Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Ghana could camp in Ethiopia for AFCON


Ghana might camp in Ethiopia for next January's Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted in South Africa.

The Ghana Football Association is yet to confirm the pre-tournament camping base for the Black Stars who are chasing their first African title since 1982.

Kenya, which has been a preferred camping destination for the four-time African champions, is also being assessed by the management committee headed by FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi.

''My personal preference is Ethiopia which has the highest altitude of 1,500 feet above sea level and I think it would be extremely beneficial to the team in terms of building their energy levels,'' Ghana FA boss Kwasi Nyantakyi told Africa Sports.

Ghana are in Group B alongside Mali, Niger and Congo DR for the tournament which will run 19 January - 10 February.

The Black Stars opener is against the Leopards of DR Congo DR in Port Elizabeth on 20 January.
http://sports.myjoyonline.com

Monday, October 29, 2012

Given Tablets but No Teachers, Ethiopian Children Teach Themselves
























A bold experiment by the One Laptop Per Child organization has shown “encouraging” results.
With 100 million first-grade-aged children worldwide having no access to schooling, the One Laptop Per Child organization is trying something new in two remote Ethiopian villages—simply dropping off tablet computers with preloaded programs and seeing what happens.

 The goal: to see if illiterate kids with no previous exposure to written words can learn how to read all by themselves, by experimenting with the tablet and its preloaded alphabet-training games, e-books, movies, cartoons, paintings, and other programs.
Early observations are encouraging, said Nicholas Negroponte, OLPC’s founder, at MIT Technology Review’s EmTech conference last week.

The devices involved are Motorola Zoom tablets—used together with a solar charging system, which OLPC workers had taught adults in the village to use.  Once a week, an OLPC worker visits the villages and swaps out memory cards so that researchers can study how the machines were actually used.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

ሁለት እስረኞች ከአጃቢዎች ለማምለጥ ባደረጉት ሙከራ ተገደሉ

-    ሁለት እስረኞችና አንድ ፖሊስ ቆስለው ተርፈዋል
-    አንድ እስረኛ መሣሪያ ነጥቆ መሰወሩ ተገልጿል

በታምሩ ጽጌ ከአዲስ አበባ ማረሚያ ቤት ለመከላከያ ምስክርነት ኮልፌ በሚገኘው የፌዴራል ፍርድ ቤት ቀርበው የነበሩ እስረኞች፣ ከአጃቢ ፖሊሶች ላይ መሣርያ ነጥቀው ሊያመልጡ ባደረጉት ሙከራ፣ ሁለት እስረኞች መገደላቸውን ምንጮች ለሪፖርተር ገለጹ፡፡ ሁለት እስረኞችና አንድ ፖሊስ ቆስለው ሲተርፉ፣ አንድ እስረኛ ደግሞ መሣርያ ነጥቆ መሰወሩን ምንጮቹ አስረድተዋል፡፡

የመከላከያ ምስክር ሆነው ፍርድ ቤት ጥቅምት 15 ቀን 2005 ዓ.ም. የቀረቡት እስረኞች፣ ሌላ እስረኛ በተከሰሰበት ወንጀል የመከላከያ ምስክር አድርጐ ስለቆጠራቸውና ፍርድ ቤቱም እንዲቀርቡ በማዘዙ መሆኑን ምንጮች አረጋግጠዋል፡፡

እስረኞቹ በሰው መግደል ወንጀል፣ በከባድ ማታለልና በተለያዩ ወንጀሎች የተፈረደባቸው ሳይሆኑ እንዳልቀሩ የገለጹት ምንጮቹ፣ ወደማረሚያ ቤት ይመለሱበት የነበረ ተሽከርካሪ ጠባብ መሆኑን በመገንዘብ፣ ከመጀመሪያውም ለማምለጥ ተዘጋጅተው ሳይሆን እንደማይቀር ምንጮች ተናግረዋል፡፡

እስረኞቹን የጫነው ተሽከርካሪ የቀድሞ ሦስት ቁጥር ማዞሪያ ቶታል አካባቢ ሲደርስ፣ ስምንት እስረኞችን መጫኑንና መጣበቡን የተረዱት እስረኞቹ በፖሊሶቹ ላይ ሚጥሚጣ በመበተን መሣርያ ነጥቀው ለማምለጥ ባደረጉት ግብግብ በተደረገ የተኩስ ልውውጥ፣ ከእስረኞቹ በኩል ሁለቱ መገደላቸውንና ሁለቱ ደግሞ ቆስለው መያዛቸውን የገለጹት ምንጮቹ፣ መሣርያ ከቀሙ እስረኞች በተተኮሰ ጥይት አንድ ፖሊስ ከባድ ጉዳት ደርሶበት በሕክምና ላይ መሆኑን ጠቁመዋል፡፡

ተደራጅተውና ተዘጋጅተው በፖሊሶቹ ላይ ጉዳት በማድረስ መሣርያ ነጥቀው ለማምለጥ ያደረጉት ሙከራ ሙሉ በሙሉ ባይሳካላቸውም፣ አንድ እስረኛ ግን መሣርያ እንደያዘ መሰወሩን ምንጮች ተናግረዋል፡፡

ጥቅምት 15 ቀን 2005 ዓ.ም. ከቀኑ አምስት ሰዓት አካባቢ ስለተፈጠረው የእስረኞችና የፖሊሶች ግብግብ ማብራሪያ እንዲሰጥ ጥያቄ የቀረበለት የአዲስ አበባ ፖሊስ ኮሚሽን የሰው መግደልና ወንጀል ምርመራ ዲቪዚዮን፣ የተደራጁ እስረኞች በፖሊሶች ላይ ጥቃት አድርሰው ለማምለጥ ያደረጉት ሙከራ መክሸፉን ገልጾ፣ ተጨማሪ ማብራሪያ ለመስጠት ገና በጉዳዩ ላይ ምርመራ እያደረገ መሆኑን አስታውቋል፡፡
http://www.ethiopianreporter.com

