they have now -- from sudan. they have now tipped where they understand it's in their interest to have stability, they should step up more for humanitarian assistance. the larger question on humanitarian assistance is beyond my purview. it's up to the 435 of you and the 100 across the way to make those decisions ultimately. but i do think there is an impulse in america that is worthy, that is part of our mission that recognizes, whether it's human rights, humanitarian assistance, we have an obligation to step up. but we should be tough-minded about it, get others to step up, too, especially in these times of of economic peril. and, finally, let me just say on the roadmap on good days i'm optimistic, but my experience teaches me to maybe be a little skeptical and cynical. and i think the talk of incentives, without the talk of coercion, without the talk of steel, without the talk of being tough, is a matter of great concern as bismarck said, diplomacy without coercion is like sheets of music without instruments. >

going on in sudan now.o pressure there as well. i'm going to hand it over to comfort who's going to give us an overview of icg's work, and then we'll have plenty of time for questions and comments from all of you as well, hopefully. thanks very much. comfort. >> thank you very much. and i would like to start by wishing you all a happy new year, but also thanking csis, especially richard and the staff of the center for hosting international crisis group on the day after the start of the important referendum. i also think it's quite telling that the very first job for the new africa directers of icg is to come to washington and speak to a gathering here, and that shows you, also, the importance of washington in the question of the future of a new sudan and the future of north sudan as well. so it's a pleasure and an honor that we have been asked to come this morning, very cold morning, but this morning in washington to talk about a new dawn in the africa as well. just briefly, as richard was saying, i would s

negotiations support unit in sudan.ior to his appointment, he was serving as an a and as an adjun professor at georgetown. he has a long distinguished career in government service is, deputy assistant secretary of state for africa, u.s. ambassador to nigeria and south africa and assistant secretary of state for international organization fairs. he has a p.h.d. in political science from harvard university and has published numerous books and articles on foreign policy, african fairs an, economic development, hiv/aids u.n. reform and peacekeeping. ambassador lyman, the floor is your yours. thank you, sir. could push that little button there. >> thank you very much, madame chairman. thank you and the members, ranking member congressman berman and all the members here for holding this hearing and making this one of the very first issues of your chairmanship and of the committee this year. this is a terribly important issue. i recall prime minister mellis at the u.n. meeting in sudan in september saying and his man who faces

going on in sudan now. no pressure there as well. i'm going to hand it over to comfort who's going to give us an overview of icg's work, and then we'll have plenty of time for questions and comments from all of you as well, hopefully. thanks very much. comfort. >> thank you very much. and i would like to start by wishing you all a happy new year, but also thanking csis, especially richard and the staff of the center for hosting international crisis group on the day after the start of the important referendum. i also think it's quite telling that the very first job for the new africa directers of icg is to come to washington and speak to a gathering here, and that shows you, also, the importance of washington in the question of the future of a new sudan and the future of north sudan as well. so it's a pleasure and an honor that we have been asked to come this morning, very cold morning, but this morning in washington to talk about a new dawn in the africa as well. just briefly, as richard was saying, i would

going on in sudan now. no pressure there as well. i'm going to hand it over to comfort who's going to give us an overview of icg's work, and then we'll have plenty of time for questions and comments from all of you as well, hopefully. thanks very much. comfort. >> thank you very much. and i would like to start by wishing you all a happy new year, but also thanking csis, especially richard and the staff of the center fo hosting international crisis group on the day after the start of the important referendum. i also think it's quite telling that the very first job for the new africa directers of icg is to come to washington a speak to a gathering here, and that shows you, also, the importance of washington in the question of the future of a new sudan and the future of north sudan as well. so it's a pleasure and an honor that we have been asked to come this morning, very cold morning, but this morning in washington to talk about a new dawn in the africa as well. just briefly, as richard was saying, i would st

sudan a and the a.u. he is literally -- has literally just touched down from sudan this morning. he can give us the up to the minute perspective on what is going on now. no pressure there. i am going to hand it over to comfort the will give us an overview of the situation. for passing and over. we will then have plenty of time for questions and comments from all of you. thank you very much. comfort? >> thank you very much. i would like to start by wishing you a happy new year and banking thank -- thanking the center for hosting the group of the day after the important referendum. i think is quite telling that the first job for the director is to come to washington and speak to the gathering here. that shows you the importance of washington in the question of the future of the new sudan. it is a pleasure and honor that we have been asked to come here this morning. it is very cold this morning. we have been announced to talk about a new dawn in africa. i will start off by saying and introducing the internat

