Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM" Biography

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Shahid Afridi "BOOM BOOM"

Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi born on 1 March, 1980 in Khyber Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan), popularly known as Shahid Afridi is a Pakistani cricketer. Between 1996 and 2013, Afridi played 27 Tests, 364 One Day Internationals, and 56 Twenty20 International for the Pakistani national team.

He made his ODI debut on 2 October 1996 against Kenya and his Test debut on 22 October 1998 against Australia.

He is known for his aggressive batting style, and holds the record for the fastest ODI century which he made in his first international innings, as well as scoring 32 runs in a single over, the second highest scoring over ever in an ODI.

He also holds the distinction of having hit the most number of sixes in the history of ODI cricket.Afridi considers himself a better bowler than batsman, and has taken 48 Test wickets and over 300 in ODIs.

Currently Afridi is the leading wicket taker in the Twenty20 format taking 73 wickets from 56 matches.Shahid Afridi has signed to play for the Sydney Thunderin Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash league.

In June 2009 Afridi took over the Twenty20 captaincy from Younus Khan, and was later appointed ODI captain for the 2010 Asia Cup. In his first match as ODI captain against Sri Lanka he scored a century however Pakistan still lost by 16 runs. 

He then also took over the Test captaincy but resigned after one match in charge citing lack of form and ability to play Test cricket; at the same time he announced his retirement from Tests. He retained the captaincy in limited-overs form of the game and led the team in the 2011 World Cup. 

Amongst his highlights while captaining Pakistan include leading the team to their first ODI series win in two-years. In May 2011, having led Pakistan in 34 ODIs Afridi was replaced as captain. Later that month he announced his conditional retirement from international cricket in protest against his treatment by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Afridi is from the Afridi tribe of the Khyber Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and hails from a Pashtun family. He is married and has two daughters, Aqsa and Ansha.

In October 1996 at the age of sixteen Afridi was drafted into the ODI team during the four-nation Sameer Cup 1996–97 as a leg spinner as a replacement for the injured Mushtaq Ahmed. He made his debut on 2 October against Kenya, however he didn't bat and went wicketless.

In the next match against Sri Lanka, Afridi batted at number three in the role of a pinch-hitter. In his first international innings, Afridi broke the record for fastest century in ODI cricket, reaching his hundred from 37 balls. The eleven sixes he struck also equalled the record for most in an ODI innings. Aged 16 years and 217 days, Afridi became the youngest player to score an ODI century. Pakistan posted a total of 371, at the time the second-highest in ODIs, and won by 82 runs; Afridi was named man of the match.

Two years after appearing on the international scene, Afridi made his Test debut in the third game of a three-match series against Australia on 22 October 1998. By this point he had already played 66 ODIs, at the time a record before playing Tests. He opened the batting, making scores of 10 and 6, and took five wickets in the first innings. He played his second Test the following January during Pakistan's tour of India; it was the first Test between the two countries since 1990. 

Again opening the batting, Afridi scored his maiden Test century, scoring 141 runs from 191 balls. In the same match he also claimed three wickets for 54 runs. After winning the first match by 12 runs, Pakistan lost the second to draw the series.

In 2001, Afridi signed a contract to represent Leicestershire. In five first-class matches he scored 295 runs at an average of 42.14, including a highest score of 164, and took 11 wickets at an average of 46.45; Afridi also played 11 one day matches for the club, scoring 481 runs at an average of 40.08 and taking 18 wickets at 24.04. 

His highest score of 95 came from 58 balls in a semi-final of the C&G Trophy to help Leicestershire beat Lancashire by seven wickets.Derbyshire County Cricket Club signed Afridi to play for them in the first two months of the 2003 English cricket season. In June 2004 Afridi signed with English county side Kent to play for them in three Twenty20 matches and one Totesport League match.

Afridi made his presence felt in the third Test against India in March 2005, scoring a quick-fire second-innings half-century and taking five wickets in the match (including Tendulkar twice) to help Pakistan to win the game and register a series draw. 

