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HOME CONTACT NEWS FEATURES BLOG SEARCH RESULTS More ADVERTISMENT The hidden story that binds African and Mexican Americans in a shared history few knew about until now! - G LOBAL AFRICAN DIASPORA AFTER 400 YEARS The Projected Consequence OF SLAVERY VICTORIA G. RABB CLICK Jesus C hrist The Acc epted Pro pitiation for Sin By VICTORIA GRIMMETT RABB All have sinned. The children of Israel escaped from 350 years of enslavement in Egypt. They then encamped in the wilderness, where God communed with Moses about His plan for the Israelites. God also told Moses that he wanted a physical dwelling place among His people, He wanted to teach them holiness and lead them in victory over the pagan ene mies they would encounter on their way to the Promised Land. The children of Israel remained stationary in the desert long enough to build a magnificent "mobile home" for their God, called a Tabernacle. It was portable, having to be disassembled/reassembled for Israel’s stop/go travel enroute to the Promised Land. Every tabernacle piece was fashioned with splendor, precisely as God had commanded. The people were to worship God at the new altar, make sacrificial offerings to Him for their sin, for thanksgiving, including sins they might not know they had committed. The goal was to become a Holy people, as God is Holy. God gave them laws to follow. After the tabernacle was erected, Moses ordained his brother Aaron and Aaron’s sons to the priest- hood. Aaron became the High Priest. The priests began officiating the people’s sacrifices to be offered to God on the brazen altar, just inside the tabernacle gate. When the last of the altar sacrifices (peace offering, trespass offering, guilt offering, etc.) were laid onto the altar, the people of Israel beheld a spectacular event. Fire came down from heaven and completely consumed the sacrificial offerings. God had accepted their offerings. The people fell to their faces and worshipped Him. Years later, we read that God demonstrated this same spectacular power for Elijah the prophet (I Kings 18:38) when He sent fire from heaven and consumed the offering of Elijah. The prophet had purpose- fully drenched the altar with water to prove to the pagan worshippers of Baal that Elijah’s God was the one true God. New Testament writers of the bible describe this action as an acceptance of the propitiation (an appropriate substitute sufficient to appease a wrathful God over man’s sinfulness). Accepted in the Beloved? In more than one scriptural reference, we see that God demonstrated His approval of a fitting sacrifice with a fiery onslaught emanating from heaven. Did this occur in the tomb where Jesus was laid? Wisdom would dictate that it did. But a language consisting of a paltry 8,200 words would have not been equipped to sufficiently describe an electromagnetic current or frequency that pierced through a carved out stone sepulcher, leaving no damage, igniting a 3-day old corpse so strongly that the body awakened from the dead, and was so finitely accurate that there was no reported disturbance to the bench whereupon the corpse was laid or any other thing, except one: A delicate piece of cloth. But on what we in the west celebrate mainly as Easter or Resurrection Sunday, we revel in the knowledge that our savior was resurrected to life. The greatest proof is the empty tomb. We can infer from this that Jesus was the acceptable sacrifice for our sinfulness. But did God send "fire" down from heaven? Did He leave us evidence? This writer asserts that He did. We see in the Shroud of Turin, evidence that an active, ignited current had invaded the cloth. It was powerful enough that the dried blood still congealed on the body of the corpse was imprinted front and back onto a white burial sheet, 14.5 feet long, folded over a naked body from the top, and completely draping the body, front and back, with imprinted markings similar to that which a beaten, crucified man would display, including evidence of nail-scared wrists and feet. Skeptical Shroud investigators have themselves proven that the imprints were not woven or embroid- ered, not a camera negative, not artfully painted onto the shroud material (finely woven from flax), but was most likely infused by an electro-magnetic current which we cannot identify. All prior practices of consuming sacrifices by ‘fire’ were rehearsals (moedim) for that great coming day when Jesus would rise from the dead and take His place at the right hand of the Father, as our Savior. Back in the desert, with the newly freed Israelites, G od commanded that they bring sacrifices to atone for their sins. He also allowed them to use the ritual as a form of worship and thanksgiving. But the majority of sacrifices were as propitiation for the sins which so easily deserved eternal damnation. The sacrifices were accepted by God via a spectacular event which resembled a consuming fire shooting down from heaven. This ritual was for the people of Israel only. But one day, hundreds of years later, a sacrifice was made, once and for all, and Jesus the Anointed One became the ultimate propitiation for an entire sinful world, by faith. Infallible Proof Did God accept the sacrifice? Most believers would answer yes, not requiring proof! And yet, we might not realize that we actually have proof that this did occur. God did send a fire-like power down from Heaven, but the power from heaven did not consume the body; it consumed the second death — the eternal, irretrievable, merciless, final death due to us all. God gave us life in Jesus. He took away sin and the second death! The Shroud of Turin has given the world somewhat solid evidence that it came from the tomb of a crucified person. We can further postulate that a powerfully charged atomic disturbance permeated the place where this shroud was used. Even those who wish to debunk the authenticity of the shroud can present no plausible scientific explanation for how it could have been forged or created by natural processes. Based on what we can derive in scripture about God’s method of acceptance of sacrifices, we can deduce that God surely left a "footprint" somewhere on this planet. Clearly by the evidence burned into the Shroud of Turin, we are assured that the sacrifice itself was considered acceptable by God and consumed by a charged power, just as every other well-pleasing sacrifice had been. The sin that was upon mankind demanded eternal separation from God, which is the second death or Hell. Jesus died for our sins as well as for the consequences due to us, and He has appeased the wrath of God by becoming our sacrificial substitute. He is risen! We who believe are saved from the second, eternal death by God’s mercy and grace, and by the completed work of the cross and the grave. Meanwhile, Jesus lives eternally, protecting his legacy upon the church, with sacrificial intercession for all who will believe! ​ Victoria Grimmett Rabb writes and lives in Los Angeles. ANTITHESIS OF GOD TARGETING BLACK MALES click IN THE CROSSHAIRS Nearly 92,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2020, marking a 30 percent increase from the year before, a 75 percent increase over five years and by far the highest annual total on record, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Preliminary figures suggest that the 2021 death toll from overdoses may be even higher . ​ While overdose death rates have increased in every major demographic group in recent years, no group has seen a bigger increase than Black males. In fact, it's no secret that Black males are the target of multiple predatory factors from illicit drugs to street gang mayhem, and police killings. Are America's Days Numbered? By JARRETTE FELLOWS, JR., Editor-in-Chief The United States of America has entered a portal of darkness from which she may never emerge, led by the antithesis of God through an un regenerate, unrepentant personality wh olly unaware of his perilous path. Once regarded as the globe's preeminent power, America is eroding like the polar ice caps amid global warming. The nation is incontrovertibly in a downturn morally, po litically, economically, and socially. If this trend persists, it bodes ill for America. It is unsettling to speculate that this could very well be the reason America is not mentioned in Bible prophecy at the consummation of the end of days. The greatest, wealthiest nation in the annals of human history, bearing the most powerful military arsenal in Earth's existence, is not mentioned in the waning pages of the Book of Revelation. America does not take part in the final battle between the powers of darkness and the powers of light — in the Battle of Armageddon, when the kings of the East — widely suspected to be Russia and China — march against the sovereign state of Israel. America is conspicuously absent — at least by name. What happens to the US between now and the coming dreaded time when the world is engulfed in an unimaginable cataclysm. The US has been Israel's staunchest ally since the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 by David Ben-Gurion, executive head of the World Zionist Organization at the time, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, and first prime minister of Israel. Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz-Israel — the State of Israel. Since Israel's emergence on the world stage, America has walked in lock step with her — the Jewish state's biggest benefactor in terms of economic and military aid. Given the unwavering loyalty which continues to the day, no power on Earth could ever threaten Israel's safety and security with the US standing before her as a fire wall against tyranny. This begs the question: Where is the US when the kings of the East rise against Israel? Does America implode before this coming time? It can be said with reasonable certainty that no nation on Earth could defeat America outright in a hot war — not even nuclear war, because no nation would win a nuclear exchange, which would only result in mutual assured destruction. And so, the question remains, why does John the Revelator exclude America in Revelation. There are clues. Matthew 12: 25 tells us, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand ." " Since 2016, when Donald J. Trump was elected the 45th POTUS , America has witnessed an enormous erosion of political and social cohesion to the point of threatened violent civil upheaval in the nation. The unprecedented Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection and assault on the US Capitol is proof that greater mayhem is a very real threat. Jan. 6 was a manifestation of Matthew 12: 25. One-half of the American political spectrum that forms the democratic process and principles that have steered America to unparallele d greatness in global history, is currently eroding precipitously, flimflammed seemingly hypnotically by a deranged narcissist and wannabe authoritarian. Bible prophecy provides a peek into the future. What appears to be the prophetic future is daunting — the US becomes a shell of a once great nation; an anemic, powerless remnant or we may not exist at all. Is this where America is headed? No longer an amalgamation of "united" states, but rather a disoriented, convoluted state of confusion, bearing an anemic compromised evangelical church that has aligned itself with politics over the principles of God and holiness. In view of this behavior in the wake of Donald Trump, America is in dire straits. HALL OF FAME PHOTO GALLERY Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard (left), and Presiding Bishop Emeritus Charles E. Blake, Sr., of the Church of God in Christ, pose for a candid photo during the 2023 Board of Bishop's Conference, Sept. 25-28 at the Airport Hilton in Los Angeles, Calif. ​ Blake succeeded the late Presiding Bishop Gilbert E. Patterson in 2007, serving three 4-year terms, before retiring and handing the reins of leadership to Presiding Bishop Sheard. The Church of God in Christ is a 6.5 million-member Pentecostal denomination , and the largest predominantly African American Pentecostal denomination in the US, and one of the largest in the world. The US church body is 116 years old, and was founded by Bishop Charles Harrison Mason in 1907 in Memphis, Tenn. ​ ​ The Fountain of Life Jehovah God Almighty offers a simple plan of salvation. You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Christ, who died in your place, you will spend eternity in apart from God. If you believe on Jesus as your crucified, buried and risen Saviour, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith. This is the most important decision your will make in your entire life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are nor if you are a church member — but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die? God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.” In the Bible, God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be "saved.” His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How? First, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” -- Romans 3:23). Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” -- Romans 6:23. This includes eternal separation from God in hell. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” -- Hebrews 9:27. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” -- John 3: 16. ​ God sacrificed His only Son to bear your sin and die in your place. “...He hath made Him who [knew no sin] to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” -- 2 Corinthians 5:21. Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” -- Lev. 17:11. Although we cannot understand how, God said our sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie. “God ... commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” -- Acts 17:30. ​ Although we cannot understand how, God said our sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie. “God ... commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” -- Acts 17:30. This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross. In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected. His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Saviour. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” -- John 1:12. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” -- Romans 10:13. Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved. Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer. In Luke 18: 13, the sinner prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Just pray, “Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Saviour. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.” Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it! Your soul is worth more than all the world. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” -- Mark 8:36. Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment. God's power will save you, keep you saved, and enable you to live a victorious Christian life. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” -- 1 Corinthians 10:13. Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God's promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three things to practice daily for spiritual growth: (1) Pray. When you talk to God. (2) Read your Bible. When God talks to you. (3) Witness. When you talk for God. You should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible-believing church without delay. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord... .” -- 2 Timothy 1:8. “Whosoever therefore shall confess [testify of] Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.” -- Matthew 10:32. ​ “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” -- Romans 10: 9, 10

USA National Feature Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Courtesy Liberty U. Education ​ Liberty Universi ty hit with record fines for failing to handle complaints of sexual assault, other crimes Spurred by a ProPublica investigation, the federal Department of Education found the evangelical school in Virginia had discouraged students from reporting rape and other crimes. By ERIC UMANSKY ​ This story was originally published by ProPublica. PixelPing tag . ​ The federal Department of Education has announced a historic $14 million fine against Liberty University for failing to properly handle reports of sexual assault and other campus safety issues. Universities are required by law to support victims of violen ce. The Education Department found that the Christian evangelical Liberty University had fundamentally failed to do so . Sexual assault victims were “punished for violating the student code of conduct,” the report concluded, “while their assailants were left unpunished.” ​ The government found that Liberty’s actions had created a “culture of silence.” ​ The findings, which the department announced Tuesday, echo a ProPublica investigation that detailed how officials had discouraged and dismissed women who tried to come forward with accounts of sexual assault. Women who went to school officials to report being raped recalled being threatened with punishment for breaking the university’s strict moral code, known as “The Liberty Way.” ​ The coverage prompted widespread outrage, including demands from senators for a Department of Education investigation . ​ That investigation culminated in Tuesday’s announcement. The fines against Liberty are more than double the amount of the next-largest fines in Department of Education history — against Michigan State University for its failures to protect hundreds of women and girls from sexual abuser Larry Nassar. ​ Liberty will also face two years of federal oversight. ​ Elizabeth Axley, a former Liberty University student who was threatened with punishment when she reported her rape to campus officials, said the government’s findings against Liberty feel “so validating and sort of surreal.” ​ “For an official report to say, ‘Yes, everything you said happened, everything you described was real,’ is more powerful than I can describe,” said Axley, who recalled that when she first wanted to report her rape, a resident adviser told her to pray instead. “After I first fought to stand up for myself at Liberty, I was silenced. I didn’t feel hopeful. It took everything for me to stand up to tell my story again and hope it turned out right. This reminds me it was completely worth it,” aXLEY ​ In response to the government’s report, Liberty University said in a statement that it faced “unfair treatment.” But the school also admitted to mistakes and committed to spending $2 million to improve campus safety. ​ “We acknowledge and sincerely regret these errors and have since corrected them in a manner that allows us to maintain compliance in each of these areas,” the school said. “Today is a new day at Liberty University. We remain committed to prioritizing the safety and security of our students and staff without exception.” “The Liberty Way”: How Liberty University Discourages and Dismisses Students’ Reports of Sexual Assaults “We acknowledge and sincerely regret these errors and have since corrected them in a manner that allows us to maintain compliance in each of these areas,” the school said. “Today is a new day at Liberty University. We remain committed to prioritizing the safety and security of our students and staff without exception.” ​ Liberty University was co-founded in 1971 by the televangelist Jerry Falwell. His son, Jerry Falwell Jr., took over the university’s helm in 2007 but resigned in 2020 after a series of scandals . With more than 90,000 students enrolled on its Virginia campus and online, Liberty remains one of the most influential Christian universities in the country. ​ S. Daniel Carter, who helped craft the Clery Act, the federal law that requires schools to report sexual assault and other crimes, said the significance of the Department of Education’s actions go beyond the record fines. “It’s not about a bottom line number,” Carter said. “It’s about the fact that they are proactively investigating and leading efforts to bring schools into compliance.” ​ Hannah Dreyfus contributed reporting. ​ ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that produces nonpartisan, evidence-based journalism to expose injustice, corruption and wrongdoing. We were founded in 2008 to fill a growing hole in journalism: Newsrooms are shrinking, and legacy funding models are failing. Deep-dive reporting like ours is slow and expensive, and investigative journalism is a luxury in many newsrooms today — but it remains as critical as ever to democracy and our civic life. Over 15 years (and six Pulitzer Prizes) later, ProPublica has built one of the largest investigative newsrooms in the country. Our work has spurred reform through legislation, at the voting booth and inside our nation’s most important institutions. ​ Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Placid Photos & Prose Jarrette Fellows, Jr. Sometimes a river ebbs low, until the rain recharges its flow. We can learn from the river's woe. Jarrette Fellows Jr. Some say the glittering cosmic sky are pricks in the Black shroud revealing the luminescence of Heaven. ​ Jarrette Fellows Jr. If you and I are flowers growing side-by-side, it is not my desire to grow superior and stunt your growth. I do want to share the sun, earth, wind and rain. And if my petal should overshadow your petal, nudge me and I will humbly move it away. But I am a vulnerable flower with mortal frailties, and should I find damage during my growth, fall limp and wither, I ask only this: That you nurture my roots, sooth my weakened stem, and believe in me that I will regain my strong posture to again reach for the sky. ​ Jarrette Fellows Jr. The slumbering sultry Earth amidst the sparkling cosmic luminescence. Jarrette Fellows Jr. The moon conducts the rolling waves, which compose music for our souls . . . When we listen, it reposes us. Jarrette Fellows, Jr. Every sunrise is another opportunity to reach anew to the best life has to offer. Jarrette Fellows, Jr.

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News Features A Look Back ​75 years of 'Vehicles for God' ​ By TOBIAS LEHNER “Vehicles for God” was the motto of a fundraising campaign launched by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) 75 years ago. The aim was to procure cars and motorcycles for pastoral care in remote areas. In this interview, Regina Lynch, executiv e president of ACN, talks about the beginnings a nd develop- ment of this special form of aid, which is as relevant today as it was back then. ​ T he impetus for the “Vehicles for God” campaign has its roots in Germany. After World War II, the First, money was collected to buy motorcycles for the priests, later VW Beetles. A large number of used cars were also donated to the campaign. country had been reduced to rubble. There was no infrastructure to speak of, and the Church was no exception. Many displaced Catholics were now living in the diaspora, and priests worked hard to remain in contact with their parishioners. They were known as “rucksack priests,” and they had to cover unbelievably long distances. We know of priests who traveled for days on foot or on bicycle. They were absolutely exhausted. Father Werenfried van Straaten recognized how desperate their situation was and asked himself: “What can we do right now to help these people?” ​ First, money was collected to buy motorcycles for the priests, later VW Beetles. A large number of used cars were also donated to the campaign. This was followed by the idea to convert decommissioned buses, or semi-trailer trucks, into “chapel trucks.” ​ A motorized priest What were these “chapel trucks?” Chapel trucks were semi-trailer trucks with converted trailers. One side wall of the trailer could be folded out to reveal an altar that had been installed in the interior. This altar was used to celebrate Mass when the priests visited Catholics in areas without a Catholic church. The trucks were also used to transport donations of clothing and food. The chapel trucks were extraordinary and had a huge impact. They showed the displaced Germans in the diaspora that they had not been forgotten. ​ Aid to the Church in Need soon expanded its activities to provide aid for Christians behind the Iron Curtain and then to the entire world. What challenges did the organization face in these areas? ​ Not all of these countries were in a state of complete destruction as Germany was after World War II. However, workers of the Church in these countries often had to— and still have to— cover huge distances, often on roads that are in very poor condition. ACN has financed the purchase of motorcycles, cars, and even boats. Instead of having to walk, priests and religious sisters are able to drive to their communities. ​ The situation today? ​ In Africa and Latin America, for example, some pastoral care workers are responsible for 50 or even 100 villages. Of course they are not able to visit them every day, but with access to a car, van, or motorcycle, they are able to visit each parish several times a year to celebrate Masses and baptisms and hear confessions. In between these visits, catechists prepare the faithful to receive the sacraments and organize parish life. After all, a car is not the most effective means of transportation everywhere. In many places, the roads are so poor that you can’t travel on them by car. Motorcycles are essential in these cases. There are also parishes that lie along rivers such as the Amazon, which means that local priests need boats to reach their communities. And in the Andes, where paths are very steep, we have occasionally financed the purchase of mules or donkeys for women religious. The local church adapts to local conditions, and ACN adapts its aid to reflect local needs. ​ Pastoral care is essential in regions ravaged by war and natural disaster. ​ A current example is the war in Ukraine. Soon after the war broke out, we received requests for vehicles that would enable church workers to transport relief supplies, bring people to safety, or visit their parishioners, who live scattered across the country. Small buses are more suited to this work than cars. Another example is northern Nigeria. Even though many clergy have been kidnapped, priests still want to go out and visit their parishes. They used motorcycles for this in the past, but that has become too risky, and so the bishop asked us if we would finance the purchase of a car. ​ We don’t have all the figures for 2023 yet, but the total will probably be about the same as the previous year, when we financed the purchase of 1,250 vehicles for use in pastoral care, including more than 560 cars, 250 motorcycles, 16 boats, and a large number of bicycles. We donated more than 400 bicycles in India, for example, to help catechists who have to cover very long distances. Each year, the organization spends about $13 million on vehicle aid. New US Supreme Court ruli ng changed the legal landscape in America where neither the public nor private sectors can censor religious expression. High Court frees Christmas from 'Lemon Test' ​ ORLANDO, Fla. (Christian Newswire) — The return of the Christmas season prompts a return of the annual scrutiny of Christmas expressions in the public square. For years, opponents to religious expression and activist courts have fought using the US Supreme Court created "Lemon Test" to remove the Ten Commandments, crosses, Nativity scenes, and other religious symbols and displays from public property. However, the "Lemon Test" had been inconsistently applied through the years and the High Court recently abandoned it in favor of the original and historical textual meanings of the Constitution. The ruli ng changed the legal landscape in America where the public and private sector cannot censor religious expression. The "Lemon Test" was a three-part test developed by the US Supreme Court in 1971 (Lemon v. Kurtzman) to evaluate if government actions would favor one religion over another and violate the Establishment Clause. The test was designed to be a universal way to resolve cases arising under the First Amendment Establishment Clause, and whether they involved government expression of religious speech, such as legislative prayer, public funding that flows to religious groups, and religious displays. ​ For 51 years, the "Lemon Test" had been used by courts to distort the Free Exercise Clause and the Free Speech Clause to remove religious symbols and displays from the public square. However, all that changed in 2022 when the Supreme Court eliminated the "Lemon Test" over a series of rulings favoring a new "test" of "historical under- standings and practices" to determine the extent of religious expression in the public square. ​ On May 2, 2022, Liberty Counsel received a 9-0 decision by the Supreme Court in Shurtleff v. City of Boston which struck down censorship of Christian viewpoints within the public forum the City of Boston had created for flag raisings. The High Court unanimously ruled that the City of Boston violated the Constitution by censoring a private flag in a public forum open to "all applicants" merely because the application referred to it as a "Christian flag." The High Court soundly rejected Boston's use of the "Lemon Test" to justify censoring Christian viewpoints in public. ​ The Shurtleff case paved the way for a later decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, where Liberty Counsel argued in an amicus brief that the school could not suppress Coach Joe Kennedy's private religious speech to silently pray on the football field after games. On June 27, 2022, the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Coach Kennedy. Relying on both the First Amend- ment Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses, the High Court ruled that the Bremerton School District violated Coach Kennedy's constitutional rights by firing him for pra yer on the football field after games. In the ruling, the High Court buried the court-made "Lemon Test," citing Liberty Counsel's decision in Shurtleff involving the Chris- tian flag. ​ In place of the "Lemon Test," the High Court instituted a new "test" of "understandings and historical practices" meant to resolve constitutional conflicts through the original meanings of the Constitution's text and common historical practices. ​ Today, the law is clear. The First Amendment does not permit any city, state, or the federal government to eliminate religious viewpoints regarding a federally and state recognized holiday. Christmas Expression in public Is allowed. Liberty Counsel has addressed and overturned hundreds of attempts to censor Christmas in the private and public sector. These instances include: Retracting unconstitutional bans on Christmas holiday symbols, decorations, and expressions for city employees within public buildings. Lifting bans on public school students wearing red and green colors and acknowledging Christ's birth in their classrooms. Restoring Nativity scenes that had been banned from public property. Returning Christmas carols to seniors who were silenced in their nursing homes. With the death of the "Lemon Test," a multitude of questions still arise about whether it is legal to include Christ- mas symbols, decorations, and expressions in public to celebrate the season. Nativity scenes that are publicly sponsored and displayed on public property are constitutional under the "history and traditions" test now recognized by the High Court. These displays can, but are not required to, include a secular symbol of the holiday. Privately sponsored Nativity scenes or religious symbols are also permissible on public property that has been opened to the public for expressive activity. No secular symbol is necessary. In government spaces, the First Amendment and Free Exercise Clause protects Christmas holiday symbols, decorations, and expressions by employees. As for public schools, they are not religion-free zones that must be devoid of Christmas expression. Classroom discussion of the religious aspects of the holidays is permissible. A holiday display in a classroom may include a Nativity scene or other religious imagery. Public school music teachers have the freedom to include both religious and secular Christmas songs in their musical programs. A choral performance may include religious songs and does not have to contain an equal number of religious and secular music. If the students select their own songs independent of the direction of school officials, then there is no requirement that the songs include secular songs. Students may distribute religious Christmas cards to their classmates during noninstructional time, before or after school or between classes. If the students are not required to dress in uniform, then they may wear clothing with religious words or symbols or don religious jewelry. Recently, Liberty Counsel sent demand letters to the City of Wauwatosa, WI as well as Holt Public School District in Michigan demanding they rescind their unconstitutional bans on Christmas holiday symbols, decorations, and expression within public buildings. ​ While the City of Wauwatosa quickly backpedaled and rescinded their ban, they originally advised for decorations to be "neutral" without "favoring any particular belief system." As for Holt Public Schools, it has currently issued directives focused on "Decentering Christmas" and "Racial Justice" that not only prohibits the celebration of the Christmas holiday through symbols, decorations, and expression, but promotes hostility on the basis of religion and race. ​ Christmas holiday bans such as these violate the US Constitution and the Free Speech and Exercise Clauses by showing hostility toward Christianity. It does not matter what the motive might be, the First Amendment does not permit government entities to eliminate the traditional elements, symbols, or expression of a federally and state recognized holiday such as Christmas. ​ As a result of unconstitutional censorship of religious holidays, Liberty Counsel launched its annual Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign in 2003 designed to educate and, when necessary, litigate to ensure religious viewpoints are not censored from Christmas and holiday themes. In addition, the campaign also provides a Naughty and Nice List that catalogs some of the stores that are censor- ing Christmas and some that are publicly celebrating it. Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "The First Amendment protects religious viewpoints from being censored by the government. Religious symbols and displays consistent with the Christmas holiday season are appropriate and constitutional on public property, including in public schools. "Christmas is a recognized federal and state holiday. It makes no sense to pretend it does not exist or that the holiday should be stripped of Christian symbols and themes," Staver said. Unfolding prophecies concerning Israel Israel is the major focus of Bible prophecy. This is why the establishment of the nation in the 20th Century was so important. That event signaled the fact that we are now living in the end of the end times. Resurgence of Israel’s military in prophecy By DR. DAVID REAGAN, Contributing Writer ​ Christiannews.net ​ During the 20th Century, we were privileged to wit ness God beginning to fulfill in whole or in part seven prophecies regarding the Jewish peop le. The emergence of a formidable Israeli military force in the region is a tell-tale sign. ​ From its humble beginnings in 1948, the Israeli military has become a highly professional and capable force. The prophet Ezekiel referred to the revival of Israel in the last days as producing “an exceedingly great military force” (Ezekiel 37:10 ). Zechariah was more specific, prophesying that God would make “the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood and a flaming torch among sheaves” and enable them to “consume on the right hand and on the left” all their enemies (Zechariah 12:6, NASB ). He proceeded to state that in the end times, the nation will be so strong that the “one who stumbles among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like th e angel of Yahweh before them” (Zechariah 12:8 ). ​ Let’s look now at the major conflicts of the past that offer evidence of the fulfillment of these prophecies. The War of Independence ​ On Nov. 29, 1947, the United Nations adopted a resolution providing for the ending of the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine, replacing British rule with a partition of the land that would result in the creation of two states, one Jewish and the other Arab. ​ Jews worldwide were elated, even though the territory they were offered was merely a portion of what they had been promised in the British Balfour Declaration of 1917. But the Arabs were outraged because they wanted all the land of Palestine. They immediately launched a civil war that continued right up to the day that the Jews issued their declaration of independence on May 14, 1948. ​ The surrounding Arab nations repeatedly warned that they would attack in mass if the Jews declared independence. For example, the Secretary General of the Arab League, Azzam Pasha, declared, “It will be a war of annihilation. It will be a momentous massacre in history that will be talked about like the massacres of the Mongols or the Crusades.” ​ On the Jewish side, there was considerable concern that such boasting could become a reality. Thus, on the eve of the war, Yigael Yadin, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli forces, told David Ben-Gurion, the Jewish leader, “The best we can tell you is that we have a 50-50 chance.” The fears materialized within hours of the declaration of independence when five Arab armies (Egypt, Trans- jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq) attacked the new nation. At the time, Israel had only 30,000 rag-tag fighters who were ill-trained and poorly equipped. ​ The Arab armies, particularly the Jordanians, were well-trained and equipped with aircraft, tanks, and modern artillery. Transjordan’s army was even led by British officers under the command of General John Glubb. President Harry Truman officially recognized the new state of Israel immediately, but his Administration refused to provide any aid under the naive assumption that it would help avert bloodshed. Britain openly supplied arms to the Arabs, while Israel had to smuggle surplus weapons from Eastern Europe. But despite the overwhelming odds against them, the infant Jewish state prevailed, albeit at enormous cost. 6,377 Israelis were killed — nearly one percent of the population (equivalent to an American loss today of 3.4 million!). In the end, Israelis controlled not only the territory allotted to them by the UN but also 60 percent of the area that had been proposed for an Arab state. The only key area that the Israelis were unable to conquer was the Old City of Jerusalem. ​ Overall, the war represented a miraculous victory for Israel. In the second and final part of this fascinating look into the resurgence of Israel’s military in Bible prophecy, we will explore God’s miraculous victories during the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War. ​ Dr. David Reagan is the founder and evangelist emeritus of Lamb & Lion Ministries . He is a life-long Bible student, teacher, and preacher. He has led more than 45 pilgrimages to Israel. Dr. Reagan was the host of the radio then television program Christ in Prophecy for nearly 40 years. ​ Keywords: Israel Jewish People Middle East Politics Signs of the End Times Evangelist slain for leading Muslims to Jesus in Uganda Body of Philip Bere, evangelist killed by Muslim extremists on Sept. 6, 2023 near Katiryo, Uganda. Courtesy Morning Star News NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News ) — Muslim extremists on Sept. 6 beat a 33-year-old evangelist to death for leading Muslims to faith in Christ at an event in eastern Uganda, sources said. ​ After the evangelistic event in Kituuti town, Philip Bere was pulled from his bicycle while returning to Katiryo, Kibuku District and killed when the assailants bashed him with a large rock, an eyewitness said. ​ Mudenya Sirasi, who had assisted Bere at the evangelistic event, was with him as the two neared Katiryo on the Kataka-Katiryo road. Sirasi said many people accepted Christ at the event, including Muslim women and two young Muslim men. ​ The two evangelists were ambushed at about 7:40 p.m., he said. ​ “We heard people talking from both sides of the road at a nearby bush saying, ‘They are the ones who converted our members today — they are not supposed to live, but to be killed,’” Sirasi said. “From nowhere, one man who was stationed in front of us grabbed our bicycle that we were riding on and hit Bere with a blunt object on his back.” ​ Bere fell as Sirasi jumped off the bike and entered a tunnel under a bridge, where he hid, he said. “I could see the attackers brutally injuring my friend,” Sirasi said. “One of the attackers hit him with a big stone, and he bled to death.” When the assailants left, Sirasi found the body of Bere in a pool of blood, he said. He alerted other area Christians and police, and officers took the body to a hospital for postmortem, Sirasi said. ​ The pastor of Bere’s church, unnamed for security reasons, said officers at the police station in Katiryo, Kibukuand took statements about the killing of the evangelist and that they were searching for the killers, who have gone into hiding. ​ “Our evangelist was killed because his passion for preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, especially to Muslims,” the pastor told Morning Star News. ​ Bere was well-known for his preaching among Muslims in Buseeta, Lwatama, Katiryo and other parts in eastern Uganda. The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented. ​ Uganda’s constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate one’s faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Uganda’s population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country. (661) 488-8149 Mountaineer defends walking past dying Sherpa in pursuit of K2 record By JORG LUYKEN, Contributing Writer (MSN) — A top mountaineer has been forced to defend herself after accusations that her team climbed over a dying Sherpa as they headed to the summit of the K2 moun- tain to secure a new world record. ​ Images of climbers clambering past the injured Pakistani on a treacherous ridge on the same day that Norway’s Kristin Harila ascended have been condemned by fellow mountaineers. ​ They claimed a Western climber would not have been left to die and said the scenes would be unthinkable in the Alps, igniting a row about how local Sherpas are used in the Himalayas. Kristin Harila rejected the claims they abandoned the sherpa, saying her team never left him alone. Harila, 37, climbed Pakistan’s K2 on July 27, securing her 14th highest peak in just over three months to become the world’s fastest climber to scale all peaks above 8,000 metres. ​ During her ascent, porter Mohammed Hassan fell off a sheer edge at the top of the area known as the bottleneck, some 8,200 metres high. ​ Harila said her team did everything they could to save Mr Hassan, but conditions were too dangerous to move him. ​ However, two climbers who were also on K2 that day claimed fellow mountaineers were more interested in setting records than saving lives, in an apparent dig at Harila. ​ Wilhelm Steindl and Philip Flämig, an Austrian climbing duo, say drone footage they later recorded hours after Harila and her team had passed the ridge showed climbers walking over his body instead of trying to rescue him. ​ “It’s all there in the drone footage,” Mr Flämig told Austria’s Standard newspaper. ​ “He is being treated by one person while everyone else is pushing towards the summit. The fact is that there was no organized rescue operation although there were Sherpas and mountain guides on site who could have taken action.” ​ Among those who passed him was Harila. “Such a thing would be unthinkable in the Alps. He was treated like a second-class human being,” Steindl added. ​ “If he had been a Westerner, he would have been rescued immediately. No one felt responsible for him,” he said. “What happened there is a disgrace. A living human was left lying so that records could be set.” ​ Harila defended her actions, saying that her team did everything they could to save Mr Hassan. ​ “It is simply not true to say that we did nothing to help him. We tried to lift him back up for an hour and a half and my cameraman stayed on for another hour to look after him. At no point was he left alone,” she told the Telegraph. ​ “Given the conditions, it is hard to see how he could have been saved. He fell on what is probably the most dangerous part of the mountain where the chances of carrying someone off were limited by the narrow trail and poor snow conditions,” she said. ​ She also denied that Hassan would have been treated any differently if he were a Western climber. ​ “We did all we could for him,” she said. ​ Reports by several climbers have raised questions about the standard of equipment that Mr Hassan had been provided with before he set off up the mountain ahead of the western climbers, who often pay thousands of dollars for a guided ascent. ​ Harila said when her team found Hassan he was not wearing either gloves or a down jacket and didn’t appear to have been given oxygen. ​ “If he were my Sherpa I wouldn’t have sent him up in that condition,” she said. According to Steindl, who visited the porter’s family after descending the mountain, Hassan took the perilous job of rope fixer in order to pay for his diabetic mother’s medical bills, even though he lacked the experience to perform the job. “His family cannot afford medicine or food. Harila and many of the climbers flew over us and the family in helicopters. What a symbolic image. The helicopter to fly out costs up to $12,000 per person,” he said. ​ Thaneswar Gurugai, the general manager of Seven Summits which organized Harila’s trek, told the Telegraph that Hassan was suffering from frostbite and hypothermia when he died. ​ “In normal cases [other porters] would save them unless it is quite impossible to do.” ​ Morning Star News.

Africa Jewel of The African continent is comprised of 54 nations, each with their own independent governments and sovereignty, GNP, culture, natural resources, language(s), military, and religion. The treasure trove of mineral and raw material wealth has scarcely been touched, and the continent's largely untapped fertile lands could feed the world. Herewith is Jewel of Africa, an interactive adventure in the cradle of mankind, an exploration of nations from A-Z in alphabetical order. L i b e r i a : Where repatriated ex-slaves returned home Liberia is a country on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. Officially the Republic of Liberia, the nation covers a total area of 43,000 square miles and a coastline that extends 359.8 miles. Liberia is the 20th smallest country in Africa and bears a population of 5 million. Fifty-two percent live within cities with 20 percent residing in the capital of Monrovia. Rugged mountains contribute to the country’s geography with Mt. Wuteve reaching to Liberia’s highest elevation at 4,724 feet. The nation is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Sierra Leone to the northwest, Guinea to the north, Ivory Coast to the east . English is the official language, but more than 20 indigenous languages are spoken , reflecting the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. ​ ​ Algeria Angola ​ Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cape Verde Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Comoros Congo Democratic Republic of Congo Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire ​Djibouti ​Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia ​Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau ​Kenya ​Lesotho Liberia Libya ​Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique ​Namibia Niger Nigeria ​Rwanda ​Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan ​Tanzania Togo Tunisia ​Uganda ​Zambia Zimbabwe History in the modern era Liberia emerged in the modern era in the 19th century as a project of the American Colonization Society (ACS), which believed Black people would fare better in terms of freedom and prosperity in Africa than in the United States . Between 1822 and the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, more than 15,000 freed and free-born Black people who faced social and legal oppression in the US, along with 3,198 Afro-Caribbeans , relocated to Liberia. Gradually developing an "Americo-Liberian " identity, the settlers carried their culture and tradition with them. The Liberian constitution and flag were modeled after those of the US, while its capital was named after ACS supporter and American President James Monroe . Liberia declared independence on July 26, 1847, which the US did not recognize until Feb. 5, 1862. On Jan. 3, 1848, Joseph Jenkins Roberts , a wealthy, free-born African American from Virginia , who settled in Liberia, was elected Liberia's first president after the people proclaimed independence. Monrovia is the capital city of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast, and is the country's most populous city. Currently home to 1.5 million residents, Monrovia constitutes 29 percent of Liberia’s total population. Liberia signified a newfound liberation for the repatriated victims of the Slave Trade. It meant a nostos to the homeland, and a country to govern all of its own. Located just three hours by rumbling bush taxi south out of the capital at Monrovia, the seaside city of Buchanan is a fine introduction to the coastal character of this part of West Africa. The beaches are all undeveloped to the T, with swaying palm trees and local children playing in the shal- lows. There is also a stretch of beach bars found nestled between the crumb- bamboo shacks along the shore. Liberia is a country in West Africa, bordering Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire. On the Atlantic coast, the capital city of Monrovia is home to the Liberia National Museum, with its exhibits on national culture and history. Around Monrovia are palm-lined beaches like Silver and CeCe. Along the coast, beach towns include the port of Buchanan, as well as laid-back Robertsport, known for its strong surf. Peace has now outlasted war in Liberia. But for 14 years, between 1989 and 2003, a brutal civil war ravaged the nation leading to the death of close to 250,000 people. Sapo National Park in Sinoe County , Liberia is the coun- try's largest protected area of rainforest, and was the first national park in the country, and contains the second-largest area of primary tropical rainforest in West Africa after Taï Nat- ional Park in neighboring Côted'Ivoire . Agriculture , construction , fishing , hunting , human settlement , and logging are prohibited in the park. Sapo National Park is located in the Upper Guinean forest forest ecosystem , a biodiv- ersity hotspot that has "the highest mammal species diversity of any region in the world, according to Conservation InternatIonal , and in the Western Guinean lowland forests ecoregion , according to the World ecoregions classification. ​ ​ Agriculture, including forestry, is the primary livelihood for more than 60 percent of Liberia’s population and accounted for 31 percent of Liberia’s 2020 real gross domestic product (GDP). It provides sustenance for many households engaging in cassava, rubber, rice, oil palm, cocoa, or sugarcane production. Cassava and rice are the primary staple food crops. More households engage in cassava production than any other food crop. However, overall agricultural productivity is low. As a result, Liberia imports more than 80 percent of its rice, making the country vulnerable to global food price volatility. Poorly integrated, the sector lacks basic infrastructure such as machines, farming equipment and tools, farm-to-market roads, fertilizers and pesticides, and food storage capacity. The main cash crops and foreign exchange earners