there is no suit sudan -- south sudan identity. when it comes to elections, everybody goest to their constituency. that's why the issue of some of the southerners say why do we need to jeopardize our religion? it's so small thing. but the people, the leaders at the top who are from ab yea said, no. people still go to yourr constituents. who are you? whereh, are you from?o if you say you are from abica, who's going to vote for you? so there is no, that issue of identity, they need to work. and the beginning of it is to set up the rule of the law, the rule of the land, where theyenes need to agree and to put the political system for inclusiveness. and then, definitely, if that stage is there, we'll be able to create the conditions fromhu shifting from humanitarian assistance into a long-term rehabilitation reconstruction which is, it's going to be ideologically, of course,vern driven. or is it an inclusive government to put that framework for reconstruction and development? definitely, it is a challenge.hi finally, i come to the ques

she now uses her voice to push for an end to united sudan. >> i will not accepteded united sudan. again, i will go to the border and fight from there to keep them away from coming into our country. >> opinion is so one-sided, this vote will be unriggable. this extraordinary struggle for independence is almost over. then comes the daunting task of building a country almost from scratch. will ross, "bbc news," southern sudan. >> and stay with us. still ahead, mumbai's night of a thousand stars, rolling out the red carpet for the start of bolywood's awards season. >> the president of france has said christian minorities in the middle east are becoming victims of what he calls religious cleansing. from pairs, christian reports. >> the aftermath of the new year's day bombing in alexandria. 21 people died, the latest in a string of deadly attacks on christian churches in the middle east. no one has yet claimed responsibility. last month a website published a list of chumps that were to be targeted, including the one that was bombed. today in a speech to french religious leaders, sarkozy

the children have never seen it southern sudan. their mother left the north because she feared she would be labeled a foreigner and lose her rights. >> living back in the south would be easy, but she is ready to start selling the land if necessary. -- tilling the land if necessary. >> a son with a message by a singer with a grudge. her father and brother were killed in the war. she now pushes for an end to the united sudan. yet >> i am not upset. again. i will go to the border. we will go to the border and fight the real ed -- fight. >> opinion is so one-sided, this vote will be unriggable. then comes the daunting task of building a country almost from scratch. will ross, bbc news. >> the israeli army is saying it accidently killed one of its own men and wounded four others in an exchange of fire close to the gaza border. it appears a weapon malfunctioned well soldiers were trying to fire on palestinians tension along the border has been rising for weeks. our correspondent reports from where mollah. >> the israeli soldier is being

in south sudan entrepreneurs pump water to fill up tankers. private water collection and sales from rivers and wells is big business here. particularly during the dry season. but for customers the water often comes at a high cost. >> it is a good business for them but this is spreading diseases. >> reporter: dr. justin bruno directs the children's hospital in the town of juba. >> the water is not... it is just flowing naturally. the people just drink it. it's not boiled. >> reporter: what happens as a result? >> diseases. people get acute diarrhea. people get bloody diarrhea. and typhoid fever. that is rampant in this town and in southern sudan. >> reporter: you can trace that right back to the.... >> right back to the river water. >> reporter: patients suffer not only from preventable diseases but even if they make it to a health care facility often from inadequate treatment. this essentially is the waiting room of the only children's hospital in south sudan. the health care system, such as it is here, is barely functioning. most people have

going to northern sudan you. and sudanese leaders have said as much if the authority is. really the northern government of sudan finds out that the person has sought asylum in israel this person would be in serious risk. persecution in january two thousand and eleven southern sudan is holding a referendum on whether to separate from the north and become an independent state it's the final stage in a peace agreement that ended twenty two years of war many of them have has the spurred from being in israel for such a long time with no rights whatsoever the people realize that little really have a future here and people are all saw homesick and benjamin moore not sure what to do home victims despite the risks if those are those who don't to is pretty damn. i will decide the world for my own. policy or r.t. southern israel will not take a look at some other stories from around the world in pyongyang south he wants to start bilateral talks with so as soon as possible to settle the situation on the korean peninsula the north issued a statement offering to start negotiations with

