VOA News: Africa: Africa’s Two Female Presidents Confer in Liberia

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Africa's Two Female Presidents Confer in Liberia Apr 30th 2012, 04:20 Malawian President Joyce Banda Sunday ended a two-day visit to Liberia where she had discussions with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first-elected female president. Jerolinmek Piah, Sirleaf press secretary said the two leaders discussed how best to cooperate to advance women's issues in Africa. Specifically, Piah said Banda came to Liberia to thank Sirleaf for her support during Banda's troubles as Malawi's vice president. <!--IMAGE-LEFT--> "One of the leaders on the whole African continent who really stood by her, in her [Banda's] own words, was President Sirleaf.  Now that she's president of Malawi, she thought it was proper to come to Liberia specifically to show appreciation for all that President Sirleaf did by standing with her during her own very difficult time," he said. During a program Sunday organized by Liberia women's groups, Piah said Banda told them she views Sirleaf as her role model. "At that gathering, President Banda was very clear that President Sirleaf has been an inspiration and a role model whose example she wanted to copy," he said. Piah said Banda noted that part of the reason for Sirleaf's success was the support she has received so far from Liberian women. "One of the things she [Banda] thought she could copy is how the women of Malawi could be made to stand by her so that those things that concern women in Malawi and on the continent as a whole can be advanced properly," Piah said. He said Liberian women told Banda that they were rooting for her success because they believe the success of women leaders in Africa represents success for African women. Piah said both leaders also talked about the need for greater partnership in advancing women and children's issues in Africa. "Part of the reason why President Banda came was to foster this kind of partnership with President Sirleaf as both of them would be working with the rest of the leaders on the African continent to tackle some of the problems facing women," Piah said. Media files: AFP_Banda300_13apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) RTR2SCCU_TEASE_Liberia_Sirleaf_Nobel_07OCT11.jpg reuters_liberia_sirleaf_inauguration2_230_16jan2012.jpg butty-liberia-malawi-banda-visits-sirleaf-piah-30april12.mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: Asia: China Rights Group: Missing Dissident's Relatives Arrested

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

China Rights Group: Missing Dissident's Relatives Arrested Apr 30th 2012, 02:43 A U.S.-based China rights organization says blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is under U.S. protection but that two of his realtives have been arrested. Listen to Ira Mellman's interview with Bob Fu. Speaking to VOA late Sunday, ChinaAid President Bob Fu said Chen is safe and at a location far from his home, but the only option left for him might be to flee to the United States. Citing sources close to Chen, Fu said more than two dozen military police reportedly arrested Chen's elder brother and nephew Friday morning, the same day Chen allegedly went into U.S. protection.  Chen's wife, daughter and mother reportedly still are under very tight house arrest. The United States has expressed concern about Chen's fate, but refused all comment on his whereabouts, amid reports he fled to the U.S. embassy in Beijing. In an interview with Fox News Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism advisor, John Brennan, said Mr. Obama will do whatever he thinks is in the best interest of the United States, as well as the individuals involved.  Brennan would not confirm when Chen was in U.S. custody, but reiterated the importance of U.S -China relations. Chen, a lawyer and activist, was arrested after documenting abuses in China's policy on restricting the size of most families.  He disappeared Sunday from Dongshigu village in the eastern province of Shandong, although authorities did not realize he was missing until Thursday.  It is not clear where he went, but his friend and fellow activist Hu Jia said he believed that Chen was admitted into the embassy Friday. U.S. diplomats there declined any comment and a spokesman for the Chinese government said he knew nothing of the reports. The development comes days before U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are due to visit Beijing for talks.   Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said at a briefing in Beijing Saturday on the upcoming talks that he had no information on Chen's case. In Washington, U.S. Republican Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, told VOA he is relieved that Chen has escaped. Smith chairs a commission on China that includes members of Congress and presidential appointees, the Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China. But Smith expressed concern about the safety of Chen's family and supporters in China. A relative of Chen told VOA that many police officers, some armed, have converged on his home in Dongshigu. In a video posted online Friday, Chen detailed the abuses he and his family have allegedly suffered in his year-and-a-half under house arrest.  He also called on Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to investigate human rights abuses in China.   Chen, who campaigned against forced abortions under China's "one child" policy, had been held under house arrest since he was released from a four-year prison sentence in September 2010. Media files: voa-chinese-california-chen-guangcheng-rally-29april12.jpg (image/jpeg, 6.5 MB) voa-chinese-california-chen-guangcheng-rally-Ann-Lau-president-Visual-Artists-Guild-29april12-300.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Mali Politician Blames ECOWAS for Transition ‘Confusion’

