k God Has Spoken--But Why? B By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 PST Click the icon below to listen. Full Article
k The Skeleton A By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 PST Click the icon below to listen. Full Article
k The Skeleton B By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 PST Click the icon below to listen. Full Article
k SC: Sulu exclusion from BARMM takes effect immediately By www.philstar.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0800 A ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but excluding Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is immediately executory, according to the Supreme Court. Full Article
k Worker sues Casio over slapping incident By www.philstar.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0800 A business process outsourcing employee who was slapped by relieved Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission spokesman Winston John Casio during a raid on a suspected Philippine offshore gaming operator hub in Bagac, Bataan has filed criminal charges against the official. Full Article
k Eastman kidnap suspect, 2 others slain in shootout By www.philstar.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0800 Three men, including a suspect in the kidnapping of American national Elliot Onil Eastman, were killed in an encounter in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay yesterday. Full Article
k Creatures Born to Be Killed, Part 1 By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Fri, 06 Jan 2017 00:00:00 PST Full Article
k Creatures Born to Be Killed, Part 2 By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Fri, 13 Jan 2017 00:00:00 PST Full Article
k Creatures Born to Be Killed, Part 3 By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Fri, 20 Jan 2017 00:00:00 PST Full Article
k Keeping the Divine Timetable By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Fri, 27 Oct 2017 00:00:00 PST Full Article
k Jesus Provokes His Enemies By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Fri, 22 Dec 2017 00:00:00 PST Full Article
k Being Filled with the Knowledge of God's Will By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:00:00 PST Full Article
k What Makes Christians Most Thankful? By feeds.gty.org Published On :: Fri, 29 Mar 2019 00:00:00 PST Full Article
k Turkey's Diverse Resistance By Published On :: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 16:35:00 GMT The people meeting in Istanbul's parks are wildly different from each other, but they are now engaging each other in ways they weren't before. Full Article
k Turkey: Theater and the State By Published On :: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 21:21:00 GMT The fight for freedom of expression in Turkey can be seen in the battle between the theater industry and the government effort to silence dissent. Full Article
k Ukraine Protests: Euromaidan Has Real Potential By Published On :: Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:01:00 GMT Furious about its government cowing to Russia and mishandling economic challenges, Ukrainian citizens have taken to the streets in record force. Full Article
k Viewpoints: Ukraine's East-West Tug-of-War By Published On :: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 21:01:00 GMT Protests in Ukraine are now in their third month, with protestors showing no sign of letting up, despite the brute treatment they have received in clashes with security forces. Full Article
k Jordan's Energy Policy Key to Its Economy By Published On :: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 19:40:00 GMT With Syria in crisis and Egypt in flux, Jordan is being forced to adopt energy policies that put the country on a path to sustainable development. Full Article
k Turkey: Tea on the Balcony By Published On :: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 16:28:00 GMT A New Yorker planned a sybaritic summer in a Turkish village by the sea, but didn't consider that she might have trouble fitting in. Full Article
k Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu: Turkey's Opposition Candidate By Published On :: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 13:01:00 GMT In Turkey's upcoming presidential election, one man represents the country's two biggest opposition parties, and he is largely unknown. Full Article
k Will Ukraine Commit Economic Suicide? By Published On :: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 13:50:00 GMT Ukraine's crippling 55 percent tax on private gas producers threatens to damage the economy, scare off investors and decimate gas production. Full Article
k They Met at Eight Years Old, Married, and Died Together in a Ukrainian Trench By Published On :: Thu, 23 Mar 2023 16:22:00 GMT They met at eight years old, married, and died together in a Ukrainian trench Full Article
k The Jedwabne Massacre of 1941: An Interview with Marcin Malek By Published On :: Wed, 03 Aug 2016 12:16:00 GMT On July 10, 1941, Christian Poles hunted down, clubbed, drowned, gutted, and burned alive 1,600 Jewish men, women, and children-all but seven of the town's Jews. Full Article