sudan government is again it. is really. a pure them. maybe a world where going to northern sudan you would be and sudanese leaders have said as much if the authorities. really set the northern government of sudan finds out that the person has sought asylum in israel this person would be in in serious risk of persecution southern sudan is holding a referendum on whether to separate from the north and become an independent state if the final stage of the peace agreement that ended up twenty two years of rule many of them have has spurred from being in israel for such a long time with no rights whatsoever that people realize that they don't really have a future here and people are also homesick and benjamin moore not sure what to do home beckons despite the risks if those southern sudan is pre-dawn i will decide the world. r.t. southern israel a recent spate of unexplained mass animal deaths across the globe has conspiracy theorists and doomsday believers predicting impending calamity even scientists are struggling

we will set sudan free.we will go to the bottom and keep them away coming to our country. ♪ >> opinions are so one-side this vote will be unriggable. this egstord nair struggle for independence is almost over then comes the daunting task of building a country almost from stratch. >> and stay with us still ahead on the program. the winter world cup, the president says he expects he expects it to be staged in january. >> the president of france nicholas sarkozy said christian minorities are are becoming victims of what he called religious cleansing of he described wicked attackeds as a wicket program to clins phlegm the middle east. >> the aftermath of the new year's day bombing in alexandria. 21 people died in latest on attacks in christian churches in the middle east. no one has yet claimed responsibility. the last month the website linked published a a list of churches including the one that was bombed. >> nicholas sarkozy condemned the attacks and in the strongest possible terms. >> we cannot accept and th

out of an independence referendum in southern sudan sudanese refugees in israel want to return home but they fear of persecution for seeking asylum in the so-called anomie state. plus the financial crisis as some americans are looking to marxism for answers but communist views in the u.s. are being slammed as a patriotic. and they are trained to serve and protect the country but it takes a lot board to fight off modern threats r.t. brings you a day in the life of russia's special forces. watching r.t. live from moscow i'm marina josh welcome to the program authorities in northern italy say more than a thousand turtle doves have dropped out over the past five days it's the latest in a series of unexplained sudden death incidents affecting creatures in the sky and underwater the events have sparked a media frenzy was doomsday speculators saying it hails the aunt of the world but is there really something fishy going on or is a being overhyped. reports. sing a song of suspense one where the end is nigh as thousands of black birds flew out of the sky and when the birds were found the news b

the children have never seen the southern sudan. their mother aleft the north because sheet field that she would be labeled a southerner and -- she feared that she would be labeled a southerner and lose her rights. she is ready to start telling the land if necessary -- tilling the land if necessary. this sinner's mother and brother were killed in the war. -- the singer's mother and brother were killed in the war. i>> i read that i would be a soldier again. we go to the border and fright from their -- and fight from there. >> opinion it is so one-sided, the vote will not be able to be raped. then come -- the vote will not be able to be rigged. then comes the daunting task of starting over from scratch. >>> rights over food prices and unemployment have forced algerians to postpone top-level league matches. prices for cooking oil, sugar, and flower have doubled in more than two months. we have this report. >> violence on the streets of algiers as chronic levels of unemployment and a sudden hike in food prices have whipped up anchor. jo

. ========== >>> and helping the lost boys of sudan find a future. we'll meet this week's jefferson award winner. >> we still have a few showers out there and clouds rolling in. we'll take a look at the afternoon forecast. how much more rainfall could be on the way and we'll take a look, a sneak peek at a nice holiday weekend. that's also coming up. ,,,,,,,, dentures are softer than teeth and a lot of people when they get a denture they think the best way to clean it is by brushing it with toothpaste. toothpaste contains abrasives that scratch dentures leaving microscopic crevices where bacteria can grow and bacteria can cause bad breath. only polident is proven to clean without scratching and kills 99.9% of odor causing bacteria. i recommend using polident and soak every day. it's the right way to go. now with an improved microclean formula. so i wasn't playing much of a role in my own life. but with advair, i'm breathing better. so now, i've got the leading part. advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most c

as southern sudan prepares for its historic referendum on whether to separate from the north many displaced by ethnic violence in the country see it as an opportunity to return home. all we know is. our weather could not cause five thousand black birds to have liquefied insides from doomsday predictions to media hype r t looks at the fallout from the mysterious deaths of fish and animals across the globe. and the call of duty the russian special forces unit preparing for the frontline against terrorism. broadcasting live from our studios in central moscow where it is four o'clock on a sunday morning this is r t i'm sean thomas let's take a look at your top stories millions of sudanese are preparing to vote in a referendum that could see one of africa's poorest and most troubled nations split into two countries in the vote that starts on sunday the christian dominated south is widely expected to choose independence from the mainly muslim north the week long ballot is being held as part of a peace deal which ended decades of civil war in two thousand and five thousands sought refuge in israel

