Michelle Obama Snubbed in Africa, But Looking Forward to Private Safari

Michelle Obama made a surprise visit to the home of Nelson Mandela during her two-day tour of South Africa. Mrs Obama, who visited to the UK last month, arrived in Pretoria on Monday in what has been billed as her first solo international trip in her role as First Lady. Read the full story in The Voice Online

Mrs. Obama's entourage spent about 20 minutes with Mandela and his wife, Graca Machel, who is a former first lady of Mozambique.

Mrs. Obama's niece and nephew, Leslie Robinson, 15, and Avery Robinson, 19, who are traveling with her, were also invited to meet Mandela.

Mrs. Obama began a weeklong goodwill visit to South Africa and Botswana on Monday. Read the full story in The Washington Post

South Africa President Jacob Zuma has snubbed the visiting Michelle Obama by sending his prisons minister to meet the first lady at the airport and failing to see her during her three-day stay. Read the full story in the Telegraph

For her daughters, the week-long visit will be a rare taste of the full glare of the media spotlight that they have largely been shielded from in Washington.
The highlight for them is likely to come at the end of the tour, when the family will travel to Botswana for a private safari at a South African game reserve. Read the full story in Sky News

Nic Dawes, the editor of South Africa's Mail & Guardian newspaper, tweeted that he shook the first lady's hand and wrote: "Michelle Obama certainly convinced the dignitaries she is excited to be here, and said her husband is 'pouty' that he isn't."... Michelle Obama was accompanied by her daughters Malia and Sasha, her mother Marian Robinson, and the first lady's niece and nephew during a visit to the Mandela's home in Houghton. Read the full story wtma.com

The first lady has made official visits to Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, India, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, where she's made headlines for her colorful fashion choices and, on occasion, for busting a move. In addition to the official travel, she has also garnered (positive and negative) media attention for a couple of unofficial jaunts. Read the full story in the National Journal