k Isolated in Greek Camps, Migrants Find Work By Published On :: Tue, 26 Sep 2017 09:39:00 GMT The UN High Commission for Refugees estimates that nearly 50,000 migrants are in Greece, awaiting asylum interviews in which they will make their cases for staying in Europe. While many migrants remain without jobs, some have found work in camps, or have even started their own businesses. Full Article
k Qatar Says Worker Deaths for World Cup 'Between 400 and 500' By www.voanews.com Published On :: Tue, 29 Nov 2022 08:16:41 -0500 DOHA, Qatar — A top Qatari official involved in the country's World Cup organization has put the number of worker deaths for the tournament "between 400 and 500" for the first time, a drastically higher number than any other previously offered by Doha. The comment by Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary-general of Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, appeared to come off the cuff during an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan. It also threatened to reinvigorate criticism by human rights groups over the toll of hosting the Middle East's first World Cup for the migrant labor that built over $200 billion worth of stadiums, metro lines and new infrastructure needed for the tournament. The Supreme Committee and Qatar's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. In the interview, portions of which Morgan posted online, the British journalist asks al-Thawadi: "What is the honest, realistic total do you think of migrant workers who died from — as a result of work they're doing for the World Cup in totality?" "The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500," al-Thawadi responds. "I don't have the exact number. That's something that's been discussed." But that figure hasn't been discussed publicly by Qatari officials previously. Reports from the Supreme Committee dating from 2014 through the end of 2021 only include the number of deaths of workers involved in building and refurbishing the stadiums now hosting the World Cup. Those released figures put the total number of deaths at 40. They include 37 from what the Qataris describe as nonwork incidents such as heart attacks and three from workplace incidents. One report also separately lists a worker death from the coronavirus amid the pandemic. Al-Thawadi pointed to those figures when discussing work just on stadiums in the interview, right before offering the "between 400 to 500" death toll for all the infrastructure for the tournament. Since FIFA awarded the tournament to Qatar in 2010, the country has taken some steps to overhaul the country's employment practices. That includes eliminating its so-called kafala employment system, which tied workers to their employers, who had say over whether they could leave their jobs or even the country. Qatar also has adopted a minimum monthly wage of 1,000 Qatari riyals ($275) for workers and required food and housing allowances for employees not receiving those benefits directly from their employers. It also has updated its worker safety rules to prevent deaths. "One death is a death too many. Plain and simple," al-Thawadi adds in the interview. Activists have called on Doha to do more, particularly when it comes to ensuring workers receive their salaries on time and are protected from abusive employers. Al-Thawadi's comment also renews questions on the veracity of both government and private business reporting on worker injuries and deaths across the Gulf Arab states, whose skyscrapers have been built by laborers from South Asia nations like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Mustafa Qadri, the executive director of Equidem Research, a labor consultancy that has published reports on the toll of the construction on migrant laborers, said he was surprised by al-Thawadi's remark. "For him now to come and say there is hundreds, it's shocking," he told The Associated Press. "They have no idea what's going on." Full Article World News Middle East
k Netanyahu Looks to Vote in New Israeli Government on Thursday By www.voanews.com Published On :: Mon, 26 Dec 2022 11:14:55 -0500 JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu called a vote in parliament on his new government for Thursday Dec. 29, the speaker of the Knesset said on Monday, after almost two months of coalition wrangling. Netanyahu's bloc of right-wing and religious parties won a clear victory in parliamentary elections last month, but the veteran leader has had a harder time than expected in finalizing deals with his partners. Despite campaigning together, Netanyahu has struggled to meet the demands of his allies, who have demanded a significant slice of power in exchange for their support. Ahead of the vote in parliament and a formal swearing in of the new government, Netanyahu will have to officially present the members of his cabinet. Israel's longest serving prime minister has vowed to govern for all Israelis but he will head one of the most right-wing governments in the country's history with key ministries in the hands of hardliners. Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of the Jewish Power party will have authority for police as security minister while Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party will have broad authority to allow the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Both oppose Palestinian statehood and support extending Israeli sovereignty into the West Bank, adding another obstacle to a two-state solution, the resolution backed by Palestinian leaders, the United States and European governments. The finance ministry is expected to be shared by Smotrich and Aryeh Deri, from the religious Shas party, with each man serving for two years. Deri's appointment will depend on parliamentary support for a legal amendment allowing him to serve despite a conviction for tax fraud. Liberal Israelis have also been alarmed by statements from a number of other members of coalition parties against gay rights and in favor of allowing some businesses to refuse services to people based on religious grounds. President Isaac Herzog, the head of state who stands outside day-to-day politics, said on Sunday that any threat to the rights of Israeli citizens based on their identity or values would be counter to Israel's democratic and ethical traditions. Full Article World News
k Pakistan: Terrorist Attack from Across Iran Border Kills 4 Soldiers By www.voanews.com Published On :: Sat, 01 Apr 2023 11:21:40 -0400 ISLAMABAD — Pakistan said Saturday that four of its soldiers were killed when a "group of terrorists" from across the Iranian side of the border attacked a routine military patrol operating between the two countries. The deadly cross-border raid took place in the remote Kech district in southwestern Baluchistan province abutting Iran, the Pakistani military said in a statement. "Necessary contact with the Iranian side is being made for effective action against terrorists on the Iranian side and to prevent such incidents in the future," the statement said, without providing further details. The Iranian Embassy in Islamabad condemned the attack and expressed sympathy to the families of the slain soldiers. "Terrorism is the common pain of the two countries and the two Muslim nations have sacrificed precious lives in the fight against this plague," the Iranian Embassy said on Twitter. "Undoubtedly, strengthening the joint cooperation between the two countries will prevent terrorist groups from achieving their sinister goals," wrote the Iranian diplomatic mission. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “grief and sorrow over the martyrdom” of the security personnel in the terrorist attack, his office said in a statement. No group immediately took responsibility for Saturday's attack, the second incident this year in Baluchistan, where ethnic Baluch separatists routinely target Pakistani security forces. In mid-January, four Pakistani troops were killed when a military convoy patrolling along the more than 900-kilometer border came under an insurgent attack from across the Iranian side. The outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army, or BLA, routinely takes credit for attacks on Pakistani security forces. Officials in Islamabad say the group has set up sanctuaries in border areas of Iran, charges Tehran rejects. The Global Terrorism Index, released in March by the Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace, said that BLA was responsible for 36% of nearly 650 terror-related deaths in Pakistan in 2022, making it "the fastest-growing terrorist group in the world." Pakistan, the United States, and Britain have designated the BLA as a terrorist organization. Baluch insurgents claim to be fighting for the independence of Baluchistan, alleging extortion by the central government of the region's natural resources and discrimination against its ethnic Baluch population. Pakistani authorities reject the charges. The sparsely populated province, which also shares a significant chunk of the country's nearly 2,600-kilometer border with Afghanistan, is at the center of a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure development project being funded by China in Pakistan under Beijing's global Belt and Road Initiative. Full Article Middle East World News
k Burkina Faso extends military rule for 5 years to 2029 By www.voanews.com Published On :: Sat, 25 May 2024 17:33:53 -0400 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — Burkina Faso's military regime, in power since a 2022 coup, will extend its rule for five years under an accord adopted during national consultations on Saturday, the talks' chairman said. "The duration of the transition is fixed at 60 months from July 2, 2024," Colonel Moussa Diallo, chairman of the organizing committee of the national dialogue process, said after the talks. He added that coup leader and acting president Ibrahim Traore could run in any elections at the end of the transition period. What was supposed to be a two-day national dialogue began earlier Saturday, ostensibly to chart a way back to civilian rule for the West African nation beset by jihadi violence. The army has governed Burkina Faso since 2022, carrying out two coups that it said were justified in large part by the persistent insecurity. Jihadi rebels affiliated with al Qaida and the Islamic State group have waged a grinding insurgency since 2015 that has killed thousands and displaced millions. An initial national dialogue had resulted in a charter that installed Traore as president and put in place a government and a legislative assembly. Under the