Today we bring you the staggering story of how Sudanese mercenaries are making billions of dollars doing the dirty work of foreign governments. Plus, we reveal the growing trend of energy self-sufficient schools and ask whether the coronavirus outbreak (pictured) will make China more transparent. Plenty of news to get your teeth into.
| Solar storage is helping the Golden State's schools remain open — and safe — during wildfires. When it comes to schools and solar power, the Santa Rita Union School District tops the class. Last year, the Salinas-based district of 3,600 students became the first nationwide with the capacity to become entirely energy self-sufficient, with a microgrid — a combination of solar panels and battery storage units — at each school site. Yet the district is an exemplar of a larger pattern that’s redefining how American schools respond to climate change. From Nevada to New York City, Arizona to Hawaii, a growing number of school districts are investing in solar microgrids. But it’s California that’s driving this move, at a time the state finds itself repeatedly singed by wildfires. | READ NOW |
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| | Their list of global partners includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the EU. Once known as the Janjaweed — a group of state-sponsored Arab militias that spearheaded the genocide in Darfur and traditionally operated near the Sudan-Chad border — Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are now dramatically expanding their geographic footprint. Under dictator Omar al-Bashir, the group was deployed to crush protests in Khartoum and to wage a brutal counterinsurgency in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains. The RSF is also increasingly doing the dirty work of foreign governments. Over the past five years, the group has deployed 40,000 fighters into Yemen and Libya to fight alongside forces loyal to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Some experts estimate that each fighter gets paid up to $10,000 a month — which amounts to a total annual wage bill of nearly $5 billion. Until recently, the RSF was patrolling Sudan’s borders as part of a European Union initiative — known as the Khartoum Process — to crack down on migration. | READ NOW |
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| | Rep. Val Demings is making a compelling case on the Senate floor, and her background makes her a top choice as a Democratic running mate. |
| | The outbreak of China’s new coronavirus is a serious test for the otherwise secretive government. |
| | The "Richest Woman in Africa" says she earned her more than $2 billion. A leak of 715,000 documents begs to differ. |
| | Big Tech’s response to scrutiny could have unintended consequences for Democrats. |
| | As Golden State tanks its way to a top draft pick, what does NBA history tell us about where the Warriors are headed? |
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