i have of the referendum in southern sudan to split from the north sudanese refugees in israel want to return home but they fear of persecution for seeking asylum in a so-called mistake. they're trained to serve and protect the country but it takes a lot more to fight off modern threats are you brings you a day in the life of brushes a special forces. it is eight am in the russian capital you're watching r t with me we're going to joshua welcome to the program as authorities in northern italy say more than a thousand turtle doves have dropped dead over the past five days it's the latest in a series of unexplained sudden death incidents affecting creatures in the sky and underwater events have sparked a media frenzy with doomsday speculators saying it hails the end of the world but is there really something fishy going on or is it being overhyped artist reports. sing a song of suspense one where the end is nigh as thousands of black birds fell out of the sky and when the birds were found the news began to sing the end of days conspiracy does have a catchy ring. at first it was just arka

sudan. has met refugees who struggle to make ends meet after finding and you honey. the road to freedom is long on israel wasn't their first choice egypt was but as the thousands of refugees fleeing sudan found themselves under assault in cairo by a police force trying to clean up the streets the decision to cross over into israel seemed a logical one israel is near from here and israel is. and they do. and christian but the journey was long sometimes on foot sometimes paying big ones to drive them you have to cross the border and coming to the israeli border with the. measure of the sort of not to see you otherwise you would be something shooting and to me a martyr made actually three years ago with his wife and four children he watched friends and family die along the way some were shot some died of hunger. and then. this but israel doesn't really know what to do with these refugees last year alone eighteen thousand arrived just from sudan and eritrea is always a party to the convention on

going to northern sudan you. and sudanese leaders have said as much if the authorities. really the northern government of sudan finds out that the person has sought asylum in israel this person would be in serious risk. of persecution in january two thousand and eleven southern sudan is holding a referendum on whether to separate from the north and become an independent state it's the final stage in a peace agreement that ended twenty two years of war many of them have has the spurred from being in israel for such a long time with no rights whatsoever the people realize that they don't really have a future here and people are also homesick and benjamin moore not sure what to do home beckons despite the risks. of those who don't it is pretty. i will decide the world. policy or r.t. southern israel when thousands of turtle doves fell from the sky in italy it became one of the latest examples of a series of unexplained mass animal deaths around the world some of the more outlandish speculation who suggested it could be the first signs of the end of the world. takes a look t

more than a million people in sudan have made the journey in recent weeks. a mass migration of civil war refugees. maria's husband william check their baggage one more time. they are taking a few pieces of furniture. the rest of their belongings are packed in sex. -- in sacks. >> i will be better off in southern sudan than here. i will be able to work as a farmer. in khartoum, i was just a day laborer. >> seven years ago, they fled the civil war in the south and fled for khartoum. >> it was difficult for us here. my husband rarely had work. we hardly had anything to eat. food was much too expensive. it will be better for us back home in the south. >> they join millions of others making the journey. maria and her husband returned to their mud hut to pick up the rest of their belongings. they lived here for seven years, a short time for civil war refugees in sudan. many have spent up to 20 years in the camps surrounding khartoum. some 2.5 million people displaced by war and misery. most are christians like maria and her family. for more than 20 years, the isla

southern sudan's upcoming vote on whether to become independent from the north and gives hope to millions displaced by decades of conflict but they'll be able to go home. all we know is that there are works or weather could not cause five thousand black birds to have a liquefied insides and then what could cause bugs pulled out of the sky dead fish show washed ashore around the world would look at whether it's an apocalypse in the making all just fuss and feathers. and these young recruits go through fire and water to protect their country rushers a special forces in training he gets an exclusive look. a very warm welcome to you this is aussie life from moscow millions of sudanese are preparing to vote in a referendum could see one of africa's poorest and most. troubled nations split into two countries in the vote starts on sunday the christian dominated south is widely expected to choose independence from the mainly muslim north the weeklong ballot is being held as part of a peace deal which i did decades of civil war in two thousand and five but tension remains in the region with just o

