Speaking to the Turkish parliament, President Obama says the U.S. supports Turkey's EU bid.During his first visit to a mainly Muslim state, US President Barack Obama has urged Turkey to help bridge the gap between the Muslim and Western worlds.Mr Obama said his trip was a statement of the importance of Turkey to the US, at a news conference in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul.He is hoping to revitalise ties with Turkey, which have deteriorated in recent years over the war in Iraq.On Sunday, Mr Obama voiced his support for Turkey's efforts to join the EU.He told reporters on the flight to Ankara that Turkey's accession would send an important signal to the Muslim world and firmly anchor it within Europe. Before his visit, the US leader attended a Nato summit in France, where he helped to overcome Turkey's objection to Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's appointment as the alliance's next secretary general.Turkey had initially blocked his appointment because he had defended the right of one of his country's newspapers to publish controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, which caused widespread anger among Muslims. But Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Mr Obama's support had helped to assuage his country's concerns.On Monday, Mr Rasmussen promised to pay close attention to religious sensibilities when he takes over the job in August.'Set of strategies'Correspondents say security has been extremely tight for Mr Obama's visit, which began in the capital Ankara on Monday and will later move on to Istanbul.Snipers and riot police have been deployed and military aircraft are patrolling a no-fly zone. Mobile phone signal jammers have also been activated along routes that the president will travel.At the beginning of his visit on Monday, Mr Obama laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the modern Turkish state, whose "vision, tenacity and courage" he praised. He then travelled to the presidential palace in Ankara for talks with his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul.After the meeting, Mr Obama told a news conference that they had discussed the need for the US-Turkish partnership to address regional challenges like the threat from terrorism, the war in Afghanistan and the Middle East peace process.He told reporters he wanted to "make a statement about the importance of Turkey, not just to the United States, but to the world", describing it as a blend of "ancient traditions with the modern nation state that respects democracy". "It gives me confidence that moving forward, not only are we going to be able to improve our bilateral relations, but as we work together we are going to be able to shape a set of strategies that can bridge the divide between the Muslim world and the West, that can make us more prosperous and more secure," he added.Mr Obama later stood by his 2008 assertion that the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915 constituted "genocide" - without repeating the word - but said he had been encouraged by recent talks between Turkey and Armenia.The issue remains highly sensitive between the governments of Armenia and Turkey, which denies those killed were victims of systematic genocide, and as prevented normal diplomatic relations between them for many years.During his presidential election campaign, Mr Obama said the "Armenian genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence".Later, addressing the Turkish parliament, the US president said that while Turkey and his country had not always agreed on everything, the two states were stronger when they acted together. He said Turkey and the US must listen to each other and seek common ground.The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Ankara says the fact that Mr Obama chose to come to Turkey on only his second purely bilateral visit has been welcomed as a sign that he wants to re-engage with it.Public support for the US dropped to a record low during the Bush administration, fuelled mostly by fierce opposition to the invasion of Iraq, our correspondent says.Speaking in Prague on Sunday, Mr Obama said Turkey's entry into the EU would help to consolidate its position as a Western nation."The United States and Europe must approach Muslims as our friends, neighbours and partners in fighting injustice, intolerance and violence, forging a relationship based on mutual respect and mutual interest," he said.But French President Nicolas Sarkozy said it was up to the EU itself to decide who joined the bloc - and that he had always been personally opposed to Turkey's entry.The EU agreed to open accession talks with Ankara in 2004, but in recent years Turkey has made little progress with democratic reforms which would improve its chances of membership. [More] [Less]

Obama visits istanbulThe Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii) is the national mosque of Turkey, and is a historical mosque in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire (from 1453 to 1923). The mosque is one of several mosques known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul. [More] [Less]

