MASON, Michigan — It was a normal day for Iman Abu Aitah, a Palestinian student going to college in the United States. A rising junior, she had spent the month of Ramadan with her host family in Mason and was making plans to visit her relatives back in Gaza for the first time in two years. But as she did her routine Facebook check of the Gaza Now news feed, she knew something was off.

“I saw that the Ajrami family’s house was bombed in the Jabaliya refugee camp, where I live, so I called my family, but no one was answering,” she said, describing a neighbor's home. “Finally my sister answered and was crying. I couldn’t understand her.”

The news was the worst it could be. Abu Aitah’s parents had been killed, along with her two eldest brothers and a 4-year-old nephew. Suddenly, she was an orphan.

They died in the recent 50-day conflict between Hamas, which governs Gaza, and Israel, which recently invaded the territory, with the stated aim of preventing rockets from being fired and destroying the tunnel network being used to infiltrate border areas. As the conflict raged, more than 2,100 Gazans were killed and almost 11,000 others injured; 69 Israelis also died, most of them soldiers.

The conflict caught the attention of the world, but with the loss of Abu Aitah’s family, it suddenly struck in Mason too. This small city near Lansing is home away from home for Abu Aitah, where she spends all her vacations with her host mother.

Her situation has shocked the organization that brought her to the U.S. “Iman’s situation has affected all 40 students in our program,” said Nancy Qubain, director of the Hope Fund. “They’ve all been traumatized and concerned about their own families, and they’ve been very supportive of her.”

The Hope Fund coordinates working partnerships with American universities for Palestinian students living in Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza. It is now creating a scholarship in honor of the Abu Aitah family members who were killed. “We will be there for her not just over the next few months but until she graduates,” said Qubain. “We’re hoping she will continue on to graduate school.”

Abu Aitah first arrived the U.S. as a high school student through the State Department’s Youth Exchange and Study program in 2010. It was the first time she had left the Gaza Strip. “It taught me so much about myself,” she said. “I learned that I can do anything.”

She said life is difficult in the Jabaliya refugee camp, in the North Gaza Governorate, even when there is no war. “The electricity comes on seven or eight hours,” she said. “It makes it difficult to get water because an electric motor is needed to supply each house. My family had to wake up really late at night or early in the morning to do normal chores like making bread or laundry, depending on when electricity is available. Many days there was no electricity at all.” Abu Aitah was one of nine children. Her father was a retired Arabic teacher.

She is majoring in literary studies and biology at Columbia College in South Carolina, a Methodist-affiliated women’s liberal arts college. “My expectation would be that Iman does not feel alone,” said Tracy Bender, a representative for the college. “As an institution, it is not a political thing. We are a community of people, and one of our own is suffering. This an opportunity for our community to show love and support for her, following this unspeakable and horrific incident.”

Abu Aitah has felt an outpouring of support. “I received emails from the college president and my professors,” she said. “They are all working hard to help me graduate in a year so I can go back to my family. I’m not going home without a degree.”

Faculty and alumni have established a fund for her. “This is certainly an opportunity for us as a community to learn about the issues and invite conversation,” Bender said.

Abu Aitah, through her grief, also sees it that way. “My hope is that Americans would understand what’s going on before taking sides,” she said. “I realized that people are just uninformed, so I’ve tried to simplify what’s going on for them. Many people think the conflict is a religious fight. Some of my classmates were surprised to know that there are Christian Palestinians.”

She has created a nonprofit organization, Youth for Change – Palestine. The goal is to empower young people in Gaza to build their own futures.

“When I was in second grade, I said goodbye to a friend after school. That night her house was bombed, and she died. For the longest time, I was traumatized and cried every time I heard an F-16,” said Abu Aitah. “Everyone deals with trauma in different ways, and I want to help these kids become leaders.”

Through her organization, she plans to engage youth in community service and help them build on their talents.

She says she’s doing her best to stay strong. “I have been living without my family for a while, so I’ve gotten used to that,” she said. “But I talked to mom every day, even if it was for only five minutes. It’s hard to think she won’t be there when I want to call her.”