are rubber, oil palm, cocoa, and timber. Rubber is a dominant revenue generator, accounting for 13.5 percent of total export receipts in 2020. Palm oil is another significant cash crop. Traditionally it is a domestically con- sumed product but there has been some export development with smallholders and large investors expressing interest in expanding cash crop production. Never- theless, the CBL’s 2020 report showed a slight decline in palm oil production (from 22,465 metric tons to 22,200 metric tons) due to limited labor mobility because of COVID-19 related restrictions. Stakeholders in the palm oil sector include smallholder farmer cooperatives, individual farmers, large multinational-owned corporations, and concessionaires such as Golden Veroleum Limited. The Ministry of Agriculture is the government ministry responsible for governance, management, and promotion of the agriculture sector in Liberia. Sapo National Park is located in the Upper Guinean forest forest ecosystem , a biodiversity hotspot that has "the highest mammal species diversity of any region in the world. Bush cow, forest elephant, chimpanzee, and pigmy hippopotamus are found here. Liberia was the first African republic to proclaim its independence and is Africa's first and oldest modern republic. It was among the few countries to maintain its sovereignty during the colonial Scramble for Africa . During World War II , Liberia supported the US war effort against Germany , and the Axis powers, and in turn received consid- erable American investment in infrastructure, which aided the country's wealth and development. President William Tubman encouraged economic and political changes that heightened the country's prosperity and international profile; Liberia was a founding member of the League of Nations , United Nations , and the Organ- ization of African Unity . In 1980 under the rule of Tolbert , political tensions resulted in a military coup during which Tolbert was killed, marking the end of Americo-Liberian rule in the country and beginning over two decades of political instability. ​ Five years of military rule by the People's Redemption Council and five years of civilian rule by the National Democratic Party of Liberia were followed by the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars , resulted in the deaths of 250,000 people—nearly 8 percent of the population, and the displacement of tens of thousands, with Liberia's economy declining by 90 percent. ​ A peace agreement in 2003 led to democratic elections in 2005 , in which Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected president, making history as the first female president on the African continent. National infrastructure and basic social services were severely affected by the conflicts and by the 2013-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus . At the time, 83 percent of the population languished below the international poverty line . ​ Latent history ​ The ACS, supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln , Henry Clay , and James Monroe , believed "repatriation" was preferable to having emancipated slaves remain in the United States. Similar state-based organizations established colonies in Mississippi-in-Africa , Kentucky in Africa , and the Republic of Maryland , which Liberia later annexed. However, Lincoln in 1862 described Liberia as only "in a certain sense...a success," and proposed instead that free people of color be assisted to emigrate to Chiriquí , a part of Panama in 2021. The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered, especially those in the isolated "bush ." The Liberian colonial settlements were raided by the Kru and Grebo , from their inland chief- doms. Encounters with tribal Africans in the bush were fueled by the Americo-Liberian belief that they were different culturally and educationally superior to their indigenous brethren, Thus, the Americo-Liberians developed a superiority complex that energized a new political power base in Liberia. ​ In a conscious effort to emulate the American South, the Americo-Liberian settlers adopted clothing such as hoop skirts and tailcoats, and excluded natives from economic opportunities, including creating plantations on which natives were forced to work as slaves. Indigenous tribesmen did not enjoy birthright citizenship in their own land until 1904. Americo-Liberians encouraged religious organizations to set up missions and schools to educate the indigenous peoples. ​ Political formation ​ On July 26, 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution based on the political principles of the US , establishing the independent Republic of Liberia. The United Kingdom was the first country to recognize Liberia's independence, which the US did not until 1862 after the southern states, which had strong political power in America, declared their secession and formation of the Confederacy . The leadership of the new nation consisted largely of the Americo-Liberians , who initially established political and economic dominance in the coastal areas that the ACS had purchased; they maintained relations with US contacts in developing these areas and the resulting trade. Their passage of the 1865 Ports of Entry Act prohib- ited foreign com- merce with the inland tribes, ostensibly to "encourage the growth of civilized values" before trade was permitted in the region. The ACS sent its last emigrants to Liberia in 1904. ​ By 1877, the True Whig Party was the country's most powerful political entity. It was primarily comprised of Americo-Liberians, who maintained social, economic and political dominance well into the 20th century, repeating patterns of European colonists in other nations in Africa. Competition for office was usually contained within the party—a party nomination virtually ensured election. ​ Pressure from the United Kingdom, which controlled Sierra Leone to the northwest, and France , with its interests in the north and east, led to a loss of Liberia's claims to extensive territories. Both Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast annexed territories. Liberia struggled to attract investment to develop infrastructure and a larger, industrial economy. ​ There was a decline in production of Liberian goods in the late 19th century, and the government struggled financially, resulting in indebtedness on a series of international loans. On July 16, 1892, Martha Ann Erskine Ricks met Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and presented her a handmade quilt, Liberia's first diplomatic gift. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Ricks said, "I had heard it often, from the time I was a child, how good the Queen had been to my people—to slaves—and how she wanted us to be free." ​ Following the 2017 Liberian general election , former professional football striker George Weah , one of the greatest African players of all time, was sworn in as president on 22 January 2018, succeeding President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, becoming the fourth youngest serving president in Africa. The inauguration marked Liberia's first fully democratic transition in 74 years. Weah cited fighting corruption, reforming the economy, combating illiteracy and improving life conditions as the main targets of his presidency. ​ Geography ​ Liberia is situated in West Africa , bordering the North Atlantic Ocean to the country's southwest. The landscape is characterized by mostly flat to rolling coastal plains that contain mangroves and swamps , which rise to a rolling plateau and low mountains in the northeast. Tropical rainforests cover the hills, while elephant grass and semi-deciduous forests make up the dominant vegetation in the northern sections. The equatorial climate in the south of the country is hot year-round with heavy rainfall from May to October with a short interlude in mid-July to August. During the winter months of November to March, dry dust-laden harmattan winds blow inland, causing many problems for residents. ​ Liberia's watershed tends to move in a southwestern pattern towards the sea as new rains move down the forested plateau off the inland mountain range of Guinée Forestière , in Guinea . Cape Mount near the border with Sierra Leone receives the most precipitation in the nation. Liberia's main northwestern boundary is traversed by the Mano River while its southeast limits are bounded by the Cavalla River . Liberia's three largest rivers are St. Paul exiting near Monrovia , the river St. John at Buchanan , and the Cestos River , all of which flow into the Atlantic. The Cavalla is the longest river in the nation extending 320 miles. ​ The highest point in Liberia proper is Mt. Wuteve at 4,724 feet above sea level in the northwestern Liberia range of the West Africa Mountains and the Guinea Highlands . However, Mt. Nimba near Yekepa , which shares a border with Guinea and Ivory Coast , is the tallest mountain in the region at 5,748 feet. ​ Forests ​ Forests on the coastline are comprised mostly of salt-tolerant mangrove trees, while the more sparsely populated inland showcase forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands . The climate is equatorial , with significant rainfall during the May-October rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year. Liberia possesses about 40 percent of the remaining Upper Guinean rainforest . It was an important producer of rubber in the early 20th century. Four terrestrial eco-regions lie within Liberia's borders: Guinean montane forests , Western Guinean lowland forests , Guinean forest-savanna mosaic , and Guinean mangroves . ​ Administrative divisions ​ Liberia is divided into 15 counties , which, in turn, are subdivided into a total of 90 districts and further subdivided into clans. The oldest counties are Grand Bassa and Montserrado, both founded in 1839 prior to Liberian indepen- dence. Gbarpolu is the newest county, created in 2001. Nimba is the largest of the counties in size at 4,460 square miles, while Montserrado is the smallest at 737 square miles. Montserrado is the most populous county with 1.1 million residents, 25 percent of the total population of Liberia. The next most populous county is Nimba County with approximately 500,000 residents. ​ The 15 counties are administered by superintendents appointed by the president. The Constitution calls for the election of various chiefs at the county and local level, but these elections have not taken place since 1985 due to war and financial constraints. Parallel to the administrative divisions of the country are the local and municipal divisions. Liberia currently does not have any constitutional framework or uniform statutes which deal with the creation or revocation of local governments. All existing local governments—cities, townships, and a borough – were created by specific acts of the Liberian government, and thus the structure and duties/responsibilities of each local government varies greatly from one to the other. ​ Sustenance ​ Endangered species are hunted for human consumption as bush meat in Liberia. Species hunted for food in Liberia include elephants, pygmy hippopotamus, chimpanzees, leopards, duikers, and other monkeys. Bush meat is often exported to neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, despite a ban on the cross-border sale of wild animals. Bush meat is widely eaten in Liberia, and is considered a delicacy. A 2004 public opinion survey found that bush meat ranked second behind fish amongst residents of the capital Monrovia as a preferred source of protein. Of households where bush meat was served, 80 percent of residents said they cooked it "once in a while," while 13 percent cooked it once a week and 7 cooked bush meat daily. The survey was conducted during the last civil war, and bush meat consumption is now believed to be far higher. ​ Biodiversity threat ​ Liberia is a global biodiversity hotspot—a significant reservoir of biodiversity under threat from human encroach- ment. Slash-and-burn agriculture is one of the human activities eroding Liberia's natural forests. A 2004 UN report estimated that 99 percent of Liberians burned charcoal and fuel wood for cooking and heating, resulting in deforestation. Illegal logging also has increased in Liberia since the end of the Second Civil War in 2003. In 2012, President Sirleaf granted licenses to companies to cut down 58 percent of all the primary rainforest left in Liberia. However, after international protests, many of those logging permits were canceled. In September 2014, Liberia and Norway co-signed an agreement to halt all Liberian logging in exchange for $150 million in development aid. ​ Another significant issue in Liberia is pollution in the capital of Monrovia. Since 2006, the international community has paid for all garbage collection and disposal in Monrovia via the World Bank. ​ Politics ​ The government of Liberia, modeled on the government of the US, is a unitary constitutional republic and representative democracy as established by the Constitution. The government has three co-equal branches of government: the executive, headed by the president; the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Legislature of Liberia; and the judicial, composed of the Supreme Court and several lower courts. ​ The president serves as head of government, head of state, and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Liberia. Among the president's other duties are to sign or veto legislative bills, grant pardons, and appoint Cabinet members, judges, and other public officials. Together with the vice president, the president is elected to a six-year term by majority vote in a two-round system that permits two consecutive terms in office. ​ The Legislature is comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The House, led by a speaker, has 73 members apportioned among the 15 counties on the basis of the national census, with each county receiving a minimum of two members. Each House member represents an electoral district within a county as drawn by the National Elections Commission and is elected by a plurality of the vote of their district into a six-year term. ​ The Senate is made up of two senators from each county for a total of 30 senators. Senators serve nine-year terms and are elected at-large by a plurality of the popular vote. The vice president serves as the president of the Senate, with a president pro tempore serving in their absence. ​ Liberia's highest judicial authority is the Supreme Court, made up of five members and headed by the Chief Justice of Liberia. Members are nominated to the court by the president and are confirmed by the Senate, serving until the age of 70. The judiciary is further divided into circuit and specialty courts, magistrate courts and justices of the peace. The judicial system is a blend of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law. An informal system of traditional courts still exists within the rural areas of the country, with trial by ordeal remaining common despite being officially outlawed. ​ From 1877 to 1980 the government was dominated by the True Whig Party. Today more than 20 political parties are registered in the country, based largely around personalities and ethnic groups. But most parties suffer from poor organizational capacity. The 2005 elections marked the first time that the president's party did not gain a majority of seats in the Legislature. ​ Military ​ The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) are the country's armed forces. Founded as the Liberian Frontier Force in 1908, the military was renamed in 1956. For virtually all of its history, the AFL has received considerable material and training assistance from the US. For most of the 1941-89 period, training was largely provided by US advisors, with combat experience in the World War II also playing a role in training. After UN Security Council Resolution 1509 in September 2003, the United Nations Mission in Liberia was to referee the ceasefire with units from Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, and China assisting the National Transitional Government of Liberia in forming the new Liberian military. ​ Foreign relations, national police ​ After the turmoil following the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars, Liberia's internal stabilization in the 21st century brought a return to cordial relations with neighboring countries and much of the Western world. As with other African countries, China is an important part of the post-conflict reconstruction of the nation. The Liberian National Police is the country's official law enforcement body. It maintains a force of 844 officers in 33 stations in Montserrado County, which contains Monrovia. The National Police Training Academy is in Paynesville City. Economy ​ A proportional representation of Liberian exports. The shipping related categories reflect Liberia's status as an international flag of convenience —there are 3,500 vessels registered under Liberia's flag accounting for 11 percent of ships worldwide. The Central Bank of Liberia is responsible for printing and maintaining the Liberian dollar, Liberia's primary currency. Liberia has a formal employment rate of 15 percent GDP per capita, which peaked in 1980 at US$496, when it was comparable to Egypt's (at the time). Historically the Liberian economy has depended heavily on foreign aid, foreign direct investment, and exports of natural resources such as iron ore, rubber, and timber. In 2011 the country's nominal GDP was US$1.154 billion though a strengthening agricultural sector led by rubber and timber exports. The GDP increased growth to 7.3 percent in 2011, making the economy one of the 20 fastest-growing in the world. ​ Current impediments to growth include a small domestic market, lack of adequate infrastructure, high transpor- tation costs, poor trade links with neighboring countries and the high dollarization of the economy. Liberia used the US dollar as its currency from 1943-1982 and still uses the US dollar alongside the Liberian dollar. ​ Following a decrease in inflation beginning in 2003, inflation spiked in 2008 as a result of a global food and energy crises, reaching 17.5 percent before declining to 7.4 percent in 2009. Liberia's external debt was estimated in 2006 at approximately $4.5 billion, 800 percent of GDP. As a result of bilateral, multilateral and commercial debt relief from 2007 to 2010, the country's external debt fell to $222.9 million by 2011. ​ While official commodity exports declined during the 1990s as many investors fled the civil war, Liberia's wartime economy featured the exploitation of the region's diamond wealth.The country acted as a major trader in Sierra Leonian blood diamonds, exporting over $300 million in diamonds in 1999.This led to a United Nations ban on Liberian diamond exports in 2001, which was lifted in 2007 following Liberia's accession to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. ​ In 2003, additional UN sanctions were placed on Liberian timber exports, which had risen from US$5 million in 1997 to over US$100 million in 2002. These sanctions were lifted in 2006. Due in large part to foreign aid and investment inflow following the end of the war, Liberia maintains a large account deficit, which peaked at nearly 60 percent in 2008. Liberia gained observer status with the World Trade Organization in 2010 and became an official member in 2016. ​ Liberia has the highest ratio of foreign direct investment to GDP in the world, with US$16 billion in investment since 2006. Following Sirleaf's inauguration in 2006, Liberia signed several multi-billion-dollar concession agreements in the iron ore and palm oil industries with numerous multinational corporations, including Arcelor- Mittal, BHP and Sime Darby. Since 1926 Firestone has operated the world's largest rubber plantation in Harbel, Margibi County. As of 2015 it had more than 8,000 employees, making it Liberia's largest private employer. ​ Shipping, industry, agriculture Due to its status as a flag of convenience, Liberia has the second-largest maritime registry in the world behind Panama. It has 3,500 vessels registered under its flag, accounting for 11 percent of ships worldwide. Agriculture, including forestry, is the primary livelihood for more than 60 percent of Liberia’s population and accounted for 31 percent of Liberia’s 2020 real gross domestic product (GDP). It provides sustenance for many households engaging in cassava, rubber, rice, oil palm, cocoa, or sugarcane production. Cassava and rice are the primary staple food crops. More households engage in cassava production than any other food crop. However, overall agricultural productivity is low. As a result, Liberia imports more than 80 percent of its rice, making the country vulnerable to global food price volatility. Poorly integrated, the sector lacks basic infrastructure such as machines, farming equipment and tools, farm-to-market roads, fertilizers and pesticides, and food storage capacity. The main cash crops and foreign exchange earners are rubber, oil palm, cocoa, and timber. ​ Rubber is a dominant revenue generator, accounting for 13.5 percent of total export receipts in 2020. Various estimates put the number of people employed by commercial rubber farms at 22,000 and the number of small- holder households involved in growing rubber trees at 38,000. The Firestone Natural Rubber concession, covering almost 200 square miles, is the largest contiguous natural rubber operation in the world and the biggest private sector employer in Liberia. ​ Palm oil is another significant cash crop. Traditionally it is a domestically consumed product but there has been some export development with smallholders and large investors expressing interest in expanding cash crop production. Nevertheless, the Central Bank of Liberia’s (CBL) 2020 report showed a slight decline in palm oil production (from 22,465 metric tons to 22,200 metric tons) due to limited labor mobility because of COVID-19 related restrictions. Access to markets is a concern to most smallholder farmers and large concessions alike. Stakeholders in the palm oil sector include smallholder farmer cooperatives, individual farmers, large multi- national-owned corporations, and concessionaires such as Golden Veroleum Limited. The Ministry of Agriculture is the government ministry responsible for the governance, management, and promotion of the agriculture sector in Liberia. Liberia has a favorable climate and fertile soil for cocoa production. There has been substantial investment in the rehabilitation of cooperative and smallholder cocoa farms. he country’s international partners, such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), continue to invest in cocoa smallholder producers to improve livelihoods and raise incomes by modernizing cocoa farming, increasing production, and developing market access. Small scale cocoa production will likely increase as farmers continue to reclaim and rehabilitate their farms. As with the agriculture sector in general, smallholder cocoa farmers and local cooperatives suffer inadequate farm-to-market roads, lack of familiarity with measurement and quality standards, lack of storage facilities, and limited access to updated price and market information. Rubber production declined in 2020 due to replanting of trees, while production of cocoa, round logs, and sawn timber dropped due to the slowdown in economic activity. ​ Land rights is a critical issue for concessionaires in Liberia. The Land Rights Act, promulgated in 2018, clarified land tenure as well as land governance, administration, and management. Only the comprehensive implemen- tation of the law, however, will resolve uncertainty around land ownership. Other obstacles to investment in agriculture include the lack of capital and professional expertise to increase farm productivity, and a government approach to the sector that is inconsistent and politically driven rather than strategic. ​ Mining ​ The mining industry of Liberia has witnessed a revival after the civil war which ended in 2003. Gold, diamonds, and iron ore form the core minerals of the mining sector with a new Mineral Development Policy and Mining Code being put in place to attract foreign investments. In 2013, the mineral sector accounted for 11 percent of GDP in the country and the World Bank has projected a further increase in the sector by 2017. ​ Mining sector is considered the prime mover for the economic growth of the country and its exploitation has to be appropriately balanced with sustainable environmental preservation of its rich biodiversity. Apart from iron ore extractions, cement, diamond, gold, and petroleum resources have also been given due importance to enrich the economy of the country. ​ Telecommunications ​ There are six major newspapers in Liberia, and 45 percent of the population has a mobile phone service. Much of Liberia's communications infrastructure was destroyed or plundered during the two civil wars (1989-1996 and 1999-2003). With low rates of adult literacy and high poverty rates, television and newspaper use is limited, leaving radio as the predominant means of communicating with the public. ​ Transportation ​ Transport in Liberia consists of 267 miles of railways, 6,687 miles of highways (408 miles paved), 29 airports (2 paved) and four seaports—Freeport of Monrovia, Port of Buchanan, Port of Greenville, and Port of Harper. Monrovia is the largest within the Authority's network. Buses and taxis are the main forms of ground transportation in and around Monrovia. Charter boats are also available. Energy and oil exploration ​ Public electricity services are provided solely by the state-owned Liberia Electricity Corporation, which operates a small grid almost exclusively in the Greater Monrovia District. The vast majority of electric energy services is provided by small, privately owned generators. At $0.54 per kWh, the cost of electricity in Liberia is among the highest in the world. Total capacity in 2013 was 20 MW, a sharp decline from a peak of 191 MW in 1989 before the wars. ​ Restoring Mount Coffee was not easy. Built in the 1960s on the Saint Paul River as Liberia’s largest hydropower plant, it had been looted and flooded since its destruction during the 1990s. The reconstruction teams on the ground had to contend with a difficult-to-reach location served by poor roads that became even worse during the wet season, the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and bouts of malaria. During the Ebola epidemic, the plant components were stored in locations around the world, ready to be shipped to Liberia when it was safe to do so. Despite these challenges, the overhaul was completed on time in December 2016, and the plant is now about to be linked to the regional West African grid, strengthening grid reliability in the region. ​ The redevelopment kept the plant’s 60-year-old structure, reinforcing it and replacing the existing equipment with modern technology. Along with new generators and digital systems, four Voith turbines were installed, increasing pre-war output from 64MW to 88MW. ​ Liberia has begun exploration for offshore oil with unproven oil reserves estimated to be in excess of one billion barrels. The government divided its offshore waters into 17 blocks and began auctioning off exploration licenses for the blocks in 2004, with further auctions in 2007 and 2009. An additional 13 ultra-deep offshore blocks were demarcated in 2011. Among the companies winning licenses are Repsol YPF, Chevron Corporation, and Wood- side Petroleum. ​ Demographics, ethnic groups, languages ​ As revealed in the 2008 census, Monrovia is more than four times more populous than all the county capitals combined. Liberia had the highest population growth rate in the world (4.50 percent per annum). In 2010 some 43.5 percent of Liberians were below the age of 15. The current population exceeds five million and includes 16 indigenous ethnic groups and various foreign minorities. Indigenous peoples comprise about 95 percent of the population. The 16 officially recognized ethnic groups include the Kpelle, Bassa, Mano, Gio or Dan, Kru, Grebo, Krahn, Vai, Gola, Mandingo or Mandinka, Mende, Kissi, Gbandi, Loma, Dei or Dewoin, Belleh, and Americo-Liberians or Congo people. ​ The Kpelle comprise more than 20 percent of the population and are the largest ethnic group in Liberia, residing mostly in Bong County and adjacent areas in central Liberia. Americo-Liberians, descendants of African American and West Indian, mostly Barbadian (Bajan) settlers, make up 2.5 percent. Congo people, descendants of repatriated Congo and Afro-Caribbean slaves who arrived in 1825, make up an estimated 2.5 percent. These latter two groups established political control in the 19th century which they maintained well into the 20th century. Numerous immigrants have come as merchants and become a major part of the business community, including Lebanese, Indians, and other West African nationals. There is a high percentage of interracial marriage between ethnic Liberians and the Lebanese, resulting in a significant mixed-race population especially in and around Monrovia. A small minority of Liberians who are White Africans of European descent reside in the country. The Liberian constitution exercises jus sanguinis, restricting its citizenship to "Negroes or persons of Negro descent.” ​ English is the official language and serves as the lingua franca of Liberia. Thirty-one indigenous languages are spoken in Liberia, but each is a first language for only a small percentage of the population. Liberians also speak a variety of creolized dialects collectively known as Liberian English. ​ Religion ​ According to the 2008 National Census, 85.6 percent of the population practiced Christianity, while Muslims represented a minority of 12.2 percent. A multitude of diverse Protestant confessions such as Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, and United Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) and African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion) denominations form the bulk of the Christian