new charter, quotas will no longer be used to assign seats in the assembly to members of traditional parties. Instead, "patriotism" will be the only criteria for selecting deputies. "You have just rewritten a new page in the history of our country," said Minister of Territorial Affairs Emile Zerbo, who opened the meeting on Saturday morning. The initial charter set the transition to civilian rule at 21 months, with the deadline set to expire July 1. But Traore had repeatedly warned that holding elections would be difficult given the perilous security situation. The new charter also calls for a new body called the "Korag" to "monitor and control the implementation of the country's strategic vision in all areas and through all means." Its composition and operations are at the discretion of the president. Civil society representatives, the security and defense forces and lawmakers in the transitional assembly took part in the weekend talks, which most political parties boycotted. Human rights groups have accused Burkina Faso's junta leaders of abuses against civilians during their military campaigns against jihadis, and of silencing media and opposition leaders. After taking power, the coup leaders expelled French troops and diplomats, and have instead turned to Russia for military assistance. Full Article Africa World News Extremism Watch
k Uncertainty is the winner and incumbents the losers so far in a year of high-stakes global elections By www.voanews.com Published On :: Thu, 18 Jul 2024 02:29:26 -0400 LONDON — Discontented, economically squeezed voters have turned against sitting governments on both right and left during many of the dozens of elections held this year, as global power blocs shift and political certainties crumble. From India to South Africa to Britain, voters dealt blows to long-governing parties. Elections to the European Parliament showed growing support for the continent's far right, while France's centrist president scrambled to fend off a similar surge at home. If there’s a global trend, Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer said at a summit in Canada in June, it’s that “people are tired of the incumbents.” More than 40 countries have held elections already this year. More uncertainty awaits — nations home to over half the world’s population are going to the polls in 2024. The world is already anxiously turning to November’s presidential election in the U.S., where an acrimonious campaign was dealt a shocking blow by an assassination attempt against Republican nominee and former president, Donald Trump. Unpopular incumbents Aftershocks from the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and spiking prices for food and fuel have left dissatisfied voters eager for change. “Voters really, really don’t like inflation,” said Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester. “And they punish governments that deliver it, whether they are at fault or not.” Inflation and unemployment are rising in India, the world’s largest democracy, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party unexpectedly lost its parliamentary majority after a decade of dominance. Modi was forced to rely on coalition partners to govern as the opposition doubled its strength in parliament. In South Africa, sky-high rates of unemployment and inequality helped drive a dramatic loss of support for the African National Congress, which had governed ever since the end of the apartheid system of white minority rule in 1994. The party once led by Nelson Mandela lost its parliamentary majority for the first time and was forced to enter a coalition with opposition parties. In Britain, the center-left Labour Party won election in a landslide, ousting the Conservatives after 14 years. As in so many countries, Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a jaded electorate that wants lower prices and better public services — but is deeply skeptical of politicians’ ability to deliver change. US-China tensions Caught between world powers China and the United States, Taiwan held one of the year's most significant elections. Lai Ching-te, of the Democratic Progressive Party, won a presidential election that was seen as a referendum on the island’s relationship with China, which claims Taiwan as its own. Beijing regards Lai as a separatist and ramped up military pressure with drills in the Taiwan Strait. Lai has promised to strengthen the defenses of the self-governing island, and the U.S. has pledged to help it defend itself, heightening tensions in one of the world’s flashpoints. In Bangladesh, an important partner of the U.S. that has drawn closer to China, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fourth successive term in an election that opposition parties boycotted. The U.S. and U.K. said the vote was not credible, free or fair. Political dynasties In several countries, family ties helped secure or cement power. Pakistan held messy parliamentary elections – under the eye of the country’s powerful military — that saw well-established political figures vie to become prime minister. The winner, atop a coalition government, was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, younger brother of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif. Opponents