Abu Aitah’s host mother in Michigan agreed it would be better for her to spend the rest of the summer with a Palestinian family in Minneapolis. From there, Abu Aitah plans to visit her sister — whose skull was fractured in the strike — at a hospital in Cairo.

But Egyptian authorities say her documents need review, since she holds a Palestinian passport that is up for renewal soon —  a process that could take weeks.

Residents of Ferguson, Missouri, are preparing to lay Michael Brown to rest on Monday.
The black teenager was shot multiple times by white police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. That led to ongoing protests that have at times spilled over into violence as demonstrators clashed with authorities. On Sunday, Brown’s father, Michael Brown Sr., requested a halt to protests on the day the family buries their son.
As the funeral gets underway, local, state and federal officials are conducting investigations into the shooting. Michael Brown Jr.’s death sparked debate on racial tensions and civil rights issues in Ferguson and across the country. Attorney General Eric Holder visited Ferguson and met with community leaders. He is overseeing the federal investigation into the shooting.

The Department of Justice is trying to determine if any civil rights violations were committed — a process that could take weeks. To win a criminal civil rights violation case against Wilson, a unanimous jury decision is required, and prosecutors will have to prove not only that the shooting was unjustified but also that it was specifically committed as a racist act.
One issue that has been in the spotlight is the difference between how whites and African-Americans feel they are treated by the legal system. A Pew Research Center survey shows that 70 percent of African-Americans feel they are treated unfairly by police, and 60 percent feel the same way about the court system.
During Al Jazeera America’s Sunday night segment The Week Ahead, Thomas Drayton spoke to Marc Fernich, an attorney and a professor at Brooklyn Law School, and to Adolphus Pruitt II, president of the St. Louis chapter of the NAACP.
Pruitt said the data on police stops are troubling. He said, “The numbers that relate to tracking the disparity ratios and the number of stops and encounters that African-Americans have with policemen are overwhelmingly higher than they are for everybody else.”
Fernich said, “It’s a well-known fact that there are massive disparities, particularly in the federal system, in the way particularly drug offenders are treated. And there’s tremendous momentum in Congress right now to cut mandatory minimum sentences, and Congress had taken action to remedy those disparities, which are going to go into effect this November.”
He added, “It’s a mistake to rush to judgment and to conclude that it was a civil rights case or to conclude that the shooting was or was not justified.”
Another issue spotlighted by the shooting is the increasing militarization of police forces. In light of the unrest in her state, Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, plans to hold hearings next month to examine the arming of local police departments with equipment designed for the military. President Barack Obama has ordered a review of the federal programs that are transferring military equipment to local police.
Al Jazeera’s Diane Eastabrook is in Ferguson and says residents there have witnessed their neighborhoods erupt into violence, which has been followed by uncertain calm. In recent days, people have tried to help calm tensions by posting “I Love Ferguson” signs in front of homes and businesses. And teens from the NAACP held marches with clergy, calling for better relations between the community and law enforcement officials.
“This situation is not about race, and it’s not about religion,” said protester Malik Shabazz. “It’s about human rights for everyone all over the world, not just in the United States, not just in St. Louis or the city of Ferguson but all over the world.”
Pruitt says that in order to move forward, we need to address the socioeconomic issues that are at the root of the problems. “You can’t have young men — when they leave their homes, going to work, school or play — to be stopped at will by police and be searched, questioned and have their licenses scanned. Other people don’t understand how these young men feel, because they don’t experience as many encounters.”
In Ferguson young people are using social media to express themselves. Students have started a #Fergusonsyllabus page on Twitter to share and discuss their thoughts.