In April Afridi struck what at the time was the equal second-fastest century in ODIs; he reached 100 off 45 deliveries against India, sharing the record with West Indian Brian Lara. Afridi was more consistent with his batting and bowling throughout 2005, starting with the tours of India and West Indies and through to the England tour. The Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer helped Afridi to reach a fuller potential by improving his shot selection and giving him free rein over his batting attitude.

On 21 November 2005, Shahid Afridi was banned for a Test match and two ODIs for deliberately damaging the pitch in the second match of the three-Test series against England. TV cameras pictured him scraping his boots on the pitch scuffing the surface when play was held up after a gas canister exploded. Afridi later pleaded guilty to a level three breach of the ICC code of conduct relating to the spirit of the game. Inquiries were made and Afridi's antics came into view. 

He was investigated and banned after the day's play, along with receiving a huge amount of criticism from the cricketing world for bringing the game into disrepute. Match referee Roshan Mahanama said: "This ban should serve as a message to players that this type of behaviour is not allowed." On this Afridi accepted his fault and said that a "senior player like me should set good examples to others because they see us to learn." His behaviour was also condemned by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

On 12 April 2006, Afridi announced a temporary retirement from Test cricket so that he could concentrate on ODIs, with a particular focus on the 2007 World Cup, and to spend more time with his family. He said he would consider reversing his decision after the World Cup. Afridi had played ten Tests since being recalled to the side in January 2005, averaging 47.44 with the bat including four centuries. 

However, on 27 April he reversed his decision, saying that "[Woolmer] told me that I am one of the main players in the team and squad and that Pakistan really needed me". Before Pakistan toured England in July to September, Afridi played for Ireland as an overseas player in the C&G Trophy. In six matches, he scored 128 runs and took seven wickets. England won the four-match Test series 3–0; Afridi played two matches, scoring 49 runs and took three wickets. It was the last Test cricket Afridi played until 2010.

Afridi was charged on 8 February 2007 of bringing the game into disrepute after he was seen on camera thrusting his bat at a spectator who swore at him on his way up the steps after being dismissed. Afridi was given a four-game ODI suspension, the minimum possible ban for such an offence, meaning that he would miss Pakistan's first two 2007 World Cup matches. The PCB and Afridi chose not to appeal the ban, despite feeling that the punishment was excessively harsh.

In the 2007 World Twenty20, he performed poorly with the bat but brilliantly with the ball, earning the Man of the Series award, though he failed to take a wicket in the final and was out for a golden duck.But in the next ICC Twenty20 World Cup, held in 2009 Afridi performed brilliantly in the series scoring 50 runs in the semi-final and 54 in the final and leading his team to victory.

On 30 May Afridi announced his conditional retirement from international cricket in protest against his treatment by the PCB. The condition on his return was that the board be replaced. The PCB suspended Afridi's central contract, fined him 4.5 million rupees ($52,300), and revoked his no-objection certificate (NOC) which allowed Afridi to play for Hampshire. Afridi filed a petition with the Sindh High Court to overturn the sanctions. On June 15, Afridi withdrew his petition after an out of court settlement and the PCB reinstated his NOC.

Biography of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

The life of Nelson Mandela is without a doubt a fascinating one. Fewer men in history have done so much in the name of equality, freedom and peace. Nearly every nation in the world is interested in the biography of Nelson Mandela. The Nelson Mandela biography is sought everywhere. This is a man who transcends all languages. His biography exists virtually everywhere and in every language. He was, and is, a powerful and peaceful man. So where does the Nelson Mandela story begin?

In the small village of Mvezo , in the Transkien territories of South Africa, the Nelson Mandela bio began on July 18, 1918. He was not born with the name Nelson, but with his African name Rolihlahla , which literally means –pulling the branch of a tree, or in it's colloquial sense 'troublemaker' ( It seems Rohlihlahla Nelson Mandela certainly lived up to his given name, but in the best of ways).

No Nelson Mandela history would be complete without knowing who his parents were. His father was Henry Mgadla Mandela. Mgadla was one of the main councillors to the acting chief of the Thembu tribe. The Mandela name itself comes from one of the royal's in the Thembu tribe on Nelson's grandfather's side. Due to his grandmother's position though, that branch of the family was unable to succeed the throne. His mother was Nonqaphi Nosekeni. She was Mgadla's third wife. (Interestingly the famous Nelson Mandela has also had three wives).

Rohlihlahla's father died when the boy was nine years old (from tuberculosis). The Mandela biography continues with the young Mandela coming under the guardianship of Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who was regent and an heir to the Thembu throne.

Rohlihlahla Mandela was the first of his father's family to receive formal schooling. It was his school teacher Miss Mdingane who gave him the English name Nelson.

Nelson Mandela then went on to finish his Junior Certificate from a Wesleyan school and on to college where he studied for a Bachelor of Arts. Engaging in a boycott against university policies at the Fort Hare he was essentially kicked out and the Nelson Mandela story moved on.

Rejecting an arranged marriage from his guardian (regent Jongintaba) Manela Rohililaha Nelson escaped to Johannesburg. He completed his degree through correspondence and eventually became involved in the ANC (African National Council). From there it seems there was no looking back.

Once he became involved in the ANC there was no looking back in the Nelson Mandela life. Mandela and those who were with him took many actions against the injustice of apartheid. A system where one's color discriminated so totally against the basic laws of freedom was unthinkable (just as slavery) and yet it was a reality.

The Nelson Mandela bio continues with him becoming the leader of the African National Councils Umkhonto weSiswe - the armed wing. They organized protests and sabotages to bring to light the inequality that was happening throughout South Africa. While Mandela had worked hard to bring about understanding and change through peaceful methods, military and government targets were bombed (always with no intention of physical harm) to get the message across.

In 1962 Nelson Mandela was arrested and sent to prison. Many other ANC leaders were also arrested at this time. The biography of Nelson Mandela has much to show of the work he carried out during his imprisonment. He never gave up the struggle. He wrote many books and his main place of imprisonment came to be known as a place of learning. A man of peace, the Nelson Mandela life involves nearly 27 years of imprisonment. Songs have been written, and praises sung. The call for freedom was heard around the world.

Under President de Klerk, Nelson Mandela was finally released from prison in 1990. He returned as the leader of the ANC and fought on for freedom. Along with deKlerk he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Nelson Mandela 1994 is elected president of South Africa; A triumph for equality and a triumph for peace. The world rejoiced in finally seeing a wrong come right. This does not mean that there is total equality and peace in South Africa yet. What it does mean is that one man who stands firm can make a difference for millions. The Nelson Mandela story is one of hope for all mankind.

Nelson Mandela opened his law office in 1952, and a few months later teamed up with Tambo to create the first Black legal practice in South Africa. It was difficult for both Mandela and Tambo to find time for both their legal practice and their political aspirations. That year Mandela became president of the Transvaal ANC, but was banned under the Suppression of Communism Act – he was prohibited from holding office within the ANC, banned from attending ANY meetings, and restricted to the district around Johannesburg.

On 5 December 1956, in response to the adoption of the Freedom Charter at the Congress of the People, the Apartheid government in South Africa arrested a total 156 people, including Chief Albert Luthuli (president of the ANC) and Nelson Mandela. This was almost the entire executive of the African National Congress (ANC), Congress of Democrats, South African Indian Congress, Coloured People's Congress, and the South African Congress of Trade Unions (collectively known as the Congress Alliance). They were charged with "high treason and a countrywide conspiracy to use violence to overthrow the present government and replace it with a communist state." The punishment for high treason was death. The Treason Trial dragged on, until Mandela and his 29 remaining co-accused were finally acquitted in March 1961. During the Treason Trial Nelson Mandela met and married his second wife, Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela.

