World Lens: “Mama Africa” is remembered; Serena Williams goes to Kenya and Rihanna hits the stage in the Philippines. See these pictures and more!

Congo rebels withdraw troops. After weeks of violence in the nation’s eastern regions, rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have pulled out their troops to let in aid for suffering citizens. The rebels, who are led by Tutsi general, Laurent Nkunda, moved back about 25 miles north of Goma, according to witnesses. Fighting in the nation between government and rebel forces has forced an estimated 250,000 people to leave their homes and had, essentially, blocked aid from getting to residents that desperately needed it. Many refugee camps had such unsanitary conditions, people had to leave them as well and pitch makeshift tents in the bush.  The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appreciated the move to help Congo citizens but also wanted both sides to stop fighting all together, a statement said.

Jamaican leader concerned about illegal Haiti trade. Illegal “drugs for guns” trade with Haiti has Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding voicing concern, reports Caribbean Net News. Golding, who made the comments at his party’s Annual Conference, referenced the country’s over 1,400 murders this year and the illegal actions going on between the neighboring nations. Golding said he’d already met with Haiti’s President Rene Preval and that he will discuss the issue in a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in D.C. While he believes that many of the guns in his nation is coming from Haiti, Golding doesn’t believe Haiti’s government is at fault. “We know that there are Jamaicans who are living in the southern part of Haiti and they are running a big gun racket and a lot of guns are coming in,” he said. “We have re-engaged the Haitian government in discussions on how to deal with it … to find out who is exporting the guns and how we can intercept.”

TAGS: Congo rebels, haiti, jamaica, Mama Africa, Rihanna, Serena Williams, World Lens

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