population, followed by adherents of the Catholic Church and other non-Protestant Christians. Most of these Christian denominations were introduced by African American settlers moving from the US into Liberia via the American Colonization Society, while some are indigenous especially Pentecostal and Protestant. ​ Protestantism was originally associated with Black American settlers and their Americo-Liberian descendants, while native peoples initially held to their own animist forms of African traditional religion before largely adopting Christianity. While Christian, many Liberians also participate in traditional, gender-based indigenous religious secret societies, such as Poro for men and Sande for women. ​ Muslims comprised 12.2 percent of the population in 2008, largely represented by the Mandingo and Vai ethnic groups. Liberian Muslims are divided between Sunnis, Shias, Ahmadiyyas, Sufis, and non-denominational Muslims. In 2008, 0.5 percent identified adherence to traditional indigenous religions, while 1.5 percent claimed no religion. A small number of people were Baháʼí, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist. ​ The Liberian constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right. While separation of church and state is mandated by the Constitution, Liberia is considered a Christian state in practice. Public schools offer biblical studies, though parents may opt their children out. Commerce is prohibited by law on Sunday and major Christian holidays. The government does not require businesses or schools to excuse Muslims for Friday prayers. ​ Education ​ In 2010, the literacy rate of Liberia was estimated at 60.8 percent (64.8 percent for males and 56.8 percent for females). In some areas primary and secondary education is free and compulsory from the ages of 6-16, though enforcement of attendance is lax. In other areas children are required to pay a tuition fee to attend school. On average, children attain 10 years of education (11 for boys and 8 for girls). The country's education sector is hampered by inadequate schools and supplies, as well as a lack of qualified teachers. ​ Higher education is provided by a number of public and private universities. The University of Liberia is the country's largest and oldest university. Located in Monrovia, the university opened in 1862. Today it has six colleges, including a medical school and the nation's only law school—the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law. In 2009, Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County was established as the second public university in Liberia. Since 2006, the government has also opened community colleges in Buchanan, Sanniquellie, and Voinjama. Due to student protests late in October 2018, newly elected president George M. Weah abolished tuition fees for undergraduate students in the public universities in Liberia. ​ Private universities in Liberia include: ​ · Cuttington University was established by the Episcopal Church of the USA in 1889 in Suakoko, Bong County, as part of its missionary education work among indigenous peoples. It is the nation's oldest private university. ​ · Stella Maris Polytechnic, a post-secondary, private institution of higher learning. Founded in 1988, the school is owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia. Located on Capitol Hill, the school has approximately 2,000 students. ​ · Adventist University of West Africa, a post-secondary learning environment that is situated in Margibi County, on the Roberts International Airport. ​ · United Methodist University, a private Christian university located in Liberia, West Africa, it is commonly known amongst locals as UMU. As of 2016, it had approximately 9,118 students. This institution was founded in 1998. ​ · African Methodist Episcopal University, a private higher education institution that was founded in 1995. · St. Clements University College (Liberia), a private higher education institution that was founded in 2008. Health ​ Hospitals in Liberia include the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia and several others. Life expect- ancy in Liberia is estimated to be 57.4 years in 2012. With a fertility rate of 5.9 births per woman, the maternal mortality rate stood at 990 per 100,000 births in 2010. A number of highly communicable diseases are wide- spread, including tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, and malaria. In 2007, the HIV infection rates stood at 2 percent of the population aged 15-49, whereas the incidence of tuberculosis was 420 per 100,000 people in 2008. Liberia imports 90 percent of its rice, a staple food, and is extremely vulnerable to food shortages. In 2007, 20.4 percent of children under the age of five were malnourished. In 2008, only 17 percent of the population had access to adequate sanitation facilities, both a result of the civil wars. ​ Approximately 95 percent of the country's healthcare facilities had been destroyed by the time the conflicts ended in 2003. In 2009, government expenditure on health care per capita was US$22, accounting for 10.6 percent of total GDP. In 2008, Liberia had only one doctor and 27 nurses per 100,000 people. ​ Culture ​ The religious practices, social customs and cultural standards of the Americo-Liberians had their roots in the antebellum American South. The settlers wore top hat and tails and modeled their homes on those of Southern slave owners. Most Americo-Liberian men were members of the Masonic Order of Liberia, which became heavily involved in the nation's politics. ​ Liberia has a rich history in textile arts and quilting, as the settlers brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. Liberia hosted National Fairs in 1857 and 1858 in which prizes were awarded for various needle arts. One of the most well-known Liberian quilters was Martha Ann Ricks, who presented a quilt featuring the famed Liberian coffee tree to Queen Victoria in 1892. When former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf moved into the Executive Mansion, she reportedly had a Liberian-made quilt installed in her presidential office. ​ A rich literary tradition has existed in Liberia for more than a century. Edward Wilmot Blyden, Bai T. Moore, Roland T. Dempster, and Wilton G. S. Sankawulo are among Liberia's more prominent authors. Moore's novella Murder in the Cassava Patch is considered Liberia's most celebrated novel. ​ Cuisine ​ Liberian cuisine heavily incorporates rice, the country's staple food. Other ingredients include cassava, fish, bananas, citrus fruit, plantains, coconut, okra, and sweet potatoes. Heavy stews spiced with habanero and scotch bonnet chilies are popular and eaten with fufu. Liberia also has a tradition of baking imported from the US that is unique in West Africa. ​ Sports ​ ​ The most popular sport in Liberia is soccer, with President George Weah—the only African to be named FIFA World Player of the Year—being the nation's most famous athlete. The Liberia national football team has reached the Africa Cup of Nations finals twice, in 1996 and 2002. The second most popular sport in Liberia is basketball. The Liberian national basketball team has reached the Afro Basket twice, in 1983 and 2007. In Liberia, the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex serves as a multi-purpose stadium. It hosts FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in addition to international concerts and national political events. ​ Measurement system ​ Liberia is one of only three countries that have not yet completely adopted the International System of Units (abbreviated as the SI, also called the metric system), the others being the US and Myanmar. The Liberian government has begun transitioning away from use of US customary units to the metric system. However, this change has been gradual, with government reports concurrently using both US customary and metric units. In 2018, the Liberian Commerce and Industry Minister announced that the Liberian government is committed to adopting the metric system. NEXT COUNTRY

Africa The African continent is 54 nations, each with their own independent governments and soverinty, GNP, culture, natural resources, language(s), military, and religion. The treasure trove of mineral and raw material wealth has scarcely been touched, and the continent's largely uptapped fertile lands could feed the world. Herewith is Jewel of Africa, an interactive adventure in the cradle of mankind, an exploration of nations from A-Z in alphabetical order. Jewel of Benin. Agriculture: cotton, corn, cocoa beans, palm oil The Republic of Benin, formerly known as Dahomey , is a country in West Africa , bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its population lives on the small southern coastline of the Bight of Benin , part of the Gulf of Guinea in the northernmost tropical portion of the Atlantic Ocean . ​ The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo , but the seat of government is in Cotonou , the country's largest city and economic capital. Benin covers an area of 44,310 square miles, and its population is estimated at approximately 11.5 million. Benin is a tropical nation, highly dependent on agriculture , and is a large exporter of cotton and palm oil . Substantial employment and income arise from subsistence farming . ​ The official language of Benin is French, with several indigenous languages such as Fon , Bariba , Yoruba , and Dendi also being commonly spoken. The largest religious group in Benin is Roman Catholicism , followed closely by Islam , Vodun , and Protestantism . Benin is a member of the United Nations , the African Union , the Economic Community of West African States , the Organization of Islamic Cooperation , the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone , La Francophonie , the Community of Sahel–Saharan States , the African Petroleum Producers Association , and the Niger Basin Authority . ​ The country's name was officially changed to the Republic of Benin on 1 March 1990, after the newly formed government's constitution was completed. ​ Politics in Benin ​ Benin's politics take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic , in which the President of Benin is both head of state and head of government , within a multi-party system . Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the legislature. The judiciary is officially independent of the executive and the legislature. The political system is derived from the 1990 Constitution of Benin and the subsequent transition to democracy in 1991. ​ Benin scored highly in the 2013 Ibrahim Index of African Governance , which comprehensively measures the state of governance across the continent. Benin was ranked 18th out of 52 African countries and scored best in the categories of Safety and Rule of Law and Participation and Human Rights. ​ In its 2007 Worldwide Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Benin 53rd out of 169 countries. That place had fallen to 78th by 2016, and has fallen further to 113th since then. Benin has been rated equal-88th out of 159 countries in a 2005 analysis of police, business, and political corruption. Benin is divided into 12 departments , which, in turn, are subdivided into 77 communes . In 1999, the previous six departments were each split into two halves, forming the current 12. The six new departments were assigned official capitals in 2008. ​ Demographics and Religion ​ The majority of Benin's 11,485,000 inhabitants live in the south of the country. The population is young, with a life expectancy of 62 years. About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country, including the Yoruba in the southeast (migrated from what is now Nigeria in the 12th century); the Dendi in the north-central area (who came from Mali in the 16th century); the Bariba and the Fula in the northeast; the Betammaribe and the Somba in the Atakora Mountains ; the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central and the Mina , Xueda , and Aja (who came from Togo) on the coast. ​ Recent migrations have brought other African nationals to Benin that include Nigerians, Togolese, and Malians. The foreign community also includes many Lebanese and Indians involved in trade and commerce. The personnel of the many European embassies and foreign aid missions and of nongovernmental organizations and various missionary groups account for a large part of the 5,500 European population. A small part of the European population is comprised of Benin citizens of French ancestry . ​ In the 2013 census, 48.5 percent of the population of Benin were Christian , 27.7 percent Muslim , 11.6 percent practiced Vodun , 2.6 percent other local traditional religions, and 5.8 percent claimed no religious affiliation. Traditional religions include local animistic religions in the Atakora (Atakora and Donga provinces), and Vodun and Orisha veneration among the Yoruba and Tado peoples in the center and south of the nation. The town of Ouidah on the central coast is the spiritual center of Beninese Vodun. ​ Algeria Angola ​ Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cape Verde Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Comoros Congo Democratic Republic of Congo Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire ​Djibouti ​Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia ​Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau ​Kenya ​Lesotho Liberia Libya ​Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique ​Namibia Niger Nigeria ​Rwanda ​Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan ​Tanzania Togo Tunisia ​Uganda ​Zambia Zimbabwe The largest and most populous city in Benin is Cotonou, with a population of 780,000 people. It is a large port city on the south coast of Benin in West Africa. In addition to its teeming business community and busy port on the Atlantic, Cotonou is also a showcase for Benin's pristine cool beaches. In addition, Benin's metropolis gives way to tropical rain forest yielding oil, limestone, marble, and timber Benin is not yet a huge technological presence in Africa, but is slowly making strides in that direction as many of her fellow nations are. But the small West African enclave enjoys a quiet agrarian pursuit (below) that has sustained her welfare. Benin is a chief cotton grower and exporter, supplying thousands of tons of corn, rice, cocoa beans, and palm oil to neighboring countries annually. Beauty is a Benin hallmark. Whether in its sultry and gorgeous showcase of females of all hues, idyllic natural environment of tropical forests, cool rivers, lakes and streams or its beautiful array of wild creatures, beauty in Benin is unmistakable. That the Earth is a jewel to behold is undeniable. But it is not nor ever was relega- ted to one single region of the planet as some First World nations have claimed for centuries. But now that Africa has come of age and shed her dark veil, which hid her secrets for thousands of years, the entire globe can now only marvel at her fine essence and exquisiteness. Benin takes her rightful place among Africa's 54 nation states. She is truly a jewel to behold. Benin, like most of sub-Sahara Africa is blessed with abundant wild species protected in game reserves available for tourism. Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog, and jackal, thrive in the savannah and tropics joined by elephant, buffalo, giraffe, antelope, rhino, hippo, crocodile, great apes, monkeys, African ground squirrels and other small underground mammals, poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, and insects of all kinds. Today the two largest religions are Christianity, followed throughout the south and center of Benin and in Otammari country in the Atakora , and Islam, introduced by the Songhai Empire and Hausa merchants, and now followed throughout Alibori , Borgou and Donga provinces, as well as among the Yoruba (who also follow Christianity). Many, however, continue to hold Vodun and Orisha beliefs and have incorporated the pantheon of Vodun and Orisha into Christianity. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community , a sect originating in the 19th century, is also present in a significant minority. Geography and climate ​ Benin, a narrow, north–south strip of land in West Africa, The coastline extends 75 miles, and the country measures 202 miles at its widest point. Four terrestrial eco-regions lie within Benin's borders: Eastern Guinean forests , Nigerian lowland forests , Guinean forest-savanna mosaic , and West Sudanian savanna . The Pendjari National Park in Benin is one of the most important reserves for the West African lion and other large animals of West Africa. ​ Benin shows little variation in elevation and can be divided into four areas from the south to the north, starting with the low-lying, sandy, coastal plain (highest elevation 32.8 ft.), which is, at most, 6.2 miles wide. It is marshy and dotted with lakes and lagoons communicating with the ocean. Behind the coast lies the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic -covered plateaus of southern Benin (altitude between 66 and 656 ft., which are split by valleys running north to south along the Couffo , Zou , and Ouémé Rivers . ​ This geography makes it vulnerable to climate change . With the majority of the country living near the coast in low-lying areas sea level rise could have large effects on the economy and population. Northern areas will see additional regions become deserts, making agriculture difficult in a region with many subsistence farmers. An area of flat land dotted with rocky hills whose altitude seldom reaches 1,312 ft. extends around Nikki and Save. ​ A range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo; these are the Atacora . The highest point, Mont Sokbaro , at 2,159 ft. Benin has fallow fields, mangroves , and remnants of large sacred forests. In the rest of the country, the savanna is covered with thorny scrub and dotted with huge baobab trees. Some forests line the banks of rivers. In the north and the northwest of Benin, the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park attract tourists eager to see elephants, lions, antelopes, hippos, and monkeys. Pendjari National Park together with the bordering Parks Arli and W in Burkina Faso and Niger are among the most important refuges for the endangered West African lion . With an estimated 356 lions, W-Arli-Pendjari harbors the largest remaining population of lions in West Africa . Historically Benin has served as habitat for the endangered painted hunting dog , Lycaon pictus. ​ Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages about 51 inches. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons per year. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from late September to November. The main dry season is from December to April, with a short cooler dry season from late July to early September. Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical coast. In Cotonou , the average maximum temperature is 87.8 °F; the minimum is 75.2 °F. Variations in temperature increase when moving north through savanna and plateau toward the Sahel . A dry wind from the Sahara called the Harmattan blows from December to March, when grass dries up, other vegetation turns reddish brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the country, causing the skies to be overcast. It is also the season when farmers burn brush in the fields. ​ Economy ​ The economy of Benin is dependent on subsistence agriculture , cotton production, and regional trade. Cotton accounts for 40 percent of the GDP and roughly 80 percent of official export receipts. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. Benin uses the CFA franc , which is pegged to the euro. Benin's economy has continued to strengthen over the past years, with real GDP growth estimated at 5.1 and 5.7 percent in 2008 and 2009, respectively. The main driver of growth is the agricultural sector, with cotton being the country's main export, while services continue to contribute the largest part of GDP largely because of Benin's geographical location, enabling trade, transportation, transit and tourism activities with its neighboring states. Benin's overall macroeconomic conditions were positive in 2017, with a growth rate of around 5.6 percent. ​ Economic growth was also largely driven by Benin's other cash crops, the Port of Cotonou, and telecommunications. Cashew and pineapple production and processing have substantial commercial potential. The country's primary source of revenue is the Port of Cotonou, although the government is seeking to expand its revenue base. In 2017, Benin imported about $2.8 billion in goods such as rice, meat and poultry, alcoholic beverages, fuel plastic materials, specialized mining and excavating machinery, telecommunications equipment, passenger vehicles, and toiletries and cosmetics. Principal exports are ginned cotton, cotton cake and cotton seeds, cashew, shea butter, cooking oil, and lumber. ​ Access to biocapacity in Benin is lower than world average. In 2016, Benin had 0.9 global hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory, much less than the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person. Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism , facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. Projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. ​ Cotonou has the country's only seaport and international airport . A new port is currently under construction between Cotonou and Porto Novo. Benin is connected by two-lane asphalted roads to its neighboring countries Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. Mobile telephone service is available across the country through various operators . ADSL connections are available in some areas. Benin is connected to the Internet by way of satellite connections (since 1998) and a single submarine cable SAT-3/WASC (since 2001), keeping the price of data extremely high. Relief is expected with the initiation of the Africa Coast to Europe cable in 2011. ​ Education ​ The literacy rate in Benin is among the lowest in the world: in 2015 it was estimated to be 38.4 percent. Benin has achieved universal primary education and half of the children (54 percent) were enrolled in secondary education in 2013, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics . The government has devoted more than 4 percent of GDP to education since 2009. In 2015, public expenditure on education (all levels) amounted to 4.4 percent of GDP, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics . Within this expenditure, Benin devoted quite a large share to tertiary education: 0.97 percent of GDP. ​ Science and technology ​ The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is responsible for implementing science policy. The National Directorate of Scientific and Technological Research handles planning and coordination, whereas the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and National Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters each play an advisory role. Financial support comes from Benin's National Fund for Scientific Research and Technological Innovation . The Benin Agency for the Promotion of Research Results and Technological Innovation carries out technology transfer through the development and dissemination of research results. Benin was ranked 126th in the Global Innovation Index in 2020, down from 123rd in 2019. The regulatory framework has evolved since 2006 till date when the country's first science policy was prepared. This has since been updated and complemented by new texts on science and innovation (the year of adoption is between brackets): In 2015, Benin's priority areas for scientific research were: health, education, construction and building materials, transportation and trade, culture, tourism and handicrafts, cotton/textiles, food, energy and climate change. ​ Transportation ​ Transport in Benin includes road, rail, water and air transportation. Of the paved highways in the country, there are 10 expressways . This leaves 5,430 km of unpaved road. The Trans-West African Coastal Highway crosses Benin, connecting it to Nigeria to the east, and Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast to the west. When construction in Liberia and Sierra Leone is finished, the highway will continue west to seven other Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nations. A paved highway also connects Benin northwards to Niger , and through that country to Burkina Faso and Mali to the north-west. ​ Rail transport in Benin consists of 359 miles of single track . Benin does not, at this time, share railway links with adjacent countries, but construction work has commenced on international lines connecting Benin with Niger and Nigeria, with outline plans announced for further connections to Togo and Burkina Faso. Benin will be a participant in the Africa Rail project. ​ Culture and language ​ Beninese literature had a strong oral tradition long before French became the dominant language. Post-independence, the country was home to a vibrant and innovative music scene, where native folk music combined with Ghanaian highlife , French cabaret , American rock , funk and soul , and Congolese rumba . ​ Biennale Benin, continuing the projects of several organizations and artists, started in the country in 2010 as a collaborative event called "Regard Benin". In 2012, the project became a Biennial coordinated by the Consortium, a federation of local associations. The international exhibition and artistic program of the 2012 Biennale Benin are curated by Abdellah Karroum and the Curatorial Delegation. A number of Beninese artists have received major international recognition, such as Georges Adéagbo , Meschac Gaba , Romuald Hazoumè , Dominique Zinkpè, and Emo de Medeiros . ​ Local languages are used as the languages of instruction in elementary schools, with French only introduced after several years. In wealthier cities, however, French is usually taught at an earlier age. At the secondary school level, local language is generally forbidden and French is the sole language of instruction. Beninese languages are generally transcribed with a separate letter for each speech sound (phoneme ), rather than using diacritics as in French or digraphs as in English. This includes Beninese Yoruba , which in Nigeria is written with both diacritics and digraphs. For instance, the mid vowels written é, è, ô, o in French are written e, ɛ, o, ɔ in Beninese languages, whereas the consonants are written ng and sh or ch in English are written ŋ and c. However, digraphs are used for nasal vowels and the labial-velar consonants kp and gb, as in the name of the Fon language Fon gbe /fõ ɡ͡be/, and diacritics are used as tone marks . In French-language publications, a mixture of French and Beninese orthographies may be seen. ​ Cuisine ​ Beninese cuisine is known in Africa for its exotic ingredients and flavorful dishes. Beninese cuisine involves fresh meals served with a variety of key sauces. In southern Benin cuisine, the most common ingredient is corn , often used to prepare dough which is mainly served with peanut - or tomato -based sauces . ​ Meat is usually quite expensive, and meals are generally light on meat and generous on vegetable fat . Frying in palm or peanut oil is the most common meat preparation, and smoked fish is commonly prepared in Benin. Fish and chicken are the most common meats used in southern Beninese cuisine, but beef and goat are also consumed. "Chicken on the spit" is a traditional recipe in which chicken is roasted over a fire on wooden sticks. ​ The main staple in northern Benin is yams , often served with sauces mentioned above. The population in the northern provinces use beef and pork meat which is fried in palm or peanut oil or cooked in sauces. Cheese is used in some dishes. Couscous , rice, and beans are commonly eaten, along with fruits such as mangoes , oranges, avocados, bananas, kiwi fruit, and pineapples. Grinders are used to prepare corn flour , which is made into a dough and served with sauces. Palm roots are sometimes soaked in a jar with salt water and sliced garlic to tenderize them, then used in dishes. Many people have outdoor mud stoves for cooking. ​ Sports ​ Benin's large degree of ethnic groups are united in their love of football or soccer. Benin’s traditional sports has a lot to do with athletics but football is currently the Beninese’ national obsession with tennis a close second. Soccer is officiated by the Fédération Béninoise de Football and their national soccer team called Les Ecureuils has been a member of FIFA and CAF since 1969. The Les Ecureuils has never qualified for the World Cup but did make an appearance at the African Cup of Nations in 2004. The nation first competed in the Olympic Games in 1972 as Dahomey, then at 1980 in the Moscow Olympic Games as Benin. As of the 2012 London Olympic Games, Benin has yet to win an Olympic medal. NEXT COUNTRY

