fulfill
ed its promises. Many had believed Khartoum would never let oil-rich South Sudan
secede
. Now President Bashir said it was time for America to keep its word and remove its sanctions from Sudan. The sanctions cause
considerable
difficulty for the Sudanese economy, which with the South's independence has now also lost most of its oil.
The head of the United Nations refugee agency, Antonio Guterres, says he wants international agencies to go into Somalia to tackle the devastating effects of drought. In a BBC interview, Mr Guterres said he believed the UN was involved in discussions in Somalia to overcome security obstacles so that humanitarian assistance could be delivered. He said the drought in East Africa has been
more severe in Somalia than anywhere else
. Many Somalis, he said, were trapped in the country by conflict and couldn't reach refugee camps in neighbouring Ethiopia or Kenya.
Amnesty International has called for the former President of Chad, Hissene Habre, not to be returned to Chad by the Senegalese authorities since he's been sentenced to death in his absence. Mr Habre has been living in Senegal for many years, but on Friday, the Senegalese authorities agreed to return him to Chad to face justice. Mr Habre has been accused of killing and torturing thousands of civilians during his years in power which ended when he was overthrown.
BBC News
The new American Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says the strategic defeat of al-Qaeda is within reach. He made the comment to reporters during a visit to Afghanistan. Our correspondent Quentin Sommerville reports from Kabul.