The Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, Pita Tagicakirewa, confirms that the Ministry is putting together four new action plans concerning iTaukei. According to Tagicakirewa, the proposed action plan will ensure the protection of iTaukei’s language and culture and enhance training for the younger generation. Article continues after advertisementHe adds that the action plans include the International Decade on Indigenous Language, which is a ten-year program, culture and education, and the Pacific Regional Culture Strategy. “Right now, the Ministry is putting together about four action plans concerning the iTaukei. International decade on indigenous languages, 2022–2032 we are putting together a national action plan; it’s almost done.”The Permanent Secretary says that the proposed action plan will be submitted to the cabinet for endorsement before the Ministry starts implementing it.

The agreement aims to ensure the security and authenticity of certificates issued by higher education institutions in Ethiopia. According to SICPA’s official website, CERTUS is specifically designed for document issuers such as educational institutions, government entities, and businesses. SICPA is also expected to deliver an additional 24,000 security codes to the Education and Training Authority within six months. Earlier this year, the Education and Training Authority conducted a screening of 18,000 higher education degrees and discovered 921 counterfeit certificates. During a recent briefing to members of parliament, Minister Berhanu highlighted plans to implement a nationwide system for verifying higher education documents.

“TikTok is being used to incite violence,” said Bahiru Shewaye, co-founder of House of Guramayle. Bahiru said several videos have been reported to TikTok but “we are still waiting for them to take action.”TikTok did not respond to requests for comment. In another video posted Aug. 2, a TikTok user calls for gay men to be stabbed in the buttocks. LGBTQ+ Ethiopians said the surge of abusive content has left them feeling unsafe, with several fleeing abroad in recent weeks. … It has always been bad, but this time it feels different.”Another LGBTQ+ man, a student in Addis Ababa, said he has been outed twice on TikTok.

“TikTok is being used to incite violence,” said Bahiru Shewaye, co-founder of House of Guramayle. Bahiru said several videos have been reported to TikTok but “we are still waiting for them to take action.”TikTok did not respond to requests for comment. The AP on Thursday reviewed several videos that appeared to violate TikTok’s community guidelines by inciting violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. In another video posted Aug. 2, a TikTok user calls for gay men to be stabbed in the buttocks. LGBTQ+ Ethiopians said the surge of abusive content has left them feeling unsafe, with several fleeing abroad in recent weeks.

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Security forces in Ethiopia are cracking down on hotels, bars and restaurants in the capital Addis Ababa where gay sexual activity is alleged to take place, the city administration said on Thursday. Rights groups say the LGBT community in Ethiopia remains underground because LGBT people face high levels of discrimination and fear violence and ostracism if their identities are discovered. The Addis Ababa Peace and Security Administration Bureau, a government body, said it was taking action "against institutions where homosexual acts are carried out" following tip-offs from the public, and had already raided a guest house in the city. Gay sex is prohibited by law in Ethiopia, but there are no recent reports of people being convicted for engaging in consensual same-sex sexual activity. (This story has been corrected to change sourcing from Ethiopia News Agency to Addis Ababa Peace and Security Administration Bureau in paragraphs 1, 4 and 5)(Reporting by Tiksa Negeri, Writing by Hereward Holland, Editing by William Maclean)

i24 News – Over 200 Israelis and those entitled to immigration to the Jewish state were rescued from northern Ethiopia amid ongoing violence, a joint statement of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. “174 Israeli citizens and those entitled to it were rescued during the day from the city of Gondar. At the same time, 30 Israeli citizens were rescued from the town of Mount Dar, in northern Ethiopia. A total of 204 Israeli citizens and those entitled to it were rescued, in 4 flights. In the last few days, citizens of Israel and (those eligible for) Aliyah from Ethiopia entered into distress in the battle zones.

Ethiopian Airlines is set to receive eight new passenger aircraft and expand its international destinations by six in the coming months. The two Boeing planes are expected to arrive within two months, coinciding with the introduction of six new international destinations. Ethiopian Airlines aims to increase its revenue by 22 percent this year, and to achieve this target, it is not only expanding its fleet and flight routes, but also focusing on infrastructure development and improving customer service. With a current fleet of 145 aircraft and serving 134 international destinations, Ethiopian Airlines continues to strengthen its position in the aviation industry. According to Mesfin Tasew, the CEO of the airline, the discount is a way for Ethiopian Airlines to play its part in promoting trade within the continent.