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Mali Politician Blames ECOWAS for Transition 'Confusion' Apr 30th 2012, 00:19 A prominent politician in Mali says the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to blame after the military junta leader rejected a proposal on how the country's transition should proceed. Cheick Traore, leader of the African Convergence for Renewal (CARE) party and son of former President Moussa Traore, said a majority of Malians seem to support the rejection of the ECOWAS proposal. Captain Amadou Sanogo said the junta was not consulted before the sub-regional bloc took a decision which he said sharply contravenes an agreement signed in April. The accord stipulates a 40-day term for an interim civilian government after which elections would be organized with the help of the junta. But at a recent meeting in the Ivorian commercial capital, Abidjan, regional leaders declared Mali's transition would last 12 months during which elections would be organized. The leaders also agreed to send troops to support the transition and help Mali restore its territorial integrity after Tuareg rebels seized the north. "The fact that ECOWAS has decided to change everything without consulting the army, that is what created all of this mess," said Traore. "ECOWAS should come back to Mali and renegotiate with the junta if they want to change things, it's better that way instead of taking decisions without consulting not only the military, but also the political forces in Mali." Traore called on ECOWAS to engage the military junta to resolve any differences and help pave the way for a smooth transition. He said ECOWAS caused confusion by abdicating its part of the agreement it signed with the military junta. "The [agreement] document said that after the 40 days they have to come back and renegotiate the role that the army should play during the transition, [but] that's what has not been done," said Traore. "If you see today, more than 60 to 70 percent of Malians are behind the army … because they read the agreement or have listened to what has been signed on local radios between ECOWAS and the army." Coup leader Sanogo has said the junta will abide by the agreement it signed with ECOWAS, and called on the sub-regional bloc to also stick to its part of the accord. Media files: Cheick-B.-Traore-480-X-320.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) reuters_mali_interim_president_230_12Apr12-resized.jpg clottey-mali-ecowas-react-traore-30april2012.mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: Europe: Ex-Libyan Oil Minister Found Dead in Danube in Vienna

VOA News: Europe Europe Voice of America

Ex-Libyan Oil Minister Found Dead in Danube in Vienna Apr 29th 2012, 22:54 The body of former Libyan oil minister Shukri Ghanem was found floating in the Danube River in Vienna on Sunday. Police say there is no sign of foul play and that it is possible Ghanem became sick and fell into the water.  Authorities say they will perform an autopsy. Ghanem was Libya's oil minister from 2006 until he abandoned dictator Moammar Gadhafi last year and fled to Austria.  He later publicly backed the rebels who eventually toppled, captured and killed Gadhafi. Media files: ap_libya_Ghanem_300_eng_29apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: Africa: US Uses Advanced Intelligence in Fight Against LRA in Central Africa

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

US Uses Advanced Intelligence in Fight Against LRA in Central Africa Apr 29th 2012, 22:13 For years, Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA, have terrorized the people of central Africa, abducting thousands of children and killing hundreds of people in a brutal insurgency.  Many people hope the arrival of U.S. special forces in the region will bring an end to the group.   At Radio Zereda in Obo, Central African Republic, an announcer broadcasts a special program for LRA victims. He tells those who have been kidnapped by the rebel group to escape and go back to their homes, where their families will accept them no matter what atrocities they might have committed. Emmanuel Daba, one of the broadcasters at Radio Zereda and the head of an LRA victim's association was abducted by in 2008, and spent a year with the rebels. "We conducted raids on villages in South Sudan and the Congo," he says.  "We killed a lot of people with machetes, with sticks and clubs," he said. Daba was one of thousands of boys and girls abducted by the LRA since the group launched an insurgency in Uganda more than 20 years ago. Since then, the group has expanded into South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.  Once numbering in the thousands, the LRA now is believed to have only a few hundred fighters at the most. People here in Obo are optimistic that the recent arrival of U.S. special forces will help deliver the final blow to the elusive group. Inside the Counter-LRA Operations Fusion Center in the Central African Republic, U.S. advisors meet with their counterparts from the Ugandan military and the Central African Armed Forces. Maps of Central Africa line the walls in the main conference room, along with photographs of LRA commanders, including the group's leader Joseph Kony. The center is part of the U.S. advise and assist mission in central Africa, a deployment authorized by President Barack Obama last year. U.S. commanders say the troops are not going out on patrols, but are working in the background, to improve the capacity of regional militaries. "Information in this theater is critical, said Navy Captain Ken Wright, the Commander of U.S. Counter-LRA activities. "And so our ability to push large amounts of information around the area is where we provide a lot of 'gap fillers,' if you will, where our partner nations do not have those capabilities.  And we see those as the strong points where we bring things to the table that a couple more people on a patrol would just not provide as much affect." Ugandan military spokesman Army Colonel Felix Kulayigye says U.S. intelligence support could be the turning point in the hunt for Kony. "As you are aware, a military without intelligence is as good as a blind person.  We believe this support will definitely help us capture Kony or kill him," he said. Despite advanced intelligence, finding Kony is no easy task.  His rebels have all but abandoned using mobile or satellite telephones to communicate with one another, making them very difficult to track. Colonel Kulayigye says intelligence reports suggest that Kony is somewhere in the Central African Republic, although he recently said the rebel leader was in the southern Darfur region of Sudan. The United Nations reports there have 53 LRA attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic during the first three months of the year. And although LRA attacks have be less frequent and less deadly than in recent years, fear of the group continues to keep people awake at night in the villages of central Africa. Media files: ap_us_uganda_specail_forces_LRA_480_eng_29apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.2 MB) ap_us_uganda_specail_forces_LRA_300_eng_29apr12.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Ex-Libyan Oil Minister Found Dead in Danube in Vienna

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Ex-Libyan Oil Minister Found Dead in Danube in Vienna Apr 29th 2012, 22:54 The body of former Libyan oil minister Shukri Ghanem was found floating in the Danube River in Vienna on Sunday. Police say there is no sign of foul play and that it is possible Ghanem became sick and fell into the water.  Authorities say they will perform an autopsy. Ghanem was Libya's oil minister from 2006 until he abandoned dictator Moammar Gadhafi last year and fled to Austria.  He later publicly backed the rebels who eventually toppled, captured and killed Gadhafi. Media files: ap_libya_Ghanem_300_eng_29apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: Middle East: Arab States Hold War Games as Tensions With Iran Mount

