This is the first pool report from Haiti regarding the First Lady's visit today. First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Tuesday, landing at 10:40 am, On yesterday Haitians acknowledged the three-month anniversary of the Jan. 12th, 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated the capital. The Obama administration released this statement about the visit, which was kept hush until the landing: “First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are visiting Haiti to underscore to the Haitian people and the Haitian government the enduring U.S. commitment to help Haiti recover and rebuild, especially as we enter the rainy and hurricane seasons, and to thank the women and men across the whole of the U.S. government for their extraordinary efforts in Haiti during the past three months.  They will also reach out to the UN and international relief communities in recognition of the truly global effort underway to help Haiti.” Jacqueline Charles Caribbean Correspondent Miami Herald

So far there have been no reports of damage related to this morning's 6.1 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. This underscores why most Haitians are sleeping outside rather than take the chance of being caught in buildings that may be affected by aftershocks.

From the Dallas South News Wire (State Department) WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the earthquake in Haiti, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is dispatching a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and has activated its partners, the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team and the Los Angeles County Search and Rescue Team.  The USAR teams will be composed of up to 72 personnel, 6 search and rescue canines and up to 48 tons of rescue equipment. The USAR team will be accompanied by USAID disaster experts who will assist with assessments of the situation. “This is a tragic situation and we will work alongside the Haitian government to provide immediate assistance in the rescue effort,” said USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah. “On behalf of the American people, I wish to convey our sympathy, thoughts and prayers to the people of Haiti who have been affected by this devastating earthquake.” USAID will continue to provide additional support as needed. For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/. The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.

By Nazim Ansari Peace and Blessings friends and family, 4/15/09 - Banjul, The Gambia Today was a day of fun, fun, fun.  We had lessons in drumming, dancing, Wolof language, and we visited the fishing market, and shopping market.  Our tour guide, Molong, took us to an area to learn the drumming, dancing and Wolof from some of the locals in The Gambia.  It was a blast!!!  The drumming was exciting, and the dancing was downright hilarious, my mother got out and danced!!  Next, we stopped at a tie-dye shop to learn how the tie-dye and local prints are created.  The artist use all natural colors from flowers and plants to make the printed shirts, dresses, tablecloths, etc. From there we toured the local fishing market and saw all the different types of fish the locals catch. There were shark fish, ugly fish, and all kinds of fish.  They use long fish boats and catch all the fish with a line, they are really skilled at their craft.  From there we went to the local marketplace to shop, it was a little exhausting, but extremely fun! Our tour guide told us from the beginning, whatever price they quote you, take 1/3rd of it and ...

BY NAZIM ANSARI April 13 - Riding to Banjul, Gambia This morning we left Banjul and rode a long way to The Gambia, which is a neighboring country to Senegal. We will be here for a few days before we depart back to Senegal. The trip was a good experience because we made many stops and it ended up taking us 10 hours to get there by charter bus. We were able to stop along the way to visit some of the small remote villages in the countryside. Our group stopped in one village and the areas is called Bandulu where the people live in "huts" (that's the best way I can describe their living quarters). But the major misperception is that Africa and Africans are savage, ignorant people. Even in the most remote villages the people speak at least three languages, Wolof -the native language of Senegal- French, and English. Also, they live a rural life as their customs call for, have electricity and running water, know what cars, cellphones, etc are, but they choose a life that is normal to them and their tradition. Their ...

Today, my former roommate Nazim Ansari tells of his visit to Goree Island, the last place that many Africans were housed before being shipped off into slavery. Nazim's words and pictures are moving as he walks us through the process that was used to transform humans into chattel. BY NAZIM ANSARI April 12 - Dakar Senegal Today we visited Goree Island and it was the most somber and serious experience I probably will have on the trip. If you have time please Google this island to read some of the history. It's right off the coast of Dakar, Senegal just a 15 minute ferry ride. This was one of the main docking station's during the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. Once slaves were captured from surrounding areas, they were sent here for up to 90 days before they were shipped out. The original slave dungeon we walked through is over 400 year old, and is the main point to visit. When I first walked into the 2 story slave dungeon, which is built directly against the water so the ships were able to pull up to it, there were rooms to the ...

Continuation of my former college roommate Nazim Ansari's 10 day trip to Africa. By Nazim Ansari April 11; Dakar, Senegal It was all worth it. The "rudeness" I faced in Casablanca, flight delays, hurdles that I personally had to overcome to make this trip were all worth today's experience. To see Africa and its people and just seeing Senegal has been great for me. It is an absolutely beautiful city in both location and scenery. Dakar,Senegal is the farthest point West in Africa right on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and it's the closest point west to the US. The water and beaches are beautiful and I had no idea my hotel was right on the water because we checked in after midnight. When I woke up to a view of the water I was amazed. We had another long full day, touring Senegal from the city to the countryside. Riding through town (especially in the market place) it was so dense it makes NYC look like Wasilla, Alaska. Not that it has more people, but the shops cars and people are packed in and they sell/trade everything. I didn't see ...

My former college roommate and line brother is doing something that many of us hope to do one day: he's touring Africa. Nazim went on the trip to accompany his nephew who is traveling with his school. He volunteered to share his experiences with the Dallas South Family, and for that I am grateful. I hope you enjoy Nazim's first hand account and pictures as much as I did. He promises that there will be more to come. By Nazim Ansari From the beginning I was very excited about making this jouney to "The Motherland," and haven't felt this way since I travelled to the Million Man March in college. I know I will see and learn a great deal, I already have, but I want to come back home with a greater appreciation for everything and everyone I have in my life. Nazim Ansari Like most, I get bogged down with the day-to-day tasks of work, bills, responbilities, sometimes complaining, but often just existing and not just living. That can lead to an ungrateful mindset, because I may not take time to appreciate all that I have. I also hope to walk ...

The Obama's are the talk of Great Britain, as the POTUS and FLOTUS met with Queen Elizabeth II and then Meet the Browns at 10 Downing Street. The President gifted an Ipod to the Queen, loaded with footage from her 2007 visit to the United States. This morning on CNN, the said the Queen is pretty tech savvy and sports the same Blackberry as President Obama. Tabloids and newspapers are scrutinizing every fashion choice made by Michelle Obama, and are debating who touched who first: whether the Queen placed her hand around Michelle Obama before placed her arm around "her majesty."  It's given the Brits lots to talk about today. As regards to the actual proceedings at the G 20 Summit, much of the talks have centered around economic troubles around the world, though President Obama and South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak both made stern warnings against an impending North Korean missile launch their government claims is a peaceful research effort to put a communications satellite into orbit. Also out of London, the G20 is set to triple the resources of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to $750 Billion.  These funds will be used to help developing economies. Photographs: John Stillwell/WPA ...

On Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.  According to the Associated Press, the warrant is for five charges of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes including murder, extermination, torture and rape.  The warrant stops short of supporting charges of genocide. Mr. al-Bashir is the first sitting head of state to be indicted for war crimes.  According to inthenews.co.uk, the international criminal court's chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, says he has 30 witnesses willing to provide testimony against the Sudanese president. The feelings on the continent of Africa are mixed on the Hague's decision to issue this warrant.  Many African leaders would like to find other ways to deal with the Sudanese government, though no ideas are floating right now.   The thought is that Sudan's government may push back on  the arrest warrant and  that  black Africans in Darfur would be treated even more harshly.