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The African National Congress has been governing South Africa since 1994, when Nelson Mandela was elected president following the end of apartheid. But as voters get ready to go to the polls on May 29, the party known for its opposition to apartheid faces dissatisfaction from some citizens who feel the party has not delivered on its promises. VOA Nairobi Bureau Chief Mariama Diallo has this story.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

BANGKOK — A Thai court on Monday sentenced a lawmaker from a progressive opposition party to two years in prison after finding her guilty of defaming the monarchy in a speech she made during a protest rally three years ago. Chonthicha Jangrew of the Move Forward Party was greeted by several supporters when she arrived at the Thanyaburi Provincial Court in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, with some party colleagues. Chonthicha, popularly known by her nickname “Lookkate,” represents a constituency in Pathum Thani. Her charges stemmed from her speech in 2021 that demanded the release of all political prisoners during a rally in front of the same court that delivered Monday’s sentence.  She was found guilty for parts of the speech concerning how the government then led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had amended laws to give King Vajiralongkorn more power to control the palace wealth, which is managed by the Crown Property Bureau. The judge said her speech could misinform the public by suggesting that King Vajiralongkorn can spend taxpayers’ money for his personal use and use his influence to interfere with politics, which could tarnish his reputation. The judge originally sentenced her to three years in prison but reduced it to two years because of her cooperation in the trial. The law for defaming the monarchy, an offense known as lese majeste, carries a penalty of three to 15 years imprisonment. It is widely referred to as Article 112 from its place in the Criminal Code. Chonthicha was afterwards released on bail of 150,000 baht ($4,100). Had bail not been granted and she been sent directly to prison, she would have immediately been removed from her seat in Parliament. She told reporters she wasn’t surprised about the verdict as most of 112 charges led to convictions. She said she will appeal, adding that she was glad to have been granted release on bail but wished that other political prisoners were given the same right. A young activist charged with lese majeste died in detention earlier this month after carrying out a monthslong hunger strike to protest the revocation of her bail in January. Chonthicha and nine other defendants in the case were charged with other offenses including illegal assembly and violating an emergency decree enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. All 10 were acquitted of those charges. Chonthicha was the only one who had been charged with violating the lese majeste law. Before becoming a politician, Chonthicha had been an activist since she was a college student. She became a high-profile figure in the youth-dominated movement by confronting the police during the mass street protests that demanded democratic reform of several powerful institutions including the monarchy. Chonthicha, 31, won a seat in last year’s general election, part of a surprise victory for the progressive Move Forward Party that shook Thai politics.  However, it failed to take power after the party was outmaneuvered by influential conservative forces, as members of the Senate refused to approve the party's leader as prime minister. Criticism of Thailand’s monarchy is considered taboo, and insulting or defaming key royal family members is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. But student-led pro-democracy protests began to challenge that taboo in 2020, openly criticizing the monarchy. That led to vigorous prosecutions under what was previously a little-used law. Critics say the law is often wielded as a tool to quash political dissent. The advocacy group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights says that since early 2020, more than 270 people — many of them student activists — have been charged with violating Article 112. In December, another lawmaker from the Move Forward Party was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison over two posts she allegedly shared two years ago on the social media platform X, then known as Twitter. She appealed and was granted release on bail.

ISLAMABAD — Heavily armed militants attacked a Pakistan security outpost near the border with Afghanistan early Monday, resulting in the deaths of five soldiers and five assailants in the ensuing firefight. Security officials confirmed the deaths to VOA, saying the attack occurred in the remote Tirah valley in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and also resulted in injuries to six soldiers. The Pakistani military’s media wing did not immediately respond to a request from VOA for comment on the attack in the former militant stronghold on the Afghan border. Militants allied with the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), released a statement claiming responsibility for staging the raid in Tirah. The deadly attack came a day after the Pakistani military reported that a counterterrorism raid near the provincial capital of Peshawar killed two Pakistani soldiers and five alleged “terrorists” believed to be linked to TTP.  Sunday Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also renewed Islamabad’s demand for the Taliban government in Afghanistan to immediately stop TTP leaders and fighters from orchestrating cross-border terrorism from their alleged safe havens in the neighboring country. Naqvi stated at a news conference that "if the TTP headquarters remain in Afghanistan" and no action is taken to dismantle them, it would become "very challenging" for Islamabad to improve relations with the de facto Kabul rulers. “We want good relations with Afghanistan, but this is possible only if they do not allow their land to be used for terrorism against Pakistan,” Naqvi said. “But it is imperative (for the Taliban) that the individuals engaged in terrorism within their borders are apprehended, prosecuted, or surrendered to us.” The minister also stated that TTP had planned and directed from Afghan sanctuaries a suicide car bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this past March that killed five Chinese engineers along with their Pakistani driver. The Chinese nationals were working on a major hydropower project in the province known as the Dasu Dam. Naqvi said that the suicide bomber was an Afghan national, noting that Pakistani authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with the attack and plan to prosecute them soon. The Taliban government rejects allegations TTP is operating out of their territory, saying they are not allowing anyone to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries or beyond. But skeptics question those assertions. A recent United Nations report on the security situation in Afghanistan highlighted the Taliban’s continued close ties to al-Qaida operatives, saying the terrorist network has established new training camps in the country and is facilitating TTP to conduct cross-border attacks against Pakistan.   