Africa The African continent is comprised of 54 nations, each with their own independent governments and sovereignty, GNP, culture, natural resources, language(s), military, and religion. The treasure trove of mineral and raw material wealth has scarcely been touched, and the continent's largely untapped fertile lands could feed the world. Herewith is Jewel of Africa, an interactive adventure in the cradle of mankind, an exploration of nations from A-Z in alphabetical order. Jewel of Ethiopia: Most populous nation in the Horn of Africa Ethiopia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. The country lies completely within the tropical latitudes and is relatively compact, with similar north-south and east-west dimensions. The capital is Addis Ababa, situated nearly at the center of the country. Ethiopia is the largest and most populated country in the Horn of Africa with 115 million people. With the 1993 secession of Eritrea, its former province along the Red Sea, Ethiopia became landlocked. ​ Ethiopia is one of the world’s oldest countries, its territorial extent having varied over the millennia of its existence. In ancient times it remained center on Aksum, an imperial capital located in the northern part of the modern state, about 100 miles from the Red Sea coast. The present territory was consolidated during the 19th and 20th centuries as European powers encroached into Ethiopia’s historical domain. Ethiopia became prominent in modern world affairs first in 1896, when it defeated colonial Italy in the Battle of Adwa, and again in 1935-36, when it was invaded and occupied by fascist Italy. Liberation during World War II by the Allied powers set the stage for Ethiopia to play a more prominent role in world affairs. Ethiopia was among the first independent nations to sign the Charter of the United Nations, and it gave moral and material support to the decolonization of Africa and to the growth of Pan-African cooperation. These efforts culminated in the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (since 2002, the African Union) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, both of which have their headquarters in Addis Ababa. ​ Land ​ Ethiopia is bounded by Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, and South Sudan and Sudan to the west. The nation’s topography, one of the most rugged in Africa, is built on four geologic formations. Rocks of Precambrian origin (more than 540 million years in age) form the oldest basal complex of Ethiopia, as they do in most of Africa. The Precambrian layer is buried under more recent geologic formations—except in parts of northern, western, and southern Ethiopia, where there are exposed rock layers of granite and schist. ​ Geologic processes of the Mesozoic Era (about 250 to 65 million years ago) contributed sedimen- tary layers of limestone and sandstone, most of which have been either eroded or covered by volcanic rocks. Younger sedimentary layers are found in northern Ethiopia and on the floors of the Rift Valley. Lava flows from the Cenozoic Era (i.e., the past 65 million years) have formed basaltic layers that now cover two-thirds of Ethiopia’s land surface with a thickness ranging from about 1,000 feet to almost 10,000 feet. The Rift Valley forms a spectacular graben (a massive tectonic trough) running right down the middle of the country from the northern frontier with Eritrea to the southern border with Kenya. Although Ethiopia’s complex relief defies easy classification, five topographic features are discern- ible. These are the Western Highlands, the Western Lowlands, the Eastern Highlands. the Eastern Lowlands, and the Rift Valley. The Western Highlands are the most extensive and rugged topo- graphic component of Ethiopia. The most spectacular portion is the North Central massifs; these form the roof of Ethiopia, with elevations ranging from 14,872 feet (4,533 for Mount Ras Dejen the highest point in Ethiopia, to the Blue Nile and Tekes river channels 10,000 feet below. Lake Tana—Ethiopia’s largest inland lake and the main reservoir for the Blue Nile River—is located in this region, at an elevation of about 6,000 feet. The Western Lowlands stretch north-south along the border with Sudan and South Sudan and include the lower valleys of the Blue Nile, Tekeze, and Baro rivers. With elevations of about 3,300 feet, these lowlands become too hot to attract dense settlement. The Rift Valley is part of the larger ​ Algeria Angola ​ Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cape Verde Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Comoros Congo Democratic Republic of Congo Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire ​Djibouti ​Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia ​Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau ​Kenya ​Lesotho Liberia Libya ​Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique ​Namibia Niger Nigeria ​Rwanda ​Sao Tome and Principe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan ​Tanzania Togo Tunisia ​Uganda ​Zambia Zimbabwe Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries on Earth going back millennia. But Addis Ababa, the nation's sprawling capital in the highlands bordering the Great Rift Valley with 4.5 million people, belies antiquity as the country’s commercial and cultural hub. Ethiopia has successfully embraced the 21st century with a strong economy boasting a national air carrier, rail system, and automobile manufacturing, but political strife and civil conflict continues to plague total progress. East African Rift System. Hemmed in by the escarpments of the Western and Eastern Highlands, it has two distinct sections. The first part is in the northeast, where the valley floor widens into a funnel shape as it approaches the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This is a relatively flat area interrupted only by occasional volcanic cones, some of which are active. ​ The Denakil Plain, in which a depression known as the Kobar Sink drops as low as 380 feet below sea level, is found here. High temperatures and lack of moisture make the northeastern Rift Valley unattractive for settlement. The southwestern section, on the other hand, is a narrow depression of much higher elevation. It contains Ethiopia’s Lakes Region, an internal drainage basin of many small rivers that drain into Lakes Abaya, Abiyata, Awasa, Langano, Shala, Chamo, and Ziway. Together these lakes have more than 1,200 square miles of water surface. The upper Rift Valley is one of the most productive and most settled parts of Ethiopia. ​ The Eastern Highlands are much smaller in extent than the Western Highlands, but they offer equally impressive contrast in topography. The highest peaks are Tullu Deemtu at 14,360 feet, and Mount Batu, at 14,127 feet. The Eastern Lowlands resemble the long train of a bridal gown suddenly dipping from the narrow band of the Eastern Highlands and gently rolling for hundreds of miles to the Somalian border. Two important regions here are the Ogaden and the Hawd. The Shebele and Genale rivers cross the lowlands, moderating the desert ecology. Drainage ​ Ethiopia has three principal drainage systems. The first and largest is the western drainage system, which includes the watersheds of the Blue Nile (known as the Abay in Ethiopia), the Tekeze, and the Baro rivers. All three rivers flow west to the White Nile in South Sudan and Sudan. The second is the Rift Valley internal drainage system, composed of the Awash River, the Lakes Region, and the Omo River. The Awash flows northeast to the Denakil Plain before it dissipates into a series of swamps and Lake Abe at the border with Djibouti. The Lakes Region is a self-contained drainage basin, and the Omo flows south into Lake Turkana, on the border with Kenya. The third system is that of the Shebele and Genale rivers. Both of these rivers originate in the Eastern Highlands and flow southeast toward Somalia and the Indian Ocean. Only the Genale (known as the Jubba in Somalia) makes it to the sea; the Shebele (in Somali, Shabeelle) disappears in sand just inside the coastline. Soils of Ethiopia ​ The soils of Ethiopia can be classified into five principal types. The first type is composed of euritic nitosols and andosols and is found on portions of the Western and Eastern highlands. These soils are formed from volcanic material and, with proper management, have medium to high potential for rain-fed agriculture. The second group of soils, eutric cambisols and ferric and orthic luvisols, are found in the Simien plateau of the Western Highlands. They are highly weathered with a subsurface accumulation of clay and are characterized by low nutrient retention, surface crusting, and erosion hazards. With proper management, they are of medium agricultural potential. ​ The third group of soils is the dark clay found in the Western Lowlands and at the foothills of the Western Highlands. Composed of vertisols, they have medium to high potential for both food and agriculture but pose tillage problems because they harden when dry and become sticky when wet. Some of the rich coffee-growing regions of Ethiopia are found on these soils. ​ The fourth group is composed of yermosols, xerosols, and other saline soils that cover desert areas of the Eastern Lowlands and the Denakil Plain. Because of moisture deficiency and coarse texture, they lack potential for rain-fed agriculture. However, the wetter margins are excellent for livestock, and even the drier margins respond well to irrigation. The fifth soil group is lithosols found primarily in the Denakil Plain. Lack of moisture and shallow profile preclude cultivation of these soils. ​ Soil erosion is a serious problem in Ethiopia. Particularly in the northern provinces, which have been settled with sedentary agriculture for millennia, population density has caused major damage to the soil’s physical base, to its organic and chemical nutrients, and to the natural vegetation cover. Even on the cool plateaus, where good volcanic soils are found in abundance, crude means of cultivation have exposed the soils to heavy seasonal rain, causing extensive gully and sheet erosion. Climate ​ Because Ethiopia is located in the tropical latitudes, its areas of lower elevation experience climatic conditions typical of tropical savanna or desert. However, relief plays a significant role in moderating temperature, so higher elevations experience weather typical of temperate zones. Thus, average annual temperatures in the highlands are in the low 60s Fahrenheit, while the lowlands average in the low 80s Fahrenheit. ​ There are three seasons in Ethiopia. From September to February is the long dry season known as the bega; this is followed by a short rainy season, the belg, in March and April. May is a hot and dry month preceding the long rainy season (kremt) in June, July, and August. The coldest temperatures generally occur in December or January (bega) and the hottest in March, April, or May (belg). However, in many localities July has the coldest tempera- tures because of the moderating influence of rainfall. ​ Ethiopia can be divided into four rainfall regimes. Rain falls year-round in the southern portions of the Western Highlands, where annual precipitation may reach 80 inches (2,000 mm). Summer rainfall is received by the Eastern Highlands and by the northern portion of the Western Highlands; annual precipitation there may amount to 55 inches. The Eastern Lowlands get rain twice a year, in April–May and October-November, with two dry periods in between. Total annual precipitation varies from 20 to 40 inches. The driest of all regions is the Denakil Plain, which receives less than 20 inches and sometimes none at all. Plant and animal life ​ Ethiopia’s natural vegetation is influenced by four biomes. The first is savanna , which, in wetter portions of the Western highlands, consists of montane tropical vegetation with dense, luxuriant forests and rich undergrowth. Drier sections of savanna found at lower elevations of the Western and Eastern Highlands contain tropical dry forests mixed with grassland. ​ The second biome is mountain vegetation; it comprises montane and temperate grasslands and covers the higher altitudes of the Western and Eastern highlands. The third biome, tropical thickets and wooded steppe, is found in the Rift Valley and Eastern Lowlands. The fourth biome is desert steppe vegetation, which covers portions of the Denakil Plain. ​ Ethiopia has had a rich variety of wildlife that in some cases has been reduced to a few endangered remnants. Lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, and wild buffalo are rarities, especially in northern Ethiopia. The Rift Valley, the Omo River valley, and the Western Lowlands contain remnants of big-game varieties. Smaller game varieties such as foxes, jackals, wild dogs, and hyenas are found abundantly throughout the country. ​ Uniquely Ethiopian and among the most endangered species are the walia ibex of the Simien Mountains, the mountain nyala (a kind of antelope), and the Simien jackal. In addition, the gelada monkey is under threat. All four species are found in the Western and Eastern highlands in numbers ranging from a few hundred for the walia ibex to a few thousand for the others. More-abundant varieties found in the lowlands include such antelopes as the oryx, the greater kudu, and the waterbuck, various types of monkeys including the black-and-white colobus (known as guereza in Ethiopia and hunted for its beautiful long-haired pelt), and varieties of wild pig. In order to protect remaining species, the government has set aside 20 national parks, game reserves, and sanctuaries covering a total area of 21,320 square miles—about five percent of the total area of Ethiopia. Simien Mountains National Park, home to several endangered species, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. Ethnic groups and languages ​ Ethiopians are ethnically diverse, with the most important differences on the basis of linguistic categorization. Ethiopia is a mosaic of about 100 languages that can be classified into four groups. The vast majority of languages belong to the Semitic, Cushitic, or Omotic groups, all part of the Afro-Asiatic language family. A small number of languages belong to a fourth group, Nilotic, which is part of the Nilo-Saharan language family. ​ The Semitic languages are spoken primarily in the northern and central parts of the country; they include Geʿez, Tigrinya, Amharic, Gurage, and Hareri. Geʿez, the ancient language of the Aksumite empire, is used today only for religious writings and worship in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Tigrinya is native to the northeastern part of the country. Amharic is one of the country’s principal languages and is native to the central and northwestern areas. Gurage and Hareri are spoken by relatively few people in the south and east. ​ The most prominent Cushitic languages are Oromo, Somali, and Afar. Oromo is native to the western, south- western, southern, and eastern areas of the country. Somali is dominant among inhabitants of the Ogaden and Hawd, while Afar is most common in the Denaki Plain. The Omotic languages, chief among which is Walaita, are not widespread, being spoken mostly in the densely populated areas of the extreme southwest. The Nilotic language group is native to the Western Lowlands, with Kunama speakers being dominant. Under the constitution, all Ethiopian languages enjoy official state recognition. However, Amharic is the “working language” of the federal government; together with Oromo, it is one of the two most widely spoken languages in the country. In the 1990s ethno-linguistic differences were used as the basis for restructuring Ethiopia’s administrative divisions. Religion of Ethiopia ​ Christianity was introduced to Ethiopia in the 4th century, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (called Tewahdo in Ethiopia) is one of the oldest organized Christian bodies in the world. The church has long enjoyed a dominant role in the culture and politics of Ethiopia, having served as the official religion of the ruling elite until the demise of the monarchy in 1974. It also has served as the repository of Ethiopia’s literary tradition and its visual arts. ​ The core area of Christianity is in the highlands of northern Ethiopia, but its influence is felt in the entire country. More than two-fifths of Ethiopians follow the teachings of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. An additional one-fifth adhere to other Christian faiths, the vast majority of which are Protestant. ​ Islam was introduced in the 7th century and is now practiced by about one-third of Ethiopians. It is most important in the outlying regions, particularly in the Eastern Lowlands, but there are local concentrations throughout the country. Traditionally, the status of Islam has been far from equal with that of Christianity. ​ However, Haile Selassie I (reigned 1930-74) gave audiences to Muslim leaders and made overtures in response to their concerns, and under the Derg regime (1974-91) even more was done to give at least symbolic parity to the two faiths. Nevertheless, the perception of Ethiopia as “an island of Christianity in a sea of Islam” has continued to prevail among both highland Ethiopians and foreigners. There are some concerns among highlanders that fundamentalist Muslim movements in the region and in neighboring countries may galvanize sentiments for a greater role of Islam in Ethiopia. A small fraction of Ethiopians are animists who worship a variety of African deities. The majority of these traditionalists are speakers of Nilotic languages, such as the Kunama, and are located in the Western Lowlands. ​ Settlement patterns With only about one-fifth of the population urbanized, most Ethiopians live in scattered rural communities. In order to reduce traveling distance, homesteads are generally scattered to be near farm plots. Buildings vary between circular and rectangular styles and are constructed of materials readily found within the environment. Roofs are mostly thatched, but rural households are increasingly opting for corrugated steel tops. ​ Modern urban centers in Ethiopia include the national capital of Addis Ababa and such regional centers as Dire Dawa (in the east), Jima (south), Nekemte (west), Dese (north-central), Gonder (northwest), and Mekele (north). Addis Ababa, founded by Menilek II in 1886, brought an end to the custom of “roving capitals” practiced by earlier monarchs. After World War II, “Addis” obtained the lion’s share of investments in industry, social services, and infrastructure, so it became the most attractive place for young people to seek opportunity. Although there has been an emphasis on decentralizing development, Addis Ababa still remains the prime destination for many migrants who are attracted by the opportunities it is perceived to offer or by its relative peace and security. Demographics ​ Ethiopia’s population growth rate is well above the global average and is among the highest in Africa. Birth and death rates for the country are also well above those for the world. Life expectancy is about 50 years of age, about average for the African continent but lower than that of the world. Although the general age of the population is slightly older than it was in last decades of the 20th century, Ethiopia still has a relatively young population, with more than two-fifths under age 15. ​ Ethiopia hosts refugees from several neighboring countries. The overwhelming majority of refugees are from Somalia, but there are also sizable numbers from Eritrea, Sudan, and South Sudan. Most have fled their countries because of conflict or famine. Conversely, there is some movement of Ethiopian refugees, most claiming political persecution and destined primarily for Kenya or the US. In addition, since the last quarter of the 20th century, many young educated Ethiopians have opted to move to the US or European countries for greater opportunities. Internal migration has occurred for a number of reasons, including conflict and various government land-resettlement schemes. During the 1998–2000 war with Eritrea, more than 300,000 Ethiopians in the Eritrean-Ethiopian border region were internally displaced, and, after periods of drought and famine in the early 2000s, some 300,000 people were moved from drought-prone areas to western parts of the country. Conflict between the federal government and the Tigray regional forces that began in 2020 led to the displacement of more than two million Tigrayans. Economy of Ethiopia ​ Under Haile Selassie I (reigned 1930–74), Ethiopia’s economy enjoyed a modicum of free enterprise. The production and export of cash crops such as coffee were advanced, and import-substituting manufactures such as textiles and footwear were established. Especially after World War II, tourism, banking, insurance, and transport began to contribute more to the national economy. ​ The communist Derg regime, which ruled from 1974 to 1991, nationalized all means of production, including land, housing, farms, and industry. Faced with uncertainties on their land rights, the smallholding subsistence farmers who form the backbone of Ethiopian agriculture became reluctant to risk producing surplus foods for market. Although land has remained nationalized, conditions in rural Ethiopia have improved slightly, as the government has given considerable attention to rural development. Still, the question of land ownership has remained contentious and has hindered the development of commercial agriculture Agriculture in Ethiopia is the foundation of the country's economy accounting for half of the GDP at 83.9 percent of exports , and 80 percent of employment. Many other economic activities depend on agriculture, including marketing, pro- cessing, and export of agricultural products . Production is mostly of a subsistence nature, and a large part of commodity exports are provided by the small agricultural cash-crop sector. The principal oilseeds , potatoes , sugar- cane , cereals, and veg- etables . Exports are nearly entirely agricultural com- modities , and coffee is the largest foreign exchange earner. From nation to nation, the continent of Africa has some of the most beautiful women in the world, adding to its unique vitality. Ethiopia and the rest of the Horn of Africa reflect the vibrancy of this region of the world. Beauty and splendor is a balance of nature. Ethiopia, one of the oldest civilizations on Earth is an example of this fragile balance. Below, the mighty Nile River, called the father of African rivers extending 4,132 miles, the longest in the world, courses through Ethiopia, rising south of the Equator flowing northward through northeastern Africa to drain into the Mediterranean Sea . Camel, hyena. Nile crocodile. hippopatamus, Zebra, Ethiopia wolf, several species of avians, antelope, and baboons, still roam the nation's savannas, rivers, and lakes. Since the 1980's Ethiopia has lost 90 percent of its elephants, estimated to be less than 1,900; that number is rapidly dropping due to poaching for ivory, habitat loss, and human-elephant conflicts. The lion population is estimated to be a few hundred wild animals scattered throughout the country. Twenty lions are kept in the Addis Ababa Zoo. They belonged to a special collection of the late Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie. Despite progress with economic reform since the 1990s, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in Africa and the world. In 2001 Ethiopia qualified for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries initiative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, and in 2005 Ethiopia was one of several countries that benefited from 100 percent debt relief of loans from the IMF, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ​ Ethiopia’s most promising resource is its agricultural land. Although soil erosion, overgrazing, and deforestation have seriously damaged the plateaus, nearly half the potentially cultivable land is still available for use. Most of the reserve land is located in parts of the country that have favorable climatic conditions for intensive agriculture. In addition, Ethiopia is among the richest countries in Africa in number of livestock, including cattle. With better management of grazing lands and breeding, livestock raising has the potential to meet the demands of internal as well as export markets. ​ Agriculture contributes almost half of Ethiopia’s gross domestic product (GDP). There are three types of agricultural activity. The first—and by far the most important—is the subsistence smallholder sector, which produces most of the staple grains such as teff, wheat, barley, and oats (on the cooler plateaus) and sorghum, corn (maize), and millet (in warmer areas), as well as pulses such as chickpeas, peas, beans, and lentils. Farm plots are very small, ranging from 3-6 acres. The second type of agriculture is cash cropping. Products include coffee, oilseeds, beeswax, sugarcane, and khat (qat; Catha edulis), a mild narcotic. Coffee, which is native to Ethiopia, is the single most important export. Subsistence livestock raising, the third agricultural activity, is impor- tant in the peripheral lowlands of Ethiopia. Large herds may be kept by a family as it migrates each season in search of grazing and water. Fishing occurs on the country’s rivers and inland lakes and is primarily artisanal. Most of the fish sold locally is produced by small operators whose scale of operation and technology is inadequate for export production. Although the fishing industry is small, production more than doubled during the 1990s. The country does not engage in significant economic activity in the forestry sector. Resources and power ​ The role of minerals in Ethiopia’s economy is small. Only gold and tantalum are of significance. Gold is mined at Kibre Mengist in the south, platinum at Yubdo in the west, and tantalum in the south-central part of the country. Deposits of gemstones, niobium, and soda ash are also mined, and there is potential for the exploitation of other mineral resources, including petroleum and natural gas. Also important are rock salt from the Denakil Plain and quarried building materials such as marble. Compared with its potential, this sector contributes very little to the country’s economy (less than 1 percent of GDP). ​ Hydroelectricity, the most important source of power for industries and major cities, is generated at several stations, including those on the Awash River, the Blue Nile River or its tributaries, the Omo River, the Gilgel Gibe River, and the Shebele River. However, these stations represent only part of Ethiopia’s full potential, and others are planned. Some hydroelectric projects have generated considerable controversy, such as the massive Gilgel Gibe III dam and power station along the Omo River, which was inaugurated in 2016, and the massive Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and power stations along the Blue Nile River, construction of which began in 2011. Filling of the dam’s reservoir, which will occur during the rainy season across several years, began in July 2020. ​ Most energy for domestic use in rural areas is derived primarily from firewood and charcoal, which has strained the remaining wood resources in the country. Ethiopia’s long dependence on these sources has contributed to the depletion of its trees and to the erosion of its soil. The government’s ongoing expansion of hydroelectric power generation is intended to increase access to electricity in rural areas as well as produce electricity for export to other countries. Ethiopia’s petroleum needs are met through imports, primarily from Sudan and Djibouti. Manufacturing Modern manufacturing contributes about one-tenth of Ethiopia’s GDP. Products are primarily for domestic consumption. Among the most important are processed foods and beverages, textiles, tobacco, leather and footwear, and chemical products. Cottage industry and small enterprises are more important than industrial manufacturing in offering nonfarm employment and in producing a variety of consumer goods—for example, furniture, farming and construction implements, utensils, woven fabric, rugs, leathercrafts, footwear, jewelry, pottery, and baskets. Some of these products reach the tourist market. Finance and trade ​ The National Bank of Ethiopia is the country’s central bank. It issues the national currency, the birr, and is also responsible for regulatory functions. There are many commercial banks, most of which are located in Addis Ababa. The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia is the largest commercial bank, with branches throughout the country. The Development Bank of Ethiopia provides loans for agricultural and livestock development and investment in manufacturing. Since the end of the 20th century, more financial institutions have begun extending loans for business and real-estate development. ​ Ethiopia’s exports are almost entirely agricultural. Coffee is the primary foreign-exchange earner; other exported products include khat, hides and skins, live animals, oilseeds, and gold. Manufactures, especially machinery and transport equipment, and chemical products account for much of the value of imports; food products, and fuels are also important. Significant trading partners include Saudi Arabia, China, and the US. With more being spent on imports than earned from exports, Ethiopia’s balance of payments has been negative for many years. Services, tourism ​ The services sector, primarily tourism, contributes to about two-fifths of Ethiopia’s GDP. Although tourism was curtailed during the period of Derg rule, Ethiopia once again promotes the tourist potential of such historical wonders as the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela the antiquities at Aksum, and the Gonder castles. Of equal attraction are Ethiopia’s diverse peoples, their intriguing cultures, and the natural beauty of their land. Unfortu- nately, potential has been limited because of a lack of tourism infrastructure and continuing political instability in the country. The 1998-2000 conflict with Eritrea and lingering tensions have discouraged tourists from visiting places such as Aksum, one of the most attractive destinations in northern Ethiopia. Labor and taxation ​ Ethiopian law allows all workers, with the exception of civil servants, to form and participate in unions. The Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions, an umbrella organization of several autonomous federations, is the largest labour organization. Also prominent is the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association. Tax revenue typically contributes to more than half the government’s budget. Improvements made in the late 1990s to methods of tax collection have contributed to an increase in tax revenue. Important taxes include import duties, income and profit tax, and sales tax. Transportation and telecommunications ​ Among the more successful developments in Ethiopia has been the road system. During the brief Italian occupation of 1935-41, highways linking Addis Ababa to the provinces were opened up, and after World War II the Imperial Highway Authority opened new feeder roads to isolated localities. Road construction and maintenance