Canadian Soccer Women win historic Bronze Medal with Matheson Goal

Canadian Soccer women made history today, when they won a bronze medal by defeating France with a last minute goal.

After an emotional semi-final match agains the US on Monday, there were some questions if the Canadian team would be able to move beyond that game and be a challenger to France. During last year's Worl Cup the French side send Canada packing during the group stage by handing them a 4-0 defeat.

A relatively eventless first half, saw many failed passes and a cautious approach by both teams. The game certainly did not have the atmosphere of the semi-final match against the American neighbour. Neither team had many moves toward the goal and the half ended scoreless. Canada had an excellent chance in the 15th minute on a pass from Rhian Wilkinson to Christine Sinclair, which went over the net.  Full story @allvoices

Socialist French President Visits Conservative German Chancellor

Shortly after taking his oath as the new President of France and a short motorcade in the rain, the new President of France, Francois Hollande wasted no time visiting his German counterpart, Angela Merkel.  While the new President was enroute his plane was struck by lightening and he had to return to France to change aircraft. 

Merkel and Sarkozy had an excellent relationship and the agreement reached to sort out Greece's debt crisis was developed between Merkel and he former French president.  Hollande campaigned on less austerity and more growth. 

Hollande arrived in Berlin to be greeted to with full honours for a state visit, with a military honour guard and all the trimmings.  Hollande's firs official  state visit shortly after he was  sworn in demonstrated the significance of the German/French relationship. 

The media, hungry for results, from the private meeting of these two European heavyweights, assembled in the foyer of the Chancellors office, demonstrating the importance of this relationship and the way forward for Europe. 

While no specific details were discussed, the two leaders attempted to put a positive light on their meeting. 

"We are very pleased, that on the day of his day he official became President, tha the (Hollande) came to us in Germany.  It pleases us even more that he did it, despite lighting striking his aircraft, perhaps this is a good omen for our cooperation,"said Merkel.

"I was very pleased with the official reception, because I wanted to pain a picture of trust, surpassing our diffenrece.  Trust in the work that we want to do together.  I also wanted to convey a picture of co-operation and continuity,  I hope that we will be able to convince Europeans that Germany and France together have the will to work on our relationship and the relationship in Europe overall," said Hollande.

Needless to say, the German and French public have different expectations from their leaders.  Greece is in turmoil and will be having new elections next month, since no coalition could be formed.  The current solution has been austerity, which no doubt hurt the ordinary person on the street. 

Years of neglect and politicians trying to garner votes have brought Greece to the brink of bankruptcy.  Those European leaders that attempt to get their spending under control, with entitlement and pension reform are being punished.  It is no different with Sarkozy and even in Merkel's Germany, where a state election in Nord Rhein Westfalen, showed the door to her Christian Democratic Union this past weekend.

In the United States the election this November is taking on the question of two different ideologies, one of entitlements and more spending, while the other bases its policies on the market place and deficit reduction.

Hollande and Merkel also differ in their approach to Afghanistan.  While Merkel supports the NATO plan to exit the country in 2014, Hollande wants to accomplish this a lot sooner.

The G8 meets later on this month in the United States.  President Obama has invited Hollande to a private meeting prior to the G8 discussions.  Hopefully, by then, the Germans and French will be using the same playbook and sing the same tune.  

Francois Hollande Defeats Sarkozy in French Election

A new era has started in France.  The Socialist candidate Francoise Hollande has beaten Nicolas Sarkozy by about four points.  The  French electorate reacted strongly by rejecting Sarkozy's austerity measures and embracing Hollande, who believes more stimulus is needed to ignite the economy.  Sarkozy conceded the victory to his rival in a phone call. 20% of the popular vote went to the far right in France.

Jubilant left-wingers celebrated outside the Socialist Party headquarters and in Paris' Bastille square, with Mr Hollande set to be France's first Socialist president in two decades.

In an acceptance speech in front of thousands of supporters, Francoise Hollande declared victory in the election and said that the people had chosen change by  voting for him. 

 François Gérard Georges Hollande was born on 12 August 1954 and was the First Secretary of the French Socialist Party from 1997 to 2008. He has also been a Deputy of the National Assembly of France for Corrèze's 1st Constituency since 1997, and previously represented that seat from 1988 to 1993. He was the Mayor of Tulle from 2001 to 2008, and has been the President of the General Council of Corrèze since 2008. François Hollande is the president-elect of the French Republic. He was elected on 6 May 2012, over incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy with a predicted 51.90% of the vote. Wikepedia


Hollande has vowed to renegotiate the deal reached with 27 Eurozone countries.  He believes more growth measures are needed.  Since Germany's Chacellor Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy were the main architects of the deal, it will be a hard road to follow for Francois Hollande.  Merkel also has her electorate to consider and Germans are fed up with funding the European Central Bank and countries that refuse to take their medicine.  How will this election outcome affect the EU?

Merkel has invited Francoise Hollande to come to Berlin as soon as possible after taking office.  She obviously sees bilateral talks with the new French President as a priority. 

In an argument that sounds familiar to Americans, Hollande charged Sarkozy with protecting the rich and vowed that he would impose a 75% tax on those making above $1.3 million annually.  The additional funds would be  used to help the poor.

It could be interesting days ahead in France, in fact all of Europe.

Update:  President Obama has invited newly President Elect Francois Hollande to visit him in the White House later this month.  He wants the meeting to take place prior to the G8 Summit to be held at  at his Camp David retreat in Maryland between May 18-19, followed by the NATO transatlantic alliance summit in Chicago on May 20-21.

The two affirmed the importance of the U.S./France relationship.  The invitation was extended during a congratulatory phone call by President Obama in which he "indicated that he looks forward to working closely with Mr Hollande and his government on a range of shared economic and security challenges."

In Tokyo the Euro fell to 1.2982 from 1.3082 on Friday on word that Hollande had defeated Sarkozy.  The National Australia Bank said in a note,  "The Hollande win in France is not necessarily a surprise. However it brings home the reality that incumbents following the (European Union's) prescribed austerity measures are going to find it difficult to remain elected.  What happens to these austerity measures now are what are weighing on the Euro."

"Asian markets have dropped on fresh fears about the eurozone debt crisis after Francois Hollande won the French presidential election. 

Mr Hollande has said that he wants a new emphasis on growth and less on austerity in eurozone spending plans.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 2.8%, South Korea's Kospi shed 1.5% and Australia's ASX 200 dropped 1.14%. 

The euro also fell to a three-month low against the US dollar."  BBC