say the election was rigged in his favor, with opponent and former prime minister, Imran Khan, imprisoned and blocked from running. The situation remains unstable, with Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruling that Khan’s party was improperly denied some seats. In Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest democracy, former Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto was officially declared president more than two months after an election in which he won over 58% of the vote. His two losing rivals alleged fraud and nepotism — Subianto’s vice president-elect is outgoing leader Joko Widodo’s son, and Subianto was the son-in-law of Indonesia’s late dictator, Suharto. The country’s highest court rejected their arguments. Some outcomes were predictable. Russian President Vladimir Putin was reelected to a fifth term in a preordained election that followed his relentless crackdown on dissent. Rwanda's election extended the 30-year rule of President Paul Kagame, an authoritarian leader who ran almost unopposed. Far right's uneven march The far right has gained ground in Europe as the continent experiences economic instability and an influx of migrants from troubled lands. Elections for the parliament of the 27-nation European Union shifted the bloc’s center of gravity, with the far right rocking ruling parties in France and Germany, the EU’s traditional driving forces. The EU election triggered a political earthquake in France. After his centrist, pro-business party took a pasting, President Emmanuel Macron called a risky snap parliamentary election in hope of stemming a far-right surge. The anti-immigration National Rally party won the first round, but alliances and tactical voting by the center and left knocked it down to third place in the second round and left a divided legislature. New faces, daunting challenges A presidential election tested Senegal's reputation as a stable democracy in West Africa, a region rocked by a recent spate of coups. The surprise winner was little-known opposition figure Basirou Diomaye Faye, released from prison before polling day as part of a political amnesty. Faye is Africa’s youngest elected leader, and his rise reflects widespread frustration among Senegal’s youth with the country’s direction. Senegal has made new oil and gas discoveries in recent years, but the population has yet to see any real benefit. Mexico elected Claudia Sheinbaum as the first female president in the country’s 200-year history. A protege of outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the 61-year-old former Mexico City mayor vowed to continue in the direction set by the popular leftist leader. She faces a polarized electorate, daunting drug-related violence, an increasingly influential military and tensions over migration with the U.S. Uncertainty is the new normal On July 28, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will seek to extend a decade-plus presidency marked by a complex political, social and economic crisis that has driven millions into poverty or out of the country. Opposition parties have banded together, but the ruling party has tight control over the voting process, and many doubt votes will be counted fairly. South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, is scheduled to hold its long-delayed first elections in December. That would represent a key milestone, but the vote is rife with danger and vulnerable to failure. Looming above all is the choice U.S. voters will make Nov. 5 in a tense and divided country. The July 13 shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, in which the former president was wounded and a rallygoer was killed, came as Democrats agonize over the fitness of President Joe Biden, who has resisted calls to step aside. The prospect of a second term for Trump, a protectionist wary of international entanglements, is evidence of the world’s shifting power blocs and crumbling political certainties. "The world is in the transition," said Neil Melvin, director of international security at defense think tank the Royal United Services Institute. “There are very broad processes on the way which are reshaping international order," he added. "It’s a kind of anti-globalization. It’s a growing return to the nation state and against multilateralism.” Full Article Europe East Asia Africa World News South & Central Asia
k The price of gold keeps climbing to unprecedented heights. Here's why By www.voanews.com Published On :: Sat, 28 Sep 2024 03:00:18 -0400 NEW YORK — The rush for gold just keeps coming. Gold hit another all-time high this week. Recent gains for the precious metal are largely credited to ongoing economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and strong demand from central banks around the world. If trends continue, analysts have bullish outlooks on the price of gold for the months ahead. But the future is never promised. Here's what you need to know. Where does the price of gold stand today? The New York spot price of gold closed Tuesday at just over $2,657 per Troy ounce — the standard for measuring precious metals, which is equivalent to 31 grams — the highest recorded to date, per FactSet. That would make a gold bar or brick weighing 400 