Obama Embarks On Three-Country Africa Trip

President Barack Obama has kicked off the first leg of a three-country visit to Africa - his most extensive trip to the continent as president.

Air Force One touched down in the Senegalese capital of Dakar on Wednesday night.

The president was accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha.

Mr Obama's trip is highly anticipated given his personal ties to the continent. His father was born in Kenya and many of his relatives still live there.

However, the president has spent just one day in Africa since taking office - a 2009 day trip to Ghana.

In addition to Senegal, he will visit South Africa and Tanzania during this week-long trip.

Looming over Mr Obama's visit is the deteriorating health of former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Few major policy announcements are expected during Mr Obama's trip.

Instead, the president will focus on promoting democratic institutions, boosting opportunities for Africa's vast youth population and promoting the continent as a growing market for US businesses.

The White House defended the purpose of the trip despite its low policy expectations.

"Presidential trips to regions of the world like Africa bring enormous benefits in terms of our relationship with the countries visited and the countries in the region," spokesman Jay Carney told reporters travelling on Air Force One.

"The trip itself will not be the end point of our engagement, but will enhance it, deepen it and further it," he said.

The president will make two stops at sights that highlight the continent's harsh racial history: Senegal's Goree Island, which was the centre of Atlantic slave trade.

He also will visit Robben Island, the apartheid-era prison in South Africa where Mr Mandela spent 18 years of his 27 years in prison.

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Mandela: South African President Cancels Trip

President Jacob Zuma has cancelled his trip to Mozambique, as the goverment says Nelson Mandela's condition "remains critical".

Mr Zuma cancelled his trip, which had been scheduled for today, after visiting Mr Mandela in hospital where he "found him to be still in a critical condition", according to a statement from the President's office.

The announcement comes after sources confirmed to Sky News that Mr Mandela was no longer able to breathe assisted.

The 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader was taken to a Pretoria hospital with a recurring lung infection on June 8, where he has now been treated for 19 days.

Stuart Ramsay, Sky News' Chief Correspondent, who is in South Africa, said: "Nelson Mandela's tribal leaders have been told to prepare for the death of the former president, who remains in hospital unable to breathe without support.

People bring get well messages to Mr Mandela

"The advice comes after meetings with the family over the past two days.

"Senior tribal leaders - including Mr Mandela's tribal heir, grandson Mandla Mandela - were expected to visit the hospital for further talks with family members.

"In the Eastern Cape, where Mr Mandela will be buried, a member of the tribal authority confirmed that the clan had been told that he is extremely ill and although it is against Xhosa tradition to even discuss the death of a living person, they should prepare for the worst."

The statement from the President's office said that Mr Zuma was briefed on Mr Mandela's condition by the doctors treating him.

Speaking earlier in the week Mr Zuma said: "We must support him and support his family.

The Obama family arrives in Senegal on their Africa tour on Wednesday

"We must demonstrate our love and appreciation for his leadership during the struggle for liberation and in our first few years of freedom and democracy by living out his legacy and promoting unity, non-racialism, non-sexism and prosperity in our country."

US President Barack Obama arrived in Senegal on Wednesday to begin his first significant tour of Africa during which he had planned to visit South Africa.

The White House has said that it will defer to Mandela's family over whether the President would visit his political hero in hospital.

Michelle Obama and her daughters met Mr Mandela during a trip in 2011

However, South Africa's foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said that a meeting with the former South African leader would be impossible.

The two men met in 2005 when Mr Obama was a newly elected senator and  the former South African president was in Washington and have spoken by telephone since.

They have not met in person since then, although Michelle Obama met with Mr Mandela during a trip in 2011.

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Edward Snowden In Russia: No Extradition

The White House says Russia has a "clear legal basis" to expel a whistleblower hiding out in a Moscow airport despite President Vladimir Putin's refusal to do so.

National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said even without an extradition treaty, Russia should expel Edward Snowden to face espionage charges in the US.

Mr Putin rejected calls to hand Snowden over to US officials, saying he was in a transit area of Sheremetyevo airport and had not officially crossed into the Russian border.

The 30-year-old was free to leave the country when he likes and should do so as soon as possible, Mr Putin said, adding that the visit was "unexpected."

He said: "Mr Snowden is a free man, the sooner he selects his final destination point, the better for us and for himself."

Reports on Monday had said Snowden was staying in a 'pod'-style hotel room in an airport VIP area.