VOA News: Middle East Middle East Voice of America

Arab States Hold War Games as Tensions With Iran Mount Apr 29th 2012, 19:01 Gulf Arab states are beginning two days of joint military exercises, as fears of an armed conflict with Iran continue to grow. The drills, dubbed "Islands of Loyalty," come amid an escalating territorial dispute between the United Arab Emirates and Iran over three strategic islands in the Persian Gulf. Earlier this month, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited one of the islands, Abu Musa, sparking a war of words between Abu Dhabi and Tehran. The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Mohammed Gargash, said his nation was "fed up" with the Iranians' "occupation" of the land. Iran's FARS news agency on Saturday provided one of the starkest warnings yet the dispute could result in war, quoting an unnamed military official as saying, "serious damage to the United Arab Emirates would be the first outcome." Despite the strong rhetoric analyst David Roberts, the deputy director of the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies in Qatar, says both countries would prefer to avoid a serious confrontation. "It is certainly for show, but that is absolutely not to ignore the potential prospect that something could accidentally spark off here," Roberts. "If you put all of these forces in a small proximity in a slightly fevered atmosphere, anything could happen." Research Director Theodore Karasic, of the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, agrees. "It only takes one little accident or incident to set off a chain of events that could ultimately lead to some kind of military confrontation and it is possible that the islands' issue could do that," say Karasic. All three of the disputed islands are controlled by Iran and lie near the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supplies are shipped. Tehran has threatened to close the Strait in response to sanctions targeting its nuclear program and would likely use troops stationed on Abu Musa to do so. Political risks analyst Andrew Bond, of the Institute of Gulf Affairs in Washington D. C., says many countries, including the United States, are concerned the islands confrontation could have a future impact on global oil supplies. "There are some people in the [U.S.] administration who are nervous right now with what is going on," said Bond. On Sunday, Iran's Majlis (legislature) National Security and Foreign Policy Committee reportedly held a meeting on Abu Musa to coincide with the Arab military drills. The drills are being carried out by the Peninsula Shield Force, the joint army of the Gulf Arab states, to test the ability of ground, air and naval troops to carry out missions along coasts and on islands in territorial waters. Peninsula Shield soldiers were used to quell Bahrain's anti-government uprising last year. The United Arab Emirates says it is willing to take the islands dispute to international arbitration if a compromise cannot be reached diplomatically. Iran says its ownership if the islands is not negotiable. Media files: abumusa.png (image/png, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: Africa: Mali Coup Leader Rejects ECOWAS Transition Decree

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Mali Coup Leader Rejects ECOWAS Transition Decree Apr 29th 2012, 16:53 Efforts to restore civilian rule and stability in Mali appear to have hit a snag, as the military junta denounced decisions by the regional bloc ECOWAS on how the country's transition should go forward. The coup leader insists the junta will not be sidelined. Coup leader Amadou Sanogo said late Saturday the junta was not consulted on decisions made at a recent ECOWAS meeting in Abidjan, and that Mali is sticking to the accord soldiers signed with ECOWAS in early April. That agreement set out a 40-day term for an interim civilian government. Sanogo has held that the junta would then step in and work with ECOWAS on the rest of the transition.  But at their April 26th meeting ECOWAS leaders declared the transition would last 12 months, during which elections would be organized. Coup leader Sanogo told reporters what stands is the agreement the junta signed with ECOWAS. As far as we are concerned, he says, nothing has changed and nothing will change. Sanogo later made the declaration on state television. Signed two weeks after the March 22nd coup d'état amid pressure of harsh ECOWAS sanctions, the earlier accord - which was called a "framework" - was vague on the junta's role in the transition.  ECOWAS said that one of the main aims of the meeting last week would be to clarify this. The junta's role, West African leaders declared at the meeting, is to return to the barracks and take on their mission of defending the country.  The regional bloc also said ECOWAS would send troops to Mali to support the transition and help Mali restore its territorial integrity, following the rebel takeover of the north. The junta for weeks has rejected the proposition of ECOWAS troops entering Mali, saying the country's military needs only financial and logistical support. Sanogo's denunciation on Saturday followed a meeting with ECOWAS envoys at junta headquarters in Kati, just outside Mali's capital Bamako. A reporter who was on the scene said armed soldiers shouted "down with ECOWAS" as the officials got into their cars after the meeting. ECOWAS Commissioner Kadré Desiré Ouédraogo said at the Abidjan meeting that Mali junta members would be sanctioned for any actions aimed at clinging to power.  Media files: AFP_mali_Sanogo_7apr2012_eng_480.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) AFP_mali_Sanogo_7apr2012_eng_230.jpg

