ROME (Reuters) -Millions more people risk famine in at least a dozen crisis spots around the world, including Sudan and Gaza, two U.N. agencies warned on Wednesday, appealing for funds to address a shortfall amid global cuts to international aid.

In a joint report, the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization also listed Haiti, Mali, South Sudan and Yemen as countries facing "an imminent risk of catastrophic hunger", meaning famine.

(Reuters) -Israeli President Isaac Herzog received a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to consider granting a pardon to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the president's office said on Wednesday.

"While I absolutely respect the independence of the Israeli Justice System, and its requirements, I believe that this 'case' against Bibi, who has fought alongside me for a long time, including against the very tough adversary of Israel, Iran, is a political, unjustified prosecution," the letter says.

(Reuters) -Israel’s defense minister said on Wednesday he planned to close publicly funded Army Radio in what he described as an attempt to preserve the military’s nonpartisan character, but the decision was denounced by the station's chief as a blow to press freedom.

The minister, Israel Katz, said in a statement he would soon submit a proposal to the country's right-wing government to close the station, which is editorially independent, and he expected it to end its broadcasts by March 1.

(Reuters) -At least 42 migrants are missing and presumed dead after a rubber boat capsized off the coast of Libya, the International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday.

Libyan authorities rescued seven survivors who had drifted at sea for six days after the vessel, carrying 49 people, sank near the Al Buri oilfield.

(Reporting by Jana Choukeir and Ahmed Elumami; Editing by Alex Richardson)

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia is ready to resume peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, Russian state news agency TASS cited a foreign ministry official as saying on Wednesday.

No face-to-face talks have taken place between the two sides since they met in the Turkish city on July 23. TASS quoted the official, Alexei Polishchuk, as saying that Turkish officials had repeatedly urged a resumption of the peace negotiations.

"The Russian team is ready for this, the ball is in the Ukrainian court," he said.

By Ariba Shahid

KARACHI (Reuters) -Afghanistan's economic recovery is buckling as nine in 10 households are forced to skip meals, sell belongings or take on debt to survive, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning that mass returns are exacerbating the country's worst crisis since the Taliban returned to power.

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkey's defence ministry said on Wednesday that 20 soldiers were killed in the crash of a Turkish military cargo plane in Georgia on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday that any Israeli plans for annexation in the West Bank would be a "red line" and would provoke a European reaction.

He spoke as Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas visited Paris one month into a fragile truce between Hamas and Israel, following two years of war triggered by the militant group's October 7, 2023 attack against Israel.

CAIRO (Reuters) -Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer has resigned from his position, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha and Muhammad Al Gebaly)

PARIS (Reuters) -France will help the Palestinian Authority draft a constitution for a future state, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Paris.

A number of major Western nations including France formally recognised a Palestinian state in September, a move driven by frustration with Israel over its devastating war in Gaza and a wish to promote a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.