Troy ounces worth more than $1.06 million today. This week's record high means that the price of gold has climbed hundreds of dollars per Troy ounce over the last year. Tuesday's price is up nearly $145 from a month ago and more than $740 from this time in 2023. The price of gold is up nearly 30% year to date, analysts note — outpacing the benchmark S&P 500's roughly 20% gain since the start of 2024. Why is the price of gold going up? There are a few factors behind the recent gains. Interest in buying gold often comes at times of uncertainty — with potential concerns around inflation and the strength of the U.S. dollar, for example, causing some to look for alternative places to park their money. Gold also surged in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among sources of uncertainty today are geopolitical tensions — which escalated over recent days with Israel's deadly strikes in Lebanon. And the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine have continued to fuel fears about the future worldwide. In markets like the U.S., there's also particular concern about the health of the job market. Last week's larger-than-usual half-point cut by the Federal Reserve signals a new focus on slowing employment numbers, and more rate cuts are expected before the end of the year. And such action arrives in the midst of a tumultuous election year — which could prove crucial to economic policy in the road ahead, too. In the near future, people are considering "any case of turbulence in the economy," FxPro senior market analyst Michel Saliby explained. "This is why they're keeping a decent portion of gold in their portfolio as a 'safe haven.'" Analysts also point to strong demand from central banks around the world. Joe Cavatoni, senior market strategist at the World Gold Council, noted last month that central bank demand was well-above the five year average — reflecting "heightened concern with inflation and economic stability." Recent stimulus measures in China aimed at boosting consumer spending are also expected to up retail investments, Saliby added, further boosting gold's performance. Is gold worth the investment? Advocates of investing in gold call it a "safe haven," arguing the commodity can serve to diversify and balance your investment portfolio, as well as mitigate possible risks down the road. Some also take comfort in buying something tangible that has the potential to increase in value over time. Experts caution against putting all your eggs in one basket. Both retail and institutional investors shouldn't be influenced by the "FOMO effect," or fear of missing out, Saliby notes — explaining that people should not risk all their money just because they are seeing others rake in gains. He advises investors to watch the market and always have a clear risk management strategy for their position. If geopolitical tensions cool, Saliby expects the price of gold to correct slightly, perhaps falling around $50 to $80. But he remains bullish overall for the near future — expecting gold's spot price to soon surpass the $2,700 mark previously predicted for 2025, and perhaps reach as high as $2,800 or $2,900 if trends continue. Still, future gains are never promised and not everyone agrees gold is a good investment. Critics say gold isn't always the inflation hedge many say it is — and that there are more efficient ways to protect against potential loss of capital, such as through derivative-based investments. The Commodity Futures Trade Commission has also previously warned people to be wary of investing in gold. Precious metals can be highly volatile, the commission said, and prices rise as demand goes up — meaning "when economic anxiety or instability is high, the people who typically profit from precious metals are the sellers." If you do choose to invest in gold, the commission adds, it's important to educate yourself on safe trading practices and be cautious of potential scams and counterfeits on the market. Full Article USA World News
k Nigeria resettling people back to homes they fled to escape Boko Haram By www.voanews.com Published On :: Sun, 13 Oct 2024 19:57:13 -0400 DAMASAK, Nigeria — When Boko Haram launched an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria in 2010, Abdulhameed Salisu packed his bag and fled from his hometown of Damasak in the country's battered Borno state. The 45-year-old father of seven came back with his family early last year. They are among thousands of Nigerians taken back from displacement camps to their villages, hometowns or newly built settlements known as “host communities” under a resettlement program that analysts say is being rushed to suggest the conflict with the Islamic militants is nearly over. Across Borno, dozens of displacement camps have been shut down, with authorities claiming they are no longer needed and that most places from where the displaced fled are now safe. But many of the displaced say it’s not safe to go back. Boko Haram — Nigeria’s homegrown jihadis — took up arms in 2009 to fight against Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law, or Sharia. The conflict, now Africa's longest struggle with militancy, has spilled into Nigeria's northern neighbors. Some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million have been displaced in the northeastern region, according to U.N. numbers. The 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in the village of Chibok in Borno state — the epicenter of the conflict — shocked the world. Borno state alone has nearly 900,000 internally displaced people in displacement camps, with many others absorbed in local communities. So far this year, at least 1,600 civilians have been killed in militant attacks in Borno state, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a U.S.