Snowden's route since leaving Hawaii, with possible destinations

Mr Putin said Russian security agencies "didn't work and aren't working" with Snowden - dismissing any such claims as "ravings and rubbish".

He said the fact that Russia has no extradition agreement with the US meant it would not be meeting the American request to send him there.

However, he said he hoped the stopover will not affect its relationship with the US.

The former CIA technician, who has worked for the National Security Agency, has been charged with espionage by US authorities after he leaked details of American telephone and internet surveillance programmes.

He revealed the existence of a surveillance system called Prism that was set up by the NSA to track the use of the web directly from internet providers.

The Prism revelations sparked outcry in the UK when The Guardian reported that the GCHQ eavesdropping agency had been accessing information about British citizens.

Snowden is said to have been staying in a 'pod' room at Moscow airport

Evidence given to the paper by Snowden also suggested that GCHQ has been scanning the UK's network of fibre-optic cables that carry vast numbers of emails and other internet traffic.

Earlier, Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Snowden had not crossed into Russian territory - and he said any suggestion that Russia was involved in "some sort of conspiracy" was "absolutely ungrounded and unacceptable".

His comments came after China's top state newspaper - the voice of the communist party - praised the whistleblower for "tearing off Washington's sanctimonious mask".

The People's Daily, which reflects the official thinking of the Chinese government, criticised America for attacking Hong Kong's decision to allow him to flee.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has called for Russia to be "calm" and hand over Snowden. He said Washington was not looking for "confrontation."

Snowden left Hong Kong on Sunday, hours after the US had provided the territory with a request for extradition.

He was widely expected to fly from Moscow to Cuba and then on to Ecuador, possibly via Venezuela. Ecuador's foreign minister said on Tuesday he did not know where Snowden was.

On Monday, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Hong Kong had made a "deliberate choice by the government to release a fugitive despite a valid arrest warrant, and that decision unquestionably has a negative impact on the US-China relationship".

Mr Kerry has dubbed Snowden a traitor, and warned both Russia and China that their relations with the US might be damaged by their refusal to extradite him.

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Taliban: US Backs Talks Despite Kabul Attack

Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have backed peace talks with the Taliban just hours after an attack on a CIA building in Kabul.

The White House said in a statement the two leaders "reiterated their support for an office in Doha for the purpose of negotiations between the High Peace Council and authorised representatives of the Taliban".

On Tuesday morning suicide attackers fought security forces for around an hour and blew up a car bomb outside Afghanistan's presidential palace after infiltrating one of Kabul's most secure areas.

Fighting also took place nearby at the Afghan ministry of defence and the former Ariana hotel, which is used by the CIA.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack and suggested all three buildings had been targeted.

Police said up to four gunmen jumped out of a car and opened fire after being stopped by security forces trying to use fake documents to get through a checkpoint.

Taliban attacked the presidential palace on Tuesday

They were reportedly wearing military uniforms and the car was fitted with radio antennae to make it look like an ISAF vehicle.

All the assailants were killed in the gunfight, and one palace security guard was wounded, said a police spokesman.

A car bomb also exploded outside the palace and there were reports of more than one vehicle device.

Talks between the US officials and the Taliban had been set to take place last Thursday in Qatar.

But Afghan government anger at the fanfare surrounding the opening of the Taliban office in the Gulf state threw preparations into confusion.

The opening of the Taliban office was ostensibly a practical step to pave the way for peace talks to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war.

But the official-looking protocol surrounding the event raised angry protests in Kabul that the office would develop into a Taliban government-in-exile.

The militants have indicated they are willing to open peace talks with the US and the Afghan government.

However, at the same time they have not renounced violence and attacks have continued across Afghanistan.

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Whistleblower Snowden 'Healthy And Safe'

Snowden Affair: The Who And The Why

Updated: 5:06pm UK, Monday 24 June 2013

By Tim Marshall, Foreign Affairs Editor

A look at the different players in the Edward Snowden controversy as the whistleblower tries to evade US justice.

China

There's no hard evidence that China has played a role in this affair but it's difficult to argue against the idea.

Beijing had a man and had a problem. The problem was that hanging on to Mr Snowden could damage its relationship with Washington DC which is its biggest foreign policy challenge.

If it had done, a long-running dispute over the issue would mean that relationship would be complicated.

Now it doesn't have a man, it doesn't have problem, and has been able to poke the US in the eye without leaving much of a fingerprint.