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Marathon revolution in Ethiopia


PHOTO | VICTAH SAILE From left: Ethiopia’s defending champion Mamitu Daska, Meselech Melkamu and Bezunesh Bekele at a photo shoot at the Movenpick Hotel ahead of the BMW Frankfurt Marathon to be held on October 28, 2012.  PHOTORUN

IN SUMMARY


  • Meselech and Zemzem (Ethiopians are traditionally referred to by their first names) represent a growing group of Ethiopian women runners who are elevating their quest for success from the track onto the marathon
  • Meselech and Bezunesh are, along with Zemzem, in a quartet of Ethiopian runners challenging for compatriot Mamitu Daska’s course record in the German financial capital on Sunday
  • It seems that there is no stopping the surge in Ethiopia’s women’s marathon running
  • This year alone, Ethiopian women have outshone their Kenyan rivals in big city marathons



When Ethiopia’s ulta-conservative former Africa 10,000 metres champion Meselech Melkamu strolled in to the Movenpick Hotel in downtown Frankfurt on Thursday afternoon, her hair dyed in golden colour, one could eerily sense a revolution sweeping through in Ethiopian athletics.

The shy, humble, pretty and respectable 27-year-old, who was born to a former military man - marathon runner Melkamu Haileyesus - in Debre Markos, some 360 kilometres outside Addis, is the second fastest woman over 10,000m (29 minutes, 53.80 seconds) behind China’s world record holder Wang Junxia (29:31.78).

Ethiopian and Sri Lanka maids drown trying to rescue toddler in hotel pool


Three-year-old Salmeen Hadef Salem in hospital.
Toddler remains in a critical condition after mother gave him CPR
Dibba, Fujairah: Two maids died while trying to rescue an Emirati child from drowning in a hotel swimming pool in Dibba, Fujairah.
The women leapt into the water after three-year-old Salmeen Hadef Salem, who
had wandered into the hotel’s adult pool.
Police have since arrested the manager of the Holiday Beach Motel as the toddler, whose family are from Al Ain, fights for life in hospital.
Salmeen’s mother told how she desperately gave her son CPR by the poolside, as his heart had stopped beating.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Rarest dog: Ethiopian wolves are genetically vulnerable


Populations of the world's rarest dog, the Ethiopian wolf, are genetically fragmenting, scientists say.

Fewer than 500 of Africa's only wolf species are thought to survive.

Now a 12-year study of Ethiopian wolves living in the Ethiopian highlands has found there is little gene flow between the small remaining populations.

That places the wolves at greater risk of extinction from disease, or habitat degradation.

In a study published in the journal Animal Conservation, Dada Gottelli of the Zoological Society of London and colleagues in Oxford, UK and Berlin, Germany, quantified the genetic diversity, population structure and patterns of gene flow among 72 wild-living Ethiopian wolves.
The team sampled wolves living within six of the remaining seven remnant populations, as well as from one population at Mount Choke, that has since become extinct.

They found that genetic diversity was relatively high for a species that has declined to fewer than 500 individuals.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Adopted Ethiopian girl Hanna Williams was abused, tortured before her death


OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Documents released Wednesday to KOMO News from Child Protective Services paint a disturbing picture of torture and starvation that led to the death of a 13-year-old girl.

Hana Williams came to the U.S. from Ethiopia with parasites and ringworm, but that's not what killed the young teen. Skagit County authorities say Hana was constantly denied food, locked in a dark closet for days, and forced to sleep in a barn. Police say Hana was left out in her backyard barely clothed on a cold, rainy May night just hours before dying in a hospital.

Now, her adoptive parents Carri and Larry Williams are charged with her death.

Thomas Shapley says Department of Social and Health Services staff were not satisfied with the results of the autopsy.

"It just wasn't enough," Shapley said. "The autopsy came back 'cause of death could not be determined.' Our folks were tenacious and concerned some bad thingswere going on in this house."

An award-winning playwright and popular broadcaster, Ethiopian Born Poet Lemn Sissay on Tedx talk



Ethiopian transition proceeding smoothly - except for one thing The Guardian Reports

Azeb Mesfin, wife of the former Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi. Photograph: Simon Maina/AFP
Meles Zenawi's widow, powerful in her own right, is refusing to move from the national palace, say government sources

It is has been a little more than two months since the death of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Since then, the country that he ruled over for 21 years has effected a remarkably smooth transition. His deputy, Hailemariam Desalegn, has taken over as both party leader and prime minister. There have been no major reshuffles. Policy changes, where they have happened, have been encouraging. Any threats to Desalegn's succession were muted and, evidently, unsuccessful. Even the country's restive Muslim population has been quiet, waiting to see what the new leadership is all about before pressing on with their campaign for a greater say in the country's (and their own) affairs.

There is one problem, however. It's minor in the grand scheme of things, perhaps, but raises a few nagging questions that Meles' successor could do without. It's also rather tricky to handle, even with the best of intentions.

Azerbaijan, Gaza, Ethiopia Women Win Media Awards

A columnist imprisoned under Ethiopia's controversial anti-terrorism laws, an Azerbaijani investigative radio reporter who had surveillance cameras planted in her apartment and a Palestinian blogger who has been beaten and tortured for reporting on abuses and protests in Gaza each received Courage in Journalism awards Wednesday from a women's media group.

The International Women's Media Foundation also honored 70-year-old Pakistani journalist Zubeida Mustafa with its annual lifetime achievement award during a lunch in New York on Wednesday. Honored as the first woman in Pakistani mainstream media, Mustafa worked to enact hiring policies favorable to women during her 30 years at Dawn, a widely circulated English-language newspaper.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

S.Sudan plans mediation between Ethiopia and Eritrea

* Ethiopia, Eritrea at loggerheads over border

* S. Sudan says has close ties to both countries

* Talks could start as early as November

By Aaron Maasho

ADDIS ABABA, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Newly independent South Sudan plans to help resolve the long-running border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, a senior official said on Wednesday.