An advocacy group in Ethiopia has sharply criticized government institutions for homophobic statements they say have spurred online attacks against LGBTQ and intersex people. The Addis Ababa Culture, Arts and Tourism Bureau on Aug. 5 released a statement that condemned acts of same-sex relations. The statement cited reports of people engaging in same-sex relations, including public displays of affection, at restaurants and hotels in Addis Ababa, the country’s capital. Ethiopian police also urged members of the public to report anyone who engages in same-sex relations, citing they go against social values. Many LGBTQ and intersex Ethiopians are therefore forced to live in hiding because even talking about who they are is dangerous.

Concorde, a supersonic aircraft which was capable of speeds up to Mach 2, has taken what was perhaps its slowest trip ever recorded. On Wednesday the static display aircraft from New York’s Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum was removed and carried on a barge trip up the Hudson River. Photo Credit: Kurkoe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsTouring the Intrepid Museum exhibitThe Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City host Concorde G-BOAD as a static display. Photo Credit: Image by Alfred Hutter, Attribution, via Wikimedia CommonsThe Concorde on display at the Intrepid Museum is a National Historic Landmark. Tours of the Museum’s display Concorde will resume when the aircraft returns for Spring 2024.

Several civilians have been killed during the ongoing clashes between security forces and militant groups in the Amhara region, BBC Amharic reported citing hospital sources and residents. At least 20 people have died and more than 200 people injured in the city of Gondar and its environs, the BBC reported citing the hospital sources. A number of civilians who were injured and brought to the hospital for treatment lost their lives, he added. Hospitals are suffering serious shortages of vital medical equipments such as ventilators, oxygen cylinders and pumps, the BBC reported. The Ethiopian government said on Wednesday that six major towns in the Amhara region had been “liberated” after days of fighting between the army and local militias.

In alignment with the company’s, ‘Closer to Customer’ strategy aimed at strengthening and enhancing relationships with its customers, Canon today opens the first of its kind Contact Center in Egypt. Canon Contact Centre will elevate the overall customer experience by fostering seamless and efficient interactions, while also surpassing their expectations and fulfilling their demands. It is indicated that the Canon Contact Centre is currently exclusive only to Egypt. Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services.

The International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia said that it is deeply concerned about the reported deteriorating security situation in the northwest region of Ethiopia, particularly in Amhara. This comes as the Ethiopian government said that it recaptured six towns in the Amhara region from Fano fighters. In a Thursday statement, the Commission has taken note of the August 4, 2023 announcement by Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers of a state of emergency by Proclamation No. UN Human Rights Council mandated the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia on 17 December 2021 to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law and violations of international humanitarian law and international refugee law in Ethiopia committed since 3 November 2020. The International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia called on all sides to respect human rights and take steps to de-escalate the situation and prioritize processes for the peaceful resolution of differences.

Tel Aviv [Israel], August 10 (ANI/TPS): Israel airlifted 204 people — mostly Israeli nationals, but some individuals who qualify for citizenship — the Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday. The Israelis were trapped in the Amhara region as fighting escalated between the Ethiopian army and the Fano militia escalated. The Foreign Ministry set up a situation room in Jerusalem to monitor the evacuation. “The State of Israel takes care of its citizens, whoever they are,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “In the last few days, citizens of Israel and Aliyah [immigration] have entered from Ethiopia into distress in the battle zones.

[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]First Lady Filomena Katonivere is encouraging local artisans to gain as much exposure and empowerment opportunities as possible to make creative choices. Speaking at the National Craft Exhibition at the Old Nausori Municipal Market yesterday, Katonivere says women and families have been economically empowered daily to make strategic life choices in light of difficult economic situation. She adds economic empowerment further enables women to be financially independent with the ability and strength to influence and advocate for issues that affect them and their families. Article continues after advertisement[Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]The exhibition was also attended by Indian High Commission to Fiji, P.S Karthigeyan, British High Commissioner Dr Brian Jones and representatives from the United States and Indonesian embassies. [Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]The four-day exhibition will end on Saturday.

Menen Haile, Brig. General Tefera Mamo’s wife (photo : SM)By Staff ReporterADDIS ABABA – (BORKENA) – General Tefera Mamo’s wife, Menen Haile, was arrested last evening by the Federal Police, her husband General Tefera Mamo told Tikvah-Ethiopia. The General told Tikvah-Ethiopia that the reason for her arrest had “connection with the message she communicated previously on social media”. It is to be recalled that General Tefera Mamo, who headed the Amhara Region Special Forces was detained after criticizing Ethiopia’s Prime Minister in a television interview, BBC reported on 28 May 2022. General Tefera Mamo has not been allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment.