Sudanese Airliner Hijacked in Darfur

Staff / Truthdig Aug 27, 2008 Three former rebels linked to the Sudanese Liberation Movement hijacked a commercial Boeing 737 airliner carrying 95 passengers soon after the Sun Air flight left Nyala in Darfur, Sudan, on Tuesday. The plane first tried to stop in Cairo but was denied clearance before going on to land in Libya, according to the BBC. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

China to Allow ‘Protest Lite’

Staff / Truthdig Jul 23, 2008 Taking cues from past Olympic protests and the U.S.'s notoriously ironic "free speech zones," the Chinese government has declared its openness to dissidents criticizing the state -- so long as dissent is contained in one of three areas, does not threaten vague notions of national unity, and is submitted five days beforehand to the local security bureau. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Sudanese President Rejects Genocide Claims

Staff / Truthdig Jul 15, 2008 Although an International Criminal Court prosecutor has accused Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir of genocide in Darfur, Bashir begs to differ and Sudan is refusing to cooperate with the court. Meanwhile, some United Nations representatives are preparing to leave Sudan as concerns build about a potential violent backlash to the charge. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush on Why the U.S. Didn’t Send Troops to Darfur

Staff / Truthdig Feb 21, 2008 The year is 2008, and President George W. Bush has learned an important lesson in global affairs: "Outside forces" taking part in foreign clashes "tend to divide people up inside their country" and "are unbelievably counterproductive." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Spielberg Quits Olympics Post in Protest of China

Staff / Truthdig Feb 13, 2008 Director Steven Spielberg was an artistic adviser to the 2008 Beijing Olympics but has resigned because of China's unwillingness to put more pressure on the Sudanese government to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. As he put it, "I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue business as usual." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

How Not to Help Africans

Gbemisola Olujobi / Truthdig Nov 27, 2007 The French charity group L'Arche de Zoé (Zoë's Ark) took 103 Chadian children from their homes with promises of sweets and a trip to the city of Abeche. But the group actually planned to fly the children to France on a 220-seater plane from Abeche airport in Eastern Chad, passing them off as "Sudanese orphans from Darfur" who needed urgent medical care and foster homes. The fiasco sheds new light on the activities of Western "angels of mercy" in Africa. Dig deeper ( 10 Min. Read )

Darfur Town Razed, U.N. Says

Staff / Truthdig Oct 8, 2007 United Nations officials are reporting that the Darfur town of Haskanita has been "completely burned down, except for a few buildings." The Sudanese army and janjaweed militias are apparently behind the destruction of Haskanita, U.N. sources say. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Agony

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Oct 3, 2007 Dig deeper

Secretary-General ‘Humbled’ by Darfur

Staff / Truthdig Sep 6, 2007 U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has braved pro-government protests to visit a refugee camp in Darfur, where he said he was "shocked and humbled" by the "hardship all these tens of thousands of people were undergoing." Residents at the camp gave the world's top diplomat a warm greeting, chanting "Welcome, welcome Ban Ki-moon." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Under New Management

Paul Conrad / Truthdig Aug 23, 2007 Click here to learn more about Paul Conrad and purchase original artwork. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.N. Approves Peacekeepers for Darfur

Staff / Truthdig Aug 1, 2007 The UN Security Council has unanimously approved the world's largest peacekeeping force, with as many as 26,000 troops and police officers, to take over operations in Darfur The joint effort between the U and the African Union will have the necessary mandate to defend civilians and aid workers, but it remains unclear how quickly the force can be deployed. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Can Drag Queens and Hired Guns Save Darfur?

Sarah Stillman / Truthdig Jun 28, 2007 Truthdig foreign correspondent Sarah Stillman went on assignment in Africa to investigate the Darfur crisis and the beleaguered African Union troops who struggle -- without the necessary funds or mandate -- to keep a lid on genocide. Her exploration of efforts to resolve the conflict reveals a global community tragically dependent on celebrities and mercenaries. Dig deeper ( 12 Min. Read )