Obama meets Berliners

Barack Obama speaks in Berlin

Obama Berlin Speech

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7524269.stm

Meet Barack Obama

Early Years
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British.

Barack's mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in small-town Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs during the Depression, and then signed up for World War II after Pearl Harbor, where he marched across Europe in Patton's army. Her mother went to work on a bomber assembly line, and after the war, they studied on the G.I. Bill, bought a house through the Federal Housing Program, and moved west to Hawaii.

It was there, at the University of Hawaii, where Barack's parents met. His mother was a student there, and his father had won a scholarship that allowed him to leave Kenya and pursue his dreams in America.

Barack's father eventually returned to Kenya, and Barack grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. Later, he moved to New York, where he graduated from Columbia University in 1983.

The College Years
Remembering the values of empathy and service that his mother taught him, Barack put law school and corporate life on hold after college and moved to Chicago in 1985, where he became a community organizer with a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods plagued with crime and high unemployment.

The group had some success, but Barack had come to realize that in order to truly improve the lives of people in that community and other communities, it would take not just a change at the local level, but a change in our laws and in our politics.

He went on to earn his law degree from Harvard in 1991, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Soon after, he returned to Chicago to practice as a civil rights lawyer and teach constitutional law. Finally, his advocacy work led him to run for the Illinois State Senate, where he served for eight years. In 2004, he became the third African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

Political Career
It has been the rich and varied experiences of Barack Obama's life - growing up in different places with people who had differing ideas - that have animated his political journey. Amid the partisanship and bickering of today's public debate, he still believes in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose - a politics that puts solving the challenges of everyday Americans ahead of partisan calculation and political gain.

In the Illinois State Senate, this meant working with both Democrats and Republicans to help working families get ahead by creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which in three years provided over $100 million in tax cuts to families across the state. He also pushed through an expansion of early childhood education, and after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.

In the U.S. Senate, he has focused on tackling the challenges of a globalized, 21st century world with fresh thinking and a politics that no longer settles for the lowest common denominator. His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent. He has also been the lead voice in championing ethics reform that would root out Jack Abramoff-style corruption in Congress.

As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan. Recognizing the terrorist threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, he traveled to Russia with Republican Dick Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world. And knowing the threat we face to our economy and our security from America's addiction to oil, he's working to bring auto companies, unions, farmers, businesses and politicians of both parties together to promote the greater use of alternative fuels and higher fuel standards in our cars.

Whether it's the poverty exposed by Katrina, the genocide in Darfur, or the role of faith in our politics, Barack Obama continues to speak out on the issues that will define America in the 21st century. But above all his accomplishments and experiences, he is most proud and grateful for his family. His wife, Michelle, and his two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, live on Chicago's South Side.

Obamania in Berlin

Call him whatever you want, black mail him, you can do anything but you can't stop the appeal that this man has around the world as evidenced by his speech today in Berlin at the Tiergarten, Victory Column in Berlin.
Blessed with the oratory skills that can only be compared to John F Keneedy the last great American leader, Obama is just iresistable. May God bless him and make him the next president of USA for with his leadership, the world might at last be a better place.

Who is the puppet between the two

The historic handshake

Wiff of optmism as Tsvangirai/Mugabe sign deal to kickstart talks

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have signed a framework deal committing their political parties to talks to end the country's deep crisis. The signing of the memorandum in the capital Harare was witnessed by South African President Thabo Mbeki. A smaller faction of the Movement for Democratic Change also signed the agreement. Mugabe and the opposition have been locked in a bitter dispute over the outcome of presidental elections which both sides claim to have won. It was the first meeting in 10 years between the two rivals, who are widely believed to detest each other. They sat at a conference table separated by South African President Thabo Mbeki who mediated the deal.



The preliminary agreement was signed in Harare's Rainbow Towers Hotel after weeks of deadlock since Mugabe was re-elected on June 27 in a widely condemned poll boycotted by Tsvangirai because of violence against his supporters.

Mbeki said the agreement committed both sides to an intense process to try to complete substantive negotiations as quickly as possible. "All parties recognise the urgency," he said.

A subdued Mugabe said after the signing that the agreement was "to chart a new way of political interaction," while Tsvangirai called the ceremony "a very historic occasion."

Officials from both sides said the framework agreement sets a two-week deadline for the government and two factions of the opposition MDC to discuss key issues including a unity government and how to hold new elections.



END

Sometime in July I met Clarence Seedorf

Dynamos goalkeeper Willard Manyatera in full flight

Dynamos the only positive thing out of Zim on this particular Sunday

I had an uncharacteristically boring day on Sunday July 20 after an arguement with my wife the previous night over a couple missed calls. This coupled with an overcast day in the former Germany capitla Bonn the day was met to be a boring one but at about 6pm the BBC website brought a smile to my rather dull face that day. The headline story on the website spoke about the political optimism that was coming out of Zimbabwe as there was a wiff of optimism that after all talks to resolve the country's political and conomic crisis were to finally take off. But a much wider smile was brought about by the win that my favourite home club Dynamos had just registered over Asec Mimosa of Ivory Coast. For the uninitiated Ivory Coast is the club that produced rare talents such as Kolo and Yaya Toure, Emammanuel Eboue, Aruna Kone, Aruna Dindane, Solomon Kalou and off course Dider Zokora. At least the people of Zimbabwe had something different to talk about apart from the daily toilings.

