ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Dozens of African leaders met Saturday to mark 50 years since the founding of the African Union, a continent-wide organization that helped liberate Africa from colonialism and which now is trying to stay relevant on a continent regularly troubled by conflict. Upon opening the summit, attended by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and [...]
Prime Minister of St. Lucia Heads to Cuba to Strengthen Bilateral Ties
May 25, 2013 | Posted by
HAVANA – St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Davis Anthony will arrive in Cuba on Monday, where his busy agenda includes talks with officials here and visits to places of scientific, medical and educational interest. According to the program released to the media, the president will remain on the island until June 1, to strengthen the [...]
Obama Warns Naval Academy Grads that Sexual Assaults Threaten Trust in Military
May 25, 2013 | Posted by
President Obama used his address at the commencement services at the U.S. Naval Academy to confront the issue of sexual assaults in the military, telling the graduates that the perpetrators of sexual assault threaten the public’s trust in the military. “We need your honor, that inner compass that guides you,” the president said at Navy-Marine [...]
Shayla Taylor: Oklahoma Woman Delivers a Baby Boy in Midst of Tornado
May 25, 2013 | Posted by
As damage assessments and survival stories emerge from the deadly twister in Moore, Okla., perhaps no story is as uplifting and scary as that of Shayla Taylor, who was about to have her baby at Moore Medical Center when the tornado touched down. Taylor was in labor on the second floor of the hospital, thinking [...]
Caricom Demands Change in UN Security Council
May 24, 2013 | Posted by
Caricom nations are pushing for a change in the composition of the United Nations Security Council. “We have argued that small states should have a political presence in the Security Council,” Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran said on Wednesday night. “We have made the call for the change in the Security Council operations both in [...]
Tavis Smiley Marks 10th Year on PBS
May 24, 2013 | Posted by
Tavis Smiley has stood out in 20 years in broadcasting, and he has no intention of changing his style or substance. He’s the rare black host with national TV and radio platforms, one who sees his job as challenging Americans to examine their assumptions on such thorny issues as poverty, education, and racial and gender [...]
Chelesa Fearce: Homeless Girl Graduates as High School Valedictorian
May 24, 2013 | Posted by
A Georgia teenager who was homeless for most of her time at school has been named valedictorian of her graduating class, an honor she says she achieved through hard work. ”I just told myself to keep working, because the future will not be like this anymore,” said Chelesa Fearce of Clayton County. The 17-year-old, who [...]
African Union Seeks Financial Independence From Foreign Donors
May 24, 2013 | Posted by
The African Union has vowed to finance its working budget using mainly domestic resources as it marks its 50th anniversary this week, the deputy chairperson of the continental body’s commission has said. Erastus Mwencha made the comments on Thursday at the AU’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, while addressing a news conference about [...]
As Scandals Brew Around Obama, GOP Revs Up Calls For Impeachment
May 24, 2013 | Posted by
As scandals brew around President Obama, Republicans have started to voice the word “impeachment” out loud, seeing an opportunity to cause permanent damage to the president and his legacy. Earlier this week, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Republican of Utah, didn’t hold back on his posturing, saying he wanted to pursue impeachment hearings against Obama because of [...]
Zimmerman Team Releases Photos, Texts of Trayvon Martin to Attack His Character
May 24, 2013 | Posted by
George Zimmerman’s defense team stepped up their attempts to portray slain teen Trayvon Martin as troubled and violent, releasing photos and text messages that show the 17-year-old with gold teeth and engaged in discussions about marijuana and guns. Judge Debra Nelson will decide at a pretrial hearing Tuesday whether a jury will be allowed to [...]
