Sudanese Rally for Execution of British Teacher

Staff / Truthdig Dec 1, 2007 An apparently innocent class exercise, during which British teacher Gillian Gibbons allowed her students in Khartoum, Sudan, to name a teddy bear Muhammad, has led to 15 days of jail time, deportation and now death threats for Gibbons. 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 )

Teacher Arrested for Teddy Bear Name Game

Staff / Truthdig Nov 27, 2007 In a particularly delicate situation involving crossed cultural wires, a British primary school teacher in Sudan could face six months in jail, a fine or 40 lashes after allowing her students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad" for a class exercise. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

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 )

China and Africa: Uneasy Bedfellows?

Staff / Truthdig Jul 10, 2007 With the Red Star rising over Africa, locals and leaders across that vast continent are starting to wonder if Beijing's forays represent a positive collaboration among developing nations -- or just the latest incarnation of exploitative colonialism. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

China and Russia Deny Involvement in Darfur Genocide

Staff / Truthdig May 8, 2007 Amnesty International has accused China and Russia of violating a U.N. arms embargo against Sudan. The human rights organization says the weapons end up in Darfur, where they are used against civilians in the ongoing genocide. The two Security Council members deny any wrongdoing. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Gives Sudan Ultimatum

Staff / Truthdig Apr 24, 2007 Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte has told the Sudanese government it must either cooperate with a UN peacekeeping plan or face sanctions However, the US has agreed to give U Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon time to work with Khartoum before pressing the issue. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Sudan Signals Acceptance of U.N. Peacekeepers

Staff / Truthdig Apr 17, 2007 The Sudanese government has indicated to the United Nations Security Council that it will allow a second phase of UN peacekeepers to deploy, retreating from the long-held position that such a force would compromise its sovereignty However, Khartoum has a history of reneging on promises to the U. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Darfur Camps Running Out of Room

Staff / Truthdig Mar 20, 2007 The Sudanese camps where some 2 million refugees live are nearing capacity. According to a new U.N. report on the Darfur crisis, 80,000 people already have fled their homes this year, and some camps have been forced to turn them away. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.N. Pledges Revitalized Darfur Effort

Staff / Truthdig Jan 6, 2007 The United Nations has begun a renewed effort to address the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has promised to give the crisis his full attention, though many world leaders have made similar commitments to no avail. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )