From Washington,this is VOA News.

The body of former South African president Nelson Mandela is being flown Saturday to his hometown.

Officials say about 100,000 people viewed Mandela's body during the three days it was displayed in Pretoria.

The viewing site of Mandela's body was the amphitheater of the Union Buildings, South Africa's seat of government. That is the same place where Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first black president in 1994, after being imprisoned for 27 years for his role in the struggle against white minority rule.

The United States says it is stepping up talks with Asian allies following North Korea's execution of leader Kim Jong Un's once influential uncle, Jang Song Thaek.

North Korea's official media reported that he was charged with a list of unpardonable crimes and promptly executed Thursday.

Regional news reports said Friday that Jang's execution could signal instability in the communist country.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Friday that "stability on the Korean peninsula is very important" to the United States.

The uncle, Jang Song Thaek, who was former vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, headed by Kim. The young leader's uncle was also seen as Kim's mentor and closest aide.

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The family of an American citizen,Robert Levinson, missing in Iran for more than six years is speaking out after media reports say he had gone to Iran to spy for the CIA. Since his disappearance in 2007, the United States has insisted Levinson - a retired FBI agent - had gone on his own.

But reports from The Associated Press and The Washington Post now say Levinson was part of a botched U.S. spy operation and that his family was paid $2.5 million to keep quiet.

The White House also reacted Friday.

Spokesman Jay Carney , "What I can tell you is he was not a U.S. government employee when he made that trip. But I'm not going to get into any more detail."

His family's Iranian lawyer said if Levinson was working for the CIA, he was never told.

Levinson's family Friday calls on the U.S. government to "step up and take care of one of its own." But it never directly addresses the alleged relationship with the CIA.

In Iraq at least 17 oil and gas workers -- mostly Iranian -- have been killed by gunfire.The incident occured about 150 kilometers northeast of Baghdad.

According to The Reuters news agency, a surviving worker said the attackers arrived Friday night outside of Muqdadiya in three cars and started shooting at workers who were digging a trench to extend a pipeline between Iraq and Iran.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke to the people of the Central African Republic on radio address Friday,"Whatever your faith or background, you share the same history and the same future."

Ban appealed to the CAR to end violence.He says has taken the country to "the brink of ruin."

"I call on religious and community leaders -- Muslim and Christian -- to act as messengers for peace. "

Ban spoke soon after the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights' office said there had been an alarming increase in tensions among religious communities in the CAR.

In a briefing, a spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said 27 Muslims were killed in the western village of Bohong.

Ukraine's opposition held direct talks with President Viktor Yanukovych Friday for the first time in more than three weeks of mass anti-government protests.

But opposition leaders emerged from that meeting , saying the president failed to meet their demands.

Among other things, Ukraine's main opposition leaders are calling for the release of jailed protesters.

The Ukrainian president has proposed amnesty for those arrested in the protests. But that was not enough for the opposition, which called for Mr. Yanukovych and his government to step down.

In Colorado in the United States, two students were injured,one seriously.And a gunman was reportedly to leave Arapahoe High School on Friday.

The shooting occured at Arapahoe High School,just miles from Columbine High School, where two students killed 13 students and staff before killing themselves in 1999.