As a new academic year begins, the White House has announced that Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, will be part of a pilot program to gauge the extent of sexual assaults on campuses across the country. The plan includes the implementation of prevention programs and helping schools respond more effectively to sexual assault cases. Rutgers’ Center on Violence against Women and Children will conduct an online survey of all undergraduate and graduate students in the spring semester. It will then host focus groups for more in-depth student feedback.
One in five college women is sexually assaulted, usually by someone she knows, according to a government report. Most of those incidents happen during the student’s freshman or sophomore year, and many of the cases go unreported. A campus sexual assault study by the Department of Justice found that about 6 percent of victims of such assaults or attempted assaults are male, but the overwhelming majority of victims are female. 
In April, Barack Obama’s administration created a task force to look into the matter, and an inquiry has been launched at 76 American colleges and universities, from state schools to Ivy League institutions such as Harvard and Princeton.
During Al Jazeera America’s Sunday evening segment The Week Ahead, Thomas Drayton spoke to Sabrina Kowaleski, a survivor of sexual assault and advocate for college sexual assault education and prevention, and to Samantha Harris, director of speech code research at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
“Many victims have come forward and faced shame from family members and friends, let alone going to the police or their school,” said Kowaleski.
Drayton asked the guests what brought about change in the fight against sexual assault on college campuses.
“I think that the game changer was the Department of Education’s 2011 ‘Dear Colleague’ letter to colleges and universities,” said Harris. “Now the federal government has gotten much more involved in the problem of sexual assault on campus.”
Drayton asked who should ultimately be responsible in taking the lead to address this issue.
“It really needs to be a joint effort,” said Kowaleski. “People don’t trust the police anymore and are unlikely to go to the police knowing that in all likelihood, they will face further judgment and revictimization. I think that colleges have a great opportunity here to reach out and allow these victims to come forward in a meaningful way.”
Harris said that colleges and universities are not equipped to handle serious felony accusations. She said they are “in an excellent position to provide support services to victims and to provide Title IX remedies like changing of class schedules and dorm assignments. But I think, when it comes to adjudicating the guilt or innocence of someone being accused of a very serious crime, that law enforcement really needs to be taking the lead.”
Drayton asked about some schools’ resistance to the idea that their star students, such as athletes or valedictorians, could be sexual predators. “Schools get a lot a publicity and oftentimes a lot of money out of these star students,” said Kowaleski. “Sports games can bring in a lot of money based on attendance and publicity, and to have these people muddied up in this kind of event doesn’t look very good for the school.”
Harris believes that efforts to educate students about sexual assault on campus needs to begin even before they begin college. “Students need to be educated about issues of consent, about alcohol before college, and that needs to continue in college. That is a place where colleges do have a significant role to play.”
A growing number of survivors are winning civil lawsuits. Drayton asked if that has played a role in changing attitudes at universities. “It’s really brought this conversation out into the light, rather than just whispered conversations in dorm rooms,” said Kowaleski. “Students are really starting to questions things and whether or not their school is actually as safe as it would claim to be.”

The United States and Russia have long been at odds with each other. After a brief thawing of tensions in the years immediately after the cold war, the two sides have returned to undermining each other, this time in the form of economic reprisals.
Last week, the US placed sanctions on three more Russian state-owned banks citing Moscow’s actions in Crimea. It also targeted Russia’s energy, arms and shipping sectors. In response, Russia has now imposed a full embargo on food imports from the US, EU, Canada, Australia, and Norway. That includes a ban on produce, meat, fish, and dairy products.

During Al Jazeera America’s Sunday night segment “The Week Ahead,” Thomas Drayton spoke to Nina Khrushcheva, an Associate Professor of International Affairs at The New School; and to William Pomeranz, Deputy Director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC.
Drayton asked what Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal is and if he is trying to strengthen his country’s national identity.
“National identity historically has been very anti-western,” said Khrushcheva. “Basically Russia always defined itself by what the West is not. And Putin has really been doing 150 percent of that.”
Drayton went on to ask if the United States and Russia have reached Cold War levels of tension.
“I think we’re at a post-Cold War low,” said Pomeranz. “I’m not quite sure we’re at Cold War levels yet. But just when you think the relationship can’t get any worse, it does.”
When asked what US interests are in Russia, Pomeranz explained that “America has interests in working with Russia in solving various issues around the world—in Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, and North Korea. And we have, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, worked with Russia to address those issues.”
Syria has been a major sticking point between the two sides. Russia, along with China, has blocked nearly every resolution passed by the US at the United Nations on the conflict raging in the country. Both sides have used Syria as a proxy war against each other.
Another issue of contention has been the asylum of Edward Snowden. The US wants to try him on espionage charges for leaking National Security Agency secrets. But after he recently requested an extension for his asylum, Moscow granted permission for him to stay an additional three years.
Pomeranz added “the other thing is that the United States has strong allies in Europe. We want to support Europe and the territorial integrity and the borders that exist there.”
The crisis in Ukraine has by far sparked the strongest discord between the US and Russia. Ukraine is split on pro-Russian and pro-Western lines, and both Moscow and Washington have taken advantage of those allegiances.
Khrushcheva agreed with Pomeranz saying that “Ukraine is a buffer zone between Europe and Russia, something that during the Cold War Poland was. Poland was the last line of defense for the West, now Ukraine is the last line of defense for the West, as it is for Russia.”
Drayton asked the guests about Putin’s support at home and where we go from here.
“A lot will depend on the level of support that Putin maintains inside the country,” said Pomeranz.
Khrushcheva said that Putin has about 80 percent support. “I don’t see too much love for Putin, but at the same time, there’s a lot of fear,” she said. “Not so much fear of Putin himself, but fear that if he goes, Russia will descend into chaos. But so far, he stands for Russian pride, and that kind of national pride is very important to the Russians.”

