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The US president, Barack Obama, shook hands with his Cuban opposite number, Raul Castro, at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela The handshake between the two historic enemies came as they attended a ceremony in Johannesburg to celebrate the late South African leader's ability to foster reconciliation. The gesture - which comes despite half a century of hostilities - came as Mr Obama made his way to a podium to deliver a speech. It is only the second time ever that a US president has shaken the hands of a Cuban Communist leader. President Bill Clinton was the first to...

Got this from Andrew Malcolm ad IBD, check his column out here.This isn't any surprise from the guy who honored Rosa Parks a few days ago like this...

<p>So Obama is about to speak in Cape Town. Will he equate himself with Mandela? It is always all about him, ya know.</p> <p>That Twitter user didn’t have long to wait to receive an answer to his question.</p> <p>POTUS' speech at U of Cape Town about to begin.</p>

Obama Compares Nelson Mandela To George Washington By JONATHAN KARL PRETORIA, South Africa , June 29, 2013 Although President Obama will not get a chance to see Nelson Mandela on his trip to South Africa, he is using his historic visit to pay tribute to the man he calls a hero to the world and will meet today with the Mandela family. At a joint press conference with South African President Jacob Zuma this morning, President Obama spoke extensively about Mandela's legacy. "Our thoughts and those of Americans and people all around the world are with Nelson Mandela and his...

PRETORIA, South Africa -- U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will meet on Saturday with relatives of anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela, but they will not visit the hospital where the former South African president is critically ill, the White House said. Obama is in South Africa on the second stop of a three-nation Africa tour. His visit had triggered intense speculation that the United States' first African-American president might visit 94-year-old Mandela in the Pretoria hospital where he has spent three weeks being treated for a lung infection.

Barack Obama said Friday that he did not need a “photo op” with Nelson Mandela, saying the “last thing” he wanted to do was be intrusive at a time when the anti-apartheid icon’s family are concerned about his health. However, the president did not rule out a meeting with Mandela, whose ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said Friday had made a “great improvement” compared to a few days ago. On Tuesday, Mandela's daughter Zindzi said that her father “opened his eyes and gave me a smile” when she told him Obama was coming. Speaking about her ex-husband Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela says,...