south sudan would be one of the poorest nations on earth.aved roads and health clinics are almost nonexistent, and illiteracy is about 85%. add to that a continued fear of renewed violence. the crucial agreement on oil revenue sharing still languishes. and besides north/south tensions, there's also a long history of deadly violence among tribes in the south. but none of that concerns marisa right now. >> ( translated ): all i can think of is to vote. >> reporter: not far from her, the polling places were preparing for that big event, with help from the international groups trying to ensure the election is conducted cleanly. polls will be open seven days, beginning sunday. results are expected to be announced by mid-february. >> woodruff: fred's report is a partnership with the pulitzer center on crisis reporting, and the undertold stories project at saint mary's university in minnesota. >> lehrer: next, the second of our conversations with republican members of the new house majority. last week, we talked with several democrats who lost thei

government of sudan, the government of south sudan, the neighboring countries, the international community have to recognize and respect that result. and then we have enormous range of outstanding very difficult issues that still need to be negotiated between the north and the south. borders, citizenship, wealth sharing. the oil-reach region, etc. >> rose: but this is also, though, a place where china and the united states can coopera. arwe seein th kindf cooperation that you hope for on this particular issue? >> yes. and it was a subject that has come up... came up yesterday between president hu and president obama but it's come up repeatedly in the eight meetings that they've had over the last two years. and i think it is, in fact, an area where our interests converge. china has much more direct economic interests in sudan than we do. we have sanctions. >> rose: they have contracts for their oil. >>nd chise oil workers the field... >> rose: are building the... >> and what they recognize is that in terms of the reference dumb that it needs to be... promote peace and stability and not a re

were to really search the northern government of sudan finds out that the person has sought asylum in israel this person would be in in serious risk of persecution in january two thousand and eleven southern sudan is holding a referendum on whether to separate from the north and become an independent state it's a final stage in a peace agreement that ended twenty two years of war many of them have has the spur from being in israel for such a long time with no rights whatsoever the people realize that they don't really have a future here and people are also all homesick and many of benjamin moore not sure what to do home beckons despite the risks if those are those who don't is pretty don't. i would to say. r t southern israel. and it is now a ticking over ten minutes past the hour here in moscow this is let's get to some other world news in brief this hour and that pyongyang says it wants to start world talks with seoul is soon as possible to settle the situation on the korean peninsula the north issued a statement offering to start negotiations without preconditions in late january e

now both men are on staff at hope with sudan. the job helps this man support his wife and toddler in kenya. >> we are very happy and very blessed. >> reporter: jerry started hope with sudan after retiring from a 30-year ministry to san jose's multicultural community. then he met the lost boys and visited sudan. >> i came to know their story and to really be touched by the tremendous suffering that they had gone through and then to discover these incrediblely bright, articulate, humble men. i was drawn into their lives. >> reporter: jerry recruits volunteer mentors, collects donations to fund scholarships for more than 50 students, first grade through college. many times the students come from refugee camps with very little schooling. >> they begin their writing on the ground with their fingers, no books. when books came, they cut them in two and sometimes into 10 parts and shared them around. >> reporter: hope with sudan has helped educate more than 100 sudanese students. a tenth have earned college degrees. the board says jerry'

person would be in in serious risk of persecution southern sudan is holding a referendum on whether to separate from the north and become an independent state if the final stage in a peace agreement that ended twenty two years of war many of them have has spurred from being in israel for such a long time with no rights whatsoever people realize that they don't really have a future here and people are also homesick and any of benjamin not sure what to do home beckons despite the risks if those are those who don't is pre-dawn i will decide to go back to my own. policy or r.t. southern israel. when thousands of total darkness fell from the sky in italy it became one of the latest examples of a series of unexplained mass animal deaths across the globe some of the more outlandish speculation has suggested it could be the first signs of the end of the world to scott ritter as out of a takes a look to see if there's really something fishy going on or if it's just media hype . sing a song of suspense one where the end is nigh as thousands of black birds fell out of the sky and when the bird

you know, the united states is the biggest actor in sudan. we can have a major influence on whether or not a deal is struck between the north and the south to prevent a war, and we can have a major influence on whether human rights violations continue in darfur. that's going to take presidential leadership. he's become engaged now. we'll see if he can bring it that last mile. thank you. >> john, george, thank you very much and good luck with the project. we'll provide more information on the abcnews.com blog as to where you can follow the work of the satellite sentinel project. thanks, gentlemen. >> thank you. >> the round table is next with george will, donna brazile, amy walt, abc news political director and major garrett of "national journal." 25% of the world's food supply is lost to spoilage. that's 458 billion dollars worth every year. on a smarter planet, we're building intelligence into physical things. so we can know how far our food's traveled... monitor temperature all the way to the market... and know it got to the table fresh. it