Sudan s westernmost region, Darfur, sprang from oblivion into sudden notoriety early in 2004, when a war of hideous proportions unleashed what the United Nations called the world s worst humanitarian crisis and the United States labelled genocide. For the last two years, the conflict has been simplified to pictures of immense sprawling refugee camps and lurid accounts of Arabs murdering Africans. Behind these images lies a complex and fascinating story of a unique and remote region of Africa, home to Muslim peoples with a unique history. In the 20th century, Darfur became synonymous with poverty and neglect, culminating in famine and a series of undeclared and unacknowledged wars in the 1980s and 90s. This book details the history of Darfur, its conflicts, and the designs on the region by the governments in Khartoum and Tripoli. Much of the story of the war in Darfur has remained untold until now. This book investigates the identity of the infamous Janjawiid militia, traci
Making an American saint can take more than a miracle
The cause of a Catholic priest killed in the Korea conflict ticked most of the boxes, but his candidacy had to overcome two formidable obstacles. The Rev. Emil Kapaun celebrates Mass, using the hood of his jeep as an altar, as his assistant, Patrick J. Schuler, kneels in prayer in Korea on Oct. 7, 1950, less than a month before Kapaun was taken prisoner. The priest died in a prisoner of war camp on May 23, 1951, his body wracked by pneumonia and dysentery. On April 11, 2013, President Barack Obama awarded the legendary chaplain, credited with saving hundreds of soldiers during the Korean War, the Medal of Honor posthumously. (Photo by U.S. Army Col. Raymond A. Skeehan/courtesy of the Father Kapaun Guild)