Top stories from DAWNS Digest.
Nigeria: Massive Flooding Displace Over 2 Million People
This has been a slow burning crisis over several months, and very much off the news radar. But the humanitarian toll is steadily increasing. “Nigeria’s worst flooding in at least half a century has killed 363 people since the start of July and displaced 2.1 million people, an emergency agency said on Monday…President Goodluck Jonathan last month called the flooding, which has submerged parts of the south, a “national disaster” but said it would not trigger a food crisis.The National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement on Monday that 7.7 million people had been affected by the flooding between July 1 and October 31.” (Reuters http://bit.ly/UuGNAt)
Sharp Spike of Violence in Syria
Hundreds were killed in the fiercest fighting in several months. “Some of the worst violence in months racked Syria on Monday with residents of southern Damascus fleeing heavy shelling, several smaller towns shattered by air attacks, and at least two car bombings. The Local Coordinating Committees, a collection of activist organizations across Syria, said the daily toll reached at least 159, including 72 killed in Idlib, and 47 in Damascus and its suburbs. People in Damascus, the capital, said the fighting was the fiercest they could remember since July, with thousands of people having fled as a Palestinian faction that supports the Assad government skirmished with government opponents in three southern neighborhoods.” (NYT http://nyti.ms/UuIK03 )
US Presidential Election is Happening Today (Obv.)
Not like we had to remind you…The latest national polls have the race very close. However, President Obama has a fairly strong lead in state-level polls, which ultimately decides the election. The closest races will likely be in in Ohio, which is the crucial battleground state that may tip the election either way.