Conflict Pushes Displaced People to Record 65.3 Million

Last year, more people than ever before were displaced by
persecution and conflict

A record 65.3 million people were displaced by persecution and conflict in 2015, and many
encountered closed borders and stronger anti-asylum sentiment, the United Nations said
Monday.

It was the highest figure since the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees started
keeping records, and it was the first time the 60 million barrier was breached. The number
covers asylum seekers, refugees entitled to international protection and internally displaced
people forced to leave their homes to avoid persecution.

The total—bigger than the population ofthe U.K.—climbed from the 59.5 million registered at
the end of 2014.

This means that one 1 every 113 people on the planet is now an asylum-seeker, internally
displaced in a home country or a refugee.

"The willingness of nations to work together not just for refugees but for the collective human
interest is what's being tested today, and it is this spirit of unity that badly needs to prevail,"
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said.

Decades of fighting in Afghanistan and Somalia and new or reignited conflicts in places such as
Syria, South Sudan and Yemen lifted the total number of refugees to 21.3 million—more than
half of them children, said the UNHCR.

"Politics is gravitating against asylum in some countries," said Mr. Grandi, adding that a
"frightening" number of refugees and migrants are dying at sea, and on land people are finding
their way blocked by closed borders.

While the European Union has managed to stem the influx of Syrian refugees and other
migrants after striking a deal with Turkey in March, an increasing number of mostly African
migrants are attempting to make the perilous journey via Libya across the Mediterranean Sea to
Italy, indicating the difficulty in trying to stop people escaping conflict attempting to reach the
Some 50,000 people were rescued and brought to Italy this year and over 2,000 are feared dead
after several boats capsized off the Libyan coast, according to the UNHCR.

Anxiety over rising immigration levels in the U.K. has fueled anti-EU sentiment before this
week's referendum on whether the country should leave the bloc.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has made a hard line on illegal
immigration a centerpiece ofhis campaign.

Monday marks World Refugee Day, which was first commemorated annually in 2001.
A record new 2 million asylum requests were registered last year in industrialized countries.
Germany received the highest number of asylum claims, at 441,900, followed by the U.S. with
172,700, mainly from individuals fleeing gang-related violence in Central America.
Despite the EU managing 1 million refugees and migrants who arrived in 2015 via the
Mediterranean, UNHCR reports that 86% of refugees were located in the developing world.
Turkey was the biggest host country with 2.5 million refugees.

Lebanon held more refugees relative to its existing population than any other country, or 183
for every 1,000 Lebanese.



Response:
This article is sharing the shocking facts that number of asylum seekers in the world are rapidly rising.  Clearly there is bias for the asylum seekers, and I found myself believing that there must be more that could be done for these people. When looking at this topic, it is good to remember all sides. Many countries have already taken in so many asylum seekers, they have reached capacity. In my opinion, there should not just be an effort in Europe to take these people in, but really the countries they are fleeing from. It is hard to define how this could be accomplished though, because these countries are persecuting the fleeing and they are in complete turmoil. In this article there are many numbers that could confuse the reader, or make it seem more accurate. When reading this article it is important to keep in mind that some of the numbers may be estimated or exaggerated for effect. This is clearly a rising the issue is facing, and as stated in the article is for the betterment of the entire  human population, if it can be helped, or resolved. It is time for the entire world to be trying to solve this growing problem, since it is unsafe and not humanitarian.

Moloney, Liam. "Conflict Pushes Displaced People to Record 65.3 Million."

WSJ. N.p., 20 June 2016. Web. 20 June 2016. <http://www.wsj.com/articles/conflict-pushes-displaced-people-to-record-65-3-million-1466430994>.

Extreme poverty is a reality, not just a faceless statistic, pope says

ROME (CNS) The key to ending extreme poverty and hunger is to recognize that behind every
statistic, there is the face of a person who is suffering, Pope Francis said. 

"Poverty has a face! It has the face of a child; it has the face of a family; it has the face of people,
young and old. It has the face of widespread unemployment and lack of opportunity. It has the
face of forced migrations, and of empty or destroyed homes," the pope said June 13 during a
visit to the Rome headquarters of the U.N .'s World Food Program. 

Advanced communications, while informing the world of the tragedy of poverty, has also
resulted in a desensitized culture that has turned the real suffering of people into statistics, the
pope told WFP executive board members. 

The world is gradually -growing immune to other people's tragedies, seeing them as something
'natural,'" he said. "Without faces and stories, human lives become statistics and we run the risk
of bureaucratizing the sufferings of others." 

According to the WFP website, the organization provides food assistance to an estimated 80
million people in 82 countries. 

Arriving at the headquarters, the pope greeted employees and took a moment to pray in front of
a plaque commemorating those who died in the line of duty. The pope praised their sacrifice,
saying that far from a "cold and anonymous institution," the WFP is "an effective means for the
international community" to carry out the work of feeding the hungry. 

"The credibility of an institution is not based on its declarations, but on the work accomplished 

by its members," he said. 

While noting the potential of an "interconnected world marked by instant communications,- the
pope also lamented a situation in which extreme poverty is considered -natural - and the tragic
circumstances of the hungry "turn into one more news story." 

If the people behind the statistics are not recognized, he said, the world "can yield to the temptation of discussing 'hunger; 'food,' and 'violence' as concepts without reference to the real
people knocking on our doors today." 

"We are bombarded by so many images that we see pain, but do not touch it; we hear weeping,
but do not comfort it; we see thirst but do not satisfy it," he said. "While the headlines may
change, the pain, the hunger and the thirst remain; they do not go away." 