President Kibaki tough job

PM was not consulted over appointments

ODM won the elections: Raila

Iron Lady calls it a day

a simple discussion becomes a huge paintball fight between Hillary Clinton, McCain, Obama, Romney, Edwards and Huckabee.John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) is the senior United States Senator from Arizona and presumptive Republican Party nominee for President of the United States in the upcoming 2008 election.McCain's grandfather and father were the first pair of father/son Four-Star admirals in the United States Navy. McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958. He became a naval aviator, flying attack aircraft from carriers. During the Vietnam War in 1967, he narrowly escaped death in the Forrestal fire. On his 23rd bombing mission over North Vietnam later in 1967, he was shot down, badly injured, and captured as a prisoner of war by the North Vietnamese. He spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war, including periods of torture, before he was released in accordance with the Paris Peace Accords in 1973.McCain retired from the Navy in 1981 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 1st congressional district in 1982. After serving two terms, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, winning reelection in 1992, 1998, and 2004. While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain has established a reputation as a political maverick for his willingness to disagree with his party on several key issues. Surviving the Keating Five scandal of the 1980s, he made campaign finance reform one of his signature concerns, eventually co-sponsoring the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act in 2002.McCain lost the Republican nomination in the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush after closely contested battles in several early primary states. In the 2008 presidential election cycle, McCain staged a comeback after his campaign stumbled in mid-2007, and by the end of January 2008, he was the Republican front-runner once again. Following victories in early February and the withdrawal of his closest competitors, McCain gained enough delegates to solidify his status as the presumptive nominee on March 4, 2008.Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. (born August 4, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. He married in 1992 and has two daughters. Obama has written two books: a memoir of his youth titled Dreams from My Father, and The Audacity of Hope, a personal commentary on U.S. politics.Born to a Kenyan father and an American mother, he passed most of his childhood and adolescent years in Honolulu, Hawaii. At age six, he moved to Jakarta where he lived with his mother and Indonesian stepfather for four years. A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Obama worked as a community organizer, university lecturer, and lawyer before serving in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for U.S. Senate in early 2003. The next year, while still an Illinois state legislator, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2004 with 70% of the vote.As a member of the Democratic minority in the 109th Congress, he cosponsored legislation to control conventional weapons and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In the current 110th Congress, he has sponsored legislation regarding lobbying and electoral fraud, climate change, nuclear terrorism, and care for returned U.S. military personnel. Since announcing his presidential campaign in February 2007, Obama has emphasized ending the war in Iraq, increasing energy independence, and providing universal health care as top national priorities.Go obama! [More] [Less]

kiai meets Obama

kenya news

„Obama be thy name is "Ohanglaman" MAKADEM's musical contribution to the US presidential elections. As a world citizen, the Kenyan afro-fusion & reggae artist calls upon every American to vote. Inspired by the musicians international approach, filmmaker Katrin Ender worked out a concept bringing across the universal message of the song. Song title: Obama be thy nameArtist: MakademComposer: MakademProduction: Katrin EnderDirector: Katrin EnderCameraman: Willie OwusuEditor: Katrin Ender© Katrin Ender 2008 All rights reserved [More] [Less]

cabinet line up

THE PRIME MINISTER OF KENYA VISITS THE UKIt was a historical turnout for Kenyans and friends of Kenya as they filled and overflowed in the Cumberland hotel. They waited to usher the first ever Kenyan Prime minister honorable Raila Odinga to address the gathering. Many came with mixed expectations, to see in practice how the cabinet ministers of the grand coalition government related.The PM Raila Odinga was accompanied by his wife, Ida Odinga, Cabinet Ministers John Michuki (Finance and Environment), Moses Wetangula (Foreign Affairs), Kiraitu Murungi (Energy), Mutula Kilonzo (Nairobi Metropolitan), Najib Balala (Tourism) and Mohamed Elmi (Northern Kenya and Arid Lands).The ministers showed a thorough understanding of how their ministries are run, their goals in the upcoming future and the expectations of their performances. This was music to the ears of the Kenyans in the Diaspora as they evidenced an enthusiasm from each of the ministers, who passionately spoke of their intention to bring Kenya back to the economic high ranks.The prime ministers shone to the eyes of many Kenyans as he delivered a highly conciliatory speech, denoting the importance of community cohesion. He shared his commitment to good governance, communities well being, 2030 vision for Kenya and achieving millennium development goals.Of course, as expected, a die hard ODM supporter opened a can of worms which was as easily buried off to the past by the attendees. The prime minister showed his commitment for the grand coalition government as he diplomatically requested Kenyans not be slaves of history. Feature by Janet Wainaina African Acts [More] [Less]

ODM is accusing PNU of attempting to monopolise power while PNU insists ODM is shifting goalposts.

cabinet line up

maina kiai on cabinet