South Africa bars al-Bashir exit

A South African judge yesterday ordered authorities to prevent Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is in South Africa for an African Union summit, from leaving the country because of an international order for his arrest, human rights activists said.

Al-Bashir appeared for a photo with other African leaders at the summit in Johannesburg on Sunday, wearing a blue three-piece suit, a tie and a smile as cameras flashed.

Earlier yesterday, a South African judge ordered authorities to prevent al-Bashir from leaving South Africa because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court.