South Sudan's minister for cabinet affairs, Deng Alor, said Addis Ababa and Asmara had given the green light for mediation talks on the border, which could start as early as November.

"We have close ties with both countries so we are planning to mediate and solve the problems that they have between them," Deng Alor, South Sudan's minister for cabinet affairs, told Reuters.

Ethiopian and Eritrean officials were not available to comment. Ethiopia has said its conflict with Asmara over the demarcation of their shared border following a 1998-2000 war would be solved only through a negotiated settlement.

South Sudan is still embroiled in its own frontier argument with its northern neighbour, Sudan. The two countries broke apart last year under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of civil war.

Alor said South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and other senior officials were set to name a delegation "very soon" that would travel to both capitals.

"We will embark on rounds of shuttle diplomacy between the two countries. We are hoping to start in November," Alor said.

A Hague-based boundary commission awarded the flashpoint frontier village of Badme to Eritrea in 2002. But Ethiopia has yet to conform with the ruling, insisting on further negotiations on its implementation.

Asmara wants Ethiopia to pull its troops out before normalising relations.

The two countries nearly returned to war in March when Addis Ababa launched cross-border attacks in Eritrea on what it said were rebel targets.

Both countries routinely accuse each other of backing dissidents to destabilise and topple the other's government. Ethiopian strongman Meles Zenawi died in August.
http://af.reuters.com

የልጆቹን እናት በበርካታ ጥይቶች ደብድቦ ለገደለው ተጠርጣሪ ተመጣጣኝ ቅጣት ተጠየቀ

ወ/ሮ ፍሬሕይወት ታደሰ
‹‹ልጃችን በአሰቃቂ ሁኔታ በመገደሏ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ ይፍረደን››  የሟች ቤተሰቦች

በታምሩ ጽጌ

ባለፈው ቅዳሜ ጥቅምት 10 ቀን 2005 ዓ.ም. ማለዳ ሁለት ሕፃናት ልጆቿን ወላጆቿ ቤት አድርሳ ወደ ሥራዋ በመሄድ ላይ የነበረችውን ወ/ሮ ፍሬሕይወት ታደሰን በመኪና አሳዶ በክላሽንኮቭ ጠመንጃ በርካታ ጥይቶችን በመተኮስ፣ ገድሏታል በተባለው ተጠርጣሪና የቀድሞ ባለቤቷ አቶ የወንድወሰን ይልማ ላይ ተመጣጣኝ ቅጣት እንዲጣል ቤተሰቦቿ ጠየቁ፡፡

በአሲድና በስለት የተጀመረው የሴት ልጆች ጥቃት ወደ ጦር መሣርያ መሸጋገሩን፣ በልጃቸው ላይ በጥይት እሩምተ የተፈጸመው ግን እስከዛሬ ከታየውና ከተሰማው የተለየና ጭካኔ የተሞላበትና የግፍ ግድያ በመሆኑ፣ ይህንን ድርጊት የሰማና የተመለከተ ኢትዮጵያዊ ሁሉ እንዲፋረድላቸው የጠየቁት የሟች ወላጆች፣ መንግሥት አፋጣኝና ተገቢ የሆነ የቅጣት ዕርምጃ እንዲወስድም ጠይቀዋል፡፡

Monday, October 22, 2012

Ethiopians Addisu Demissie and Junaid Jemal Sendi take UK stage to show dance changes lives

Image from the film "Destino," a contemporary dance story featuring Ethiopian dancers Junaid Jemal Sendi (above), and Addisu Demissie - whose personal story the film portrays.

LONDON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Two Ethiopians who take to the London stage on Monday evening are living proof that dance really can change lives.

Addisu Demissie, 30, and Junaid Jemal Sendi, 28, will perform in "A Holding Space", a dance collaboration which explores their extraordinary journey from the streets of Addis Ababa to some of the biggest arts venues in Europe.

In the film "Billy Elliot", the son of a tough northern English miner breaks taboos and challenges a community's prejudices by ditching boxing to take up ballet.

ጋዜጠኛ እስክንድር ነጋ የጠየቀው ይግባኝ ተቀባይነት በማግኘቱ ለክርክር ተቀጠረ

-    ጠበቆቹን አሰናብቶ ራሱ ይከራከራል

በታምሩ ጽጌ

በተከሰሰበት የሽብርተኝነት ወንጀል ጥፋተኛ ተብሎ በፌዴራል ከፍተኛ ፍርድ ቤት ልደታ ምድብ ሦስተኛ ወንጀል ችሎት ሰኔ 20 ቀን 2004 ዓ.ም. በ18 ዓመታት ፅኑ እስራት እንዲቀጣ የተወሰነበት ጋዜጠኛ እስክንድር ነጋ፣ ውሳኔውን በመቃወም ለፌዴራል ጠቅላይ ፍርድ ቤት ያቀረበው ይግባኝ ተቀባይነት በማግኘቱ ለክርክር ለጥቅምት 27 ቀን 2005 ዓ.ም. ተቀጠረ፡፡

የሥር ፍርድ ቤት ያስተላለፈበትን የጥፋተኝነት ፍርድና የቅጣት ውሳኔ በመቃወም ‹‹ንፁህ ነኝ፣ የቀረበብኝ ማስረጃ የለም፡፡ ፍርድ ቤቶች የተከበሩ ተቋማት በመሆናቸውና የበቀል፣ የአፈናና የጭቆና መድረክ መሆን ስለሌለባቸው በነፃ ልለቀቅ፤›› በማለት ነሐሴ 9 ቀን 2004 ዓ.ም. ይግባኝ ማለቱን ለፍርድ ቤቱ ያቀረበው አቤቱታ ያስረዳል፡፡