-based nonprofit. And in a state where at least 70% of the population depends on agriculture, dozens of farmers have also been killed by the extremists or abducted from their farmland in the last year. In May, hundreds of hostages, mostly women and children who were held captive for months or years by Boko Haram were rescued from a forest enclave and handed over to authorities, the army said. In September, at least 100 villagers were killed by suspected Boko Haram militants who opened fire on a market, on worshippers and in people’s homes in the Tarmuwa council area of the neighboring Yobe state, west of Borno. Analysts say that a forced resettlement could endanger the local population as there is still inadequate security across the hard-hit region. Salisu says he wastes away his days in a resettlement camp in Damasak, a garrison town in Borno state of about 200,000 residents, close to the border with Niger. Food is getting increasingly difficult to come by and Salisu depends on handouts from the World Food Program and other aid organizations. He longs to find work. “We are begging the government to at least find us a means of livelihood instead of staying idle and waiting for whenever food comes,” he said. On a visit last week to Damasak, Cindy McCain, the WFP chief, pledged the world would not abandon the Nigerian people as she called for more funding to support her agency's aid operations. “We are going to stay here and do the very best we can to end hunger,” McCain told The Associated Press as she acknowledged the funding shortages. “How do I take food from the hungry and give it to the starving,” she said. Resettlement usually involves the displaced being taken in military trucks back to their villages or “host communities." The Borno state government has promised to provide returnees with essentials to help them integrate into these areas, supported by aid groups. The government says the displacement camps are no longer sustainable. “What we need now is ... durable solutions,” Borno governor Babagana Zulum told McCain during her visit. As the resettlement got underway, one in five displaced persons stayed back in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, and nearby towns but were left without any support for local integration, the Global Protection Cluster, a network of non-government organizations and U.N. agencies, said last December. Many others have crossed the border to the north, to settle as refugees in neighboring Niger, Chad or Cameroon. The three countries have registered at least 52,000 Nigerian refugees since January 2023, according to the U.N. refugee agency — nearly twice the number registered in the 22 months before that. A rushed closure of displacement camps and forced resettlement puts the displaced people at risk again from militants still active in their home areas — or forces them to “cut deals” with jihadis to be able to farm or fish, the International Crisis Group warned in a report earlier this year. That could make the extremists consolidate their presence in those areas, the group warned. Boko Haram, which in 2016 split into two main factions, continues to ambush security convoys and raid villages. Abubakar Kawu Monguno, head of the Center for Disaster Risk Management at the University of Maiduguri, said the best option is for government forces to intensify their campaign to eliminate the militants or “push them to surrender.” After not being able to access their farms because of rampant attacks by militants, some farmers in Damasak and other parts of Mobbar district returned to work their land last year, armed with seedlings provided by the government. Salisu was one of them. Then a major flood struck in September, collapsing a key dam and submerging about 40% of Maiduguri's territory. Thirty people were killed and more than a million others were affected, authorities said. Farms that feed the state were ruined, including Salisu's. His hopes for a good rice harvest were washed away. Now he lines up to get food at a Damasak food hub. “Since Boko Haram started, everything else stopped here," he said. “There is nothing on the ground and there are no jobs.” Maryam Abdullahi also lined up at a WFP hub in Damasak with other women, waiting for bags of rice and other food items she desperately needs for her family of eight. Her youngest is 6 years old. The donations barely last halfway through the month, she said, but she still waited in the scorching heat. What little money she has she uses to buy yams to fry and sell to sustain her family, but it’s nowhere enough. Her only wish is to be able to get a “proper job” so she and her children would feel safe, she said. “We either eat in the morning for strength for the rest of the day or ... we eat only at night,” Abdullahi said. Full Article Africa World News
