“Mama Africa” memorial service draws hundreds.

Hundreds of people came out to celebrate the life of legendary South African singer Miriam Makeba (also known as “Mama Africa”) at a public memorial service Saturday, reports the BBC. The 76-year-old singer died last weekend when she suffered a heart attack after performing at a benefit concert in Italy. The service drew fellow musicians, poets, South African government officials. Makeba, who was exiled from the country for using her music to speak out against apartheid, was described as “a woman whose name became synonymous with the worldwide struggle for freedom in South Africa,” by the nation’s Arts minister, Pallo Jordan. Hugh Masekela, a trumpet player and her former husband, performed at the service, and a South African poet, Maishe Maponya, read a poetic tribute. Thabo Mbeki, South Africa’s former president was also in attendance. The current president, Kgalema Motlanthe, who was in the United States for the G20 economic summit, sent a video message. “Let us say it loud and clear. Miriam Makeba was not affectionately called Mama Africa for nothing. Her music reverberated with consciousness about the real conditions of South Africans,” he said. South Africa started a period of national mourning the day after her body was flown to the country last week. Makeba, who was the first Black singer to win a Grammy award, also was the voice behind such hits at “Pata Pata” and “The Click Song.”

World leaders, minus Obama, meet to discuss economy.

Twenty leaders from all over the world converged in D.C. this weekend to talk about ways to solve the international economic crisis, reports CNN. The Group of 20 leaders (who’s nations collectively own 90 percent of the world’s economy) agreed on some aspects of the causes of the crisis and some places for solutions and decided to meet again in April to look at the progress. Various economic stimulus plans, such as interest rate cuts, found support among the nations; they also agreed to help developing nations hit hard by the global crisis. They also agreed on greater oversight for credit agencies. President George Bush called the meeting “very productive.” “All this is an important first step. In other words, this is a beginning of a series of meetings,” he said following the summit. President-elect Barack Obama did not attend the meeting, instead sending former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Republican congressman Jim Leach. “There is one president at a time,” a joint statement from Albright and Leach said, echoing the words of Obama during his first policy speech. “So, the president-elect asked us to represent him in receiving the views of these important partners.” And Obama’s absence didn’t seem to fade other world leaders, such as U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who believes he would be onboard with what they decided anyway. “What we decided today – to use fiscal measures to stimulate demand, and all countries signed up – is very much in line with what Obama said he would do,” he said. Hundreds of demonstrators hit the streets surrounding the World Bank to speak out against everything from the government to international financial institutions to capitalism.