It can also claim the somewhat dubious moral high ground, arguing that Mr Snowden's revelations proved that the Americans, who have long complained about Chinese hacking, was in fact spying on China.

China may have granted Hong Kong more autonomy than most of its regions, but foreign policy remains in Beijing's hands.

And it is almost certain China and Hong Kong liaised to smooth the path of Mr Snowden out of their jurisdiction.

Hong Kong

The only quandary for the Hong Kong authorities was how to keep up appearances.

This was a legal matter which quickly turned into a geo political struggle.

It had to preserve its dignity and the rule of law, but also make sure that what Beijing wanted, Beijing got.

Hence the repeated response to the Americans that the case was 'under review' and that more paperwork was needed.

In fact, very little paperwork was required, not even a valid passport. Mr Snowden travelled out of Hong Kong with a revoked passport.

Russia

The Kremlin says it is 'unaware' of any contact with the Russian authorities and Mr Snowden.

However, the idea that Aeroflot would allow a former American spy, whose name was making global headlines, onto one of their flights bound for Moscow, on a revoked passport, without a Russian visa, does not tally with the way the world works.

That Ecuador may have given him a 'travel document' is just part of the pretence.

Moscow is also busy poking Washington DC in the eye, whilst maintaining a modicum of 'not me guv'.

Mr Snowden did not leave Moscow's airport, thus allowing the pretence of him not passing through a border.

Cuba

If Mr Snowden was passing through Cuba, it does not present Havana with a dilemma.

A transit trip would not sour Washington-Havana relations any more than they already are.

Were he to stay there, that would be a different matter. He was checked in for a flight from Moscow to Havana, had a seat, but the plane left, apparently without him.

Venezuela

Hugo Chavez may be gone but the spirit of his 'Bolivarian Revolution' lives on.

Just last month the successor to Chavez, President Nicolas Maduro, referred to Barack Obama as 'the grand chief of devils'. 

Venezuela is part of the Bolivarian Alliance which includes Cuba, and Bolivia, the country named after the 18th century revolutionary Simon Bolivar.

Members tend to be 'anti-imperialist' and take a delight in tweaking the nose of the US and its perceived global arrogance.

Venezuela can handle the heat of allowing Snowden to transit through its territory; after all, despite the rhetoric between Caracas and Washington DC, the US buys 900,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil every day.

Ecuador

Ecuador is also in the Bolivarian Alliance and President Rafael Correa has impeccable 'anti-imperialist' credentials having granted Wikileaks founder Julian Assange asylum in his country and refuge in the London embassy until Mr Assange can get there.

So far Ecuador is assessing Mr Snowden's asylum request.

As he is an American citizen this case if even more sensitive than the Assange affair, and Ecuador, a poverty stricken country has fewer cards to play than Venezuela.

The signs are it will stay within the spirit of the Bolivarian bloc, and keep quiet about its own trampling over the basic tenets of free speech.

The US

Fail.

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Afghanistan: Explosions And Gunfire At Palace

A series of explosions and gunfire has been heard at the presidential palace in the Afghan capital Kabul, according to reports.

The attack began on the building's east gate at around 6am local time as reporters gathered ahead of a media event with President Hamid Karzai.

Military on patrol following the attack

It was not immediately clear whether Mr Karzai was inside the building at the time of the assault.

The Taliban has said it carried out the attack.

The palace is in a large fortified area of the city that also includes the US Embassy and the headquarters for the Nato-led coalition forces.

More follows....

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Gunmen Kill Tourists In Pakistan

Gunmen have killed nine foreign tourists after storming a hotel in a remote area of northern Pakistan, say police.

"Unknown people entered a hotel where foreign tourists were staying last night and opened fire," said Ali Sher, a senior police officer in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan province.

The gunmen fled after the attack.

Five Ukrainians, three Chinese, a Russian and their guide were killed in the attack near the base camp for the snow-covered Nanga Parbat mountain, a popular destination for trekkers, officials said.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

A senior government official said a large number of security personnel had been sent to the area.

"Since the area is very remote with no roads or transport, their bodies will have to be retrieved by helicopter," the official said.

Gilgit-Baltistan province - famous for its natural beauty -  had been considered one of the more secure areas of Pakistan but in recent years has witnessed a spate of attacks by militants targeting members of Pakistan's Shi'ite minority.

More follows...

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Nelson Mandela's Condition Becomes Critical

Nelson Mandela's health has deteriorated and he is now in a critical condition, the South African presidency has said.