የልጆቹን እናት በጥይት ደብድቦ ገድሏል የተባለው ተጠርጣሪ በቁጥጥር ሥር ዋለ

-    የሟች እናትና ሁለት ግለሰቦች ቆስለው መትረፋቸው ታውቋል

በታምሩ ጽጌ

በቂርቆስ ክፍለ ከተማ ከኦሎምፒያ ወደ መስቀል ፍላወር በሚወስደው መንገድ፣ ላፓሪዚያን ካፌ ፊት ለፊት ቅዳሜ ከጠዋቱ 2፡15 ሰዓት ላይ የልጆቹን እናት በጥይት ደብድቦ ገድሏል የተባለው ግለሰብ፣ እዚያው በቁጥጥር ሥር መዋሉን በስፍራው የነበሩ የዓይን እማኞች ለሪፖርተር ገለጹ፡፡ ‹‹እሷም ልጆቼም ጠልተውኛል›› በሚል ተስፋ ቆርጦ ዕርምጃውን ለመውሰድ እንደወሰነ ሲናገር ተደምጧል የተባለው ተጠርጣሪ፣ ግለሰቧን ለመግደል በተኮሳቸው ጥይቶች አብረዋት የነበሩትን እናቷንና በአካባቢው ላይ የነበሩ ሁለት ግለሰቦችን ማቁሰሉን የዓይን እማኞቹ ተናግረዋል፡፡

ሰሞኑን ይከፈታል በተባለው ካርቱም ሬስቶራንት መግቢያ በር አጠገብ ቶዮታ ኮሮላ እያሽከረከረች ወደ መስቀል ፍላወር አቅጣጫ ትጓዝ የነበረችን አንዲት ሴት፣ ሀችባክ የሚያሽከረክር አንድ ግለሰብ ከፊት ለፊቷ ቀድሞ መንገዱን በመዝጋት እንዳስቆማት የዓይን እማኞቹ አስረድተዋል፡፡

"አረንጓዴ ኢትዮጵያ" የአመለሰት ሙጬ አጭር ፊልም


          

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Adane Girma in line for CAF award



Adane Girma nominated for the 2012 African Player of the Year (Based in Africa).
The award is given to the best footballer based on Africa and competing in championships based on the continent.
Girma is a defender or defensive midfielder and is part of the Ethiopia national football team. He began his career with Awassa City FC in summer 2007, then left the team and moved to Saint-George SA. He was later transformed to striker, which role he did very well, by being one of the best scorers of Ethiopian Premier League in season 2009/10. He can also play at full-back. Adane Girma and Getaneh Kebede of Dedebit FC shared the Ethiopian Premier League 2010/11 goal scoring title after they finished the season with 20 goals each. He was also awarded as best player of ligue in that season.

Below are the nominees for the 2012 African Player of the Year (Based in Africa); Abdelmoumen Djabou (Club Africain), Ahmed El-Basha (Al Merreikh), Ahmed Zuway (CA Bizertin), Abdoulrazak Fiston (Lydia Academic), Alou Bagayoko (Djoliba), Alula Girma (St. Georges), Azuka Bobo Izu (Sunshine Stars), Boubacar Bangoura (Djoliba), Edward Sadomba (Al Hilal), Essam El Hadary (Al Merreikh), Emmanuel Atukwei Clottey (Esperance), Given Singuluma (TP Mazembe), Hamouda Ahmed El Bashir (Al Ahly Shandy), Harrison Afful (Esperance), Ismailia Diarra Cercle (Olympique de Bamako), João Hernani Rosa Barros (Interclub), Mohamed Aboutreika (Al-Ahly), Mongezi Bobe (BIack Leopards, South Africa), Mudather ElTaieb (Al Hilal), Mxolisi Mthethwa (Royal Leopard), Oboabona Godfrey (Sunshine Stars), Omar Mohamed Bakheet (Al Hilal), Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe), Razak Yakubu (Al Ahly Shandy), Samatta Mbwana (TP Mazembe), Solomon Asante (Berekum Chelsea), Stoppila Sunzu (TP Mazembe), Taboko Eric Nyemba (AC Leopard Dolisie), Tresor Mputu Mabi (TP Mazembe), Walid Hicheri (Esperance), Yannick N’Djeng (Esperance), Youssef Msakni (Esperance)



Ten Teams To Watch For At Brazil 2014: 8 - Ethiopia


Having qualified for the African Cup of Nations for the first time in over 30 years, Ethiopia, disqualified from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, are hoping to qualify for the first time in their history for the 2014 edition.

They will go to South Africa for the African Cup of Nations with a chance of reaching Brazil a bright start to the World Cup qualifiers.
The country more famed for its athletics stars than its footballers will be one to watch as they look to upset regional favourites such as the Ivory Coast and Ghana, and could be a surprise participant in Brazil.
http://www.football.co.uk

ደሞ አበሻ ተነሳበት! ነቢይ መኮንን


ይኸዋ!!...ይኸዋ እንደፈራሁት
ደሞ አበሻ ተነሳበት
አየሁት ይኸው አየሁት
የኳስ ፍቅሩን ካገር ፍቅር፣ አብሮ ሲያነድ አስተዋልኩት!
አቦ እሄ ህዝብ ሆድ ያባባል፤ አቦ አበሻ ታምር ያቃል!
ጉደኛ ህዝብ ጉድ ያሳያል
ጉደኛ ህዝብ ጉድ ያፈላል!
አንዴም ውይ፣ አንደዜም እሰይ፤ ማለትን ይችልበታል!
አፈር ነክሶ፣ ትቢያ ልሶ፣ መነሳትን ያቅበታል!
በሀዘኑ ማቅ መልበስን
በደስታው ሆታ ማምጠቅን
ሁሉን በወጉ ያከብራል፡፡


Friday, October 19, 2012

Colours of the Nile Film Festival launches in Ethiopia


The inaugural Colours of the Nile International Film Festival (CNIFF) will run in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 7-11 November 2012, introducing the best of African cinema to African audiences. The festival will screen 58 titles, all of which will be African, East African or Ethiopian premieres. Films in competition come from
Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Mali, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.