DHAKA, Bangladesh — A cyclone flooded coastal villages, blew away thatched roofs and left hundreds of thousands of people without power Monday in southern Bangladesh and eastern India. At least seven deaths were reported. Dozens of Bangladeshi villages were flooded after flood protection embankments either washed away or were damaged by the storm surge, TV stations reported. Nearly 800,000 people had been evacuated from vulnerable areas in Bangladesh on Sunday.  Authorities have given no casualty figures yet, but Dhaka-based Somoy TV reported that at least seven people died. Two others were missing in a boat capsizing, the station said.  In India's West Bengal state, roofs on thatched houses were blown away while electric poles and trees were uprooted in some coastal districts. There were no immediate reports of deaths. Heavy downpours also inundated streets and homes in low-lying areas of Kolkata city. Cyclone Remal weakened considerably after making landfall in Bangladesh’s Patuakhali district early in the morning with sustained 111 kph winds. The Meteorological Department in Dhaka said the winds were now 90 kph with gusts to 120 kph. The India Meteorological Department said Remal was likely to weaken further throughout the day. It warned of heavy showers over Assam and other northeastern states for the next two days.  The Kolkata airport reopened after being shut Sunday, and Bangladesh shut down the airport in the southeastern city of Chattogram and canceled all domestic flights to and from Cox’s Bazar. Loading and unloading in the Chittagong seaport was halted and more than a dozen ships moved from jetties to the deep sea as a precaution. Volunteers helped Bangladesh's hundreds of thousands of evacuees move to up to 9,000 cyclone shelters. All schools in the region were closed until further notice.  Remal was the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal ahead of this year's monsoon season, which runs from June to September. India’s coasts are often hit by cyclones, but changing climate patterns have increased the storms' intensity, making preparations for natural disasters more urgent.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Seoul, South Korea — Top leaders from South Korea, China and Japan discussed regional stability in their first meeting in five years on Monday, as they vowed to ramp up three-way cooperation. The summit brought together South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Seoul for the countries' first trilateral talks in nearly five years, partly due to the pandemic, but also once-sour ties. While North Korea was not officially on the agenda for the talks, Kishida said after the meeting that the three countries confirmed that its denuclearization would be in their "common interest." Hours before the talks, North Korea announced that it planned to put another spy satellite into orbit imminently, which would violate rafts of U.N. sanctions barring it from tests using ballistic technology. Yoon and Kishida urged Pyongyang to call off the launch, with the South Korean leader saying it would "undermine regional and global peace and stability." He also called for a "decisive" international response if Kim goes ahead with his fourth such launch — aided by what Seoul claims is Russian assistance in exchange for sending arms for use in Ukraine. "We once again confirmed that North Korea's denuclearization and stability on the Korean Peninsula are in the common interest of our three countries," Kishida said after the meeting, with Yoon adding that the issue was a "shared responsibility and interest" for the trio. Analysts say there is a significant technological overlap between space launch capabilities and the development of ballistic missiles. China is North Korea's largest trading partner and a key diplomatic ally, and it has long resisted condemning Pyongyang for its weapons tests, instead criticizing joint U.S.-South Korea drills for raising tension. Chinese Premier Li said in his opening remarks that the three countries were willing "to seek mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation," Xinhua reported. "Li called for opposing turning economic and trade issues into political games or security matters, and rejecting protectionism as well as decoupling or the severing of supply chains," the news agency said. Yoon added that the three countries had "decided to create a transparent and predictable environment for trade and investment, and to establish a safe supply chain." Tilted diplomacy? After their talks, Yoon, Li and Kishida joined a business summit aimed at boosting trade between the countries, which was also attended by top industry leaders. Experts have warned that, due to the three countries' starkly divergent positions on key issues including Pyongyang's nuclear threats and growing ties with Russia, it is tricky for them to form a consensus on sensitive geopolitical issues. Yoon, who took office in 2022, has sought to bury the historical hatchet with former colonial power Japan in the face of rising threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. South Korea and Japan are key regional security allies of China's arch-rival the United States but are eager to improve trade and ease tensions with Beijing, experts say. After their talks, the three leaders said they had decided to ramp up three-way cooperation, including holding summits more regularly. "The trilateral cooperation system should be strengthened. We have decided to hold trilateral summits on a regular basis," Yoon said. President Xi Jinping is China's top leader, with Li serving under him as premier. Nuclear-armed North Korea successfully launched its first reconnaissance satellite last November in a move that drew international condemnation, with the United States calling it a "brazen violation" of UN sanctions. Seoul said on Friday that South Korean and US intelligence authorities were "closely monitoring and tracking" presumed preparations for the launch of another military reconnaissance satellite — which could come as early as Monday, according to the launch window Pyongyang gave to Tokyo. "North Korea, China, and Russia have effectively claimed that launching reconnaissance satellites does not breach U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed on Pyongyang," Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP. "However, considering China's involvement, it appears the North will likely hold off on any launches during the trilateral meeting, convened after a significant break, in deference to Beijing's stance." 

