McClatchy

 NAIROBI, Kenya — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week visits Africa, where she's expected to show support for the government of Somalia, renew political pressure on Zimbabwe and raise awareness of sexual violence in Congo.

Clinton's 11-day, seven-country tour reflects the range of U.S. strategic interests in Africa — from humanitarian relief to trade agreements — and follows President Barack Obama's brief visit to Ghana last month, when he urged Africans to take greater responsibility for lifting themselves up from poverty, conflict and corruption.

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. special envoy to Sudan said Thursday that the United States should drop its designation of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism and "unwind" sanctions that it's maintained since President Bill Clinton applied the label in 1993.

Ambassador Scott Gration, a retired army general, said that maintaining the designation for Sudan would be a "political decision" that was "backed by no evidence" and was hindering U.S. development goals in southern Sudan. 

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