The 1955 Congress of the People and its moderate stance against the policies of the Apartheid government eventually led to the younger, more radical members of the ANC to break away: the Pan Africanist Congress, PAC, was formed in 1959 under the leadership of Robert Sobukwe. The ANC and PAC became instant rivals, especially in the townships. This rivalry came to a head when the PAC rushed ahead of ANC plans to hold mass protests against the pass laws. On 21 March 1960 at least 180 black Africans were injured and 69 killed when the South African police opened fire on approximately demonstrators at Sharpeville.

Both the ANC and PAC responded in 1961 by setting up military wings. Nelson Mandela, in what was a radical departure from ANC policy, was instrumental in creating the ANC group: Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation, MK), and Mandela became the MK's first commander. Both the ANC and PAC were banned by the South African government under the Unlawful Organisations Act in 1961. The MK, and the PAC's Poqo, responded by commencing with campaigns of sabotage.

In 1962 Nelson Mandela was smuggled out of South Africa. He first attended and addressed the conference of African nationalist leaders, the Pan-African Freedom Movement, in Addis Ababa. From there he went to Algeria to undergo guerrilla training, and then flew to London to catch up with Oliver Tambo (and also to meet members of the British parliamentary opposition). On his return to South Africa, Mandela was arrested and sentenced to five years for "incitement and illegally leaving the country".

On 11 July 1963 a raid was undertaken on Lilieslief farm in Rivonia, near Johannesburg, which was being used by the MK as headquarters. The remaining leadership of the MK was arrested. Nelson Mandela was included at trial with those arrested at Lilieslief and charged with over 200 counts of "sabotage, preparing for guerrilla warfare in SA, and for preparing an armed invasion of SA". Mandela was one of five (out of the ten defendants) at the Rivonia Trail to be given life sentences and sent to Robben Island. Two more were released, and the remaining three escaped custody and were smuggled out of the country.

In 1976 Nelson Mandela was approached with an offer by Jimmy Kruger, the Minister for Police serving under President BJ Vorster, to renounce the struggle and settle in the Transkei. Mandela refused. By 1982 international pressure against the South African government to release Nelson Mandela and his compatriots was growing. The then South African president, PW Botha, arranged for Mandela and Sisulu to be transferred back to the mainland to Pollsmoor Prison, near Cape Town. In August 1985, approximately a month after the South African government declares a state of emergency, Mandela was taken to hospital for an enlarged prostate gland. On his return to Pollsmoor he was placed in solitary confinement (having a whole section of the jail to himself).

In 1986 Nelson Mandela was taken to see the Minister of Justice, Kobie Coetzee, who requested once again that he 'renounce violence' in order to win his freedom. Despite refusing, restrictions on Mandela were somewhat lifted: he was allowed visits from his family, and was even driven around Cape Town by the prison warder. In May 1988 Mandela was diagnosed with tuberculosis and moved to Tygerberg hospital for treatment. On release from hospital he was moved to 'secure quarters' at Victor Verster Prison near Paarl.

By 1989 things were looking bleak for the Apartheid regime: PW Botha had a stroke, and shortly after 'entertaining' Mandela at the Tuynhuys, the presidential residence in Cape Town, he resigned. FW de Klerk was appointed as his successor. Mandela met with De Klerk in December 1989, and the following year at the opening of parliament (2 February) De Klerk announced the unbanning of all political parties and the release of political prisoners (except those guilty of violent crimes). On 11 February 1990 Nelson Mandela was finally released.