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Bangladesh has evacuated nearly 800,000 people from vulnerable areas as cyclone Remal makes landfall. Georgia celebrates Independence Day as fear of a Russian like law will likely be passed in parliament. Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy releases a video urging the West for more help. We talk to Branislav Slantchev, a professor at the University of California San Diego. Another plane battered by turbulence causing 12 people to be injured. Is climate change making turbulence worse?

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Since the spring 2022, Dell Loy Hansen has spent over $70 million to build homes for internally displaced Ukrainians. The U.S. philanthropist says he has been to Ukraine four times and is just getting started. Anna Kosstutschenko met him in the Kyiv region and has more in this report.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

INDIANAPOLIS — Josef Newgarden put his cheating scandal behind him to become the first back-to-back winner of the Indianapolis 500 since Helio Castroneves 22 years ago and give Roger Penske a record-extending 20th win in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." The Tennessean passed Pato O'Ward on the final lap of Sunday's rain-delayed race to become the first driver to win consecutive 500s since Castroneves did it for Penske in 2001 and 2002. And just like last year, Newgarden stopped his Chevrolet-powered car on the track and climbed through a hole in the fence to celebrate with fans in the grandstands. "I love this crowd. I've got to always go in the crowd if we win here, I am always doing that," Newgarden said. O'Ward slumped his head over his steering wheel in bitter disappointment. He was trying to become the first Mexican in 108 runnings to win the Indy 500. It looked as if he had been crying when he finally removed his helmet. He finished sixth in his Indy 500 debut, then fourth and then second in 2022 when he was accused of not being aggressive enough to race Marcus Ericsson for the win. He refused to back down last year and wound up crashing as he raced for the win. As O'Ward bided his time in the closing laps — he and Newgarden traded the lead several times — he waited to make the winning pass on the final lap. Newgarden got it right back two turns later. "It is hard to put it into words — we went back, we went forward, we went back, some people were driving like maniacs," O'Ward said. "We had so many near-race enders. Just so close again. ... I put that car through things I never thought it was going to be able to do. It is always a heartbreak when you're so close, especially when it's not the first time and you don't know how many opportunities you have." The win was an incredible bounceback for Newgarden, who last month had his March season-opening victory disqualified because Team Penske had illegal push-to-pass software on its cars. Newgarden used the additional horsepower three times in the win and it took IndyCar nearly six weeks to discover the Penske manipulation. Roger Penske, who owns the race team, IndyCar, the Indy 500 and the speedway, suspended four crew members, including Team President Tim Cindric. The Cindric suspension was a massive blow for Newgarden as Cindric is considered the best strategist in the series. Newgarden was thrilled to have the win and put the push-to-pass scandal behind him. "Absolutely, they can say what they want, I don't even care anymore," he said. The start of the race was delayed four hours by rain and it ruined NASCAR star Kyle Larson's chance to run "The Double." The delay in Indy made him miss the start of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Although Larson was decent most of the day, two rookie mistakes led to an 18th-place finish. He was on a helicopter headed to a plane for North Carolina within minutes of the race ending. "I'm proud to have finished but disappointed in myself," said Larson, who has a two-year deal with Arrow McLaren and Hendrick Motorsports for Indy and could return in 2025. Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing finished third as the highest-finishing Honda driver and was followed by Alexander Rossi, O'Ward's teammate at Arrow McLaren Racing. Chevrolet took three of the top four spots.