“We’re very proud of our lineup,” says CNIFF president Abraham Haile Biru, a two-time Best Cinematographer winner at FESPACO for Darrat (Dry Season) and Abouna (Our Father). “The titles show that a new wave of modern African cinema is coming of age; they present a new vision of the continent and its creativity.”
Biru is the founder and manager of Blue Nile Film and Television Academy, a pioneering training institute in Addis Ababa that is organizing the festival with The Ethiopian Filmmakers Association.

Belarus to open its embassy in Ethiopia in 2013


MOSCOW, 19 October (BelTA) – The Embassy of Belarus will be opened in Ethiopia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia Igor Petrishenko told media following the cooperation agreement signing ceremony between the Foreign Ministries of Belarus and Ethiopia in Moscow on 19 October.

According to Igor Petrishenko, the decision to open the Belarusian diplomatic representation was taken by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. “The Ethiopian side was fast in giving its consent to open our embassy,” the diplomat said. He added that the Embassy of Belarus in Ethiopia will open in 2013.

The Ambassador stressed that the embassy would boost Belarusian-Ethiopian all-round cooperation.

Ambassador of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Russia with concurrent accreditation in Belarus Mr Kasahun Dender Melese, for his part, said that the Ethiopian government is ready to do everything possible for the Belarusian embassy to be opened as soon as possible.

The African Union that unites 54 countries of the continent is headquartered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The Belarusian embassy in Ethiopia is expected to coordinate the work with all member states of the union.
http://news.belta.by

Why Two Eritrean Pilots Went Rogue and Stole Their President's Plane


Until recently, the Eritrean Air Force had a single luxury airplane, an 1970s-era American corporate turboprop. Thanks to a brazen act of defiance, the plane is now in Saudi Arabia. And its pilots, two high-ranking Air Force officers, are attempting to defect from a government that few people seem to want to live under -- even, apparently, among the upper-echelons of its military.

Isaias Afewerki, the country's longtime dictator and the architect of one of the most oppressive states on earth, might have to fly commercial the next time he has to negotiate with his rivals in neighboring Ethiopia, or to convince foreign leaders that his government isn't aiding al Shabaab, the al Qeada franchise that once ruled much of Somalia.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Ethiopian Human Rights Commission Short-Listed for UN Accreditation


Ambassador Tiruneh Zena, commissioner of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) disclosed that EHRC is short-listed for accreditation with the UN.

It expects decision on November 2012. "It is very important to be accredited because that will enable us to take positions in the UN forum not just as a member of the Ethiopian delegation but as EHRC," Ambassador Tiruneh said. "As a member, we will have full rights and take a floor and speak about human right situations in Ethiopia."

EHRC, whose activities were confined to Addis Ababa when it started five years ago, has now opened up branches in Hawassa, Bahr Dar, Mekelle, Jimma, Gambella and Jijiga. The commission, in collaboration with universities and NGOs, has also set up 112 legal aid centers that provide legal assistance to people who are economically disadvantaged.
http://allafrica.com

Ethiopian crops satisfy hunger for home የጤፍ፤ሚጥሚጣ፤ጌሾ እና በሶብላ ገበሬው ኢትዮጵያዊ በአሜሪካ


Menkir Tamrat's backyard garden in Fremont showcases the diversity of the crops of his Ethiopian homeland. Tamrat also has a plot at the Sunol AgPark. Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle / SF
This is the first in an occasional series on farmers working to preserve their cultural foodways by growing heritage crops in the Bay Area.

Whoever we are, wherever we're from, we're a
ll exiles, if only from that foreign place, the past. Hunger is part of that experience - not for calories, necessarily, but for tastes. It could be a delicious but unshippable fruit you miss, a wild herb or a fish that must be fresh out of the Gulf of Mexico or the Mekong. Through history, displaced peo
ples have re-created the foodways of their lost homelands in diaspora communities, starting with seeds or tubers that make it through the filters of distance and hardship. It's still happening, in places like Ethiopian-born Menkir Tamrat's Fremont backyard.

Tamrat's garden showcases the diversity of Ethiopian crops. His homeland may have been one of nine places where agriculture was independently invented, thousands of years ago. In early fall, the garden blazes with red mitmita peppers that give the raw-beef dish kitfo its fire. There's besobila, sacred basil, an essential ingredient in the seasoning mix called berbere ("the backbone of the sauces"); gesho, a flavoring agent in tej (honey wine); and assorted culinary herbs and greens. A grass called tej sar resembles lemongrass but is used as soap. The leaves of the endod vine contain a chemical that kills the aquatic snails that spread bilharzia, a chronic disease widespread in developing countries.

A ripe mitmita pepper. Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle / SF
Tamrat, 61, came to the United States in 1971 as a student, worked for IBM as a business manager, and became a full-time farmer after being laid off three years ago. In addition to his home garden, he has a plot at the Sunol AgPark for the milder berbere peppers. The land is leased from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and managed by Sustainable Agriculture Education, a Berkeley-based nonprofit. Tomato-grower Fred Hempel does the tilling at the AgPark. Tamrat, who has no farming background, handles everything else there and in his garden: "It's part of my exercise regimen."

Traditional teff
Near Wheatland in the Sacramento Valley, he's also growing teff, the endemic grain from which injera, Ethiopian flatbread, is made.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Caf reveals seeds for 2013 Africa Cup of Nations;Ethiopia in the fourth pot.