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VOA News: Middle East: Egypt Tries to Woo Back Saudi Ambassador

VOA News: Middle East Middle East Voice of America

Egypt Tries to Woo Back Saudi Ambassador Apr 29th 2012, 15:47 Saudi Arabia is reported to be reconsidering the decision to recall its ambassador to Egypt, after leaders in Cairo worked to heal a rift between the Arab neighbors. The Saudis closed their mission in Egypt following anti-Saudi protests there. Egypt's de-facto leader, Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, reached out to officials in Saudi Arabia in an attempt "to contain the situation." Egyptian state media said he began efforts to heal the rift within hours of the Saudi decision Saturday to bring its ambassador back home. Protesters had besieged the embassy in Cairo and other Saudi missions around Egypt for several days last week, protesting the detention of Egyptian human-rights lawyer Ahmed el-Gezawi. His supporters say he is being held in retaliation for a lawsuit he filed against the Saudi monarchy over the treatment of Egyptian workers in the kingdom.   Saudi officials counter that Gezawi was trying to smuggle in vast quantities of a banned anti-anxiety medication. Mounting tensions The diplomatic rift is the worst in decades between two of the most influential Arab nations, and caught many average Egyptians by surprise. Student Mohamed Sami believes the Saudis overreacted. He says rather than recalling their ambassador, the Saudis could have sent a military attache or other officials out to calm the situation. He says closing the embassy was wrong. Tensions between Cairo and Riyadh have been mounting for more than a year. Saudi Arabia was shaken by the fall of its longtime ally, former president Hosni Mubarak, and is said to have tied much-needed aid to his release from prison. The strain has been compounded by the rise of Egypt's Islamist forces, whose partnership could prove far less reliable. 'Reactionary decision' But political analyst and Al Ahram managing editor Amira Howeidi says the embassy closure was a "reactionary decision."   "I do not think it is a political and strategic decision.  It is basically in response to the protests in Egypt and a response message to the Egyptian revolution, but not an issue that could harm or damage Saudi relations, which are very deep." Howeidi notes how quickly the Egyptian Cabinet issued a statement expressing regret over the protests. Many Egyptians say they agree with that statement. Retired doctor, Tari Naguib, appears tired of the near constant rounds of protests that have roiled Egypt since the uprising.   She says these days people go out to chant and protest anything, with the loudest voice dominating. She says she prays calmer forces will soon regain control. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. Media files: arrott_egypt_saudi_480_29apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) arrott_egypt_saudi_230_29apr12.jpg

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VOA News: Europe: French Journalist Missing in Colombia

VOA News: Europe Europe Voice of America

French Journalist Missing in Colombia Apr 29th 2012, 16:27 <!--IMAGE-LEFT-->Colombian officials say a French journalist is missing along with five soldiers after being attacked by leftist rebels during a mission in southern Colombia. The Defense Ministry said three soldiers and a police officer were killed Sunday in the gun battle with the FARC rebels. It said Romeo Langlois, a reporter for news channel France 24, was accompanying police and military forces on a mission to dismantle drug laboratories in the jungles of the southern state of Caqueta. FARC has been at war with the Colombian government since the 1960s. Their numbers have dwindled over the years, but some analysts estimate the group has as many as 9,000 fighters. FARC has been designated as a terrorist organization by Colombia, the United States and the European Union. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: Colombia Curious Map.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Egypt Tries to Woo Back Saudi Ambassador

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Egypt Tries to Woo Back Saudi Ambassador Apr 29th 2012, 15:47 Saudi Arabia is reported to be reconsidering the decision to recall its ambassador to Egypt, after leaders in Cairo worked to heal a rift between the Arab neighbors. The Saudis closed their mission in Egypt following anti-Saudi protests there. Egypt's de-facto leader, Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, reached out to officials in Saudi Arabia in an attempt "to contain the situation." Egyptian state media said he began efforts to heal the rift within hours of the Saudi decision Saturday to bring its ambassador back home. Protesters had besieged the embassy in Cairo and other Saudi missions around Egypt for several days last week, protesting the detention of Egyptian human-rights lawyer Ahmed el-Gezawi. His supporters say he is being held in retaliation for a lawsuit he filed against the Saudi monarchy over the treatment of Egyptian workers in the kingdom.   Saudi officials counter that Gezawi was trying to smuggle in vast quantities of a banned anti-anxiety medication. Mounting tensions The diplomatic rift is the worst in decades between two of the most influential Arab nations, and caught many average Egyptians by surprise. Student Mohamed Sami believes the Saudis overreacted. He says rather than recalling their ambassador, the Saudis could have sent a military attache or other officials out to calm the situation. He says closing the embassy was wrong. Tensions between Cairo and Riyadh have been mounting for more than a year. Saudi Arabia was shaken by the fall of its longtime ally, former president Hosni Mubarak, and is said to have tied much-needed aid to his release from prison. The strain has been compounded by the rise of Egypt's Islamist forces, whose partnership could prove far less reliable. 'Reactionary decision' But political analyst and Al Ahram managing editor Amira Howeidi says the embassy closure was a "reactionary decision."   "I do not think it is a political and strategic decision.  It is basically in response to the protests in Egypt and a response message to the Egyptian revolution, but not an issue that could harm or damage Saudi relations, which are very deep." Howeidi notes how quickly the Egyptian Cabinet issued a statement expressing regret over the protests. Many Egyptians say they agree with that statement. Retired doctor, Tari Naguib, appears tired of the near constant rounds of protests that have roiled Egypt since the uprising.   She says these days people go out to chant and protest anything, with the loudest voice dominating. She says she prays calmer forces will soon regain control. Join the conversation on our social journalism site - Middle East Voices. Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page. Media files: arrott_egypt_saudi_480_29apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) arrott_egypt_saudi_230_29apr12.jpg

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VOA News: Americas: French Journalist Missing in Colombia

VOA News: Americas Americas Voice of America

French Journalist Missing in Colombia Apr 29th 2012, 15:39 <!--IMAGE-LEFT-->Colombian officials say a French journalist is missing along with five soldiers after being attacked by leftist rebels during a mission in southern Colombia. The Defense Ministry said three soldiers and a police officer were killed Sunday in the gun battle with the FARC rebels. It said Romeo Langlois, a reporter for news channel France 24, was accompanying police and military forces on a mission to dismantle drug laboratories in the jungles of the southern state of Caqueta. FARC has been at war with the Colombian government since the 1960s. Their numbers have dwindled over the years, but some analysts estimate the group has as many as 9,000 fighters. FARC has been designated as a terrorist organization by Colombia, the United States and the European Union. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: Colombia Curious Map.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Aid Group Rejects Sudan's Suspicions About Detained Foreigners

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Aid Group Rejects Sudan's Suspicions About Detained Foreigners Apr 29th 2012, 14:34 Sudan says three foreigners and a South Sudanese arrested in the disputed Heglig region were apparently spying, but an aid group say the detainees were de-mining the area. Khartoum arrested a Briton, a Norwegian, and a South African on Saturday, in the latest flare-up along Sudan and South Sudan's volatile border. Sudanese officials claim the three entered into the contested area without proper visas and were conducting spying activities for the south.   Pro-Sudanese media, Sudanese Media Center, quote defense officials saying the suspects were collecting "war-related" items and holding "military" material. An official with the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) mission said one of its employees was arrested with a team contracted to de-mine the area. The British and Norwegian embassies said Sunday they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the arrests. The detainees have been flown to Khartoum for questioning. Sudan has accused South Sudan of using foreigners to help capture the oil-producing Heglig region earlier this month. Last week, the north said it has recaptured Heglig. Fighting between the two countries has increase in the last year, prompting fears the two Sudans are on the brink of a full-blown war. The international community has called on both side to end hostilities and return to peaceful talks to resolve bitter disputes over border demarcation, oil revenues and citizenship questions. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: Sudan-SouthSudan-caps.png (image/png, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: Asia: Kidnapped British Doctor Killed in Pakistan