Pope Francis told the members of the WFP executive board that the first step in fighting poverty
is to "de-naturalize" it and shed light on the causes of poverty due to "a selfish and wrong
distribution of resources" as well as the abuse and exploitation of the earth. 

"We have made the fruits of the earth a gift to humanity commodities for a few, thus
engendering exclusion. The consumerism in which our societies are immersed has made us
grow accustomed to excess and to the daily waste of food," he said. 

The pope also brought attention to the resources and priority given to the production and
purchase of weapons at the same time that efforts to distribute food supplies to hungry people
suffering in war zones are used as a "weapon of war." 

"We thus find ourselves faced with a strange paradox. Whereas forms of aid and development
projects are obstructed by complicated and incomprehensible political decisions, skewed
ideological visions and impenetrable customs barriers, weaponry is not," he said.
Praising the World Food Program's dedication to eradicating world hunger, the pope affirmed
the church 's commitment and cooperation to defend and protect the dignity of those who
suffer. 

"'I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.' These
words embody one of the axioms of Christianity. Independent of creeds and convictions, they
can serve as a golden rule for our peoples," the pope said. 

After delivering his address, Pope Francis greeted WFP employees, telling them he preferred to
speak off the cuff rather than reading his prepared remarks because "speeches are a bit boring."
Thanking the employees for their "hidden work behind the scenes" in eradicating poverty, the
pope called on them to never forget the lives of the program's employees who died while
serving others. 

"They were able to do that not only because of the courage they had (and) the faith they had in
their work, but also because they were sustained by your work. Thank you so much and I ask you
to pray for me so that I, too, can be able to do something against hunger," he said.



Response:

This article, bring from a Catholic news agency, is focused on the Pope and his view on Poverty, but it holds key facts for the fight against poverty. It praises the WFP, and states that it is an organization that does not just say it is going to do something, but truly does act for the improvement of the situation. The Pope praises all the people of the WFP that has died for the cause to end poverty. When one looks at poverty, many just think about the money they should give, or an image of a hungry child. This issue is much bugger, and as the Pope states, "Poverty has a face!" Those suffering, without food, clothes, and the bare necessities of life, are just as much people and individuals as we are. There should be more awareness and fundraising, but it is not good enough just to say you are going to do something. With a promise comes action. The world must become doers for anything to truly be accomplished. 

Esteves, Junno Arocho. "Extreme Poverty Is a Reality, Not a Faceless Statistic, Pope Says." 

Catholic News Service. N.p., 13 June 2016. Web. 13 June 2016. <http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/extreme-poverty-is-a-reality-not-a-faceless-statistic-pope-says.cfm>.

What Japan's 7-year old survivalist wants to do next

Seven-year-old Yamato Tanooka was met with loud camera flashes and cheers from dozens of people when he appeared outside the hospita in the city of Hakodate on the northern island of Hokkaido. Wearing a baseball gap and a gray jacket over a T-shirt, Yamato waved at the crowd while he holding a greeting card in the shape of an oversized baseball.

Japanese boy found after being abandoned in woods as punishment

When asked what he would like to do, he said he wants to play baseball.

'I am fine," Yamato said when a reporter asked how he is feeling.

Yamato added he would like to go back to school soon and is looking forward to participating in a sports day at his school.

Before leaving the hospital, his father bowed to the cameras and said, "Thank you."

Yamato was found in a military training ground hut on Friday, six days after he was reported missing. Japanese media said the boy experienced only light dehydration and minor bruises on an arm and both of his legs, even though he had not eaten and drunk only water.

Shunsuke Kudo, an assistant section chief for the Hokkaido police department public relations division, said the police were not intending to press charges against his parents for child neglect.

Kudo said the police were considering reporting the case to a children's welfare center.

Miki Kurotatsu with Hakodate Children's Welfare Center declined to comment on whether the center had received a report from the police because it was a private matter.

Takayuki Tanooka, father of 7-year-old boy Yamato Tanooka who went missing on May 28, 2016 after being left behind by his parents, but was later found alive, reacts as he speaks to the media in Hakodate on the northernmost Japanese main 'sland of Hokkaido, Japan, June 3, 2016.

REUTERS

His parents reported Yamato missing on May 29, initially telling police their son disappeared when they were

collecting plants in the forest. Later the father, Takayuki Tanooka, said he had planned to leave Yamato briefly in the forest as punishment because the boy had been throwing rocks at people and cars at a river earlier that day.

The punishment drew public scrutiny, generating debate in Japan over what is considered to be excessive in disciplining children.

Takayuki told reporters after his son was found that he regretted his action.


Response:
This article focuses on the hopes and dreams of a young Japanese boys, and is considered a survivalist. This article portrays the story of a young boy that was left in the woods by his father as punishment, and then was reported missing.  He was then found in a military training ground hut, suffering from light dehydration and minor bruises. While reading this article, I found it odd that they made the report seem so light hearted and enjoyable, where in reality this is a tragic story. This seven year old boy was left in the woods, alone, by his parents as a form of punishment, and then survived for six days on his own. It is amazing how the little boy handles it and is only focused on the positive things he will get to do again, but I find it odd how the story is expressed by CBS news. The writer does mention the possible charges against the parents, but again, nothing seems to have arisen. The father does say that he regrets his actions, and with this inclusion, the author is almost supporting the parents. In continuation, this writer does not focus on the tragic happenings of this child, but rather looks at this situation in a positive light, using the boys hopes and wishes as his focal point.

"Japan Forest Boy Yamato Tanooka Leaves Hospital Says He's "fine" and Wants to Play Baseball." 

CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 7 June 2016. Web. 07 June 2016. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/japan-forest-boy-yamato-tanooka-leaves-hospital-fine-baseball/>.