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma and ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mr Mandela in hospital on Sunday evening.

They were briefed by Mr Mandela's medical team and told that the 94-year-old's condition had "become critical over the past 24 hours".

Mr Zuma said in a statement: "The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands."

Mr Zuma visited Mr Mandela in hospital in Pretoria this evening

The pair also met with Graca Machel at the hospital to discuss the former South African president's condition.

Mr Mandela has suffered repeated bouts of illness in recent months and has been admitted to hospital four times since December.

The anti-apartheid leader has been in intensive care since he was last admitted to hospital on June 8 for a recurring lung infection.

Mr Zuma appealed to South Africans and to the world to pray for Mr Mandela, his family and the medical team attending to him.

Children have been sending "get well soon" messages to Mr Mandela

In Sunday's statement, Mr Zuma also discussed the government's acknowledgement a day earlier that an ambulance carrying Mr Mandela to the hospital two weeks ago had broken down.

"There were seven doctors in the convoy who were in full control of the situation throughout the period. He had expert medical care," Mr Zuma said.

"The fully equipped military ICU ambulance had a full complement of specialist medical staff including intensive care specialists and ICU nurses.

"The doctors also dismissed the media reports that Madiba suffered cardiac arrest. There is no truth at all in that report."

Mr Mandela is seen by many around the world as a symbol of reconciliation.

He played a leading role in steering South Africa from the apartheid era to democracy, becoming the country's first black president in all-race elections in 1994.

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US Wants Taliban Talks 'Back On Track'

US Secretary of State John Kerry says he hopes to get talks with the Taliban "back on track," but is unsure if that is possible.

Mr Kerry warned that a recently opened Taliban office in Qatar may have to close if the peace talks do not proceed.

"We need to see if we can get back on track. I don't know whether that's possible or not," Mr Kerry told a newss conference in Doha.

"If there is not a decision ... to move forward by the Taliban in short order, then we may have to consider whether or not the office has to be closed," he said.

Mr Kerry is on a seven-nation trip through the Middle East and Asia

Mr Kerry met with his counterparts in the Qatari capital on the first stop of a seven-nation trip through the Middle East and Asia where he is tackling foreign policy issues.

Talks between the US officials and the Taliban had been set to take place on Thursday in Qatar, but Afghan government anger at the fanfare surrounding the opening of the Taliban office in the Gulf state threw preparations into confusion.

The opening of the Taliban office was ostensibly a practical step to pave the way for peace talks to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war.

But the official-looking protocol surrounding the event raised angry protests in Kabul that the office would develop into a Taliban government-in-exile.

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Syria: 'Friends' Agree Urgent Rebel Support

Western and Arab countries opposed to Syrian President Bashar al Assad have agreed to give urgent military support to rebels fighting for his overthrow.

Ministers from the 11 main countries which form the Friends of Syria group agreed "to provide urgently all the necessary material and equipment to the opposition on the ground".

They also condemned "the intervention of Hizbollah militias and fighters from Iran and Iraq," demanding that they withdraw immediately.

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague a the meeting in Doha

The support will be channelled through a Western-backed rebel military command, the ministers agreed during talks in Doha.

Guerrillas from Lebanon's Shiite pro-Iranian Hizbollah organisation spearheaded the recapture of the strategic border town of Qusair from mainly Sunni Muslim rebels two weeks ago.

Hizbollah and Shiite Iraqi gunmen have also been fighting around the shrine of Sayyid Zainab, south of Damascus, while Iranian military commanders are believed to be advising Mr Assad's officers on their counter-offensives against the rebels.

The ministers said the growing sectarian nature of the conflict and the foreign interventions "threaten the unity of Syria (and) broaden the conflict" across the region.

They also expressed strong concern at the increasing presence of "terrorist elements" and growing radicalisation in Syria.

Ministers from Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States attended the talks in Doha.

Speaking at the meeting, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the support for the rebels would help change the balance on the battlefield, where regime forces have scored recent victories.

Mr Kerry expressed concern about Iran and Hizbollah fighters in Syria.

"That is a very, very dangerous development. Hizbollah is a proxy for Iran ... Hizbollah in addition to that is a terrorist organisation."

Mr Kerry blamed Hizbollah and Mr Assad with thwarting efforts to diffuse sectarian rebels and to negotiate a settlement.

The two-year-long civil war in Syria has so far left 93,000 people dead.

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