By 1991 the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, CODESA, was set up to negotiate constitutional change in South Africa. Both Mandela and De Klerk were key figures in the negotiations, and their efforts were jointly awarded in December 1993 with the Nobel Peace Prize. When South Africa's first multi-racial elections were held in April 1994, the ANC won a 62% majority. (Mandela revealed later that he was worried that it would achieve the 67% majority that would allow it to re-write the constitution.) A Government of National Unity, GNU, was formed – based on an idea proffered by Joe Slovo, the GNU could last for up to five years as a new constitution was drawn up. It was hoped that this would allay the fears of South Africa's whites population suddenly faced with majority Black rule.

On 10 May 1994 Nelson Mandela made his inaugural presidential speech from the Union Building, Pretoria:

"We have at last, achieved our political emancipation. we pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender, and other discrimination. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another... Let freedom reign. God Bless Africa!"

Shortly after he published his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.

In 1997 Nelson Mandela stepped down as leader of the ANC in favour of Thabo Mbeki, and in 1999 he relinquished the post of president. Despite claims to have retired, Mandela continues to have a busy life. He was divorced from Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in 1996, the same year that the press realised he was having a relationship with Graça Machel, the widow of Mozambique's former president. After heavy prompting by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel were married on his eightieth birthday, 18 July 1998.

Nelson Mandela dead at 95

Nelson Mandela dead at 95

Nelson Mandela dead at 95

Nelson Mandela dead at 95

Nelson Mandela dead at 95

So sad. The former South African president died on Dec. 5 at the age of 95. He will be greatly missed. The current president Jacob Zuma announced the passing at 8:50pm local time in South Africa.

Nelson Mandela sadly passed away on Dec.5, 2013 at home in Houghton, South Africa. He had been suffering from a recurring lung infection and was frequently in the hospital over the last year. The revolutionary leader fought passionately against the injustice of apartheid and later dedicated himself to bringing the South African nation together peacefully after apartheid was abolished. He leaves behind an incredible legacy and will not be forgotten.

Nelson Mandela Dead — ‘Will Sleep for Eternity’

In an interview for the documentary, Mandela (1996), Nelson said, “Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.” Nelson truly committed himself to making the world a better place, and he succeeded.

Nelson was survived by his third wife, Graça Machel, three children, 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Nelson Mandela’s Accomplishments

Nelson is credited for establishing South Africa’s democracy. After serving 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid, he became a major international figure. Along with the F.W. de Klerk, the South African President in 1993, Nelson won the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1994, Nelson was elected as the president of South Africa, and served one term, through 1999. He became an icon and a greatly admired leader. In 2012, South Africa printed a new set of banknotes, featuring Nelson smiling on the front of them as a tribute to him.

“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination,” Nelson once said, which means that he was one of the best combinations.

Even after Nelson’s presidency was over, he remained active in mediating conflicts from Africa to the Middle East.

President Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali & Other Celebrities Remember Mandela

“We’ve lost one of the most influential courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth. He no longer belongs to us, he belongs to the ages,” President Barack Obama said in a press conference. “Today, he has gone home.”

“So long as I live, I will do what I can to learn from him,” the president continued before extending his sympathy to his loved ones. “I only hope that the time spent with him these last few weeks have brought them peace and comfort.”

“Let us pause and give thanks that Nelson Mandela lived.”

Former professional boxer Muhammad Ali also released a touching statement praising the late leader on Dec. 5:

I am deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Mandela. His was a life filled with purpose and hope; hope for himself, his country and the world. He inspired others to reach for what appeared to be impossible and moved them to break through the barriers that held them hostage mentally, physically, socially and economically. He made us realize, we are our brother’s keeper and that our brothers come in all colors. What I will remember most about Mr.Mandela is that he was a man whose heart, soul and spirit could not be contained or restrained by racial and economic injustices, metal bars or the burden of hate and revenge. He taught us forgiveness on a grand scale. His was a spirit born free, destined to soar above the rainbows. Today his spirit is soaring through the heavens. He is now forever free.