Caf reveals seeds for 2013 Africa Cup of Nations

The Confederation of African Football has revealed the seeding for the draw for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ivory Coast are among the top seeds, despite the abandonment of their second-leg tie with Senegal and no news of an official result from Caf.

The Ivorians were 6-2 up on aggregate when Saturday's game in Dakar was called off because of crowd violence.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

From Being Civil Engineer in Ethiopia To Cab Driver in Washington, DC

A D.C. cab gives someone a ride. Many of D.C.'s immigrant cab drivers left behind professional careers in their home countries.

The ranks of D.C.'s taxi drivers are filled with Ethiopian immigrants. Many of them were professionals in their former lives, and when it comes to learning the rules of the game in the U.S., it can be a challenge.

Negede Abebe and Mechal Chame sit in Abebe's cab in Georgetown, talking about how they came to the U.S., what they did before and how they became cabbies. Abebe received asylum, and Chame won a Visa lottery to get to America.

The Geopolitical Impact of the Nile


              

Photographers John Rowe and Steve McCurry in the Omo Valley


           

Friday, October 12, 2012

Investor Africa Awards an Ethiopian Admassu Tadesse, President and CEO of the PTA Bank


Ethiopian national Admassu Tadesse, President and Chief Executive of Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (PTA Bank), has won Investor Africa’s 2012 ‘Up and Coming Future Leader of the Year Award’ in the category of  investment professionals under 45 years of age demonstrating leadership potential.

The Award is presented at Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Tokyo, Japan at the Investor Africa annual award ceremony, which is taking place parallel to the International Monetary Fund / World Bank 2012 Annual Meetings.  “It is a great honour for me and my country to win such a regional award,” he said to newbusinessethiopia.com after the award.

ZTE, Huawei to Be Awarded Ethiopian Telecommunications Contracts


Ethiopia’s government will sign a two- year contract with Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. (000063) within weeks, Communication and Information Technology Minister Debretsion Gebremichael said.

ZTE, China’s second-largest maker of phone equipment, said in May it was bidding with Huawei for a $1.3 billion government telecommunications contract.

“Both companies will be engaged,” Debretsion said in an interview in the capital, Addis Ababa, yesterday, without giving the size of the contract. “Both will have a share in the market.”

ZTE, about one-third owned by the Chinese government, has worked with Ethiopia’s state-owned monopoly provider Ethio Telecom over the past six years to improve phone and Internet services in Africa’s second-most populous nation.

The companies will finance the project that includes more than doubling the number of mobile-phone users to 40 million by mid-2015, Debretsion said.

“We are not investing; we are inviting companies to come with their finance,” he said. “That is why we are waiting for the negotiation.”

Agreements including technical details and how to divide the work between the companies should be made within two weeks, Debretsion said.
http://www.businessweek.com

Big Reward Offered In Ethiopian immigrant Keyru Lolo Murder Case From 2009

Three years after the unsolved murder of Keyru Lolo, this billboard offers a $10,000 reward. (credit: CBS)

DENVER (CBS4)- There is a $10,000 reward and new attention in an unsolved murder case in Denver dating back three years.

Ethiopian immigrant Keyru Lolo was gunned down in the court yard of an apartment complex in East Denver.

“We just want to know who killed him and why,” said Keyru’s sister-in-law Nanise Wako. “Please help us, if anyone knows anything about this.”

Lolo’s family is working with police in a new effort to catch his killer. There is a billboard just a few blocks from the murder scene advertising the reward and asking, “Who Killed Keyru Lolo?”

Friends and family hope the billboard will inspire new tips even if the tipsters want to remain anonymous.

Lolo was gunned down at the Garden Court Apartments in October 2009. He received a phone call, left his cousin’s apartment and was shot multiple times crossing the courtyard.
“I used to live in this apartment and he came to visit me,” said family member Jemal Gisho.

“We believe he was walking down this sidewalk right here, we believe the gunman was coming from this area and shot Keyru as he was walking down these stairs,” said Denver Police Homicide Detective Mark Crider.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

DNA Confirms Genetically Distinct Lion Population for Ethiopia

Addis Ababa lion. (Credit: Joerg Junhold and Klaus Eulenberger, Leipzig Zoo)
ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2012) — A team of international researchers has provided the first comprehensive DNA evidence that the Addis Ababa lion in Ethiopia is genetically unique and is urging immediate conservation action to preserve this vulnerable lion population.While it has long been noted that some lions in Ethiopia have a large, dark mane, extending from the head, neck and chest to the belly, as well as being smaller and more compact than other lions, it was not known until now if these lions represent a genetically distinct population.

Sewnet Bishaw aiming retaliation over Sudan


ADDIS ABABA: After the high scoring and entertaining Cup of African Nations qualifier with Sudan, which saw Ethiopia lose 5-3, national team coach Sewnet Bishaw believes his side can overcome the deficit and push on to advance to the continent’s top tournament.

Ethiopia is to play host to Sudan on Sunday and needs to win by at least two goals in order to advance. If they can secure a 2-0 victory, they will win on away goals.

“I cannot deny that it was a heavy defeat,” Bishaw told CAFonline in an interview ahead of the match. “But it is possible to reverse that result with a simple 2-0 win in front of our fans.”

He detailed the strange first match between the two sides in saying anything was possible.

“If one remembers the scoring pattern in the first leg one can easily observe that we were able bounce back two times. Sudan had a 1-0 lead, and then we crawled back to 1-1.

Sewnet Bishaw
“The Sudanese side extended the lead to 3-1, it we fought back with two goals to make it 3-3 after 82 minutes. In the remaining 8 minutes Sudan scored two goals from penalties to win 5-3.

“My senses tell me that it is possible to reverse the deficit and gain victory over the Sudanese side,” he added.

Ethiopians are excited about the potential of supporting their home side in the qualifier.