k Egypt: Interview with Zachary Lockman By Published On :: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 13:03:00 GMT Lockman discusses the current struggle in Egypt among the Muslim Brotherhood, the revolutionaries of Tahrir Square and the military that has reclaimed power. Full Article
k Turkey: Broker for Israeli-Palestinian Conflict By Published On :: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 20:05:00 GMT Despite Israel's ongoing sabotage of peace talks, Turkey continues to work toward reconciliation between theocratic rivals in the Middle East. Full Article
k Israel's Brick Wall By Published On :: Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:01:00 GMT Israel's unreasonableness, backed by U.S. opposition to Palestinian statehood, is bound to isolate Israel and undermine American influence in the region. Full Article
k Khalid al-Asaad Slaughtered by ISIS By Published On :: Sat, 22 Aug 2015 14:52:00 GMT Khalid al-Asaad, an 83-year-old caretaker of antiquities in Syria, was beheaded by ISIS, but did not receive the same attention as a slain lion. Full Article
k ISIS, Turkey and Oil: Interview with Pelicourt By Published On :: Wed, 02 Dec 2015 22:21:00 GMT Robert Bensh discusses the myriad ways that ISIS and the Paris attack impact global energy security and geopolitics in the Middle East. Full Article
k Nigeria: Ending the Threat of Boko Haram By Published On :: Thu, 08 May 2014 15:34:00 GMT The kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls should be the last straw. Nigeria must decisively end the menace of the insurgency group Boko Haram. Full Article
k U.K. Ban on Khat Affects Kenya By Published On :: Wed, 11 Jun 2014 14:50:00 GMT The British government has banned the stimulant khat, which will have consequences for Kenyan farmers who had been fetching inflated prices for the crop. Full Article
k Ebola: A Global Wake-Up Call By Published On :: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 01:42:00 GMT The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is challenging the health systems of some very poor countries, and a proper response requires global cooperation. Full Article
k Singer Avraham Tal releases music video post-ZAKA trauma retreat By www.jpost.com Published On :: Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:22:47 GMT Full Article
k Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Kneecap headline London's 'Gig for Gaza' By www.jpost.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:48:54 GMT During a recent tour of the US, Weller, a longtime advocate for leftwing causes, performed with a Palestinian flag draped over his guitar amplifier. Full Article music Pro-Palestinian celebrities Gaza Strip Charity Palestinian Israel-Hamas War
k Jeremy Berkovits: The face of Jerusalem's popular American Colony Hotel By www.jpost.com Published On :: Sun, 10 Nov 2024 08:13:12 GMT At the table: Maintaining the massive 12,000-square-foot compound amounts to many thousands of shekels a month, and the owners are eager for a return to normalcy. Full Article hotel business The October 7 Massacre Israel-Hamas War At the Table
k Hava Raucher’s fearless art tackles identity, gender, and cultural taboo By www.jpost.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 23:22:49 GMT 'On the Living and the Dead' dives into Israeli artist Hava Raucher’s fearless views on society. Full Article art Rabin Square Israeli art paint
k Trump picks South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary By www.jpost.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 06:15:13 GMT Noem, once seen as a possible running mate for Trump, is currently serving her second term as South Dakota's gov after a reelection in 2022 Full Article United States Donald Trump South Dakota US Elections 2024
k 2024 General Assembly pushes forward with key voices of Diaspora Jewry By www.jpost.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:10:19 GMT LIVE: The 2024 General Assembly is now underway in Washington, DC, bringing together Jewish communities nationwide to confront unprecedented challenges. Full Article Diaspora Jews Diaspora Jewish Federations of North America antisemitism
k Secret government photos uncover key archaeological findings in Iraq By www.jpost.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 05:36:26 GMT The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah was a crucial victory for Arab Muslim forces of the Rashidun Caliphate over the Sasanian Empire. Full Article Iraq Empire discovery
k Thessaloniki, Greece - the greatest Jewish epic? By www.jpost.com Published On :: Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:56:46 GMT The Jerusalem Post Podcast - Travel Edition, Episode 93 Full Article Chabad travel Jewish Greece podcast
k Cats can learn words approximately four times quicker than human toddlers By www.jpost.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:27:50 GMT Cat’s fast language acquisition process differs from how dogs learn words, often requiring training and rewards. However, cats form associations through subtle behaviors, such as gaze. Full Article Japan science scientific study Language Cats Communication