slowed during the periods of conflict in the 1980s and ’90s. In 1997 the government embarked on an ambitious long-term road-development program and in the following decades constructed new roads and made repairs to the country’s existing road network. ​ With the 1994 secession of Eritrea, Ethiopia lost direct access to the Red Sea ports of Aseb and Mitsiwa. This loss placed greater importance on the Djibouti-to-Addis Ababa railway, which was originally built between 1897 and 1917 by a French company and was jointly operated by the governments of Djibouti and Ethiopia. The railway fell into disrepair, however, and, in the early 21st century, in spite of ongoing attempts to implement repairs, large portions of the tracks were unusable at any given time. ​ The railway’s limited functionality curtailed passenger and freight traffic until finally, by late 2010, trains had stopped traveling on any part of it. In the following years a new electrified rail line was constructed along the route of the old track; it was completed in 2016. The rail line, which was capable of handling cargo trains at speeds of up to 75 miles per hour and passenger trains at up to 100 miles per hour, substantially reduced the travel time between Djibouti city and Addis Ababa. The construction of the railway was part of a long-term plan by the Ethiopian government to create an expansive rail network across the country. A light-rail mass transit system in Addis Ababa was completed in 2015. ​ Ethiopia’s air transport system has enjoyed a success unparalleled in Africa. There are numerous airports located throughout the country. The internal network of Ethiopian Airlines (EA), a state-owned but independently operated carrier, is well developed, connecting major cities and locations of tourist interest. Its international network pro- vides excellent service to destinations throughout the world. Bole International Airport, near Addis Ababa, serves EA and other international airlines and is also an acknowledged center for pilot training and aircraft maintenance. Telecommunications systems in Ethiopia are rather underdeveloped. Use of landline and mobile phones is not widespread, although mobile phone usage is increasing. Internet usage is limited. Since the late 1990s the government has actively worked to expand. Government ​ Ethiopia’s ancient system of feudal government experienced significant changes under Haile Selassie I (reigned 1930-74), who carefully grafted onto the traditional governing institutions a weak parliament of appointed and elected legislators, a judiciary with modernized civil and criminal codes and a hierarchy of courts, and an executive cabinet of ministers headed by a prime minister but answerable to the emperor. ​ The Derg took power in 1974 and promised to bring revolutionary change to Ethiopia. Promulgating itself as the Provisional Military Administrative Council (PMAC) and later as the Workers’ Party of Ethiopia (WPE), the Derg instituted a Soviet-style government with a state president and a house of deputies that were answerable to a revolutionary council with a politburo at the top. In May 1991 the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) entered the capital. ​ The EPRDF introduced a temporary constitution called the National Charter, created an 87-member assembly known as the State Council, and proceeded to form a cabinet for the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE). The TGE endorsed the secession of Eritrea, realigned provincial boundaries in an attempt to create ethnic homogenates, demobilized the national armed forces, and suspended the courts and enforcing agencies. ​ The TGE was replaced by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, which was established by a constitution adopted in 1994 but not promulgated until after the federal elections of 1995. The new constitution stated that “sovereignty resides in the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia” rather than in the people as a whole and granted each nation, nationality, or people rights of self-determination, up to and including secession. ​ Under the constitution the government is a republic with a powerful prime minister as head of government and a titular president as head of state. The legislature is bicameral, with a House of Peoples’ Representatives (lower chamber) and a House of the Federation (upper chamber). Members of the former are directly elected to a five-year term, while members of the latter, who also serve a five-year term, can be either selected by state councils or directly elected if state councils exercise the option to hold an election. The ruling party in the House of Peoples’ Representatives designates a prime minister. It also nominates a candidate for the presidency, who is then subject to a vote by both legislative houses. The president serves a six-year term. Local government ​ The 1994 constitution created ethnically based kililoch (regional states; singular kilil)—Afar, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, Harari, Oromia, Somali, Tigray, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People (SNNP)—and two self-governing administrations, the cities of Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. Each regional state is headed by a president elected by the state council, and the cities are headed by a chairman. Voters in a 2019 referendum overwhelmingly supported creation of a new kilil for the Sidamo people, which would be split from the SNNP kilil. Justice, and the political process ​ The constitution provides for an independent judiciary. The federal court system is headed by the Supreme Court; there are also a High Court and Courts of First Instance. Each state has a parallel court system. There is universal suffrage for Ethiopian citizens age 18 and older. All nations, nationalities, and peoples are guaranteed the right to participate in government, and each group is represented by at least one member in the House of the Federation. Some one-fifth of the seats in the House of Peoples’ Representatives are designated for underrepresented minorities. ​ Despite these measures, however, in practice each group is not proportionally represented. Women also participate in the political process, although representation tends to be disproportionate. In the 2000s women held about one-fifth of the seats in both legislative houses. In addition, some women also served as cabinet ministers and as justices of the Supreme Court. ​ The EPRDF, a coalition comprising primarily Amhara, Oromo, and Tigray parties, was the ruling party since the formation of the new republic in 1995—until the party was dissolved in 2019. It was replaced by the Prosperity Party, which included some Amhara and Oromo groups that had been part of the EPRDF as well as several smaller regional ethnic-based parties. Other political parties include the National Movement of Amhara, Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice, and Gedeo People’s Democratic Organization. Military ​ The country’s military, the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF), is among the largest on the African continent. The army is by far the largest contingent; in addition, there is a small air force. ENDF troops have participated in several international missions as United Nations Peacekeeping Forces. Health and welfare ​ Ethiopia’s health care system includes primary health centers, clinics, and hospitals. Only major cities have hospitals with full-time physicians, and most of the hospitals are in Addis Ababa. Access to modern health care is very limited, and in many rural areas it is virtually nonexistent. The infant mortality rate is almost twice that of the world average. Common health concerns are lower respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, and HIV/AIDS. Ethiopia’s HIV/AIDS adult prevalence is above the world average and slightly above that of neighboring countries, although it is lower than that of many other African countries. In Ethiopia the prevalence is higher in urban areas and among young women and girls. ​ Most health facilities are government owned. Progress in health care in Ethiopia suffered during the Derg era, when many of the country’s doctors either emigrated or simply failed to return from specialized training abroad. Despite the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, this trend has not been reversed. Medical schools in the country continue to produce general practitioners and a few specialists, but the scale of output does not match the rising demand. Shortages of equipment and drugs are persistent problems in the country. Widespread use of traditional healing, including such specialized occupations as bone-setting, midwifery, and minor surgery (including circumcision), continues to be important. Education ​ Ethiopia maintains two educational systems. The traditional system is rooted in Christianity and Islam. Christian education at the primary level is often conducted by clergy in the vicinity of places of worship. Higher education, with emphasis on traditional Christian dogma, is still run by most major centers of worship, the most prominent being monasteries in the northern and northwestern parts of the country. Graduation from these centers leads to a position within the priesthood and church hierarchy. ​ Modern education was an innovation of the emperors Menilek II (reigned 1889–1913) and Haile Selassie I (1930-74), who established an excellent, though limited, system of primary and secondary education. In addition, colleges of liberal arts, technology, public health, building, law, social work, business, agriculture, and theology were opened in the 1950s and ’60s. ​ Public education is free at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Primary education is offered for eight years and is compulsory between ages 7 and 12. Four years of secondary education, comprising two two-year cycles, follow. Primary schools are generally accessible, and there is a high rate of enrollment; in contrast, there is a shortage of secondary schools, and enrollment declines at that level. The public school system in general has deteriorated from lack of adequate funding, teaching staff, facilities, and space. Overcrowding is common. ​ The country’s oldest university, Addis Ababa University, was founded in 1950 as University College of Addis Ababa. In 1961 it was restructured and renamed Haile Selassie I University, and in 1975 it adopted its present name. Other universities in Ethiopia include Alemaya University in Dire Dawa, Debub University in Awassa, and universities in Jimma, Mekele, and Bahir Dar. Literacy rates in Ethiopia are much lower than regional and world averages. About half the male population is literate; literacy rate estimates for the female population range from about one-third to two-fifths. Culture ​ The cultural heritage of Ethiopians resides in their religions, languages, and extended families. All major language and religious groups have their own cultural practices (which also vary by geographic location); however, there are commonalities that form strong and recognizable national traits. Most Ethiopians place less importance on artifacts of culture than they do on an idealized ethos of cultural refinement as reflected in a respect for human sanctity, the practice of social graces, and the blessings of accumulated wisdom. ​ Religion provides the basic tenets of morality. The invocation of God is often all that is needed to seal agreements, deliver on promises, and seek justifiable redress. Hospitality is reckoned the ultimate expression of grace in social relations. Old age earns respect and prominence in society, especially because of the piety, wisdom, knowledge, prudence, and altruism that it is supposed to bestow. ​ The influence of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on the national culture has been strong. Easter (Amharic: Yetinsa-e Be-al, or Fassika), Christmas (Yelidet Be-al, or Genna), and the Finding of the True Cross (Meskel) have become dominant national holidays. In an effort to reduce the dominance of Christianity, both the Derg and the EPRDF-led government have elevated the status of Islam. Major Islamic holidays include Eid al-Fit (ending the fast of Ramadan) and Eid al-Adha (ending the period of pilgrimage to Mecca). Nondenominational holidays include National Day on May 28, in observance of the 1991 defeat of the Derg regime, and Workers’ Day May 1. Cuisine ​ Ethiopia’s distinctive cuisine has gained a worldwide reputation. Its most typical dishes are wats and alechas, stews redolent with spices and aromatic vegetables. The wat is further enhanced by the addition of berbere, a complex seasoning paste made incendiary by dried hot chilies. The wat or alecha may contain beef, goat, lamb, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, or fish. Berbere and other spice pastes enliven many dishes. A spiced clarified butter, niter kebbeh, is widely used to flavor sautéed foods. Since the Ethiopian Orthodox Church mandates abstaining from meat on as many as 250 days a year, vegetarian dishes form an important part of Ethiopian cuisine. Legumes such as lentils or chickpeas appear in many guises. Other popular dishes include kitfo, chopped raw beef served with berbere. ​ A traditional Ethiopian meal is served on a communal platter covered with thin sheets of injera, a soft flat-bread prepared from a slightly fermented batter made from teff, a type of millet. The spongy injera serves as both plate and utensil; it is topped with meat and vegetable stews. Ayib, a fresh soft cheese similar to cottage cheese, serves to temper the heat of the spicy dishes. Each diner tears off a piece of injera and uses it to scoop up a morsel of one or more dishes and their sauces. One diner may feed an injera-wrapped morsel to another, a practice called gursha. Tej, a honey-based wine, or beer accompanies the meal, and coffee sweetened with honey concludes it. Tea is grown in Ethiopia and is also a popular beverage. The arts ​ Traditional Ethiopian music is as diverse as the country’s population. Many of the songs in the Amharic language incorporate a layered meaning that is described as “gold and wax.” Such songs can be interpreted as having both a spiritual theme (gold) and a meaning that is more personal and earthy (wax). The poet Mary Armede is an accomplished contemporary practitioner of this style. Influences of foreign music have been very selective, though brass ensembles and soul music have made an important impact. The celebrated Wallias and Roha bands are popular, as are singers Neway Debebe and Netsanet Mellesse. ​ Ethiopian literature, which has a long tradition, is written primarily either in classical Geʿez or in Amharic. The earliest extant literary works in Geʿez are translations of Christian religious writings from Greek, which may have influenced their style and syntax. During the 16th century, Amharic, then the principal spoken language, began to be used for literary purposes. Geʿez poetry (qene) flourished in the 18th century and has since continued to be practiced at many monasteries. After Ethiopia regained its independence from Italy in 1941, authors were encouraged to write with an emphasis on moral and patriotic themes, and there was a focus on Amharic literature. Notable writers during this period include Makonnen Endalkachew, who produced allegorical novels and plays, Kebede Mikael, known for verse dramas, and Tekle Tsodeq Makuria, known for histories. Cultural institutions ​ Most cultural institutions, including the National Museum of Ethiopia, the Museum of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, and the National Library and Archive of Ethiopia, are located in Addis Ababa. Evidence of Ethiopia’s rich cultural history is also found throughout the country at various sites, several of which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. The lower valleys of both the Awash and Omo rivers are home to several paleoanthropological sites that have yielded remains that provide evidence for the theory of human evolution. One of the best-known fossil remains is a partially complete female skeleton popularly known as “Lucy,” which was discovered at the Hadar site in the lower Awash River valley. Tiya, south of Addis Ababa, is an archaeological site that contains more than 30 monuments from an ancient Ethiopian culture. The city of Aksum, once the seat of an ancient kingdom of the same name, is home to obelisks, castle ruins, and tombs, some of which date back to the first century CE. Ethiopia’s long Christian tradition is evident in several rock-hewn churches, dating back to the 13th century, situated in the landscape of Lalibela. The historical town of Harar Jungol in southern Ethiopia developed into an important centre of Islamic culture and trade by the 16th century; its architecture and layout are notable for their unique blend of African and Islamic influences. The fortress city of Fasil Ghebbi in Gonder includes the remains of castles and palaces constructed by a series of emperors during the 17th and 18th centuries. Sports and recreation ​ Ethiopia is best known for its excellence in track events, and the international triumphs of Ethiopian runners have lifted the spirits of a people deeply aggrieved by the effects of political conflicts, social upheaval, and environ- mental disasters. The country’s Olympic debut came at the 1956 Melbourne Games, but it was Abebe Bikila’s epic barefooted Olympic marathon victory through the streets of Rome in 1960 that thrust Ethiopian athletes into the global sporting limelight. ​ By winning at the 1964 Tokyo Games (this time wearing shoes), he became the first athlete to win consecutive Olympic marathons. At the 1968 Mexico City Games, Ethiopia claimed a third consecutive marathon gold on the performance of Mamo Wolde. Miruts Yifter won gold medals in the men’s 5,000- and 10,000-meter events at the 1980 Moscow Games. (Ethiopia joined boycotts of both the 1976 and 1984 Summer Games.) ​ Haile Gebrselassie was the dominant long-distance runner of the 1990s and captured the gold medal in the 10,000-meter event at both the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2000 Sydney Games. Millon Wolde and Gezanhegne Abera also took gold medals at the Sydney Games, in the 5,000-metre race and the marathon, respectively. Kenenisa Bekele dominated in the 2000s, taking the gold medal in the 10,000-meter race in the 2004 Athens Games and in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter events at the 2008 Beijing Games. ​ Ethiopian women also enjoy an impressive record. Derartu Tulu captured the gold medal in the 10,000-meter events at both the 1992 Barcelona Games and the 2000 Sydney Games, and Fatuma Roba won the marathon gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Prominent female Ethiopian runners in the 2000s include Tulu’s cousin, Tirunesh Dibaba, who won the gold medal in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter events at the 2008 Beijing Games, and Meseret Defar, who broke three world records in 2007. ​ Ethiopia was instrumental in the organization of postcolonial African soccer, thanks to the efforts of Ydnekatchew Tessema. Tessema, former player for the St. George football team of Addis Ababa, was a founding member and guiding force of the African Football Confederation from 1957 until his death in 1987. In the 1960s Ethiopia was a force in African football, seizing the 1962 African Nations Cup held in Addis Ababa and finishing fourth in 1963 and 1968. Star forward Worku Menghistu personified the golden age of Ethiopian football and was a national hero in the 1960s. After 1970, football in Ethiopia entered a period of steady decline. Media and publishing ​ Although there has been much growth in the area of media and publishing since the fall of the Derg regime in 1991, there are still some limitations. Freedom of the press is provided for under the constitution, but the current government has not always respected these rights in practice. Media personnel have been harassed and arrested, and many journalists typically practice self-censorship. The government essentially has control over all broadcast media. ​ Ethiopian daily newspapers include two state-owned publications, Addis Zemen (Amharic) and the Ethiopian Herald (English), and the independent Daily Monitor (English). There are many other periodicals, including Captial, a business weekly (English), and the weekly Ethiopian Reporter (English and Amharic). Radio is the most popular medium of choice, and there are several radio stations that broadcast in Ethiopia. The state-owned Radio Ethiopia offers programming in several Ethiopian languages as well as in Arabic, French, and English. The state also operates a television station, Ethiopian Television.

MINISTRY AFRICA METHODISM IN AFRICA — (From left) Vagris, Umba Bertin Kyungu and Adolphe Kitenge, delegates from the North Katanga Conference in Congo, listen to the morning worship at the 2016 United Methodist General Conference at the Portland Convention Center in Portland, Ore. The proposed regionalization legislation coming to General Conference on April 23-May 3 is generating much discussion among African United Methodists. Their votes could be key to whether regionalization can pass. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UM News. Regionalization a looming key question for Africans By EVELINE CHIKWANAH , Contributing Writer HARARE, Zimbabwe (UM News) — As The United Methodist Church counts down to this year’s much-awaited General Conference, regionalization proposals are topmost on the minds of African leaders and delegates to the Charlotte, North Carolina, meeting. ​ While most African bishops and other leaders have embraced regionalization, some members and leaders of advocacy groups expressed their reservations, saying it is not in the best interests of the church in Africa. Both proponents and opponents of the legislation see African votes as key in determining whether regionalization becomes reality. ​ Western Angola Bishop Gaspar Joao Domingos said regionalization would strike a balance of power between the United States, where The United Methodist Church originated, and central conferences, which were established as mission areas. Central conferences are church regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. ​ “We do not need to take our cultural problems to the General Conference,” he said. “It would be the same with America; they won’t need to bring their local issues to be discussed by other continents.” ​ Instead, he said, regionalization would allow the denomination’s top policymaking body to focus solely on issues that affect the whole United Methodist Church — including matters of doctrine, church growth and evangelization. ​ “To maintain the current state of the church is a kind of colonization where ideas come from one point, which feels like the older brother who will solve all our problems,” Domingos said. ​ The goal of regionalization is to empower each region to adapt its ministries and practices to best respond to its unique regional needs. Groups have submitted legislation for three regionalization plans to the coming General Conference. ​​ The Christmas Covenant and Worldwide Regionalization plans also include the Connectional Table’s original legislation in its entirety. Zimbabwe Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa said regionalism has been [around] for some time. “It’s a matter of how we see it. To me regionalization is contextualization; to do things in a given context, which we have been doing. It’s not a new term, really,” Nhiwatiwa said. “In the Book of Discipline, they even write that our church has to abide by the laws of a given country. It’s a clear recognition that we don’t operate in the same environment.” ​ The United Methodist Church’s constitution already gives central conferences the authority to make “such changes and adaptations” to the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s policy book, as missional needs and differing legal contexts require. Central conferences are already exercising that authority in various ways . ​ In the meantime, only the full General Conference can decide matters that solely affect the U.S. church — leading to the frequent complaint that General Conference is too US centric. ​ When regionalization is fleshed out at General Conference, Nhiwatiwa said, it will be a bigger structure that leaves room to match the needs of a given area. ​ However, passing any of the regionalizatio n plans requires amending the denomination’s constitution — a high bar. To be ratified, amendments to the denomination’s constitution require a two-thirds vote of the General Conference followed by a two-thirds aggregate vote of the lay and clergy members present and voting in annual conferences, the denomination’s regional bodies. ​ Bishops preside at both General Conference and annual conference sessions, but they do not have a vote. Still, other African United Methodists object to regionalization, seeing it as a way to allow more permissive policies related to homosexuality. ​ “Regionalization does not go far enough to assure Africans that their position against the affirmation of same-gender relationships will not be compromised under the so-called big-tent theological umbrella,” said the Rev. Forbes Matonga , head of the West Zimbabwe delegation to the General Conference. He is also a leader in the Africa Initiative, an unofficial traditionalist advocacy group. ​ Matonga noted that while elected in different regions, United Methodist bishops serve the whole church. That means, he said, that a gay bishop elected in the US also is a bishop for Zimbabwe, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.S. Western Jurisdiction has elected two gay and married bishops in recent years. “For as long as the Council of Bishops itself is not regionalized, then this whole talk of regionalization is a smokescreen,” Matonga said. ​ Currently, the denomination’s Social Principles — part of the Book of Discipline that deals with the church’s social witness — defines marriage as between a man and a woman and describes the practice of homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching.” Another part of the Book of Discipline bans “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy and same-sex weddings. ​ Under the regionalization plans, the Social Principles would continue to apply to the whole denomination — with only General Conference authorized to vote on any revisions. But regionalization would enable all regions including the US to adapt parts of church administration and procedures within their own cultural and legal contexts. Already, central conferences adapt clergy ordination requirements based on their needs. ​ Some African delegates have made clear that they, too, support regionalization. ​ George K. Weagba, a veteran General Conference delegate from Liberia, said he knows some people conflate regionalization with homosexuality, but he does not see that as the case. He said he believes regionalization would be good for the future of The United Methodist Church as it is something the church already practiced. He cited, as an example, that ordination requirements in Africa were different from that of the US. ​ “Regionalization primarily advocates for equity,” he said. “I want to see the church in Africa benefit equally from the resources of the general church. If it means an agency of the general church is placed in Africa, another in Asia, Europe and then the US, we will be on course with things.” ​ East Africa Bishop Daniel Wandabula said the church is currently at a crossroads and a lot of misinformation is being spread. ​ “It is not true that The United Methodist Church supports homosexuality. In Africa, we believe that marriage is between one man and one wife. Our cultures, our traditions and even our governments cannot allow homo- sexuality,” said Wandabula. His episcopal area covers Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Sudan and Rwanda. ​ “We realize some of the people bringing the issue of homosexuality to Africa want to remove our focus from the main thing — that of making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” ​ He added that he sees regionalization as the best solution for the church — not only in Africa but also other parts of the world such as America, Europe and the Philippines. ​ “It would enable us to focus on the main thing,” he said, “which is preaching the Gospel and taking care of our urgent needs such as poverty and address disease and illiteracy, which are still a big problem in Africa.” ​ Church advocacy groups operating in Africa have taken different stands. The traditionalist Africa Initiative and the likeminded Wesleyan Covenant Association and Good News have all come out against regionalization. Those groups seek to make it easier for annual conferences in the central conferences and individual churches to leave The United Methodist Church for the new traditionalist Global Methodist Church, which launched in 2022. ​ Simon Mafunda, who lives in Zimbabwe, is the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s vice president for Africa strategy and also part of the Africa Initiative. He said the regionalization plan is not an option for Africa. ​ “I personally refer to it as a segregation plan designed to muzzle the voices of Africa, which is fast dominating the GC floor,” he said. “It gives even more powers and control to America.” ​ Mafunda, a longtime lay leader and former member of the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, noted that he has repeatedly asked why the regionalization plans leaves the five US jurisdictions intact. That would give the United States four administrative layers, compared to three in other regions, he said. ​ The standing committee’s Worldwide Regionalization legislation does mandate a study to examine whether the US should continue to have jurisdictions. Unlike central conferences, jurisdictions do not have authority to adapt the Discipline. ​ “Regionalization is a sure way of dismantling the unity that should actually bind us together as a