President Obama is hosting more than 50 leaders from across Africa’s civil society, private sector, and various faith communities in Washington, DC this week. The continent is one of the fastest-growing regions of the world, and this the first time an American president will be meeting with such a large group of African leaders at the same time.
The heads of state of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, however, had to cancel their attendance following the outbreak of Ebola in their countries.
In keeping with the summit’s theme, “Investing in the Next Generation,” Mr. Obama met with 500 young people from sub-Saharan Africa a few days ago. The participants had come to Washington, DC for a six-week leadership fellowship.
The three-day summit, which begins on Monday, will focus on trade relations between the US and African nations and opening new economic opportunities. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker is expected to announce new business deals worth more than $1 billion.
Areas of cooperation between the two parties will include agriculture, democratic governance, and electricity. And Africa’s leaders are hoping that the US will open its markets to more of their products.
During Al Jazeera America’s Sunday night segment “The Week Ahead,” Richelle Carey spoke to Kate Almquist Knopf, Director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, and to Amadou Sy, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Africa Growth Initiative.
Amadou Sy said that the event is very timely, and that it will be beneficial even if its outcome is just to familiarize Americans with the diversity, energy, and vibrancy of Africa.
When asked why it has taken so long to pursue this initiative, Sy said that “during his first term Obama had to deal with the worst financial crisis since the Depression here in the US. But now is the window of opportunity to do something for Africa.”
Knopf added that “it’s a recognition of the growing importance of Africa to the United States. The fact that there are over a billion people on the continent, and population growth there is likely to quadruple over the next decades, it represents an increasingly important area for us economically, for security reasons, and for transnational and global issues.”
In terms of security, the US has been concerned about fighter groups across the continent, ranging from Boko Haram in the West to Al Shabab in the East.
The GDP of sub-Saharan Africa has grown at a much faster rate than the rest of the world over the past decade. Last year, US goods exports to the region stood at $24 billion, a 250 percent increase from 2003; while imports stood at $39.3 billion, which was up by 53 percent from a decade ago.
Sy said Africa has a young population that is growing quickly and a middle class that is expanding, and that more jobs must be created for young people. He said that traditionally US interests in the Africa have had to do with the oil and gas sectors. But now there’s a lot of potential in other sectors, such as information, technology, communications, and retail opportunities.
Knopf agreed, adding that “the expanding middle class is a market that we cannot afford to ignore for our own economy’s sake.”
The US’s sudden push for stronger relations with African nations is partially a response to the increasing economic ties between Africa and China. Beijing is investing billions of dollars in the continent, and has been its biggest trade partner since 2009.
But Sy said that “when it comes to trade, it’s true that China is now the largest bi-lateral trade partner with Africa, but when it comes to investment, the US and France are the strongest.” He added that “the problem is that all the investment goes to very few countries – Nigeria, Angola, South Africa – and very few sectors, namely the oil sector.”  He said moving forward, other sectors should be opened up to the US private sector, and added that Africans have their own priorities, such as better infrastructure and access to electricity.
"There’s incredible space for American businesses to diversify and to expand beyond natural resources and oil,” said Knopf. “I think there’s also tremendous potential for African economies to trade within Africa."