In news from Africa, the Nigerian military continues to carry out attacks in the oil-rich Niger Delta in an effort to oust militant groups from the region. The military has reportedly attacked largely civilian areas with gunboats and helicopters. As many as 30,000 civilians are displaced without adequate food or water, and aid agencies have been barred from the region. On Monday, militants vowed to blockade key waterways in the Niger Delta to try to prevent crude oil exports. For years, the militant groups have fought for fair distribution of oil wealth to local communities in the impoverished region.

Asari Dokubo of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force: “We will not stop. I will not stop. I will continue. We will continue to proceed, by any means necessary. If they bring peace, we will hold onto peace. If they bring war, we will hold onto war, because they cannot be shooting us, and we cannot just be raising our hand and falling and dying. No, we are going to put up a fight.”

The state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. has joint-venture partnerships with major oil companies including Shell and Chevron in the Niger Delta. Next week, Shell will stand trial in New York for its alleged role in the 1995 state execution of the Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists.