South Sudan starts planning for life beyond war, cautiously

Six months ago planning ahead in civil war-torn South Sudan seemed impossible but now, after warring sides signed a new peace deal in September that the government vows will hold, some are starting to rebuild their lives. (AP)
Updated 15 December 2018
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South Sudan starts planning for life beyond war, cautiously

  • Saturday marks the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the civil war that has killed nearly 400,000 people
  • After a peace deal in September that the government vows will hold, some are rebuilding their lives

BENTIU, South Sudan: Just months ago, planning ahead in civil war-torn South Sudan seemed impossible. Now, after a peace deal in September that the government vows will hold, some are rebuilding their lives.
Saturday marks the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the civil war that has killed nearly 400,000 people.
Armed opposition leader Riek Machar is sounding a note of hope: “This year I can announce to the people of South Sudan that peace is not just on the horizon, but it is here.”
Amid the small signs: A Christmas party in a United Nations camp for tens of thousands of displaced people will occur at midnight instead of during safer daylight hours.
But fears, and fighting, remain. “The peace is here but the peace is still not well,” a child says.


US VP says Venezuela can only sell oil if it serves US interests

Updated 08 January 2026
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US VP says Venezuela can only sell oil if it serves US interests

  • The United States controls Venezuela’s ‍purse ‍strings, Vance said

WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance, in remarks ​due to air later on Wednesday, said Venezuela can only sell its oil if it serves the interests ‌of the ‌United States.
Vance ‌told ⁠Fox ​News’ “Jesse ‌Waters Primetime” show that the United States — which carried out strikes against the South American country and ⁠captured its president over ‌the week — controls Venezuela’s ‍purse ‍strings.
“We control the ‍energy resources, and we tell the regime, you’re allowed to sell the ​oil so long as you serve ⁠America’s national interest, you’re not allowed to sell it if you can’t serve America’s national interest,” Vance said.
Excerpts of the interview were released before it aired.