First person: In Gaza starving people live among the dead and are trapped in a land reduced to rubble

First person: In Gaza starving people live among the dead and are trapped in a land reduced to rubble

A 25-kg bag of wheat flour can sell for $150. In an enclave where farmers once harvested citrus, vegetables and strawberries, I saw small peppers selling at a Gaza City market for $195 a kilo. Nobody was buying. Nobody could afford them.

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Slaughtered by Islamist extremists or Russian mercenaries, Burkina Faso’s 2.5 million displaced people are further abandoned by UN

Slaughtered by Islamist extremists or Russian mercenaries, Burkina Faso’s 2.5 million displaced people are further abandoned by UN

For decades, the Fulani were neglected by the central government, and some did join Islamist fighters. As a result, Fulani civilians are often targeted both by the extremists – affiliated with al-Qaida or the Islamic State group – and by rival pro-government forces.

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France’s ex-president Sarkozy goes on trial for illicit campaign funding, influence peddling by Libya’s Gaddafi

France’s ex-president Sarkozy goes on trial for illicit campaign funding, influence peddling by Libya’s Gaddafi

The case emerged in March 2011, when a Libyan news agency reported that the Gaddaffi government had financed Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign. In an interview, Gaddaffi himself said “it’s thanks to us that he reached the presidency. We provided him with the funds that allowed him to win,” without providing any amount or other details.

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More than 170 armed-robbery convicts to be executed as crime skyrockets in Congo

More than 170 armed-robbery convicts to be executed as crime skyrockets in Congo

Congo abolished the death sentence in 1981, but it was reinstated in 2006. The last execution took place in 2003.

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How Kenya police hide extrajudicial killings: During demos undercover officers identify ringleaders, get their phone numbers, then hunt them down

How Kenya police hide extrajudicial killings: During demos undercover officers identify ringleaders, get their phone numbers, then hunt them down

Thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets in nationwide protests against tax hikes and political corruption, starting in late June. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said 42 people were killed during a police response that rights groups say involved firing live rounds.

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Accused of ‘political gimmicks’ Canadian PM Trudeau considers resignation that’d leave Liberals in disarray

Accused of ‘political gimmicks’ Canadian PM Trudeau considers resignation that’d leave Liberals in disarray

Justin Trudeau took over as Liberal leader in 2013 when the party was in deep trouble and had been reduced to third place in the House of Commons for the first time. If he does resign, it would likely spur fresh calls for a quick election to put in place a stable government able to deal with the administration of President-elect Donald Trump for the next four years.

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Scientists in UK resolve a 50-year mystery with discovery of a new blood group initially thought to be a disorder

Scientists in UK resolve a 50-year mystery with discovery of a new blood group initially thought to be a disorder

While we’re all more familiar with the ABO blood group system and the rhesus factor (that’s the plus or minus part), humans actually have many different blood group systems based on the wide variety of cell-surface proteins and sugars that coat our blood cells.

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Right of reply: Kenya National Biosafety Authority is committed to human, animal and environmental health

Right of reply: Kenya National Biosafety Authority is committed to human, animal and environmental health

The authority is mandated among others to promote awareness and education among the general public in matters relating to biosafety, a function that it has taken seriously through various activities across the country.

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Pesticide banned in Europe but widely used in US makes brain cells age faster

Pesticide banned in Europe but widely used in US makes brain cells age faster

The new study shows that atrazine exposure ages certain brain cells in mice, causing them to stop dividing and growing. It also highlights for the first time the role of a specific stress response pathway in disrupting the processes healthy cells use to detect, repair or remove damaged parts.

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Domestic terrorism data suggests US military service is the strongest predictor of carrying out extremist violence

Domestic terrorism data suggests US military service is the strongest predictor of carrying out extremist violence

From 1990 through 2023, 730 individuals with US military backgrounds committed criminal acts that were motivated by their political, economic, social or religious goals, according to data from the new START report. From 1990 to 2022, successful violent plots that included perpetrators with a connection to the US military resulted in 314 deaths and 1,978 injuries – a significant number of which came from the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

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