Actor Morgan Freeman released a statement about Nelson’s passing, saying:

Today the world lost one of the true giants of the past century. Nelson Mandela was a man of incomparable honor, unconquerable strength, and unyielding resolve—a saint to many, a hero to all who treasure liberty, freedom and the dignity of humankind. As we remember his triumphs, let us, in his memory, not just reflect on how far we’ve come, but on how far we have to go. Madiba may no longer be with us, but his journey continues on with me and with all of us.

Nelson also made a lasting impression on former President Bill Clinton, who tweeted:

Nelson Mandela’s Inspirational Quotes

Nelson has said some of the most emotional and powerful quotes ever, inspiring people all over the world.

He once said, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

Another positive quote is, “There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”

He has influenced an incredible number of lives and will be missed tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones at this time.

4½-year treason trial

The South African government continued to implement apartheid laws and intensify repression. In 1956, with the protest movement gaining strength, the government charged Mandela and 155 other leaders with treason and other charges.

Mandela led the defence in the 4½-year trial, using the courtroom to defend the ANC and the anti-apartheid cause.

While the trial dragged on, police attacked unarmed protesters in the Johannesburg suburb of Sharpeville in 1960. That sparked a new wave of protests, which led the government to ban the ANC and declare a national emergency. Mandela was again detained.

Finally, in March 1961, the judge acquitted all the defendants in the treason trial, finding there was insufficient evidence and that the ANC policy was non-violent.

During the trial years, Mandela's marriage to Evelyn "collapsed because of differences in politics," according to Mandela, and they divorced. (Evelyn died in 2004.) In 1958, he married Winnie Madikileza and became father to two more daughters.

Mandela goes underground

After the trial, Mandela went underground. In August 1962, Mandela was arrested and charged with helping organize a three-day general strike and leaving the country without a valid travel document.

Once again, Mandela used the courtroom to present his ideas of equality. He argued he could not receive a fair trial from a judicial system intended to enforce white supremacy. He was convicted on both charges and sentenced to five years in prison.

A police raid on the ANC underground headquarters in 1963 uncovered documents about an ANC guerrilla movement called Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), which Mandela had helped found in 1961. Umkonto claimed to have carried out more than 70 acts of sabotage against the government. Mandela was charged with treason and sabotage.

During the trial, Mandela declared from the dock, "I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society, in which all persons will live together in harmony, and with equal opportunities. It is an idea for which I hope to live and to see, but, my lord, if it need be, it is an idea for which I am prepared to die." He received a life sentence.

27 years in prison

Mandela spent 18 years in the Robben Island prison, in which time he was forced to quarry limestone, harvest seaweed and endure brutality from the guards.

In 1982, along with other imprisoned ANC leaders, he was transferred to Pollsmoor prison outside Capetown. He was hospitalized with tuberculosis in 1988, recovered and returned to prison.

During his years of imprisonment, Mandela had no contact with the outside world, except visits with Winnie.

In 1989, reformer F. W. de Klerk became leader of the governing party and then South African president. Mandela's release seemed imminent.

On Feb. 11, 1990, TV networks around the world broadcast Mandela's walk out of the prison gates to freedom.

Democratic South Africa's first president

In 1994, not only did Mandela vote for the first time, but he was also elected democratic South Africa's first president. The ANC received 63 per cent of the vote.

Many predicted bloodshed and feared the possibility of civil war, fuelled by those seeking retribution for years of apartheid policies. But Mandela oversaw a peaceful transition, embarking on a strategy of reconciliation and urging forgiveness for the perpetrators of past apartheid-era crimes.

He helped establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which sought to  record human rights violations from all sides of the apartheid struggle, but also had the power to grant amnesty to those who committed abuses.

For two years, Mandela headed a coalition government, with de Klerk as deputy president, until de Klerk and his party left the government.

In 1996, Nelson divorced Winnie and two years later married Graca Machel, the former first lady of Mozambique.

The new South Africa was not easy to govern. In addition to other challenges, the crime rate soared as Mandela's government worked to improve social conditions and rebuild the economy.