denomination,” Mafunda said. “We cannot regionalize the Bible, especially when it comes to the issue of human sexuality. I believe my voice here represents many voices in Africa, who are saying ‘no’ to regionalization.” ​ The Africa Initiative is not the only advocacy group for African United Methodists. The newly formed United Methodist Africa Forum held a January meeting of African delegates that both endorsed regionalization and insisted that the church continue to define marriage as between a man and a woman . The Rev. Gabriel Banga Mususwa, United Methodist Africa Forum , said the church should remain united in Africa and denounced calls for disaffiliation. ​ “Regionalization will enable believers in different locations not only to worship God in their own languages, but also bring their own cultural traditions in their practice of Christianity and use the resources of theology to speak to the issues around them,” he said. ​ Mususwa reiterated there was need for each region to deal with issues affecting them without heading to General Conference. ​ “If we are honest to each other and faithful to God’s work, we may genuinely agree that delegates to the General Conference outside the US finds themselves discussing on US-centered issues. It’s rare African or Philippine issues are discussed at the General Conference, very rare.” ​ The regionalization question has dominated African United Methodist gatherings. On Feb. 10, the church in South Congo held a special session to hear different views on the issue. The meeting, which drew 800 church leaders, was intended to enable them to gain better understanding of the issue. ​ Retired Congo Central Bishop David Yemba said regionalization would allow United Methodists to concentrate and focus on issues of interest in their region. ​ “We need to improve what we already have in the central conferences,” he said, “not just change the name but give content to this concept.” ​ Eveline Chikwanah is a correspondent for UM Ne ws based in Harare, Zimbabwe. African regionalization support hardly unanimous Commentary b y REV. FORBES MATONGA One of the com plex dynamics of The United Methodist Church is the existence of pressure groups, commonly known as caucuses. Historically, caucuses were largely an American phenomenon, unknown to African United Methodists. ​ In the US, these groups took the flavor of national politics. Thus, the division was clearly along the lines of conservatives vs. liberals or traditionalists vs. progressives. It used to be that when Africans got to General Conference, they were amazed to see how these groups would solicit their votes, at times using demeaning methods I shall not describe here. ​ Over time, Africans realized that they do not exist at General Conference to push American interests. They have their own. African interests have included funding for Africa University, funding for theological education in Africa and fair representation on boards and commissions of the general church, to name a few. ​ The need for Africans to advocate for their own interests led to the formation of the first African caucus, named the Africa Initiative. This group was able to galvanize African delegates into a force that could not be ignored. American conservative caucuses quickly formed alliances with the Africa Initiative that included providing financial support to gather and strategize. Progressive American caucuses, meanwhile, supported the startup of other African groups that differed from the Africa Initiative. They provided funding and helped these groups strategize. A frica was targeted because its delegate numbers were growing, while American numbers were decreasing. ​ This sets the context to understand what was happening in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, recently, where Africans attending the United Methodist Africa Forum gathering are said to have unanimously endorsed regionalization and rejected disaffiliation by the same margin. Those who made this big decision included some African delegates and alternate delegates to the upcoming General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. ​ The first thing that makes this gathering interesting is the presence of big names in the United Methodist hierarchy, such as the chair of the Connectional Table, who happens to be the resident bishop of the hosting episcopal area including Tanzania. This is a sign of an express approval of this group by the powers that be in the denomination, both in Africa and globally. By contrast, in 2022, the African bishops denounced the Africa Initiative and the Wesleyan Covenant Association. ​ The question must be asked: How legitimate was the Dar es Salaam gathering? ​ I am the head of the Zimbabwe West Annual Conference delegation to General Conference. We were not invited to Dar es Salaam. I know in fact that no delegates from either Zimbabwe West or Zimbabwe East or the Malawi Mission Conference attended this gathering or the first Africa Forum gathering in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2023. I may not be qualified to speak for all African delegations to the General Conference, but this is the case for the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area. ​ The United Methodist Africa Forum may speak for itself and pronounce its position, but it does not speak for me or the Zimbabwean delegates. The Africa Forum is not a forum for all African delegates. ​ The Africa Initiative, which has a substantial number of General Conference delegates as its members, clearly opposes the regionalization agenda. The initiative’s position is regularly articulated by its general coordinator, the Rev. Jerry Kulah of Liberia, a General Conference delegate himself. ​ A few African delegates have since moved away from The United Methodist Church in response to a wave of disaffiliations that hit the US United Methodist Church, leading to the birth of the Global Methodist Church. However, most African delegates to General Conference chose to remain in The United Methodist Church, contending for the retention of the disciplinary language that prohibits same-sex weddings and the ordination of “self-avowed practicing” homosexuals anywhere in The United Methodist Church. This African group is very much alive and very capable of frustrating the liberal agenda to change the position of the church on human sexuality. ​ Regionalization as proposed does not go far enough to assure Africans that their position against the affirmation of same-gender relationships will not be compromised under the so-called big tent theological umbrella. Indeed, as long as the Council of Bishops itself is not regionalized, then the talk of regionalization is a smokescreen. ​ Currently, bishops of The United Methodist Church are bishops of the whole church. A gay bishop elected in America is a bishop for Zimbabwe, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is what Africa is rejecting. I hope our progressive and centrist brothers and sisters will understand this time around. ​ The regionalization legislation requires a constitutional amendment, which needs approval by two-thirds of the delegates, plus two-thirds of all annual conference members across the globe. That’s not going to happen. Many African delegates, who are the principal reporters to annual conferences on the outcomes of the General Conference, will advocate against regionalization, and it will fail at the annual conference level — even if progressives somehow get a favorable vote at General Conference. ​ It is instructive to note the pushback Pope Francis is getting from African Catholics for trying to promote liberal theology on human sexuality. They are rejecting his reasoning that one can bless gay people without marrying them while they are living as married couples. The United Methodist Church will, if it veers from its current policies on human sexuality, face similar pushback from Africans. ​ It is written, “A man will leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24, NIV). “.... and he (Jesus) said, ‘For this reason, a man will leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’” (Matthew 19:5, NIV). “For this reason, a man will leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31, NIV). ​ We African United Methodists shall listen to no other voice, be it from angels, [...] apostles, theologians, biblical scholars or philosophers of this world. We trust the Word of God as given in Scripture! SOLA SCRIPTURA! Ed. note: (Sola Scripture -- Latin for "by scripture alone." ​ Rev. Forbes Matonga is a pastor and a General Conference delegate in the Zimbabwe West Annual Conference. United Methodists in Africa can do their own thinki ng ​ ​ Commentary by REV. GABRIEL BANGA MUSUSWA It is painful to see how some people keep treating Africans as if they don’t think or reason properly. This is what prophets of doom have been doing to the faithful souls of our continent. ​ Africans have brains; Africans are educated; Africans are mature enough to think for themselves. Their quietness doesn’t mean Africans are incompetent or dull. It means they are patient, tolerant and avoid unnecessary tensions and quarreling. It’s unethical in our African culture and traditions for family members to keep scolding each other and fueling conflict. It’s un-Christian and uncalled for. ​ In 2019, the traditionalists of The United Methodist Church campaigned vigorously to ensure the Traditional Plan prevailed. Soon they were promoting Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline. They encouraged local churches in the U.S. to leave the denomination under that time-limited provision, and in doing so targeted their United Methodist opponents over the issue of LGBTQ inclusion. ​ Now many of the masterminds of disaffiliation have departed The United Methodist Church, leaving Africans at a crossroads. During the disaffiliation process, no African intervened, not even bishops, and no Africans were sent or assigned to help mediate. The process was painful to witness, yet our US siblings endured. ​ Now that Paragraph 2553 has expired, the masterminds have again gone to work, trying to think on behalf of Africans by arguing that the disaffiliation process should extend to Africa. They’ve also been encouraging African United Methodists to oppose the regionalization proposals coming to General Conference. ​ Do Africans need a mediator? Do we have a problem with The United Methodist Church here in Africa? The answer is "no and no." ​ The book of Galatians [in] 5:19-21 talks about works of the flesh, including adultery, sexual immorality, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions. Of late, hatred, strife, jealousies, outburst of anger, rivalries and divisions have been rampant, doing more harm to innocent souls in God’s vineyard in The United Methodist Church. ​ Christianity must be a conduit of integrity, dignity, morality, honor and reverence for one another. It’s morally incorrect to keep fueling tussling in God’s church. Sponsors of divisions and rivalries [must] refrain from testing African patience and integrity. As believers, we must be sincere and honest when dealing with church matters. Central conferences were first established in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Asia (India in 1885 and China in 1897), then Europe in 1908 and in Africa and Latin America in the 1920s. However, between the 1930s and 1960s, many annual conferences outside the US became autonomous, particularly in Asia and Latin America. ​ In 2024, UM churches and annual conferences outside the US are organized into central conferences, while in the US, annual conferences are part of jurisdictions. Therefore, the current regionalization proposals would — in an organizational sense —merely change central conferences into regional conferences. But regionalization would have real benefits, including with General Conference. ​ If we are honest with each other and faithful to God’s work, we can agree that delegates to General Conference from outside the US often find themselves discussing US-centered issues. It’s rare that African or Filipino issues are discussed. Regionalization would allow for a General Conference that focuses on matters of concern to the whole church, yet traditionalists are working against that idea, suggesting the whole idea is somehow a threat to African United Methodists. ​ They are doing so when, in fact, we already have a degree of regionalization in place. ​ Consider that most pastors in Africa — unlike other geographical areas of the church — serve strictly out of love and passion for The United Methodist Church. Most work without a monthly stipend. Even qualifications on ordination vary among jurisdictions and central conferences. All this amounts to a form of regionalization that has been in place for years. ​ It is therefore unfair, illogical and dishonest for traditionalists and their allies to label the regionalization proposal going to General Conference as a new style of colonialism and as a conduit for LGBTQ interests. That’s propa- ganda. In January, many African delegates to the General Conference met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for the United Methodist Africa Forum. They committed themselves to unity and regionalization, and they also stated that marriage is not just between two adults but between a man and a woman according to our African worldview, traditions, culture and norms. ​ They emphatically and majestically sang, “We were, we are, we will be United Methodists.” ​ To fully understand the importance of regionalization, and the degree to which it’s already lived out, one should visit Africa for a while. We are all United Methodist with the same liturgy, but our church services are conducted in a totally different way from those in the US Each region brings to the table its uniqueness. Therefore, regionalization enables believers in different locations not only to worship God in their own languages but also to bring their own cultural traditions in their practice of Christianity and use the resources of theology to speak to the issues around them. ​ In conclusion, Galatians 5:22-23 implores: “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” ​ In view of the scripture, let us refrain from politicking, divisions, hatred and rivalries. May God’s church be a church of soul winning and healing for the lost and broken in heart and spirit; not for political rhetoric and hegemony. Above all, let’s respect each other and respect Africans by acknowledging Africans have brains, are mature enough to decide for themselves and do not need a mediator to facilitate disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church. Alone you came and alone you can leave. So spare Africans from such dramas of disaffiliation. ​ Rev. Gabriel Banga Mususwa is general secretary of the United Methodist Africa Forum.

PREP SPORTS 13370 Grove Dr, Maple Grove, MN 55369 (763) 520-8667 The Park Center Pirates experienced their first winning season since 2015 with an 8-2 record. Courtesy PCHS SNEAK PEEK: Park Center Pirates football BROOKLYN PARK (MNS) — Home of the Pirates, Park Center Senior High boasts perennial state tournament qualifiers in several sports, including boys' and girls' basketball, gymnastics, Nordic skiing, CI- and PI-Adapted sports, and more. The girls' basketball team earned back-to-back state titles in 2014 and 2015, while the boys' team most recently placed third at state in 2019. Students in grades 7-12 may participate in high school athletics. Park Center is a member of the Northwest Suburban Conference (NWSC). Minnesota has an exciting and active prep multi-sports program at all of its high school campuses. Minnesota Meteor will feature these campuses from time to time to provide a peek into these programs and their male and female athletic competitors. For this issue, the Meteor takes a look at the Park Center varsity football program in Brooklyn Park. ​ Building on successful 2021 season ​ The Park Center varsity football team is looking forward to a new season, while looking to build on a successful 2021 campaign. The Pirates finished last year with an 8-2 record — the program’s first winning season since 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXCajA27HSQ A large group of seniors from last year graduated, but Park Center does return some talented players. Among the key players back are junior Isaac Davis who started at safety last year but will also play quarterback this season. Max Lemke is a three-year starter at center while Joe Burgess and Dominick Brown bring important experience and talent to the wide receiver position. Kaden Cook is a returning starter at linebacker. The Pirates lost in their section final to Rogers last year. They open this season on the road Sept. 1 at Bloomington Kennedy. http://www.ccxmedia.org http://twitter.com/ccxsports http://twitter.com/ccxnews https://www.facebook.com/ccxmedia.org/ ​ For more information contact John Hedstrom, coordinator (763) 569-7655, HedstromJohn@district279.org ; Michelle Corrigan, administrative assistant (763) 569-7654, CorriganM@district279.org

Sportswriter At-large Last year, the Twins were already 18 games back at this juncture playing .391 baseball on the heels of first-place finishes in 2019 and 2020. They are an enduring franchise—a resilience honed over many months of Sundays. Here is their story. Minnesota Twins A Comprehensive History The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis . The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division . The team is named after the Twin Cities area which includes the two adjoining cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul . ​ The franchise was founded in Washington, D.C. , in 1901 as the Washington Senators . The team moved to Minnesota and was renamed the Minnesota Twins for the start of the 1961 season . The Twins played in Metro- politan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome from 1982 to 2009. The team played its inaugural game at Target Field on April 12, 2010. The franchise won the World Series in 1924 as the Senators,[10] and in 1987 and 1991 as the Twins. ​ From 1901 to 2021, the Senators/Twins franchise's overall regular-season win-loss-tie record is 9,012–9,716–109 (.481); as the Twins (through 2021), it is 4,789–4,852–8 (.497). Washington Nationals/Senators: 1901–1960 Main article: History of the Washington Senators Washington's Bucky Harris scores on his home run in the fourth inning of Game 7 of the 1924 World Series. The team was founded in Washington, D.C. , in 1901 as one of the eight original teams of the American League. It was named the Washington Senators from 1901 to 1904, the Washington Nationals from 1905 to 1955, and the Senators again from 1956 to 1960. But the team was commonly referred to as the Senators throughout its history (unofficially as the "Grifs" during Clark Griffith 's tenure as manager from 1912 to 1920). The name "Nationals" appeared on uniforms for only two seasons, and then was replaced with the "W" logo. The media often shortened the nickname to "Nats" — even for the 1961 expansion team . The names "Nationals" and "Nats" were revived in 2005, when the Montreal Expos moved to Washington to become the Nationals . ​ The Washington Senators spent the first decade of their existence finishing near the bottom of the American League standings. The team's long bouts of mediocrity were immortalized in the 1955 Broadway musical Damn Yankees . Their fortunes began to improve with the arrival of 19-year-old pitcher, Walter Johnson , in 1907 . Harmon Killebrew was a prolific power hitter with the Minnesota Twins with career totals 2,086 hits, 1,584 RBIs, and 573 homers. Johnson blossomed in 1911 with 25 victories, although the team still finished the season in seventh place. In 1912 , the Senators improved dramatically, as their pitching staff led the league in team earned run average and in strikeouts . Johnson won 33 games while teammate Bob Groom added another 24 wins to help the Senators finish the season in second place. Griffith joined the team in 1912 and became the team's owner in 1920. (The franchise remained under Griffith family ownership until 1984. The Senators continued to perform respectably in 1913 with Johnson posting a career-high 35 victories, as the team once again finished in second place. The Senators then fell into another decline for the next decade. ​ The team had a period of prolonged success in the 1920s and 1930s, led by Walter Johnson, as well as fellow Hall-of-Famers Bucky Harris , Goose Goslin , Sam Rice , Heinie Manush , and Joe Cronin . In particular, a rejuvenated Johnson rebounded in 1924 to win 23 games with the help of his catcher, Muddy Ruel , as the Senators won the American League pennant for the first time in its history. The Senators then faced John McGraw 's heavily favored New York Giants in the 1924 World Series . The two teams traded wins back and forth with three games of the first six being decided by one run. In the deciding 7th game, the Senators were trailing the Giants 3-1 in the 8th inning when Bucky Harris hit a routine ground ball to third that hit a pebble and took a bad hop over Giants third baseman Freddie Lindstrom . Two runners scored on the play, tying the score at three. An aging Walter Johnson came in to pitch the ninth inning and held the Giants scoreless into extra innings. In the bottom of the twelfth inning, Ruel hit a high, foul ball directly over home plate . The Giants' catcher, Hank Gowdy , dropped his protective mask to field the ball but, failing to toss the mask aside, stumbled over it and dropped the ball, thus giving Ruel another chance to bat. On the next pitch , Ruel hit a double ; he proceeded to score the winning run when Earl McNeely hit a ground ball that took another bad hop over Lindstrom's head. This would mark the only World Series triumph for the franchise during their 60-year tenure in Washington. ​ The following season they repeated as American League champions but ultimately lost the 1925 World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates . After Walter Johnson retired in 1927, he was hired as manager of the Senators. After enduring a few losing seasons, the team returned to contention in 1930. In 1933 , Senators owner Griffith returned to the formula that worked for him nine years earlier: 26-year-old shortstop Joe Cronin became player-manager . The Senators posted a 99-53 record and cruised to the pennant seven games ahead of the New York Yankees , but in the 1933 World Series the Giants exacted their revenge, winning in five games. Following the loss, the Senators sank all the way to seventh place in 1934 and attendance began to fall. Despite the return of Harris as manager from 1935 to 1942 and again from 1950 to 1954, Washington was mostly a losing ball club for the next 25 years contending for the pennant only during World War II. Washington came to be known as "first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League"; their hard luck drove the plot of the musical and film Damn Yankees . In his career pitcher Bert Blyleven won 287 games, 27th-most all-time; pitched 4,970 innings, 14th-most all-time; and recorded 3,701 career strikeouts, the fifth-most in MLB history. In 1954 , the Senators signed future Hall of Fame member Harmon Killebrew . By 1959 , he was the Senators’ regular third baseman and led the league with 42 home runs, earning him a starting spot on the American League All-Star team . ​ After Griffith's death in 1955, his nephew and adopted son Calvin took over the team presidency. Calvin sold Griffith Stadium to the city of Washington and leased it back. This led to speculation that the team was planning to move, as the Boston Braves , St. Louis Browns , and Philadelphia Athletics had done in recent years. By 1957, after an early flirtation with San Francisco (where the New York Giants would move after the season), Griffith began courting Minneapolis-St. Paul, a prolonged process that resulted in his rejecting the Twin Cities' first offer before agreeing to move. Home attendance in Washington, D.C., steadily increased from 425,238 in 1955 to 475,288 in 1958, and then jumped to 615,372 in 1959. However, part of the Minnesota deal guaran- teed a million fans a year for three years, plus the potential to double TV and radio money. ​ The American League opposed the move at first, but in 1960 a deal was reached. Major League Baseball agreed to let Griffith move his team to Minneapolis-St. Paul region and allowed a new Senators team to be formed in Washington for the 1961 season. Asked nearly two decades later why he moved the team, Griffith, in a racially-biased tone replied, "I’ll tell you why we came to Minnesota; it was when I found out you only had 15,000 Blacks here. Black people don’t go to ball games, but they’ll fill up a 'rassling' ring and put up such a chant it’ll scare you to death. It’s unbelievable. We came here because you’ve got good, hard-working, White people here." ​ Minnesota Twins: 1961-present ​ Renamed the Minnesota Twins, the team set up shop in Metropolitan Stadium . Success came quickly to the team in Minnesota. Sluggers Harmon Killebrew and Bob Allison , who had been stars in Washington, were joined by Tony Oliva and Zoilo Versalles , and later second baseman Rod Carew and pitchers Jim Kaat and Jim Perry , winning the American League pennant in 1965. A second wave of success came in the late 1980s and early 1990s under manager Tom Kelly , led by Kent Hrbek , Bert Blyleven , Frank Viola , and Kirby Puckett , winning the franchise's second and third World Series (and first and second in Minnesota). The name "Twins" was derived from "Twin Cities", a popular nickname for the Minneapolis -St. Paul region. The NBA 's Minneapolis Lakers had moved to Los Angeles in 1960 due to poor attendance, blamed in part on a perceived reluctance of fans in St. Paul to support the team. Griffith was determined not to alienate fans in either city by naming the team after one city or the other. He proposed to name the team the "Twin Cities Twins," but MLB objected and Griffith therefore named the team the Minnesota Twins. The team was allowed to keep its original "TC" (for Twin Cities) insignia for its caps. The team's logo shows two men, one in a Minneapolis Millers uniform and one in a St. Paul Saints uniform, shaking hands across the Mississippi River within an outline of the state of Minnesota. The "TC" remained on the Twins' caps until 1987, when they adopted new uniforms. By this time, the team felt it was established enough to put an "M" on its cap without having St. Paul fans think it stood for Minneapolis. The "TC" logo was moved to a sleeve on the jerseys, occasionally appeared as an alternate cap design, and then was reinstated as the main cap logo in 2010. Both the "TC" and "Minnie & Paul" logos remain the team's primary insignia. ​ The Twins were eagerly greeted in Minnesota when they arrived in 1961 . They brought a nucleus of talented players: Harmon Killebrew, Bob Allison , Camilo Pascual , Zoilo Versalles , Jim Kaat , Earl Battey , and Lenny Green . Tony Oliva , who would go on to win American League batting championships in 1964 , 1965 and 1971 , made his major league debut in 1962 . That year, the Twins won 91 games, the most by the franchise since 1933 . Behind Mudcat Grant 's 21 victories, Versalles' A.L. MVP season and Oliva's batting title, the Twins won 102 games and the American League Pennant in 1965 , but they were defeated in the World Series by the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games (behind the Series MVP , Sandy Koufax , who compiled a 2-1 record, including winning the seventh game). ​ In 1962, the Minnesota State Commission on Discrimination filed a complaint against the Twins, which was the only MLB team still segregating players during spring training and when traveling in the southern United States. ​ Heading into the final weekend of the 1967 season , when Rod Carew was named the A.L. Rookie of the Year , the Twins, Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Detroit Tigers all had a shot at clinching the American League championship. The Twins and the Red Sox started the weekend tied for 1st place and played against each other in Boston for the final three games of the season. The Red Sox won two out of the three games, seizing their first pennant since 1946 with a 92-70 record. The Twins and Tigers both finished one game back, with 91-71 records, while the White Sox finished three games back, at 89-73. In 1969, the new manager of the Twins, Billy Martin , pushed aggressive base running all-around, with Carew stealing home seven times in the season (1 short of Ty Cobb 's Major League Record) in addition to winning the first of seven A.L. batting championships . With Killebrew slugging 49 homers and winning the AL MVP Award , these 1969 Twins won the very first American League Western Division Championship, but they lost three straight games to the Baltimore Orioles , winners of 109 games, in the first American League Champ- ionship Series . The Orioles would go on to be upset by the New York Mets in the World Series . Martin was fired after the season, in part due to an August 1969 fight in Detroit with 20-game winner Dave Boswell and outfielder Bob Allison , in an alley outside the Lindell A.C. bar. Bill Rigney led the Twins to a repeat division title in 1970 , behind the star pitching of Jim Perry (24-12), the A.L. Cy Young Award winner, while the Orioles again won the Eastern Division Championship behind the star pitching of Jim Palmer . Once again, the Orioles won the A.L. Championship Series in a three-game sweep, and this time they would win the World Series . 