showed. For more on the industry, sign up to the Auto File newsletter. The Bank of England kept its main interest rate unchanged at a 16-year high of 5.25% ahead of a July 4 election, but some policymakers said their decision not to cut rates was now "finely balanced". Meanwhile, the Swiss National Bank cut interest rates, maintaining its position as a frontrunner in the global policy easing cycle now underway, while Norway's central bank held its policy interest rate at a 16-year high of 4.50%, as expected by analysts. The Indian economy is likely to remain the fastest-growing major one in coming years, but most independent economists and policy experts polled by Reuters are not confident it will make any difference in narrowing stark economic inequality. Nestle's new food brand for people taking weight-loss drugs like Wegovy will note that the meals are high in protein, fiber and nutrients, but will not name the blockbuster medications, a company executive told Reuters. Sudan's cemeteries swell with fresh graves as hunger and disease spread   Smoke rises near Khartoum in May last year, shortly after war broke out between the Sudanese military and the RSF. REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah Reuters identified 14 graveyards that are expanding fast in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region. The analysis shows how starvation and disease are taking a mounting toll as combatants block food and medical aid. The cemeteries are "canaries in the coal mine" of a looming famine. Read our special report And Finally... Naomi Campbell gets her own exhibition at London's V&A museum. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Naomi Campbell brings her stylish looks and runway walk to London's V&A this week in a new exhibition that the museum says is the first of its kind dedicated to a model. "Naomi: In Fashion" explores the career of one of fashion's most recognizable faces through key looks she has modeled as well as her influence and activism. Read more Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters.com Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. 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