In 1999, at the completion of one term in office, Mandela stepped down as president, "an old man who wants to go into eternity with a smile on his face," he said.

International mediator

However, the "old man" kept up the pace, mediating peace talks in Burundi that year and the next year overseeing negotiations between Libya and the west concerning the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

In 2001, he visited Canada for the third time, becoming an honorary Canadian citizen.

The following year, he established 46664, a global HIV/AIDS campaign named for Mandela's prisoner number at Robben Island and famous for organizing benefit concerts around the world. (Mandela's son Makgatho died of AIDS in 2005.)

In 2003, he established the Mandela Rhodes Foundation to provide scholarships and mentoring for African youth.

While Mandela said in 2004 that he was officially retiring from public life, he nevertheless went on to initiate The Elders in 2007. This group of former global leaders focuses on peace building, securing the release of political prisoners, humanitarian relief and women's rights.

Dhoom 3 set for Release on 20th December 2013

Dhoom 3 set for release on 20th December

Dhoom 3 set for release on 20th December

Dhoom 3 set for release on 20th December

Dhoom 3 set for release on 20th December

Dhoom 3 set for release on 20th December

Dhoom 3 set for release on 20th December

Aamir Khan starrer "Dhoom 3" is set to have a big release Worldwide on 20th December, 2013.

Sathyam Cinemas will be distributing the Hindi and Tamil versions of "Dhoom 3" in Tamil Nadu. The distributor has booked around 150 screens to release the film. The screen count is likely to increase in the coming days. According to Sify, "Dhoom 3" might release in nearly 200 screens on 20 December.

The action thriller film will have a solo release in northern circuits. However, the film will face strong competition from Tamil releases in the southern state. Karthi's "Biriyani" and Jiiva's "Endrendrum Punnagai" are set to hit the screens on the same day as "Dhoom 3".

Sify reported that "Dhoom 3" will get the best of screens despite new releases in Tamil. The film is likely to release in more number of screens than Shah Rukh Khan's "Chennai Express", as the buzz surrounding "Dhoom 3" is huge in the state.

One hot villain, and uber stylish bikes have been synonymous with Bollywood's popular 'Dhoom' franchise -- and if the teaser of 'Dhoom 3' is anything to go by, Aamir Khan, who plays the baddie, will take the series forward with full speed.

Aamir showcases his chiselled body in full glory, and he vrooms away on the bike, performing daredevil stunts with what seems like the ease of a professional biker.

Unlike the previous two movies, which starred John Abraham and Hrithik Roshan as the bad guys, Dhoom 3 has gone international with a larger plot.

If the buzz for the third installment of the Yash Raj Films' project was not enough already, the teaser, which was released online on Wednesday, managed to build up more anticipation in the audiences' mind.

The teaser got uploaded on YouTube on Sep 4 and has since then got over 150,000 views.

In response to the teaser on YouTube, messages like "Aamir is back" and "Aamir power rules" poured in.

One viewer posted, "Awesome movie! I will be watching this movie on first show", while a certain Rahul Bhardwaj posted: "This biker will beat the 'Express'."

We will have to wait until Dec 20 to see whether Dhoom 3 manages to surpass the success of Shah Rukh Khan's Chennai Express.

The teaser opens with the sound of a bike's vrooming, and the camera then zooms in to show Aamir's muscle power. He gives a poignant voiceover, and then begins the chase.

Abhishek Bachchan as supercop Jai Dixit is seen at his adventurous best suspended from a helicopter, while Uday Chopra as his right hand Ali, zips and zooms on his hi-tech bikes as usual.

Katrina Kaif adds the girl and glamour power -- and, boy, she looks athletic!

Overall, the stunts in the Vijay Krishna Acharya-directed movie look well executed -- especially that one shot where Aamir carefully skids his bike under a truck. A great escape indeed.

The past installments have bagged hit status at the box office. Let's hope this one creates as much 'dhoom'.