1970s ​ After winning the division again in 1970, the team entered an eight-year dry spell, finishing around the .500 mark. Killebrew departed after 1974. Owner Calvin Griffith faced financial difficulty with the beginning of free agency , costing the Twins the services of Lyman Bostock and Larry Hisle , who left as free agents after the 1977 season, and Carew, who was traded after the 1978 season. In 1975, Carew won his fourth consecutive A.L. batting title, having already joined Ty Cobb as the only players to lead the major leagues in batting ave- rage for three consecutive seasons. In 1977 , Carew batted .388, which was the highest in baseball since Bos- ton's Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941 ; he won the 1977 A.L. MVP Award . He won another batting title in 1978, hitting .333. Rod Carew was one of the most skilled hitters in Major League Base- ball history stroking 3,053 hits, 1,015 RBIs, 92 homeruns, and a lifetime batting average of .328. His highest single-season batting average was .388. The Metrodome , 2007 ​ In 1982 , the Twins moved into the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome , which they shared with the Minnesota Vikings . After a 16-54 start, the Twins were on the verge on becoming the worst team in MLB history. They turned the season around somewhat, but still lost 102 games, finishing with what is currently the second-worst record in Twins history (beaten only by the 2016 team, which lost 103 games), despite the .301 average, 23 homers and 92 RBI from rookie Kent Hrbek . In 1984, Griffith sold the Twins to multi-billionaire banker/financier Carl Pohlad . Pohlad beat a larger offer by New York businessman Donald Trump by promising to keep the club in Minnesota. The Metrodome hosted the 1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game . After several losing seasons, the 1987 team , led by Hrbek, Gary Gaetti , Frank Viola (A.L. Cy Young winner in 1988 ), Bert Blyleven , Jeff Reardon , Tom Brunansky , Dan Gladden , and rising star Kirby Puckett , returned to the World Series after defeating the favored Detroit Tigers in the ALCS , 4 games to 1. Tom Kelly managed the Twins to World Series victories over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987 and the Atlanta Braves in 1991 . The 1988 Twins were the first team in American League history to draw more than 3 million fans. On July 17, 1990, the Twins became the only team in major ​ league history to pull off two triple plays in the same game. Twins' pitcher and Minnesota native Jack Morris was the star of the series in 1991, going 2-0 in his three starts with a 1.17 ERA. 1991 also marked the first time that any team that finished in last place in their division would advance to the World Series the following season; both the Twins and the Braves did this in 1991. Contributors to the 1991 Twins' improvement from 74 wins to 95 included Chuck Knoblauch , the A.L. Rookie of the Year ; Scott Erickson , 20-game winner; new closer Rick Aguilera and new designated hitter Chili Davis . ​ The World Series in 1991 is regarded by many as one of the classics of all time. In this Series, four games were won during the teams' final at-bat, and three of these were in extra innings. The Atlanta Braves won all three of their games in Atlanta, and the Twins won all four of their games in Minnesota. The sixth game was a legendary one for Puckett, who tripled in a run, made a sensational leaping catch against the wall, and finally in the 11th inning hit the game-winning home run. The seventh game was tied 0-0 after the regulation nine innings, and marked only the second time that the seventh game of the World Series had ever gone into extra innings. The Twins won on a walk-off RBI single by Gene Larkin in the bottom of the 10th inning, after Morris had pitched ten shutout innings against the Braves. The seventh game of the 1991 World Series is widely regarded as one of the greatest games in the history of professional baseball. ​ After a winning season in 1992 but falling short of Oakland in the division, the Twins fell into a years-long stretch of mediocrity, posting a losing record each season for the next eight: 71-91 in 1993, 50-63 in 1994, 56-88 in 1995, 78-84 in 1996, 68-94 in 1997, 70-92 in 1998, 63-97 in 1999 and 69-93 in 2000. From 1994 to 1997, a long sequence of retirements and injuries hurt the team badly, and Tom Kelly spent the remainder of his managerial career attempting to rebuild the Twins. In 1997, owner Carl Pohlad almost sold the Twins to North Carolina businessman Don Beaver, who would have moved the team to the Piedmont Triad area. ​ Puckett was forced to retire at age 35 due to loss of vision in one eye from a central retinal vein occlusion . The 1989 A.L. batting champion , he retired as the Twins' all-time leader in career hits , runs , doubles , and total bases . At the time of his retirement, his .318 career batting average was the highest by any right-handed American League batter since Joe DiMaggio . Puckett was the fourth baseball player during the 20th century to record 1,000 hits in his first five full calendar years in Major League Baseball, and was the second to record 2,000 hits during his first 10 full calendar years. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 , his first year of eligibility. 2000s ​ The Twins dominated the Central Division in the first decade of the new century, winning the division in six of those 10 years ('02, '03, '04, '06, '09 and '10), and nearly winning it in '08 as well. From 2001 to 2006, the Twins compiled the longest streak of consecutive winning seasons since moving to Minnesota. ​ Threatened with closure by league contraction , the 2002 team battled back to reach the American League Championship Series before being eliminated 4-1 by that year's World Series champion Anaheim Angels . The Twins have not won a playoff series since the 2002 ALDS against Oakland, despite the team winning several division championships in the decade. ​ In 2006, the Twins won the division on the last day of the regular season (the only day all season they held sole possession of first place) but lost to the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS . Ozzie Guillén coined a nickname for this squad, calling the Twins "little piranhas." The Twins players embraced the label, and in response, the Twins Front office started a "Piranha Night." with piranha finger puppets given out to the first 10,000 fans. ​ Scoreboard operators sometimes played an animated sequence of piranhas munching under that caption in situations where the Twins were scoring runs playing "small ball," and the stadium vendors sold T-shirts and hats advertising "The Little Piranhas." The Twins also had the AL MVP in Justin Morneau, the A.L batting champion in Joe Mauer , and the AL Cy Young Award winner in Johan Santana . ​ In 2008, the Twins finished the regular season tied with the White Sox on top of the AL Central, forcing a one-game playoff in Chicago to determine the division champion. The Twins lost that game and missed the playoffs. The game location was determined by rule of a coin flip that was conducted in mid-September. This rule was changed for the start of the 2009 season, making the site for any tiebreaker game to be determined by the winner of the regular season head-to-head record between the teams involved. ​ After a year where the Twins played .500 baseball for most of the season, the team won 17 of their last 21 games to tie the Detroit Tigers for the lead in the Central Division. The Twins were able to use the play-in game rule to their advantage when they won the A.L. Central at the end of the regular season by way of a 6-5 tiebreaker game that concluded with a 12th-inning walk-off hit by Alexi Casilla to right field, that scored Carlos Gómez. However, they failed to advance to the American League Championship Series as they lost the American League Divisional Series in three straight games to the eventual World Series champion New York Yankees Yankees. That year, Joe Mauer became only the second catcher in 33 years to win the AL MVP award. Iván Rodríguez won for the Texas Rangers in 1999, previous to that, the last catcher to win an AL MVP was the New York Yankees Thurman Munson in 1976. ​ 2010 This marked Minnesota's inaugural season played at Target Field , where the Twins finished the regular season with a record of 94-68, clinching the AL Central Division title for the 6th time in 9 years under manager Ron Gardenhire . New regular players included rookie Danny Valencia at third base, designated hitter Jim Thome , closer Matt Capps , infielder J. J. Hardy , and infielder Orlando Hudson . In relief pitching roles were late additions Brian Fuentes and Randy Flores . On July 7, the team suffered a major blow when Justin Morneau sustained a concussion, which knocked him out for the rest of the season. In the divisional series , the Twins lost to the Yankees in a three-game sweep for the second consecutive year.[80] Following the season, Ron Gardenhire received AL Manager of the Year honors after finishing as a runner up in several prior years. 2017-present ​ In 2017, the Twins went 85-77, finishing second In the AL Central. Following Brian Dozier 's 34 homeruns, Miguel Sanó , Byron Buxton , and Eddie Rosario all had breakout years, while Joe Mauer hit .305. They ended up making the playoffs, which made them the first ever team to lose 100 games the previous year and make the playoffs the next season. They lost to the Yankees in the wild card round. ​ The 2018 season did not go as well. The Twins went 78-84, and did not return to the post-season. Sanó and Buxton were injured most of the year and eventually both sent down to the minors, while long-time Twin Brian Dozier was traded at the deadline. One bright spot came at the end of the season, when hometown hero Joe Mauer returned to catcher (his original position) for his final game, ending his career with a signature double and standing ovation. Another highlight was the team's two-game series against the Cleveland Indians in San Juan, Puerto Rico . After the season, manager Paul Molitor was fired. Free agent signing Logan Morrison and long-time veteran Ervin Santana declared free agency. Miguel Sanó , infielder (2015–present) ​ In 2019, the Twins clinched the AL Central Division for the first time since 2010, finishing the season with the second-most wins in franchise history with 101, one short of the 1965 season. The team combined for a total of 307 home runs, the most in MLB history for a single season. The team's slugging prowess has earned them the nickname the Bomba Squad. In the 2019 ALDS , the Twins opponents were the New York Yankees, who finished one home run behind at 306 and the second team to break the 300 home run mark. The Twins were swept again, and extend their postseason losing streak to 16, dating back to the 2004 ALDS. On Sept. 17, 2019, Miguel Sanó hit a 482-foot home run to make the Twins the first team in major league history to have five players with at least 30 home runs in a season. ​ The Metrodome in 2006 ​ The quirks of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome , including the turf floor and the white roof, gave the Twins a home-field advantage that helped them win the World Series in 1987 and 1991, at least in the opinion of their opponents. The Twins went 12–1 in postseason home games during those two seasons, becoming the first and second teams to sweep all four home games in a World Series. (The feat was repeated by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 .) Nevertheless, the Twins argued that the Metrodome was obsolete. Furthermore, they said sharing a stadium with the NFL 's Minnesota Vikings , as they had been doing since their 1961 move to Minnesota, limited the team's revenue and made it difficult to sustain a top-notch, competitive team. The team was rumored to contemplate moving to New Jersey , Las Vegas , Portland, OR , the Greensboro /Winston-Salem, NC area , and elsewhere in search of a more financially competitive market. In 2002, the team was nearly disbanded when Major League Baseball selected the Twins and the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals franchise) for elimination due to their financial weakness. The impetus for league contraction diminished after a court decision forced the Twins to play out their lease on the Metrodome. However, Twins owner Carl Pohlad continued his efforts to move, pursuing litigation against the Metropolitan Stadium Commission and obtaining a state court ruling that his team was not obligated to play in the Metrodome after the 2006 season. This cleared the way for the Twins to move or disband before the 2007 season if a new deal was not reach. Target Field in 2010 ​ In response to the threatened loss of the Twins, the Minnesota private and public sector negotiated and approved a financing package for a replacement stadium—a baseball-only outdoor, natural turf ballpark in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis —owned by a new entity known as the Minnesota Ballpark Authority. Target Field was constructed at a cost of $544.4 million (including site acquisition and infrastruc-ture), utilizing the proceeds of a $392 million public bond offering based on a 0.15 percent sales tax in Hennepin County and private financing of $185 million provided by the Pohlad family . As part of the deal, the Twins also signed a 30-year lease of the new stadium, effectively guaranteeing the continuation of the team in Minnesota for a long time to come. Construction of the new field began in 2007, and was completed in December 2009, in time for the 2010 season. Commissioner Bud Selig , who earlier had threatened to disband the team, observed that without the new stadium the Twins could not have committed to sign their star player, catcher Joe Mauer , to an 8-year, $184 million contract extension. The first regular-season game in Target Field was played against the Boston Red Sox on April 12, 2010, with Mauer driving in two runs and going 3-for-5 to help the Twins defeat the Red Sox, 5-2. On May 18, 2011, Target Field was named "The Best Place To Shop" by Street and Smith 's SportsBusiness Journal at the magazine's 2011 Sports Business Awards Ceremony in New York City. It was also named "The Best Sports Stadium in North America" by ESPN The Magazine in a ranking that included over 120 different stadiums, ballparks and arenas from around North America. ​ In July 2014, Target Field hosted the 85th Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby . In June 2020, following protests over the murder of George Floyd , a statue of former owner Calvin Griffith was removed from Target Plaza outside of the stadium because of his history of racist comments. ​ Uniforms ​ The Twins' white home uniform, first used in 2015, features the current "Twins" script (with an underline below "win") in navy outlined in red with Kasota gold drop shadows. Letters and numerals also take on the same color as the "Twins" script. The modern "Minnie and Paul" alternate logo (with the state of Minnesota in navy outlined in Kasota gold) appears on the left sleeve. Caps are in all-navy with the interlocking "TC" outlined in Kasota gold. ​ The Twins' red alternate home uniform, first used in 2016, features the "TC" insignia outlined in Kasota gold on the left chest. Letters and numerals are in navy outlined in white with Kasota gold drop shadows. The "Minnie and Paul" alternate logo appears on the left sleeve. The uniform is paired with a navy-brimmed red cap with the "TC" outlined in Kasota gold. ​ The Twins' navy alternate home uniform, first used in 2019, features the classic "Twins" script (with a tail under- accent after the letter "s") in red outlined in navy and Kasota gold. Letters and numerals also take on the same color as the "Twins" script. As with the home white uniforms, it is paired with the all-navy Kasota gold "TC" cap. The gold-trimmed "TC" insignia also appears on the left sleeve. ​ The Twins' powder blue alternate uniform, first used in 2020, is a modern buttoned version of the road uniform the team used from 1973 to 1986. The set contains the classic "Twins" script in red outlined in navy, along with red letters on the back and red numerals (both on the chest and on the back) outlined in navy. The "Minnie and Paul" alternate logo appears on the left sleeve. The uniform is paired with the primary all-navy "TC" cap minus the Kasota gold accents, which is also used on the helmets regardless of uniform. ​ The Twins' grey road uniform, first used in 2010, features the current "Minnesota" script (with an underline below "innesot") in red trimmed in navy. Letters are in navy while numerals (both on the chest and on the back) are in red trimmed in navy. The team's primary logo appears on the left sleeve. The uniform is paired with either the all-navy or the red-brimmed navy "TC" cap. ​ The Twins' navy alternate road uniform, first used in 2011, shares the same look as the regular road uniforms, but with a few differences. The "Minnesota" script is in red outlined in white, letters and chest numerals are in white outlined in red, and back numerals are in red outlined in white. Red piping is also added. The uniform is paired with either the all-navy or the red-brimmed navy "TC" cap. Current Twins uniforms From 1961 to 1971 the Twins sported uniforms bearing the classic "Twins" script and numerals in navy outlined in red. They wore navy caps with an interlocking "TC" on the front; this was adopted because Griffith was well aware of the bitter rivalry between St. Paul and Minneapolis and didn't want to alienate fans in either city. The original "Minnie and Paul" alternate logo appears on the left sleeve of both the pinstriped white home uniform and grey road uniform. ​ For the 1972 season the Twins updated their uniforms. The color scheme on the "Twins" script and numerals were reversed, pinstripes were removed from the home uniform, and an updated "Minnie and Paul" roundel patch replaced the originals on the left sleeve. ​ In 1973 the Twins switched to polyester pullover uniforms, which included a powder blue road uniform. Chest numerals were added while a navy-brimmed red cap was used with the home uniform. The original "Minnie and Paul" logo returned to the left sleeve. Player names in red were added to the road uniform in 1977. In 1987 the Twins updated their look. Home white uniforms brought back the pinstripes along with the modern-day "Twins" script. By this time, the franchise felt it was established enough in the area that it could put a stylized "M" on its cap without having fans in St. Paul think it stood for Minneapolis. The "TC" insignia adorned the left sleeve, later replaced by the modern "Minnie and Paul" alternate in 2002. Road grey uniforms, which also featured pinstripes, were emblazoned with "Minnesota" in red block letters outlined in navy, while the updated primary logo adorned the left sleeve. Both uniforms kept the red numerals trimmed in navy, but the color on the player names was changed to navy. In 1997, player names were added to the home uniform. Initially, both uniforms were paired with an all-navy cap featuring the underlined "M" in front, but in 2002, the "TC" cap was brought back as a home cap while the "M" cap was used on the road. The "M" cap was retired following the 2010 season, though the team continued to wear them as a throwback on special occasions. ​ For a few games during the 1997 season, the Twins wore red alternate uniforms, which featured navy piping and letters in white trimmed in navy. In that same year, the Twins also released a road navy alternate uniform, featuring red piping, "Minnesota" and player names in white block letters outlined in red, and red numerals outlined in white. The following season, the Twins replaced the red uniforms with a home navy alternate, which features the "Twins" script and back numerals in red outlined in white, and player names and chest numerals in white outlined in red. Both uniforms contained the "TC" (later modern "Minnie and Paul") and primary logo sleeve patches respec- tively. The Twins also brought back the navy-brimmed red cap for a few games with the home navy alternates. The road navy alternates remained in use until 2009, with the home navy version worn for the last time in the 2013 season. ​ The Twins also wore three other alternate uniforms in the past. In 2006, the Twins wore a sleeveless variation of their regular home uniforms with navy undershirts, which they wore until 2010. They also wore a buttoned version of their 1973-86 home uniforms in 2009, before giving way to the throwback off-white version of their 1961-71 home uniforms from 2010 to 2018. ​ The Minnesota Twins farm system consists of six minor league affiliates. With the invitation of the St. Paul Saints to join the Twins. ​ Minnesota Twins Hall of Famers. Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Washington Senators Stan Coveleski Joe Cronin Ed Delahanty Rick Ferrell Lefty Gomez Goose Goslin * Clark Griffith * Bucky Harris * Whitey Herzog Walter Johnson * Heinie Manush * Sam Rice * Al Simmons George Sisler Tris Speaker Early Wynn Minnesota Twins Bert Blyleven * Rod Carew * Steve Carlton Jim Kaat * Harmon Killebrew * Paul Molitor Jack Morris Tony Oliva * David Ortiz Kirby Puckett * Jim Thome Dave Winfield ​ ​ Molitor, Morris, and Winfield were all St. Paul natives who joined the Twins late in their careers and were warmly received as "hometown heroes," but were elected to the hall primarily on the basis of their tenures with other teams. Both Molitor and Winfield had their 3,000th hit with Minnesota, while Morris pitched a com- plete-game shutout for the Twins in game seven of the 1991 World Series . Molitor was the first player in history to hit a triple for his 3,000th hit. ​ Cronin, Goslin, Griffith, Harris, Johnson, Killebrew and Wynn are listed on the Washington Hall of Stars display at Nationals Park (previously they were listed at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium ). So are Ossie Bluege , George Case , Joe Judge , George Selkirk , Roy Sievers , Cecil Travis , Mickey Vernon and Eddie Yost . Ford C. Frick Award recipients Rod Carew Harmon Killebrew Joe Mauer Tony Oliva Kirby Puckett ​ Minnesota Twins Ford C. Frick Award recipients . Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Herb Carneal Russ Hodges Arch McDonald Chuck Thompson Bob Wolff

Features Why 18-year-olds can buy AR-15s, not handguns The massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, highlights disparities in how federal laws regulate rifles and handguns. The shooter bought 2 rifles days after his18th birthday. ​By KIAH COLLIER and JEREMY SCHARTZ , Contributing Writers The fact that the gunman responsible for this week’s massacre in Uvalde, Texas, was able to buy two AR-15s days after his 18th birthday highlights how much easier it is for Americans to purchase rifles than handguns. Under federal law , Americans buying handguns from licensed dealers must be at least 21, which would have precluded Salvador Ramos from buying that type of weapon. That trumps Texas law , which only requires buyers of any type of firearm to be 18 or older. ​ Following the massacre at Robb Elementary School, which killed 19 children and two adults, a growing number of lawmakers in Texas and beyond are calling for the minimum age to purchase assault rifles to be raised to 21 from 18. Doing so would require undoing nearly two centuries of more permissive regulations on so-called long guns. ​ "It's something that could happen at either the state or federal level, but I don’t see movement on either front," said Sandra Guerra Thompson, a criminal law professor at the University of Houston Law Center. ​ Only six states—Florida, Washington, Vermont, California, Illinois and Hawaii—have increased the minimum purchase age for long guns to 21, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. The majority did so following the 2018 massacre in Parkland, Florida, where a then-19-year-old assailant killed 17 people at a high school. ​ Several states face legal challenges. The National Rifle Association sought to repeal the Florida law. ​ "The ban infringes the right of all 18-to-20-year-olds to purchase firearms for the exercise of their Second Amendment rights, even for self-defense in the home," the NRA argued in a court filing, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel . "The ban does not just limit the right, it obliterates it." ​ Government attorneys, however, argued that because "18-to-20-year-olds are uniquely likely to engage in impulsive, emotional, and risky behaviors that offer immediate or short-term rewards, drawing the line for legal purchase of firearms at 21 is a reasonable method of addressing the Legislature's public safety concerns." A federal judge upheld the law last year; the NRA is appealing . ​ A US Court of Appeals recently ruled that California’s version of the law was unconstitutional, though it did uphold a provision that requires adults under 21 to obtain a hunting license before buying a rifle or shotgun. After the shooting in Uvalde this week, lawmakers in New York and Utah also called on their states to raise the age limit for long gun purchases to 21. US Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced federal legislation earlier this month—less than a week before the Uvalde shooting—that would raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons to 21 from 18; the California Dem- ocrat said in a statement that it was in response to a shooting that killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket. That gunman also was 18 years old. ​ "It makes no sense that it’s illegal for someone under 21 to buy a handgun or even a beer, yet can legally buy an assault weapon," she said. ​ Lindsay Nichols, federal policy director at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, said that increasing the age requirement at the federal level may be more effective because federal authorities can inspect and discipline licensed firearm sellers. ​ "State authorities often don't have a system in place for enforcing the laws governing" licensed dealers, Nichols said. ​ In the hours after the shooting in Uvalde, there was some confusion about what types of firearms Ramos had used. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott initially said that Ramos had a handgun and possibly a rifle. That prompted some to speculate that Ramos had been able to get hold of the weapons more easily because of recent changes to the gun laws in Texas, including a bill passed last year that allows Texans to carry handguns without a permit or training. But those early reports turned out to be inaccurate. ​ After it became clear that the weapon used was a rifle, Texas Democrats questioned why Ramos was able to purchase one at the age of 18. ​ "Why do we accept a government that allows an 18-year-old to buy an assault rifle, but not tobacco products?" state Rep. Nicole Collier, a Fort Worth Democrat who chairs the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, said in a statement. "The hypocrisy of government is deafening. We can develop gun policy that does not infringe upon one’s constitutional right, while preserving and protecting life; that's called multitasking and we can do that.” ​ State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, a Houston Democrat, called on Abbott to convene a special session of the Legisla- ture so lawmakers could "pass real gun reforms," including raising the minimum age to purchase long guns. ​ "Enough is enough," he said ​ Such a move would reverse a decades-old Texas system that treats handguns differently from long guns, which have long been exempted from state rules on open carry. ​ The disparate rules date back to the post-Civil War era, when the state—counter to its modern-day reputation— adopted some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. ​ “Despite its stereotype of being a state where cowboys promiscuously tote six-shooters, Texas is one of the few states that absolutely prohibits the bearing of pistols by private individuals,” wrote firearms attorney Stephen Halbrook in a 1989 Baylor Law Review article, six years before former Texas Gov. George W. Bush relaxed rules on handguns considerably. ​ Following spasms of violence that were then plaguing the young state in the 19th century, lawmakers "started specifically targeting weapons that they equated with crime," said Texas historian Brennan Rivas, who is writing a book about the state's early gun laws. "They equated bowie knives, daggers and pistols with interpersonal violence and crime." ​ Muskets, rifles and shotguns, by comparison, were excluded because they were used for hunting or participa- ting in a militia. ​ "They didn’t consider long guns to be deadly weapons," Rivas said. "Those had valuable uses. Whereas these other weapons were kind of like a plague on polite society." ​ Lawmakers of that time could not have envisioned that long guns would evolve from lumbering hunting rifles into AR-15s capable of firing dozens of rounds per minute, Rivas added. ​ But any tighter requirements appear unlikely to pass in Texas . ​ Just last year, following high-profile massacres in El Paso and in Midland and Odessa in 2019, lawmakers approved a variety of measures that loosened gun regulations. In addition to authorizing the carrying of handguns in public without a permit or training, the laws ban the governor from limiting gun sales during an emergency and allow gun owners to bring their weapons into hotel rooms. ​ During a press conference at Uvalde High School, Abbott repeated a claim he and other Republican state leaders have often made, that mental health issues are to blame for the streak of mass shootings, not lax gun regulations. Officials conceded that they were not aware that the gunman had any criminal or mental health issues. ​ "The ability of an 18-year-old to buy a long gun has been in place in the state of Texas for more than 60 years," Abbott said. "And why is it that for the majority of those 60 years we did not have school shootings? And why is it that we do now?" ​ A re-print by permission of ProPublica and The Texas Tribune . This article is co-published with The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan local newsroom that informs and engages with Texans. ​ Kiah Collier is an investigative reporter for the ProPublica-Texas Tribune Investigative Initiative. kiah.collier@propublica.org ​ Jeremy Schwartz is an investigative reporter for the ProPublica-Texas Tribune Investigative Initiative jeremyschwartz@propublica.org