Hello, you're listening to the free edition of the world in brief from The Economist.

As a reminder, if you subscribe to The Economist, you'll get access to a deeper look at the day ahead, updated three times a day.

If you're already an Economist subscriber, visit

economist.com slash espresso or visit our espresso app to start listening. Here's today's

free edition.

This is the World in Brief from The Economist.

Our top stories, more than 800 people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured by a magnitude 6 earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan.

Entire villages were raised in Kuna province. Landslides and heavy rain hampered rescuers. The Taliban administration appealed for

foreign aid. The disaster will further stretch the country's resources which have suffered from

Western countries' cuts to aid.

The International Association of Genocide Scholars, the largest academic body in the field,

voted to declare that Israel's actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide.

86% of members who cast ballots backed the resolution.

Israel called the statement disgraceful and said it was based on Hamas lies.

Meanwhile, Gaza's health ministry said that more than 100 people died over the past day,

including nine from hunger.

Vladimir Putin said he had reached, quote,

understandings with Donald Trump in Alaska last month

on ending the war in Ukraine,

but stopped short of confirming peace talks with Vladimir Zelensky.

Speaking at a summit in China,

alongside Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi,

...