Munich to Host Charity Soccer Match for Africa

Africa | 12.07.2008
Munich to Host Charity Soccer Match for Africa
Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Germany's Ballack will be playing for Africa
The city of Munich hosts a charity event on Saturday, July 12, to raise funds aimed at helping eradicate poverty in Africa and pay school fees for African children.

The Germany southern city of Munich will play host to the Goal4Africa soccer match planned to celebrate the 90th birthday of former South African President Nelson Mandela.



Funds raised at the event will go to help solve the chronic poverty problems in Africa and to improve education opportunities for millions of African children.



The game, which will played in the 69,000-seat Allianz Arena on Saturday evening, was organized by two of the world's best known players, Brazilian and AC Milan striker Ronaldo and his teammate and Dutch international Clarence Seedorf.



Soccer's legacy



The Goal4Africa Foundation, which aims to reach the 2015 targets of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals via soccer, said the event will also feature a musical show at the Allianz Arena by British and South African musical outfits, UB 40 and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.



"By bringing two forces, education and football, Goal4Africa wants to build sustainable change and a lasting legacy for the future of the continent of Africa," read the organization's statement.



The weekend event will also feature a reading on Nelson Mandela's extraordinary life story and an outline of his dream for Africa.



Some of the world's most successful soccer players, including many from Africa who also play for European leagues, are set to play in the match.



Michael Ballack of Chelsea and Germany, Samuel Eto'o of Barcelona and Cameroon, Emmanuel Adebayor of Arsenal and Togo, Ze Roberto of FC Bayern and Brazil, and Didier Drogba of Chelsea and Ivory Coast are among those on the roster.



Stanley Kwenda

German Sports Heroes Raise Money for Africa in Mandela's Honor

Africa | 15.07.2008
German Sports Heroes Raise Money for Africa in Mandela's Honor
Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Official opening of the Goal 4 Africa event in Munich
Germany's celebrated sports personalities graced a Goal 4 Africa event held in Munich in honor of former South African President Nelson Mandela at the weekend.

Germany's top sports personalities were among the big crowd that packed Munich's Allianz Arena on Saturday, July 12, to launch a charity campaign aimed at raising millions to help alleviate poverty in Africa as well as helping the African child attain education.



The event coincided with the birthday celebrations of South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday.



Germany Sports Icons Speak




Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Michael Schumacher celebrates after scoring a goal in the Goal 4 Africa soccer match in Munich
Germany national soccer team captain and Chelsea star Michael Ballack and retired Formula One motor racing all time hero Michael Schumacher featured in the match organized by Holland and AC Milan star Clarence Seedorf and his teammate Brazilian Ronaldo to try and raise funds for Africa.



Also in attendance was Bayern Munich's new coach Juergen Klinsmann who watched from the touch line.



The Germany national team captain said it was an honour for him to be part of the event, saying it was important for international football players to give back to communities around the world which support them in their fledging careers.



"I feel we should play our part as soccer players and give back to the communities that support us," Ballack said at a press conference before Saturday's match. "I am really happy that I am doing this for Africa."



Retired motor racing icon Schumacher, who was greeted with a huge roar when he came on as a first half substitute in the weekend match, was equally elated to be part of the festivities for a worthy cause.



"I think it's a very wonderful thing to do for the sake of others," he said. "I hope my little contribution by running through the field and scoring goals will go a long way to help children in Africa."



Helping children



The weekend event raised 875,655 euros ($1.39 million). The money will be used to help solve the chronic poverty problems and improve education for children in Africa, a goal that is in line with Nelson Mandela's wish for education for all.



The Goal 4 Africa Foundation, which is running the campaign will also organize a similar event to be held in South Africa in December. It says it hopes to raise 56,619,000 euros ($90 million) by 2010, when South Africa hosts Africa's first world cup.



Germany legend and new Bayern Munich coach, Klinsmann, said he supported the idea of helping Africa.



"It helps change life circumstances and give African children chances in life and we in Europe tap in from the African talent so it is important that we help develop it through initiatives like these," he said.



An African dream




Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Baichung Bhutia, Clarence Seedorf, Chedric Seedorf, Djemba-Djemba and Michael Schumacher celebrated after their team scored a goal
The man behind the campaign, Clarence Seedorf who himself had to go through the rigours of African life on his way to stardom, said his campaign is all about changing lives and giving African children a chance.



"All I am trying to say through this campaign is that everything is possible," he said. "Life is what we make it, it is all about creating hope in an otherwise hopeless situation it about giving African children a chance in live.



"I want us to eradicate poverty through every goal scored in football matches throughout the world. I promote hopes and dreams," he added. "The money raised will help develop education for life and help realise Nelson Mandela's dream of education for all and all for education and eradicate poverty."



Stanley Kwenda

DW Article Link

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3468013,00.html