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

Kidnapped British Doctor Killed in Pakistan Apr 29th 2012, 14:32 The body of a British doctor working for the Red Cross has been found in Quetta, Pakistan nearly four months after he was kidnapped by suspected militants. Red Cross officials said 60-year-old Khalil Rasjed Dale had been managing a health program in Quetta for almost a year when he was kidnapped on January 5 while returning home from work. The identities of his captors are unknown. The director of the Red Cross Yves Daccord condemned the killing as "barbaric" while British Foreign Secretary William Hague called it a "senseless and cruel act." Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, is located close to the border with Afghanistan. The Red Cross operates clinics in the city that treat people wounded in the war in Afghanistan. Also Sunday, U.S. drone strikes killed at least two suspected militants in the restive North Waziristan tribal area of Pakistan. The strikes come as U.S. officials are trying to rebuild a strained diplomatic relationship with Pakistan. Islamabad wants the U.S. to stop the drone strikes, arguing that they are counter-productive because they kill civilians, exacerbate anti-U.S. sentiment and violate sovereignty.  Washington says the strikes are crucial to defeating al-Qaida and the Taliban. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: ap_pak_body_480_29apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) ap_pak_body_230_29apr12.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Witnesses Say 15 Killed in Nigerian Church Attack

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Witnesses Say 15 Killed in Nigerian Church Attack Apr 29th 2012, 12:34 Witnesses say an attack inside a university theater used for Christian services in Kano, in northern Nigeria, has killed at least 15 people. Many more people were reported wounded, but there is no confirmed total. Witnesses say the attackers arrived at Bayero University by motorcycle and a car, hurling explosive devices and opening fire. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility, but the radical Islamic group Boko Haram has targeted Nigerian Christians in the past. Last Christmas, at least four bomb blasts killed 39 people, including dozens at a Catholic church near Abuja. The Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is sinful," claimed responsibility for those attacks.   The group has said it wants to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria and does not recognize the government or the country's constitution. Nigeria's population of 150 million is about evenly divided between Muslims, who mostly live in the north, and Christians who dominate in the south. Hundreds of others died last year in bombings and shootings blamed on Boko Haram. Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters. Media files: Nigeria Curious Map.jpg

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VOA News: USA: Obama, Kimmel Keep White House Correspondents Dinner Full of Laughs

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Obama, Kimmel Keep White House Correspondents Dinner Full of Laughs Apr 29th 2012, 12:39 Hollywood celebrities are not usually seen mingling with Washington's elite, but Saturday night was an exception that comes once a year. Hollywood celebrities, journalists and government officials came together in Washington Saturday for a night of laughs at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner. President Barack Obama addressed the group in the Washington Hilton hotel, taking a moment to joke about his similarities with the presumed Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney. "We both think of our wives as our better halves, and the polls show to an alarmingly insulting extent that the American people agree," he said. "We also both have degrees from Harvard. I have one, he has two. What a snob."<!--IMAGE-RIGHT-->This year's featured comedian was Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC television's late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Kimmel took several hard jabs. He made light of the president's approval rating this election year.   "There's a term for President Obama, probably not two terms." He even used actress Sofía Vergara to joke about the Secret Service prostitution scandal plaguing Washington. "Sofía is from Colombia," he said. "This is how women look like in Colombia, what do you expect the Secret Service to do?" Hollywood celebrities attending the event included George Clooney, Kim Kardashian and Steven Spielberg. Proceeds from the dinner go toward scholarships for aspiring journalists and awards for excellence in the profession. Media files: reuters_obama_eng_480_28apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) reuters_obama_eng_230_28apr12.jpg reuers_clooney_eng_230_28apr12.jpg

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