“I think we can achieve success and if you took away the penalties from the first match, we would be in solid position,” one Ethiopian youth and avid football fan told Bikyamasr.com on Wednesday.


“I will be at the match and ready to go all out.”
http://www.bikyamasr.com

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The story of Adam Woldemariam: might be most honest man in America


Cabbie might be most honest man in America

Updated: Wednesday, 10 Oct 2012, 9:01 AM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 10 Oct 2012, 8:59 AM CDT

CHRISTINE KIM, KSNV
LAS VEGAS (NBC/KSNV) - A Las Vegas cabbie might be called a fool or the most honest man in America after turning in a brief case he found full of money in his taxi -- a quarter-million-dollar find.

In a city of temptation, cab drivers know honesty goes a long way.

"That kind of money, you don't keep that," said 42-year-old cab driver Adam Woldemariam.

They're constantly tested.

"I hope all the drivers do the same thing," he said.

But they rarely come across a situation like Woldemariam's, who has been a cab driver for seven years. Last month, he found a black laptop case in the back seat of his van.

                                    
"I opened the case, I looked, it was money," he said. "I was surprised. I immediately go to the office."

He turned it all in to the cab company owner's lost-and-found department -- all $221,510.

We asked the most common question he's been answering these days: Why not keep it?

"Never, never. I cant do that. That's not my money," he said.

It turns out, an hour after Woldemariam turned in the cash, he got a big thank you hug from the owner -- and a monetary reward.

"He gave $2,000. That's it," Woldemariam chuckled.

His cab friends tease that's less than 1 percent tip. But to him, it means a lot to his parents and seven siblings in Ethiopia.

"He was struggling to send money to family, so it's a gift. That $2,000 means a lot to send back home. It's good timing," said a friend of Woldemariam.

And although it's not cash, he does have a quarter-million-dollar story to tell.

The owner reportedly won the money at the Wynn casino but left it in the cab on the way to the airport.

When he realized he had forgotten the money, he called the cab company, which informed him they had his money.
http://www.kxan.com

ሁለት አዳዲስ የሙዚቃ ቪዲዮ ጃኖ ባንድ (አይራቅ) + ሚካኤል በላይነህ (ትንታ) check It out




የኢሕአዴግ ታጋዮች ጡረታ ትግሉን ከተቀላቀሉበት ጊዜ ጀምሮ ሊሰላ ነው


የቀድሞውን ወታደራዊ አገዛዝ የመገርሰስ ትግል ውስጥ የተሳተፉና በአሁኑ ወቅት በመንግሥት ተቋማት ውስጥ በማገልገል ላይ የሚገኙ የቀድሞ ታጋዮች ጡረታ (ማኅበራዊ ዋስትና) ትግሉን ከተቀላቀሉበት ጊዜ አንስቶ እንዲሰላ፣ የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር ጽሕፈት ቤት ለሚመለከታቸው የመንግሥት ተቋማት በጻፈው ደብዳቤ አሳሰበ፡፡ ለጉዳዩ ቅርበት ያላቸው ምንጮች ለሪፖርተር እንደገለጹት፣ ለመንግሥት ተቋማት የተሰራጨው ደብዳቤ ከሰኔ 13 ቀን 2004 ዓ.ም. ጀምሮ እንደሆነና ይህም ማለት ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር መለስ ዜናዊ በሕይወት በነበሩበት ወቅት ነው፡፡

የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትሩ ጽሕፈት ቤት ደብዳቤውን ያሰራጨው በሕግ ላይ ተመሥርቶ ይሁን አይሁን በእርግጠኝነት ለመናገር እንደማይችሉ የሪፖርተር ምንጮች የገለጹ ቢሆንም፣ ምናልባት ለሕዝብ ይፋ ያልሆነ መመርያ በሚኒስትሮች ምክር ቤት ፀድቆ ሊሆን እንደሚችልና ደብዳቤውም በዚህ ላይ የተመሠረተ ሊሆን ይችላል ሲሉ ጥርጣሬያቸውን ገልጸዋል፡፡

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Ethiopian Honest Cab Driver Adam Woldemariam finds, returns $221,510, gets $2,000 reward



Here's one of those stories that could only really happen in a gambling town like Las Vegas.

And as the cliché goes, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Or maybe for this story it ought to be, "What happens in the cab, Stays in the cab."

But that's not how it works for Adam Woldemarim, a big and honest teddy bear of an Ethiopian cabdriver.

Back on Sept. 2 he was cleaning out the back seat of his van just before the start of his 2 p.m. shift when he spotted something between the seats.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Coffee Table Book: Flowers of Today, Seeds of Tomorrow a project by Elias Wondimu of Tsehai Publishers


Wayna Wondwossen: From Political Speechwriter to Grammy-Nominated Musician
The hopes and aspirations, struggles and triumphs of an amazing generation of Ethiopians
Ethiopia – a country conjuring images of ancient civilizations and the birthplace of humanity; of long distance runners and coffee beans; the oldest independent African nation.

These images are commonly contrasted in the media with those of disease, starvation, and poverty––the media narrative of Ethiopia is one of deprivation and desperation.

At Tsehai Publishers, we wish to present a different Ethiopian narrative––that of the individual. Through these individuals we hope to find the narrative of the future within the context of the present, the fight for tomorrow happening today.

Flowers of Today, Seeds of Tomorrow, our most recent project and our first coffee table book, presents this narrative through firsthand accounts of extraordinary Ethiopians seizing their moment, building meaningful lives, and re-inventing their presence on a complex world stage.

Dinaw Mengestu: MacArthur Genius Fellow, Writing on Faith
The stories presented in this book are those of immigrants, expatriates, deportees, orphans, and refugees. Of those who chose academia, science, food, medicine, art, media, law, business, and music as means to achieve something greater than themselves. Of those who seek to distinguish themselves not just as individuals, but as members of a global community with a proud heritage.

Flowers of Today, Seeds of Tomorrow presents a series of inspirational, intimate profiles, providing readers a chance to see the courage and triumphs of some of the brightest leaders of the Ethiopian diaspora. Many found themselves isolated in new countries after being removed from their homeland. Through it all, these individuals exhibited incredible bravery––their lives are remarkable tales of personal triumph that illustrate the importance of individual histories. Their stories are at once intimate and universal.

For those with no connection to Ethiopia, the book provides a perfect gateway to this complex, fascinating culture. For many with a connection to the country, it represents a form of justice, a voice for the Ethiopian people. For parents and communities that nurtured these individuals, a testament to their own achievement. For young readers, a dose of inspiration.
Mimi Alemayehou:  From Hotel Clerk to Government Executive 

We believe you will love this book. We also believe the stories speak for themselves. Here are a few previews of some of the individuals profiled in Flowers of Today, Seeds of Tomorrow:

               
Read More
http://www.tsehaipublishers.com/
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/394846288/coffee-table-book-flowers-of-today-seeds-of-tomorr

Ethiopia’s New Prime Minister and the Challenges Ahead

Dr.Solomon Deresso Ayele

by Sophia Gebrehiwot
WASHINGTON D.C.---------Solomon Ayele Dersso Phd, is a senior researcher with Peace and Security Council Report Program at the Addis Ababa Office of the Institute for Security Studies. He has published articles on the ongoing political situation in Ethiopia.

Regarding the newly appointed Prime Minster Hailemariam Desalegn, Solomon says, it did not come as a surprise. However, to concerns raised by observers that the new Prime Minister might not hold real authority, Solomon asserts that the Prime Minister ship is the highest executive authority in the country, and the person holding the position cannot be said not to have authority, because he/she has the power inherent in the job.

Ethiopian to receive 11 new aircraft, Second Dreamliner arrives in Addis


Second Dreamliner arrives in Addis

By Kaleyesus Bekele

Ethiopian Airlines, one of the fastest-growing African airlines, will receive 11 new aircraft during the current fiscal year, it was learnt. The airline will receive one cargo Boeing B777F, three B787, four  Bombardier Q400 and two Boeing B737-800. The national flag carrier currently operates 48 aircraft and plans to boost the number of aircraft to 115 by 2015.

Last August the airline became the third airline in the world to own and operate Boeing’s new jetliner: the  B787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.

Ethiopia: Independent papers say gov't banned them


By KIRUBEL TADESSE, Associated Press
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — The publishers of two weekly newspapers that have been critical of Ethiopia's ruling party say they have stopped publication because of government obstruction.
The publishers are appealing to the country's newly appointed Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to intervene. A government spokesman denied that the Ethiopian government is telling the country's largest printer not to publish the papers.
Both Feteh, Ethiopia's largest weekly at 27,500 copies, and Finote Netsanet, which is published by the largest opposition group, Unity for Democracy and Justice, have been unable to reach their readers for several weeks. The papers say the state-owned Berhanena Selam printing company refuses to print them.
A media rights official from the Committee to Protect Journalists blamed the government for not allowing the papers to be printed.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Tsegaye Kebede smashes course record to win Chicago Marathon Atsede Baysa wins women's race PLUS VIDEO


CHICAGO Oct 7 (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede slashed almost a minute off the course record to win the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, leading an African sweep in the 35th running of the race.

Kebede stormed to victory in an unofficial time of two hours 04.38 seconds to shatter the previous record of 2:05.39 set by Kenya's Moses Mosop last year.

The first three men across the line all went under the old mark and all were from Ethiopia, ending Kenya's run of nine consecutive winners in the Windy City. Feyisa Lilesa was second in 2:04.52 while Tilahun Regassa was third in 2:05.27.

Atsede Baysa completed an Ethiopian double by winning the women's race in a thrilling sprint finish with Kenya's Rita Jeptoo.

Baysa crossed the line just inches ahead of Jeptoo with winning in an official time of 2:22.03, one second ahead of Jeptoo.

Kenya's Lucy Kabuu was third while Russia's Liliya Shobukhova was fourth after bidding for an unprecedented fourth straight victory in the race, one of the five World Marathon Majors.

The cool conditions were perfect for fast running as the elite runners led the massive field of around 45,000 entrants along the Chicago lakefront and through the city's neighbourhoods.

Kebede won the London Marathon two years ago and almost won Chicago as well but was run down in the last 400m by the late Samuel Wanjiru.

"I don't believe it," Kebede said in a televised interview. "This has been my goal, 2:04, so I just pushed and pushed and pushed." (Reporting by Julian Linden in New York; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)


View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

Meseret Hailu surprises in Kavarna - Women’s World Half Marathon Championships

Meseret Hailu taking a narrow victory in Kavarna

Kavarna, Bulgaria – Battling against warm and humid conditions, Meseret Hailu led Ethiopia to an upset victory in the team race with her surprise triumph at the 20th edition of the World Half Marathon Championships in Kavarna, Bulgaria.

Temperatures along the sunny course that wound through this Black Sea coastal city of 12,000 rose to 30 C (86 F) during the morning’s first race, but that didn’t seem to faze the unheralded 22-year-old Hailu, who crossed the line in 1:08:55, a performance that sliced more than two minutes from her previous personal best.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Police: Pa. prosecutor, wife abused Ethiopian kids


PITTSBURGH -- A Pennsylvania prosecutor and his wife severely mistreated their adopted Ethiopian children - their 6-year-old boy who a doctor found malnourished and had skin lesions and an 18-month-old girl who had signs of multiple skull fractures, county police said.

Deputy Attorney General Douglas Barbour, who works out of the Pittsburgh office, and his wife, Kristen, were arraigned Friday on charges stemming from the treatment of their children. The Franklin Park couple are scheduled for an Oct. 9 preliminary hearing.