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BARACK OBAMA

Stoltenberg to visit Obama on October 20th

US President Barack Obama will welcome Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to the White House on October 20th for talks on the Arab Spring and Middle East peace, US officials said on Friday.

Published: 3 October 2011 16:08 CEST
Stoltenberg to visit Obama on October 20th
Photo: Office of the Prime Minister (File)

"The United States and Norway are not only close Nato allies, but also partners who cooperate in a wide variety of endeavors all around the world," the White House said in a statement.

"The president looks forward to thanking the prime minister personally for Norway's important contribution to the Nato mission in Libya," it said of the anticipated Oval Office meeting.

Obama also plans to discuss a range of issues with Stoltenberg including "Afghanistan, Middle East peace, the Arctic, global health, climate change, the famine in Somalia and support for the new democracies in North Africa."

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BARACK OBAMA

Barack Obama set to visit Munich just in time for Oktoberfest

Former US President Barack Obama is coming to Munich – just in time for Oktoberfest.

Published: 23 July 2019 16:47 CEST
Barack Obama set to visit Munich just in time for Oktoberfest
Barack Obama with a beer in Bavaria in 2015. Photo: DPA

Obama will speak at the Munich-based international startup festival, Bits & Pretzels, in September.

During a moderated one-hour conversation taking place on September 29th, Obama will talk about his life in front of 5,000 people at the ticketed event.

The 57-year-old is expected to discuss his time in office and leadership – the theme of the festival – around the world. 

The three organizers– Andreas Bruckschlögl, Bernd van’s Gravesande and Felix Haas, who themselves have founded several successful start-ups – revealed their very special guest on Tuesday.

“Leadership is all about inspiring and empowering people to change their world – and there isn't anyone embodying this as much as President Obama. We are truly honored and excited to have him with us this year,” the organizers said.

Other speakers already confirmed at this year’s event include Fatoumata Ba, founder and CEO of African social startup Janngo, as well as Donna Carpenter, co-founder and CEO of Burton Snowboards.

In recent years, the organizers have also pulled in top-class speakers for the three-day fest. They’ve included actor Kevin Spacey and multi-entrepreneur Richard Branson.

The festival will take place from September 29th to October 1st at the Kongressgelände in Munich. 

Will Obama head to Oktoberfest?

Obama may also visit Munich’s world famous Oktoberfest during his time in Bavaria because the former president revealed in 2016 during an event in Hanover that he regretted not having visited the event before.

READ ALSO: The dos and don't to keep in mind at Oktoberfest

“The only thing I regret is that I have never visited the Oktoberfest in Germany before,” he said. “So I'll have to come back, and I suspect it's more fun when you're not president.”

It now remains to be seen whether Obama will have time to relax with a beer at the celebrations in the city this year.

This year, Bavarian Oktoberfest starts on September 21st and runs until October 6th.

READ ALSO: Why the German beer renaissance is in full swing

In 2015 he enjoyed a traditional Bavarian breakfast of “Weisswurst” (white sausage) and beer with Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders before the G7 summit in the Alps.

“When I first heard Angela was hosting the G7 in Bavaria, I was hoping that it would fall during Oktoberfest, but then again there’s never a bad day for a beer and a Weisswurst,” he reportedly said.

But a local farmer told reporters Obama had in fact drunk non-alcoholic beer during the breakfast meeting.

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