U.S. President Barack Obama has congratulated former South African President Nelson Mandela on the eve of his 93rd birthday. In a statement issued Sunday, the U.S. president called Mr. Mandela “a beacon for the global community, and for all who work for democracy, justice and reconciliation.” Mr. Obama praised him for devoting his life to […]
Obama Congratulates Nelson Mandela for his 93rd Birthday
Posted July 17th, 2011 at 6:55 pm (UTC-5)
Leave a comment
Kenya Wants to Stop Flow of Somali Refugees
Posted July 17th, 2011 at 9:00 am (UTC-5)
Kenyan and British officials met in Nairobi Sunday to discuss the drought that has sent thousands of Somalis fleeing into Kenya to escape starvation. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga said Kenya would like feeding programs to be set up on the Somali side of the border to stop the flow of refugees. He also renewed […]
Sao Tome Votes for New President
Posted July 17th, 2011 at 8:15 am (UTC-5)
Voters in the African nation of Sao Tome and Principe went to the polls Sunday to pick a new president. Ten candidates are competing to succeed President Fradique de Menezes, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. The contenders include former president Manuel Pinto da Costa, who led a one-party socialist state from […]
Sudan Central Bank: New Currency to be Circulated This Month
Posted July 16th, 2011 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
Sudan’s central bank says it will begin circulating its new currency later this month. Central Bank chief Mohamed Kheir al-Zubeir told reporters in Khartoum Saturday it would likely take two to three months for the old currency to be completely replaced. Al-Zubeir said the government decided to issue the new money as a “precautionary measure” […]
Zimbabwe Police Arrest 4 Journalists
Posted July 15th, 2011 at 6:30 pm (UTC-5)
Zimbabwe’s main journalist organization says police have arrested four journalists while they were covering a story about a police officer. The head of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, Foster Dongozi, said the four were detained by police Friday while they were reporting on the eviction of a police officer north of the city of Bulawayo. […]
Kenya to Reopen Unused Refugee Camp in Dadaab
Posted July 15th, 2011 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
Kenya has agreed to reopen an unused refugee camp in eastern Dadaab, as starving Somalis affected by a severe drought pour in from across the border. The United Nations praised the move on Friday, saying it will ease rapidly growing pressure on existing camp sites at the sprawling refugee complex. The United Nations says the […]
Somali Pirates Demand Compensation from South Korea
Posted July 15th, 2011 at 12:15 pm (UTC-5)
A South Korean captain who is being held by Somali pirates says his captors are demanding that the South Korean government pay them compensation for pirates killed by its navy. Captain Pak Hyeon contacted VOA by phone Friday, saying the pirates want Seoul to pay compensation for eight dead comrades and release another five held […]
Kenya to Reopen Unused Refugee Camp in Dadaab
Posted July 15th, 2011 at 10:25 am (UTC-5)
Kenya has agreed to reopen an unused refugee camp in Dadaab, as starving Somalis affected by a severe drought pour in from across the border. The announcement is drawing praise from humanitarian groups, who warned on Friday that still more aid and camp space will be needed to handle the rapidly growing crisis. Aid groups […]
Somali Pirates Demand Compensation from South Korea
Posted July 15th, 2011 at 9:55 am (UTC-5)
A band of Somali pirates are demanding that the South Korean government pay them compensation for pirates killed by its navy. The pirates made its demand Friday to media outlets. As a bargaining chip, they are holding four South Korean hostages taken during the hijacking of the MV Gemini off the Kenyan coast several months […]
South Sudan Becomes 193rd Member of United Nations
Posted July 15th, 2011 at 5:15 am (UTC-5)
The national flag of newly independent South Sudan has been raised outside the United Nations after becoming the world body’s 193rd member on Thursday. Hundreds of diplomats gathered outside U.N. headquarters in New York to see the flag being raised for the first time after the U.N. General Assembly admitted the country by acclamation. On […]
